Worship on the Lord’s Day
Third Sunday of Advent Annual Christmas Pageant
Sacrament of Baptism
10:00 am December 15, 2024
Minister: The Rev. Brad Childs
Music Director: Binu Kapadia Vocalists: Cheryl & Peter Sheridan
Welcoming Elder: Jane de Caen Readers: Loretta Lee and Maddie Childs
We gather to worship God
Music Prelude
Greeting
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you
P: and also with you
Welcome and announcements
Silent preparation for worship
Call to worship: Innkeeper, Shepherd, and Wiseman
Innkeeper (Rom): As we prepare for Christ’s coming, we remember your calling to be filled with joy.
Congregation: We come, knowing that our actions can help alleviate
the burdens of others.
Shepherd (Vivian): We light the third candle of Advent, a symbol of joy that uplifts the spirit.
(Clare – light the candle of joy)
Magi (Wesley): May the warmth and brightness of this candle
encourage us to act with compassion and courage.
Congregation: Holy One, strengthen us by your Spirit to commit ourselves to being people of joy and justice. Fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in you, so that we may overflow with hope. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Opening praise: Hope is a star (119: vss 1-3)
Prayers of adoration and confession
Loving God,
You fill our hearts with joy and are our strength and our song.
In this season of Advent, we are reminded of how you came to us as a tiny baby, bringing hope and light into the world.
You gather us close, especially when we’ve wandered away, welcoming us back to your side with so much love.
You bring healing to those who are hurting, mending our broken hearts and lifting our spirits.
You walk beside those who feel alone, reminding them that they are never by themselves because your love never leaves us.
Through your amazing love and mercy, you help us grow into the people you’ve created us to be, showing us that with you, we can be more than we ever thought possible.
We trust in you and find courage in your goodness, knowing you are always with us.
With joyful hearts, we sing of your glory and share your saving power and love with friends and family near and far.
You are our wonderful Creator, our Redeemer in Christ, and our guiding Holy Spirit, who leads us every day.
Merciful God,
In your loving presence, we admit the times we’ve made mistakes and the times our world has gone astray.
We confess that even when we know true joy and peace come from having faith in you, we often look elsewhere for happiness and fulfillment.
In searching for comfort, we sometimes chase after our own desires and forget your wisdom.
In seeking love and acceptance, we may hide from our true selves and ignore our faults.
In wanting approval and praise, we often spend too much or fail to see what truly matters.
We ask for your forgiveness, O God, for looking in the wrong places for what only you can provide.
Turn our hearts back to you, our true source of joy and light.
Guide us to discover what is honorable, just, and pleasing in your sight, so we can reflect your love in our world and make choices that bring your peace.
Help us to live with grace and kindness, sharing the love and joy of this Christmas season with everyone we meet. Amen.
Response: I waited, I waited on you, Lord
Assurance of God’s grace
Hear the good news: In this season of Advent, we celebrate the coming of Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world and our source of peace and joy. Through His life, death, and resurrection, He has conquered sin and brings us forgiveness.
As we confess our mistakes and turn back to God, we are reminded of His promise: If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
So, rejoice and be glad! Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and renewed. Let us live as people who are loved and freed, sharing His love with everyone, and walking in God’s light this Christmas and always.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
Musical offering – Dayspring Sunday School
Advent is a time to wait, not quite time to celebrate. Count the candles one by one, until advent time is done. Day by day, we work and play to prepare for Christmas Day.
Baptism: Lucy Elaine Wypych
By the waters of baptism and the power of the Holy Spirit, God claims us and calls each one by name.
God unites us to Christ in his death and resurrection and grafts us into the body of Christ as members of the church.
God washes us clean by forgiving our sin; commissions us to be a royal priesthood with Christ in his ministry to the world; empowers us to live in newness of life as people of the Word; and invites us to be renewed at the Lord’s Table until we feast with him in glory.
By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)
The Presentation
Who comes to receive the gift of baptism?
On behalf of Session, I present Lucy Elaine Wypych, to receive the sacrament of baptism.
Renunciation and Affirmation
Trusting in the gracious mercy of God who has been faithful to us in all generations,
do you turn away from sin, renounce evil and all powers in the world that rebel against God or oppose God’s rule of justice and love?
Parents: I renounce them.
Do you renounce the ways of sin which separate you from the love of God?
