WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Transcription

1 WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH From Darkness to Light: Isaiah s Vision of a Peaceable Kingdom Third Sunday of Advent December 16, 2018 GATHERING PRELUDE Trio Sonata in G Major, Op. 5, no. 4 G.F. Handel HWV 399 I. Allegro II. A Tempo ordinario: Allegro, non presto III. Passacaile IV. Gigue V. Menuet

2 LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH As the light is brought into the Sanctuary, and the candle on the Advent wreath is lighted, the congregation is invited to sing the following: Wait for the Lord Taizé/Jacques Berthier Response: Wait for the Lord, his day is near. Wait for the Lord, be strong, take heart! vs. 1 and 2 (choir) The glory of the Lord shall be revealed. Response. Seek first the kingdom of God, seek and you shall find. Response. GREETING AND CALL TO WORSHIP Let us worship God. (Those who are able may stand.) May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124: 8) In days to come, the mountain of the Lord s house shall be established as the highest of mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that we may learn God s ways and that we may walk in God s paths. (Isaiah 2: 2-3) PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION I. LAMENT FOR SIN AND PERVASIVE INJUSTICE, THE NEVERTHELESS OF GOD S PROMISE Isaiah 1:1-3, 11; Isaiah 2:1-5 (Old Testament, page 630 and in your pew bible) 2

3 *HYMN 373 O Day of Peace JERUSALEM 3

4 II. GOD S PROMISE OF THE COMING OF THE PRINCE OF PEACE AND THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS Isaiah 7:10-14; Isaiah 9:2-7 (Old Testament, page 636 and 638 in your pew bible) Anthem For Unto Us (Messiah) G.F. Handel For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. III. THE PEACEABLE KINGDOM Isaiah 11:1-10 (Old Testament, page in your pew bible) Anthem The Dream Isaiah Saw Glen Rudolph Lions and oxen will sleep in the hay, leopards will join with the lambs as they play, wolves will be pastured with cows in the glade, blood will not darken the earth that God made. Little child whose bed is straw, take new lodgings in my heart. Bring the dream Isaiah saw: life redeemed from fang and claw. Peace will pervade more than forest and field: God will transfigure the Violence concealed deep in the heart and in systems of gain, ripe for the judgment the Lord will ordain. Little child whose bed is straw, take new lodgings in my heart. Bring the dream Isaiah saw: justice purifying law. Nature reordered to match God s intent, nations obeying the call to repent, all of creation completely restored, filled with the knowledge and love of the Lord. Little child whose bed is straw, take new lodgings in my heart. Bring the dream Isaiah saw: knowledge, wisdom, worship, awe. 4

5 IV. THE CALLING AND BLESSING OF THOSE WHO PROCLAIM GOD S MESSAGE OF PEACE Isaiah 40:1-11 (Old Testament, page 667 in your pew bible) Anthems And the Glory of the Lord (Messiah) G.F. Handel And the glory, the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken. O Thou, That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion (Messiah) Hannah Sims, soloist O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain! O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength! lift it up, be not afraid! Say unto the cities of Judah, say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! behold your God! O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, arise, shine, for thy light is come; and the glory of the Lord is risen, is risen upon thee. V. ALL CREATION SINGS FOR JOY Isaiah 55:6-13 (Old Testament, pages in your pew bible) 5

6 *HYMN 134 Joy to the World arr. John Rutter Verse 1: All sing, Verse 2: Choir, Verse 3: Choir, Verse 4: All sing 6

7 VI. ALL NATIONS SHALL COME TO CHRIST, THE TEMPLE OF GOD Isaiah 56:1-2, 6-8; Isaiah 60:1-3 (Old Testament, page 686 and 690 in your pew bible) Canticle Arise, Shine for Your Light Has Come Donald Pearson Refrain: Arise, shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has dawn d upon you. For behold, darkness covers the land, deep gloom enshrouds the peoples. Refrain. For over you the Lord will rise and his glory will appear upon you. Nations will stream to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawning. Refrain. Your gates will always be open by day or night they will never be shut. They will call you the city of the Lord the Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Refrain. Violence will no more be heard in your land. Ruin or destruction within your borders. You will call your walls salvation and all your portals praise. Refrain. The sun will no more be your light by day, by night you will not need the brightness of the moon. The Lord will be your everlasting light and your God will be your glory. Refrain. 7

