The Story for the
Third Sunday of Advent
December 13, 2020

prepared by the Rev’d Rhonda Waters

This Advent, we are not reading the usual lectionary readings. Instead, we have crafted an Advent series that tells the story of God’s saving work through the lens of four pairs or individuals from the Bible who reveal the
transformative power of hope in God.
On Sunday, we will hear these stories in a variety of ways – Bible readings, stories, poems, and songs.

Isaiah 1:1-4,12-20 and Isaiah 40

On the third Sunday in Advent, we will hear two passages from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. The first passage comes from before Judah was occupied and the people sent into exile. The prophet speaks God’s judgement on the nation and calls them to return to righteousness. The second passage was written after the exile had taken place and seeks to assure the people that God has not abandoned them but will ultimately see them restored to their home.

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Something to Do

The Messiah

The salvation described in the Book of Isaiah has been understood by Christians throughout history as the coming of the Messiah in the person of Jesus (Jewish readers of the text obviously have different interpretations). As a result, the traditional Advent readings draw on Isaiah and many Advent hymns are crafted around the poetry of the book.

Most famously, the words for Part 1 of Handel’s Messiah are largely drawn from Isaiah. Make time for this beautiful piece of music this week.

• You can singalong with CAMMAC’s virtual Come Sing Messiah (with links to online scores).
• Check out the Toronto Symphony Orchestra‘s multi-media contemporary Canadian interpretation.
• Or simply find a recording, pour a drink of your choosing, and listen.

Patient Hope

We called this week “Patient Hope” because Isaiah is clear that the people have no choice but to wait, even if he is also clear that what they are waiting for is a very good thing.

Practice patience this week by waiting deliberately at every little opportunity. Standing in a line up? Boiling a pot of water? At a stoplight? Computer updating? Build your patience muscle every chance you get!

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Something to Wonder

You, plural

Isaiah – like the whole Bible – is not written to an individual or even a group of individuals but to a people. That people can be understood in different ways: the nation of Israel; the Body of Christ; the community of faith; the family of God; humanity itself. But the you is almost always plural.

Does keeping this idea at the front of your attention change how you read these passages from Isaiah? Who do you think God is addressing today with these very strong words? Are they listening? Where do you (singular) fit into all this?

Patient Hope

How does the idea of patient hope make you feel?
How does it fit (or not fit) with the call to justice?
What is your relationship to the idea of patience itself?
Would you have chosen a different phrase?

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Something to Learn

More on Isaiah

The Book of Isaiah was not, in fact, written by one prophet but rather is rooted in the writings of one prophet but continued by those who came after. The events covered in the book span over 100 years and it serves as history, political analysis, and theology – often in the form of poetry.

Wikipedia’s overview is, as always, good place to start.

Myjewishlearning.com has an excellent article on the person and history of Isaiah ben Amoz who wrote the first part of the book.

And The Bible Project’s videos explain why, as Christians, we see Jesus revealed so clearly in the Prophet’s words.

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Something to Pray

Holy God, we do not always understand your word or your ways. 
Give us wisdom and imagination and courage as we learn and grow. 

The story this week has made me wonder about…
         (what questions are still on your heart?)
Receive my questions and help me hear your answers.

The story this week has filled me with…
         (how are you feeling?)
Accept my praise, heal my hurt, ease my worry.

The story this week has reminded me of…
         (are there situations or people you are thinking of?)
Be with all who are in need of you.

In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.

The Story for the
Second Sunday in Advent
December 6, 2020

prepared by the Rev’d Adam Brown

Exodus 2:1-10; 3:1-12; 15:1, 20-21

Birth and Youth of Moses

Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. ² The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him three months. ³ When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. ⁴ His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him.

⁵ The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. ⁶ When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him. “This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,” she said. ⁷ Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” ⁸ Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Yes.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. ⁹ Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed it. ¹⁰ When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, “because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

Moses at the Burning Bush

Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ² There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. ³ Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” ⁴ When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” ⁵ Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” ⁶ He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

⁷ Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, ⁸ and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. ⁹ The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. ¹⁰ So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” ¹¹ But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” ¹² He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”

The Song of Moses

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:

“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
    horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.

The Song of Miriam

²⁰ Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. ²¹ And Miriam sang to them:

“Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.”

Source for the Miriam poem included on Sunday

https://velveteenrabbi.blogs.com/blog/2010/11/seven-miriam-stories.html?fbclid=IwAR1c-1tueYcXzpwywTXLIX1GQKsLiAAZSS2VQUyRlvkfN4tR_uMwv-klghc

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Something to Do

Baskets of Hope

Using whatever crafty materials you might have in your home, spend time making together a makeshift basket. (Or use a small bag or box) Inside, place three pieces of paper, each with a hope of yours written on them. When you close the basket or bag and put it on a shelf for the week, remember how your hope is always there, even when you can’t see it. At the end of the week, take them out of the basket and ask yourself how you can nurture that hope and help it grow.

Holy Ground

During your prayer or quiet time this week, take off your shoes (if you’re wearing any) and try to become aware of, and cherish, your physical space and time as holy.

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Something to Wonder

Holy Creation

Have you ever come across somewhere in nature or in the city where you could hear God calling out to you?
What about that place was special?
How did it change you?
What did God say?

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Something to Learn

The Community Beneath the Mountain

Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt is one of the oldest monasteries in the world, with the first monks settling the area in the 4th Century. Besides being a significant historic site with a continued goal of preservation of its thousands of historic documents and artefacts, Saint Catherine’s claim to be near the site where Moses met God in the burning bush. The short video below is a relaxed introduction to possibly learning more about this living holy place.

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Something to Pray

Holy God, we do not always understand your word or your ways. 
Give us wisdom and imagination and courage as we learn and grow. 

The story this week has made me wonder about…
         (what questions are still on your heart?)
Receive my questions and help me hear your answers.

The story this week has filled me with…
         (how are you feeling?)
Accept my praise, heal my hurt, ease my worry.

The story this week has reminded me of…
         (are there situations or people you are thinking of?)
Be with all who are in need of you.

In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.