Parents: I renounce them.
Do you turn to Jesus Christ, accepting him as Lord and Saviour, trusting in his grace and love?
Parents: I do.
Do you desire, in dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit, to mature as a Christian in the church, to seek the guidance of Christ as you listen for his Word, to celebrate his death and life at the table he provides, and to engage in his mission to the world?
Parents: I do.
Do you, on behalf of the church of Jesus Christ, promise to guide and nurture Lucy
by word and deed, with love and in prayer, encouraging them to follow the way of Christ and to be a faithful member of his church?
Parents: We do.
Let us profess our faith in the words that are common to the holy, catholic church.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Water is poured visibly and audibly into the font before the prayer begins.
Lord, we give you thanks, O gracious God, for the gifts of water and your Spirit.
In the beginning, when your Spirit moved over the waters, you gave order and life to your planet earth.
By the waters of the flood you cleansed the earth, and established with Noah and his family a new beginning for all people.
In the time of Moses, you led your people out of slavery through the waters of the sea, making covenant with them in a new land.
In the fullness of time you sent Jesus Christ, who was formed in the water of a woman’s womb.
In the water of Jordan, Jesus was baptized and anointed by your Holy Spirit.
Gracious God, by the gift of water and your Holy Spirit you sustain all life.
The prayer continues as the minister raises a handful of water and pours it into the font.
Almighty God; by the power of your Holy Spirit, and by the sign of this water,
you cleanse from sin through the death of Jesus Christ, those who receive this sacrament; you raise them to new life through his resurrection, and you graft them into his body, the church.
Pour out your Spirit upon Lucy, that she may have power to do your will and continue forever as (a) servant(s) of Christ to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit be all honour and glory now and forever. Amen.
The Act of Baptizing
The minister pours or sprinkles generous amounts of water on Lucy’s head, while saying:
Lucy Elaine Wypych, you are baptized, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
The minister lays a hand on Lucy’s head.
May the Spirit of God dwell in you and uphold you, now and forever. Amen.
LUCY is carried around the congregation for presentation and handed to a member who will return Lucy to her parents.
Declaration and Welcome
See what love God has given us that we should be called the children of God; and so we are. (I John 3:1)
Lucy Elaine Wypych you are now received by Christ’s appointment into the holy, catholic church. Through baptism, God has made you a member of the household of God to share with Christ in the priesthood of all believers.
Remember your baptism and give thanks.
Be one with us in the church.
Song: Come, thou long-expected Jesus 110)
We listen for the voice of God
Scripture readings: Philippians 4:4-7 & Luke 3:7-18
Response: My Lord, he is a’ comin’ soon
Pageant: “A Joyful Advent-ure!”
Innkeeper, Shepherd and Wiseman process in from back doors, each with a lit candle. Narrator processes behind the other three. Andrea and Narrator move to lectern. Innkeeper, Shepherd and Magi move to the Advent wreath to complete the Call to Worship/Advent wreath reading. The three do the reading and the Magi lights the third candle. There is a basket to place the extinguished candles they carried in after they are used.
Introduction (Andrea)
This morning, you are going to hear testimonials from some of the first people of God to see the Christ Child. Their reflections circle around the theme of how everyday distractions can impact our joyful presence at the birth of Christ. But before our Dayspring Players present our pageant, I thought it was important to give a little preamble with some spoiler alerts. When I was reading the scriptures this reflection is based on (which are Luke 2:1-20 and Matthew 2: 1-12), I was surprised to learn that some characters in the Christmas story that so many children’s pageants have been based on – and that I thought were biblical facts! – are actually not in the scriptures at all. Here’s some of what I learned about who and what has been added or changed to spice up the story over the years by pageant directors, such as myself:
First of all, there is no actual reference in the Bible to an Innkeeper. There is an anonymous person with some space in his shed who was probably a distant relative of Joseph’s, since there was a Census happening at the time and everyone had to travel home to get counted. Remember that, when you start to grumble about completing the next Canada Census from a comfy chair in front of your computer.
There is also some discussion about the shepherds. Some bible scholars suggest the shepherds were either disrespected, disrespectful and illiterate farm hands in the middle of nowhere or they were highly educated priests caring for the sacrificial sheep used in nearby temples. Take your pick.
