Worship Leader: Brad Lepp
Speaker: Alison Li
Song Leader: Peter Voth
Pianist: Audrey Wichert
Ushers: Sherry and David Nelligan
Tech Team (In-Person / Online): Dennis Giesbrecht/ Lewis Stubbs
Activity Period: Christine and Andrew Sloss
Coffee: Doreen Martens/ Jeff Taylor
Gathering Processional with Children: Come Light of the World
Gathering Hymn: VT 218 – Come, Though Long-Expected Jesus
Call to Worship / Candle Lighting:
In the darkness there is a way.
God always makes a way to us.
We light this candle to see God’s way.
And God makes a way for us.
We light this candle to find our way.
We go the way of love and justice.
In the dark, God, show us the way.
Come, O Jesus, come, and lead us in your way.
Welcome & Land Acknowledgement
Announcements
Giving with Gratitude – Gift from Mennonite New Life Church
Kindom Reflection – Youth
Hymn: VT 210 O Come, O Come Immanuel (verses 1,2,4,6,7)
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:1-8
Children’s Story
Hymn: VT808 – Between Darkness and Light
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11
Congregational Prayer
Hymn: VT216 – Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming
Sermon
Hymn: 212 – Comfort, Comfort, O My People
Benediction
Scripture
Mark 1:1-8
1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, God’s Son, 2 happened just as it was written about in the prophecy of Isaiah:
Look, I am sending my messenger before you.
He will prepare your way,
3 a voice shouting in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way for the Lord;
make his paths straight.”
4 John the Baptist was in the wilderness calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins. 5 Everyone in Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to the Jordan River and were being baptized by John as they confessed their sins. 6 John wore clothes made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He announced, “One stronger than I am is coming after me. I’m not even worthy to bend over and loosen the strap of his sandals. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Isaiah 40:1-11
40 Comfort, comfort my people!
says your God.
2 Speak compassionately to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her that her compulsory service has ended,
that her penalty has been paid,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins!
3 A voice is crying out:
“Clear the Lord’s way in the desert!
Make a level highway in the wilderness for our God!
4 Every valley will be raised up,
and every mountain and hill will be flattened.
Uneven ground will become level,
and rough terrain a valley plain.
5 The Lord’s glory will appear,
and all humanity will see it together;
the Lord’s mouth has commanded it.”
6 A voice was saying:
“Call out!”
And another said,
“What should I call out?”
All flesh is grass;
all its loyalty is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass dries up
and the flower withers
when the Lord’s breath blows on it.
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass dries up;
the flower withers,
but our God’s word will exist forever.
9 Go up on a high mountain,
messenger Zion!
Raise your voice and shout,
messenger Jerusalem!
Raise it; don’t be afraid;
say to the cities of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
10 Here is the Lord God,
coming with strength,
with a triumphant arm,
bringing his reward with him
and his payment before him.
11 Like a shepherd, God will tend the flock;
he will gather lambs in his arms
and lift them onto his lap.
He will gently guide the nursing ewes.
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