8 VII. GOD WITH US Isaiah 61:1-3, 10-11; John 1:1-5, 14 (Old Testament, pages , New Testament page 91 and 92 in your pew bible) Anthem His Light in Us Kim André Arnesen (This anthem is given to the glory of God and in loving memory of our long-time choir member, Doug MacCallum, by the Westminster Choir, Advent 2018) God s distant call flares in the night, so long expected, so longed for; and all my life, Christ called my name, and now at last, I ll answer Him. Renewed, his hope, his light in us, incarnate, fragile, our Lord appears, Alleluia, alleluia! Eternal, so perfect, his cry of changeless love. Alive, awake, His call is here: it is the crying of the Child; I know Christ s call, its hidden flame, it makes my spirit flare with hope! Renewed, his hope, his light in us... This root, this stem, this flowering Love, this mustard seed, it grows to the greatest tree, the birds of souls have nested there. The light of the night Now blazes at dawn! Renewed, his hope, his light in us... You ve led me here, O little child, your being singing with God s life. The kingdom sings, it choirs with earth, all creation lives Christ s peace. Renewed, his hope, his light in us... 8

9 PRAYER Eternal God, you taught us that the night is far spent and the day is at hand. Keep us awake and alert, watching for the advent of your peaceable kingdom. By power of your Eternal Spirit, make us strong in faith, so that when Christ comes in glory to judge the earth, we may joyfully give him praise who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. WELCOME AND RITUAL OF FRIENDSHIP OFFERTORY Pastorale from Concerto grosso in g minor, Op. 6, No. 8 *DOXOLOGY (all sing) Arcangelo Corelli CRANHAM What can I give him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; If I were a wise man, I would do my part; yet what I can I give him: give my heart. (Christina Rossetti, 1872) *PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. God of the ages, we praise you, for in the dawn of time you created the world, sending light by your Word to dispel darkness. In Jesus Christ you began a new creation, sending Him to be the Light of the world, to drive away fear and despair, and to rule in peace and justice, holiness and love. *THE LORD S PRAYER (Prayed in unison, see page 35 of the hymnal) 9

10 SENDING *HYMN 100 STAR OF THE COUNTY DOWN My Soul Cries Out 10

11 *CHARGE AND BLESSING POSTLUDE Arcangelo Corelli Allegro from Concerto grosso in g minor, Op. 6, No. 8 *(Those who are able may stand.) SERVICE NOTES WORSHIP LEADERS: Liturgist: Donovan Drake; (8:30 a.m.) Advent Wreath: the Rick Family; (11:00 a.m.) Advent Wreath: the Weathersby Family. MUSICIANS: Westminster Choir; David Davidson, violin; Carrie Bailey, violin; Monisa Angell, viola; Sari Reist, cello; Jack Jezioro, bass; Sam Bacco and Todd London, percussionists; John W. Semingson, Director of Music Ministries; Polly Brecht, Organist. 11

12 USHERS: (8:30 a.m.) Brett Oeser, Henry Oeser, Sylvia Grant, David Wyatt; (11:00 a.m.) Jim Jenkins, Anne Claire Jenkins, Anne Jenkins, Kathryn Jenkins. Please contact one of the ushers if you need assistance. ADVENT: Advent is the first season of the liturgical year, consisting of four Sundays in which the church prepares for the celebration of the Incarnation. The seasonal color is royal blue, symbolic of kingship and of hope. Each Sunday an additional candle on the Advent wreath is lighted, symbolic of the dawning of the light of God s Kingdom, inaugurated in the birth of the infant of Bethlehem. As we approach Christmas, the Sanctuary will change in appearance. Each Sunday decorations will be added as the Church s hopeful joy increases. MUSIC NOTES Messiah Georg Friederich Handel was born in Halle, Saxony, Germany in 1685, and distinguished himself as an organist and composer at an early age. As a young man he traveled to Italy where he learned to write Italian operas. He returned to Germany in 1710 to be the Kapellmeister (Chapel Music Director) to Georg Ludwig, the Elector of Hanover (later King George I of England). Handel then visited England, initially to compose an opera, and, except for a brief return trip to Germany in 1711, remained in England for the remainder of his life. Fast forward, more than a quarter century, to 1737: Handel had become a great impresario, setting London abuzz with his Italian operas, for which he obtained acclaimed soloists from the Continent. Messiah resulted from an invitation to Handel from the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, William Cavendish. Messiah used a libretto by Charles Jennens, based on the King James Bible and the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. Handel composed Messiah in 23 days, beginning in August 1741, and it premiered in Dublin in April 1742, where it was impressively successful. Handel, now confident that he had a working vehicle, took Messiah on the road, to London where, on March 23, 1743, it failed. The Dublin performance receipts had been donated to three Irish charities and when Handel revived Messiah in 1750 to support London s Foundling Hospital, the work instantly became much more popular. Its huge success has continued ever since. It is still certainly the most popular oratorio today when one considers the number of its performances throughout the world. 12

