4th Sunday in Advent - Worship at Home

     Well, the weather has not been kind to us this week, having to cancel all of our special activities.  However, just because we are not having worship together here does not mean you can't celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent as a family.  Here is a brief order for worship that you can all participate in together. 
     Before you begin, gather four candles of any kind and place them in a prominent place where you are gathered (the middle of the kitchen table, for instance, or on the coffee table).  Also make sure to grab your Bibles so that you can read together from the scripture portion.  Finally, you will need to decide your favorite Advent/Christmas carol (no Jingle Bells here, we're talking the ones from church!) that you will sing together at the end.  That is all you will need for this simple, at-home Sunday worship!
     As you go through the service, remember that today's theme is love.  Thus far we have gathered under the themes of hope, joy, and peace.  Today we remember the love God shows for us in becoming one of us in the birth of Jesus.

To begin, light the four candles while someone reads the following:
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe.
In your Son, Emmanuel,
you have shown us your light
and saved us from the power of sin.
Bless us as we light the candles on this wreath.
Increase our longing for your presence,
that at the celebration of your Son's birth
his Spirit might dwell anew in our midst,
for he is our light and our salvation.
Blessed be God forever.

Sing together the first verse of Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel:
Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to you,
O Israel.

Pray together with this prayer or one of your own:

Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.
With your abundant grace and might,
free us from the sin that hinders our faith,
that eagerly we may receive your promises,
for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Read Scripture together:

Introduction: 

     In the 1st Kings text, we find Elijah hiding in a cave because, he says, everyone is trying to kill him.  Elijah was a prophet, or someone who spoke God's words to the people.  The people didn't like what Elijah was telling them; Elijah was reminding the people of Israel that they were supposed to worship God alone, and to remember God's commands, which the people had forgotten.

     So Elijah has had to run away from the people.  For 40 days he ran, twice being visited by an angel who provided Elijah with food so that he could keep going.  Finally after 40 days Elijah found a cave to hide in, and that is where our reading begins.

1 Kings 19.9-13

Talk about it together:

1. In the introduction we find out that Elijah has been fleeing for 40 days.  Do you remember other places in the Bible where the number 40 was significant?  (If you need a little help, just google '40 days in the Bible' for lots of ideas.)
2. As God appears to Elijah several things happened.  Name everything that happened before God appeared to Elijah.
3. Why do you think God waited to come to Elijah in the sound of sheer silence?  Have you ever heard sheer silence?  What was it like?
4. As we prepare for Christmas we remember that God comes to us, too.  Rather than God coming in big and loud ways, we remember that God came to us in a little baby, Jesus.  What does God coming to us as a baby tell us about God?  What does it tell us about God's love?
5. What are some ways that you have seen God coming to you?  (Remember, it doesn't have to be big, earth-shattering events like huge miracles or anything.  What we learn from Elijah is that God often comes in the small, quiet ways.)

Pray together: 
Begin by going around and saying something for which you're thankful.
Secondly go around and confess ways in which you haven't lived as God wants us to, and ask forgiveness.
Next go around and share a way in which you hope God's love comes to all the earth.
The third round is praying for others.
Lastly go around and add anything else you want to pray for.
End in the name of Jesus.

Share the peace together:
Share the peace with one another, remembering that because God came to us in love through Jesus we can always have the 'peace which surpasses all understanding.'

Sing together:
Get the lyrics of the song you chose earlier, and have fun singing together!  You may even want to search YouTube and see if there are any versions you can sing along with, or get out your cameras and make one of your own!

This is a short version of our own worship we would have had today.  Peace and blessings this snowy day - and everyone stay safe!