Fourth Sunday in Advent

 
 

Deepening worship at home

Worship online is definitely different than in our sanctuary. But there are still many ways we can make it meaningful, and use gifts of technology and space we have to praise God together. Wherever we find ourselves, we are church together, united by the love of God that is stronger than distance, time, or space. Here are a few ideas to try at home.

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Your Space

Consider designating worship time by lighting a candle, dimming the lights, or placing a cross (it can be homemade) or a Bible on the table. Something that's sacred to you that designates we are gathering for sacred worship.

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Community

There are many ways we can use YouTube to connect with each other!

1. Use the comments actively to say hi to one another and check-in.

2. Post pictures of you or your household preparing for or engaging in worship.

3. Periodically after worship, we have a Virtual Coffee Hour on Zoom, which allows you to chat with others over video. We'll post the link to join at the end of worship. Unfamiliar with Zoom? Here's a 1min video tutorial >

Church is God’s people gathered. So please make yourself known and check-in with each other in turn.

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Music 

All the hymns are printed in the bulletin, and most of the time the lyrics will be on screen.

Yes, it can feel strange at first singing along online. But we raise our voices to God, knowing our voices rise together. Sing so loudly your neighbors sing along!

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Prayers of the People

During the Prayers of the People, please type your prayers into the comments section. Commit to holding the prayer request of at least one other person throughout the week.

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Offering 

Our ministry continues. Throughout this time, we continue to feed people. We continue to worship together. We continue to provide care for the whole community. Please consider continuing your financial contribution through online giving:

Give Online: www.adventnyc.org/give

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Communion 

At Advent, when we gather, we celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion.

Holy Communion is a cosmic event. There is a collapsing of time and space so that in that singular moment when you receive the body and the blood, you do so with every person who ever was, is and will be, in every time and place.

Rev. Tuhina Rasche says it best: “As a called and ordained minister of the church of Jesus Christ, I took an oath to not only responsibly administer the sacraments, I also took an oath to care for God’s people. In caring for God’s people, if folks at home lift up their elements in the midst of worship, I fully and wholly believe the Holy Spirit to be at work to consecrate these elements. Yes, Jesus is at the right hand of God. And yes, even in elements consecrated in a virtual space, Jesus is in those elements as well. We cannot confine the moves of the Holy Spirit in community, even if that community is virtual.”

During the consecration of the elements, you are invited to lift up bread and wine/juice in your home, and to commune when the words are spoken. Scripture tells us nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is the promise.