Finally, the wise men may not have been wealthy leaders from far away kingdoms but possibly itinerant astrologers making their living by telling fortunes and while they were visiting Herod and while telling his fortune, the whole Messiah thing just sort of slipped out.
So, it was a bit trickier to write this story than I first thought, but I do hope you find it interesting and hopefully insightful. I think it’s a good idea for our faith journeys to take some ideas that we have accepted and shake them up and see if they still come out looking the same.
This morning, please listen to three eyewitness accounts from the Nativity story: the anonymous stable owner (aka, the Innkeeper), shepherds and a wise… man – all chosen to be the first to meet the Christ Child and who were changed by Joy. Once again, God took human expectations and assumptions and turned them inside out and upside down.
Narrator – (Leah)
Deitrich Bonhoeffer, a Christian theologian, suggested God sent Jesus in the way He did because God’s people had forgotten, or at the very least, had lost confidence in His promise to them. They had turned to taking care of themselves. God saw his people had become too busy with worldly things and too tired from worrying about them. People were frightened and divided and, in that confusion, they had begun to fight with each other. It was as though Joy had been placed in a very small box and put on a shelf to gather dust.
They needed help to remember God’s promise to them and so, He sent Joy back into the world in the form of His son, Jesus. But God didn’t send Joy as a powerful king … because Joy isn’t like that. It comes from a sense of well-being, of feeling safe and cared for. Of being loved. God sent Joy when it was cold and dark and needed the most. A time when Hope felt more like doubt. When Peace felt more like noise. When Joy seemed more like despair. When there was more hate than Love.
od arrived where Joy would be unexpected, yet desperately needed. He provided directions and sent messengers, so Joy could be found by anyone who was waiting and watching for someone who could – and would – change the world. And then, He waited for us to notice – from that very first time until today! He waited for us to remember that there is always a place for Joy, especially when it is the last thing we are feeling … because it is a gift from God to His people. Because we are loved, we are safe, and we are cared for.
Have you ever thought about the “other” people in the Nativity story? The people we really don’t know much about – the owner of the stable whom we’ve come to call the Innkeeper, the shepherds and the travelling wise men. What was it like for them, people just like us, whom God chose to be the first to know that Jesus was going to be born right where they were? People struggling with their own worries and fears yet called by God to spread the news of Joy to their world?
Advent is a time to reflect on our own preparation for Christ’s birth and what distracts us from having the joyful life God wants us to have. This morning, we will hear stories from the owner of the stable, a shepherd and one of the wise men after their visits to Bethlehem. They were regular people in an amazing time, and each one’s journey to the manger contained personal worries and fears that distracted them. Perhaps their stories will help us consider what is distracting us from living the joyful life God wants us to have. To help remind us that we, too, live in an amazing time as we wait and watch for the Second Coming of Christ.
Carol – O little town of Bethlehem (vs 1)
Innkeeper (Rom) – Sweeps the ground during the carol then places broom against the stable then takes out a piece of paper from his pocket and comes to the microphone:
Thank you for letting me tell you a little bit about what it was like to be one of the first people to meet the Christ Child. First of all, you need to know that the scriptures don’t mention me at all – it’s all just about my stable! Bethlehem is a very small town, and we don’t have any actual inns; therefore, no innkeepers. When Bethlehem was chosen for King Herod’s Census, it became a festival town overnight. I was so busy; I didn’t notice that something important was about to happen and I don’t think I got more than a few winks of sleep that entire time. I remember crowds of people and animals everywhere and there was always something happening day or night – and not all of it good, if I may so! And then, that star – oh my gosh, it was so bright! The sky was as bright in the middle of the night as it was at noon!
Imagine … in all of this confusion and chaos, a man and his very pregnant, young wife knocked on my door in the middle of the night and asked if I have room for them! He said they were here for the Census. No reservation, no money. Can you believe it? Well, if you’re coming to Bethlehem for the Census, you must be from here and as I said, we’re a small place so you’re either related by blood or marriage so, either way, he must be family. Well, I run a respectable house, and all my rooms were taken for the Census. I’d even rented out the servant quarters. But whether you’re a relative, friend or stranger, my family is big on hospitality, so I offered them my stable – this very place you’re looking at right here – free of charge! True, there were a lot of animals and my servants were sleeping in here, too, but it was safe and out of the cold. I think I did the best I could for them considering everything else that was happening at the time.