13 The Dream Isaiah Saw (composer s note) I began composing The Dream Isaiah Saw near the end of July 2001 and finished it on September 30. We all know what happened in between. Like most of us, during the time immediately after September 11, I could do little more than make it through the minimum requirements of each day. When I did come back to finishing the piece, I was at once moved by the appropriateness of the words, and struck by the irony that I would be composing this piece at this time. Coincidence or divine providence, it was clear that The Dream Isaiah Saw should be dedicated to those who perished on September 11, The Dream Isaiah Saw begins with a single voice paraphrasing Isaiah s vision of peace and harmony among God s creation. Thomas Troeger s poem Lion and Oxen Will Sleep in the Hay is a remarkable synthesis of the ancient prophet s vision and the circumstances of our present-day world. This musical setting strives to bring Thomas Troeger s words to life, that they make take hold in our hearts and move us toward a realization of Isaiah s dream. To that end, an understanding of the symbolism in The Dream Isaiah Saw may be helpful. The soloist and chorus alternately speak the words of Isaiah, and offer petitions to the infant Christ to dwell in our hearts, that Isaiah s dream may become a reality. The percussion represents the presence of God gradually taking control of an outof-control world. By the last verse, the chorus is led by the unison cadence of the drums representing the whole of humanity living a unison belief in Isaiah s dream. During this last verse, which describes God s creation restored to a state of peace and harmony, the unsettling harmony of the first two verses is replaced by a more reassuring harmonization. The voices first sing the final chorus a cappella, free from the control of the percussion, but none the less firmly unified in this belief. Voices, percussion, and organ all join together for the final, triumphant refrain. The war is won.. the dream, a reality. - Glenn L. Rudolph. His Light in Us Christmas is a permanently new, permanently fresh and refreshing gift: the human heart is renewed through the gift not of riches, but of a tiny, fragile child. His Light in Us is a thanksgiving, and its key word is renewed, reflecting the glory of what goes on in our spirits at Christmas. His Light in Us is a thanksgiving of new hope and how light now shines also in dark times. -Kim André Arnesen and Euan Tait. Euan Tait is a Welsh-Scottish poet and librettist born in Berlin in He worked in the L Arche community with people with learning disabilities in the 1990 s, then ran work training programs in the 2000 s. He now lectures in English and Creative Writing. He has worked with Arnesen on several projects since

