December 19, 2009 Gathering

PRELUDE

Music by Andrew Prete

WELCOME

Welcome to The Pub Church! As a church in a pub, the Spirit is with us. In this space feel free to move about, help yourself to food and drinks, doodle, and express yourself openly!

We come together with diversity of thoughts, stories, talents, hopes and hurts. All we bring is welcome. Our prayer is that in coming together with all our differences and with Spirit, we participate toward a new divine reality.

This is sacred space.

OPENING PRAYER

Loving Goddess, open our hearts and minds to the truth made manifest in Jesus --- That you are with us. You took flesh, dwelt among us, and offered us an embodied witness to your divine way. May the simple beauty of the birth of Jesus summon us always to love what is most deeply human, and to see your love reflected in the humblest of lives. May the testimony of this incarnation summon us to new life and inspire us to share this table in openness and truth, so that the fruits of this gathering may be hope, and love, and friendship.

TELLING OUR STORY

PEACE – TOAST

In this place we creatively express;

Some of us are focused, some are a mess!

We participate during the sermon

And people do connect, we are learnin’

Greet all with a handshake, toast or a wave

At all times feel free to yell, rant or rave

Fake not friends, we can arrive as we are.

Cheers! Here’s to sacred space in a bar!

CREATIVE EXPRESSION

By Andrew

CONVERSATIONAL SERMON

“Mark is not very helpful in the season of advent.”

At that time, Mary set out in haste for a town in the hill country of Judah, where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted her Elizabeth. And it so happened, when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, that the baby jumped in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with holy spirit and proclaimed at the top of her voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! Who am I that the mother of my lord should visit me? You see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby jumped for joy in my womb. Congratulations to her who trusted that what the Lord promised her would come true.”

And Mary said, "My soul extols the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has shown consideration for the lowly status of his slave. As a consequence, from now on every generation will congratulate me; the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name, and his mercy will come to generation after generation of those who fear him. He has shown strength of his arm; he has put the arrogant to rout (retreat/defeat), along with their private schemes; he has pulled the mighty down from their thrones, and exalted the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, remembering his mercy, as he spoke to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

Silent Meditation: Be still and aware of the Divine presence within and all around us…

v What is advent?

v Is Mark really not helpful in advent?

COMMUNION AND SHARING OF RESOURCES

God is with us.

Yes she is.

FEEDBACK AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

BENEDICTION

In this holy season of winter-darkness hearth-time, welcome the stranger you have feared:

your own desires, your memories, your losses.

And in the quiet of candlelight,

may you hold hope again,

like a newborn child in your arms,

cradle hope again.

Blessed be your holidays and

Go forth in hope, in peace, in joy, and in love.

POSTLUDE

By Andrew