BLUE CHRISTMAS: A SERVICE OF LAMENT, HEALING & HOPE Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart is like taking someone’s coat in cold weather or pouring vinegar in a wound. Proverbs 25:20 Welcome to Lutheran Church of the Redeemer’s Blue Christmas worship service. This service is for anyone who feels a dissonance with the merriness of the Christmas season. How can we sing with heavy hearts of loss, anxiety, and struggles? At times, we can carry the chorus, at other times, others carry us. During the service, there will be time to lay down your burdens and receive the healing rest of Jesus through prayer stations where you may write a prayer on a star, light a candle, receive personal prayer and anointing, and contemplate. Now receive the invitation Jesus makes, “Come to me all you who are weary, I will give you rest.” Come as you are. Come out of isolation and into community as the worship service flows through three movements of lament, healing, and hope. May the hope of Christ sustain you through this season. PRELUDE
Nicolas Deuson, guitar GATHERING FROM THE DEPTHS
Standing God, we call out to you! From the depths of our hearts, we cry, “Lord, hear our prayer!” We are consumed by grief. The events of the past few days, weeks, months have overwhelmed us— it’s hard to sleep, it’s hard to eat, it’s even hard to pray. | Where are you, God?
Deep down, we know that you love us— we’ve experienced your mercy and your faithfulness in the past, and it has sustained us through many difficult times. We refuse to believe that you have deserted us,
or that you are unaware of the pain that we’re feeling. And so we turn to you again, longing for your presence, looking for your comfort and peace.
Surround us with your unfailing love. Remind us that you alone are God, and that you hold us in the palm of your hand. Give us courage and strength to face the days ahead, and strengthen us in the knowledge that we do not face them alone. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, we pray. | Amen. LAMENT THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM We gather at this font, O God, creator of oceans and rivers, rain and snow. We praise you for the Chattahoochee River and Lake Lanier and for the water you provide us each day. We praise your Spirit, hovering over this font. We bless you for this cleansing water of rebirth, this flood of endless mercy, and for all the baptized around this blue planet. All the waters are yours, O God, even the ferocious waves of the sea, the overflowing rivers, the rainstorms that drown crops and herds. We beg you to heed the cries of everyone suffering from floods of grief. As you saved Noah and the animals from the deluge, so now save those whose lives are saturated with despair. All the waters are yours, O God, even stagnant rivers, and wells nearly dry, and lakes that are merely puddles. We beg you to heed the cries of everyone suffering from drought in their spirits.
As you saved Hagar and Ishmael in the desert, so now save all who are dried bones, dying of thirst. We ask you, almighty Provider, to give us the water we need, and we praise you for the sustenance you grant at this font. By the water of our baptism empower us to pour out ourselves for others and to safeguard the waters of your earth. To you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Sea of holiness, Spring of salvation, Cloud of mystery, be all praise and thanksgiving, now and forever. | Amen. HYMN 699
In Deepest Night
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. | And also with you.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow, a light has shone. For the yoke that was weighing upon them, and the burden upon their shoulders, you have broken in pieces, Oh God, our Redeemer. Let us pray: God of mercy, hear our prayer in this Advent season for ourselves and for our families who live with painful thoughts and memories. We ask for strength for today, courage for tomorrow and peace for the past. We ask these things in the name of your Christ, who shares our life in joy and sorrow, death and new birth, despair and promise. Amen. HEALING Seated A reading from the book of Isaiah Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. To whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name; because he is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God’? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Word of God, Word of Life. | Thanks be to God.
Isaiah 40:1, 25-31
HYMN
God is Holding Your Life (Psalm 121) Soloist: Pam Amy-Cupp
Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan
Lift up your eyes, behold the hills. From where will help and rescue come? We call on One who made the earth. Who blessed the stars, the moon and sun. God is holding your life. God is holding your life, we believe. Turn down your gaze upon the earth. Where is the One who never sleeps? We call on One who guards you now. Your spirit sage in the holy keep. God is holding your life. God is holding your life, we believe. Venturing out or coming home. ‘Neath heat of day or cooling of night. We call on One who hears your voice. And comes to heal and keep your life. God is holding your life. God is holding your life, we believe. A reading from the epistle of St. Paul to the Romans
Romans 8:18-27
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Word of God, Word of Life. | Thanks be to God. The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew | Glory to you O God
Matthew 11:28-30
‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ The Gospel of the Lord. | Praise to you O Christ REFLECTION Standing HYMN 611
Pastor Jenny McLellan I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
Seated CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER AND HEALING Each of us comes bearing our own hurts, sorrows, and brokenness. During this time of prayer you are invited to offer your wounds to God who loves each of us deeply and wants to carry our pain. God waits patiently, gently calling out: “Give me your pain, come to me… all who labor and are heavy laden, I will refresh you!” There are several ways to lay down your burden and receive the healing rest of Jesus: •
• • •
You may write a prayer. There are stars in your bulletin and more available around the blue Christmas tree. Write your prayer on the star and hang it on the blue Christmas tree. Our prayer team will pray over the stars this month. You may light a candle. As you light the candle, remember that it is God who lights a candle in our darkness and holds us close until we are able to shine. You may kneel at the altar rail or floor station for personal prayer and laying on of hands You may remain at your seat in prayer and contemplation
MUSICAL REFLECTION
Nicolas Deuson, guitar
Healing God, Grant rest to the weary, freedom to those who are burdened, and bright hope to those who despair. Strengthen us as we await your coming once again, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. | Amen.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION God of hope, as you sang creation into existence, continue singing verses of harmony and shalom. Open our ears to hear your voice beckoning us to join in the refrain of healing through our weary world. O God for whom we long, | Hear our prayers God of mercy, you integrate rest into your creative movements. Give whole rest, comfort, and renewal to all in need of your tender care: those who are sick, those who mourn, and those who struggle in the midst of holiday joy. We pray for… O God for whom we long, | Hear our prayers God of peace, chant songs of justice in every nation of this world, that all may join the chorus for the good of your creation. O God for whom we long, | Hear our prayers God of joy, fill our world with the melody of your presence, that we may lift our voices with the saints of heaven, joining the ancient chorus, holy, holy, holy God, Lord almighty, to you alone we pray. | Amen. HOPE GREAT THANKSGIVING The Lord be with you. | And also with you. Lift up your hearts! | We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. | It is right to give our thanks and praise. LORD’S PRAYER Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. INVITATION TO COMMUNION MUSICAL REFLECTION
Nicolas Deuson, guitar
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION Living God, in this meal we heard your voice as you fed and nourished us with the presence and peace of Jesus. Fill our lungs and lives with the tune of your Spirit so we may carry the new song of hope to all the world. We ask this in the name of the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, the Lord. Amen. As we wait with the whole creation, may our groans of pain join the harmony of our Triune God transforming pain into peace, despair into hope, and burden into relief. In the name of the Creator, Redeemer, + and Sustainer | Amen.
HYMN 808
Lord Jesus, You Shall Be My Song
SENDING Go in peace, sing a new song. | Thanks be to God. POSTLUDE From sundaysandseasons.com. Copyright © 2022 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Pastors: The Revs. Mark H. Larson, Jenny McLellan and Jonathan Trapp Musicians: Chase Peterson, Organ and Nicolas Deuson, Guitar