14 Kim Andre Arnesen (b. 1980) is one of the most frequently performed living classical composers from Norway today. He grew up in Trondheim, Norway, and was educated at the Music Conservatory there. Arnesen has written music that has been commissioned and performed by choirs and musicians all over the world. His Requiem had its New York premiere at Carnegie Hall in 2017, and his last largescale work, The Wound in the Water, was premiered by the outstanding American choir Conspirare in ANNOUNCEMENTS WELCOME: Westminster Presbyterian Church welcomes you to share our common journey to become more faithful disciples of Christ. Our love and acceptance of each other affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person, regardless of our differences, and bear witness to the love of God for all people and our commitment to Christ. Any who are interested in joining us in this journey are invited to speak with one of our Greeters in the Parlor after each worship service. The Greeters for today are (8:30 a.m.) Ginger Caldwell and (11:00 a.m.) Bob and Donna Littleton. ASSISTIVE HEARING DEVICES AND LARGE-PRINT BULLETINS are available from Ushers. Please tune hearing devices to channel 4. If you would like to take a hearing device home with you, please contact Paul Webb in the church office at PRAYER SERVICE FOR WHOLENESS IS TODAY: The monthly Prayer Service for Wholeness will be held in the Chapel immediately following the 11:00 a.m. service today. This brief and informal service (roughly 15 minutes) will include a time for sharing concerns and joys, griefs and celebrations. Rev. Heidi Hudnut-Beumler and Claire Harris Kramer co-lead this service and remain available to pray with and for members of our community. CHRISTMAS EVE CHILDREN S OFFERING: Everyone who will be attending the Christmas Eve worship service for children and families, which begins at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, December 24, 2018, is reminded to bring canned goods as their offering for the day. All food stuffs collected will be donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank. LAUDATE YOUTH AND ALUMNI CHRISTMAS EVE CHOIR: All alumni are invited to join the Laudate Youth Choir for its rehearsal on Sunday, December 23, 2018, beginning at 5:00 p.m. in the Choir Room, and also at 9:15 p.m. on Tuesday, December 24. The combined choir will sing for the 10:30 p.m. Christmas Eve candlelight Communion service. 14

15 SANCTUARY AND PARLOR FLOWERS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2019: If you would like to provide flowers for the Chancel urns in the Sanctuary or the refectory table in the Parlor during 2019, please contact Terri Eckert by at to select your Sunday. Please note that reservations for flowers do not carry over from year-to-year. Arranged by members of Westminster s talented Flower Guild, this is a wonderful way to celebrate your loved ones or honor those who have died. WINTER NEW MEMBER CLASS BEGINS JANUARY 6, 2019! If you are interested in exploring membership, would like to learn more about Westminster and the Presbyterian Church (USA), or discover opportunities for fellowship, study, mission and service offered through our community of faith, please join us. Contact Rev. Heidi Hudnut-Beumler ( ; hhudnutbeumler@nashvillewpc.org) or Elder Jim Hartman ( ; overlookjim@yahoo.com). To register, contact Suzanna Weisband ( ; suzannaw@nashvillewpc.org) or speak with the Greeter in the Parlor following either service. CENTERING PRAYER brings strength and power to many. Be still and know that I am God, says the Psalmist. Come and be still, 9:00 9:30 a.m., Wednesday or Thursday mornings in Room M-209. We gather in sacred space by candlelight and cross, in the presence of God and one another. The half hour begins with a brief passage of scripture or uplifting word from ancient and contemporary spiritual guides, followed by twenty minutes in silence, and concluding with a version of the Lord s Prayer. COPYRIGHT INFORMATION: The music used in the service this morning is copyrighted under Christian Copyright Licensing International, Inc., No

16 UPCOMING SERVICES AT WESTMINSTER DECEMBER 23, 2018 FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT Service for the Lord s Day 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. worship services Laudate Youth Choir, Westminster Choir DECEMBER 24, CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY 2:00 PM FAMILY SERVICE Sophie Maness and Rachel Pence Chiming Children and the Alleluia, Gloria, and Jubilate Children s Choirs Children are invited to bring offerings of canned and boxed food for Second Harvest Food Bank. (2017 attendance: 500) 5:00 PM CANDLELIGHT COMMUNION WORSHIP Donovan Drake, Assisting: Rachel Pence Westminster Choir, Agnes Bartek, harp; and Sam Levine, whistle and flute (2017 attendance: 575) 8:00 PM CANDLELIGHT COMMUNION WORSHIP Donovan Drake, Assisting: Heidi Hudnut-Beumler Westminster Choir; Agnes Bartek, harp; and Sam Levine, whistle and flute (2017 attendance: 491) 10:30 PM CANDLELIGHT COMMUNION WORSHIP Donovan Drake, Assisting: Guy D. Griffith Laudate Youth and Alumni Choir (2017 attendance: 215) Childcare available during the 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM services. Due to limited parking, please carpool. DECEMBER 30, FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS Whitney Booth Lockard, Assisting: Guy D. Griffith 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. worship services Carols and Brass WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 3900 West End Avenue Nashville, Tennessee