Holy Sherlocks, December 6, 2020 - St. Andrews Hespeler

Wherever you see signs of love, God is there. Wherever kindness and fairness are extended, God is there. Wherever the sacred story becomes our story, God is there. In times together and times apart, we celebrate God with us.

The Season of Advent invites us to focus on hope, peace, joy, and love. This week, with the people of Israel and the people of Mark’s gospel, we remind ourselves of the restoration we hope for ourselves and the world and expect God to show up and be revealed in the everyday, the ordinary.

December 6 – Remind, Reveal, Reinforce

Read Isaiah 40:1–11 or Listen to the audio story “Comforting Words” or gather around as someone tells the story “God Is Here.”

God is faithful, God shows up, God restores, and God’s provision is never-ending. We can join our voices and shout words of love. We can add our actions to help make a better world. We can remind, reveal, and reinforce God’s love for everyone.

 Whatmessagedoyouwanttoexpresstotheworld?
 Write a message of love and hope and include it with Christmas cards you may be sending.

Advent candle lighting

If you did not do so last week, create an Advent wreath with four candles. It can be as simple as four electric tealights and a square of green felt. Or you might create a wreath following the directions on page 4 on last week’s Children’s Activity Leaflet.

This Advent candle lighting ritual is based on an Advent wreath ceremony written by Maren Tirabassi. In this ritual, we name the things that dimmish peace, and light the candles of hope and peace to light the way forward.
ONE: In our homes,
we gather around wreaths
to pray for our lost hopes,
broken peace, limited joys,
and love so hard to find and share.

We light the candle of hope.

RESPONSE: We now light the candle of peace in spite of … (add situations in your context. For example, post-election anger, divisions, racism)

ONE: God’s peace illuminates the possibility of reconciliation and healing and brightens the path to joy.
RESPONSE: Emmanuel, God be with us, in the week to come, lighting hope and peace on the wick of our lives so that we may shine on our world. Amen.

(You might copy the response in large print and place near the Advent wreath were all can see.)

Video (for younger children) Listen to and watch the story of Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge.

How did Wilfred Gordon show comforting love?
How did he help Miss Nancy remember?
I wonder who has shown you comforting love?
I wonder how you can show comforting love?
Print this week’s children’s activity leaflet, which includes the story “God Is Here,” an activity, andcomforter craft.During the week
Practice stillness Set a space with a pile of stones and a copy of these directions.
In this busy time of the year, it can be hard to calm things down or find quiet, but we can find little opportunities for peace in the whirlwind.1. Take a stone into your hands. Look at the stone or close your eyes.
2. Take a deep breath, and count to four as you do so, slowing your breathing.
3. Hold your breath for a moment.
4. Remember the peace that God brings us during our often-busy lives.
5. Let your breath out – and count to six as you do so, letting your breathing slow downmore.
6. Hold your breath for a moment.
7. Repeat a few times.
8. Take the stone with you, so that you can hold on to it whenever you need to reinforceGod’s peace and a reminder to breathe.
9. You might set a reminder or an alarm and commit to practicing stillness each day. Listen to the song “May You Find Peace” (MP3 available here for purchase and download).
Visit Lection Connection, December 6, for current events that connect with this week’s scriptures.

Prayer for each day

Transforming God,
thank you for inviting us into change.
We know that your world is a world of hope and justice for all.
Thank you for those who have been God’s message of hope and peace to us. Help us to do our part to be messengers of hope and peace. Amen.