I didn’t really think about the whole event until the Census was over. Until those shepherds and very wealthy but rather strange men arrived and talked about visiting angels and following that ridiculously bright star here to Bethlehem. According to them, this child is our long-awaited Messiah. To be honest, it’s hard to believe this baby really is who they say he is. Who ever heard of a king being born in a stable? A king who gets visits from both shepherds and scholars? I thought at first it was just a coincidence that Jesus was born here, but now I’m not so sure. It made me wonder if I did enough. It made me wonder if I am giving my best for God or am I just giving whatever is left? And do I give grudgingly or with a joyful heart?
Finishes sweeping, places the broom against the structure then leaves.
Carol – While shepherds watched their flocks by night (vss 1-2)
Shepherd (Vivian/Clare) –The shepherd(s) steps up in front of the large screen and the video of the flock begins. She is talking loudly to the sheep trying to corral them. Might have couple of “real” sheep nearby that romp around a bit (avoiding the lit Advent wreath!). Shepherds step to the microphone and pull a crumpled piece of paper out of Vivan’s cloak to read their story:
I understand you would like to know what it was like to have a host of angels suddenly appear out of nowhere in the sky in the middle of the night and scare us and our sheep half to death. First of all, the sheep just went berserk! It took us hours to catch them and calm them down again, so at first, we weren’t even sure what the Angels were saying with all that commotion. I think we told them to dim their lights a bit so we could see where the sheep went. And then they just waited. And when we did look and listen to them and they told us what God wanted us to do, well, we became really scared. I don’t know why God chose us as His messengers – we’re very much alone out here and we like it that way. Caring for our sheep takes all our time and energy. By the end of the day, we’re exhausted, and all we want is a quick meal and some rest before we start our watch for predators during the night. Then it starts all over again the next morning. People think sheep are sweet-natured, soft fluffy animals but I can assure you they are not. Our herd keeps us busy making sure they have enough food and water, staying out of thorny bushes, not falling off cliffs, getting lost or sick or getting eaten by a predator or stolen by thieves. We take care of our sheep 24/7/365! We never have a moment’s rest!
So, when the Angels came to tell us we would need to leave right away to proclaim the news of the Messiah’s birth, we told them to just keep on flying and find somebody else. We told them we couldn’t leave our herd because they needed us. We said they won’t stay together, eat the right things or be safe, if we aren’t there. But they just kept saying we had been chosen and that we had to go to Bethlehem. And so, we did. I didn’t think I could do it but as we got closer to Bethlehem, God lifted the exhaustion and doubt from my shoulders and replaced it with this incredible feeling of joy that I had never experienced before. When we saw the baby, we noticed he was wrapped in swaddling clothes. Those are special blankets we use for lambs to keep them warm and clean. That was yet another sign we were truly in the presence of God. In the end, we felt that sharing the Angels’ message was a precious gift from God rather than an impossible task. How wonderful it is to know the Messiah has come!
Shepherd follows the sheep down the piano side aisle and out the back.
Carol – We three kings (verse 1 only)
Magi (Wesley) and scribe (Cohen)- Magi enters cautiously from the main sanctuary doors and looks expectantly around as he travels down the centre aisle. Scribe follows behind with a bag of maps. Wesley or Cohen pause to ask someone where they are. With the answer (“Dayspring” or “Edmonton”), the Magi asks the scribe to find the map – discussion about where this is on the map. Maybe Wesley announces, “we’re lost…again!” They start walking again and end up at the microphone, centre floor between front pews.
Greetings, I am a journeying scholar, on my return trip home after seeing the Messiah. It has been a long journey. Sometimes, I didn’t know where I was going or when, or even IF, I would find the Child. And although travelling with others like myself provided comfort and community, we did not always agree. This journey has been difficult – bad weather, sick camels, bandits, squabbles between servants – I must confess I sometimes had regrets about starting this journey in the first place. Sometimes, we wandered for weeks, lost and confused, in unfamiliar lands and considered many omens, prophesies and myths to find the Messiah. Ultimately, it was our genuinely seeking hearts that found the way to Bethlehem, but I did not expect to find Him in a cold, dark and crowded stable in one of Herod’s small, uninspiring villages. However, following the Star served not only as a compass for our navigation, but also for our faith. This journey gave us a deeper understanding of God’s plan to unite all people into one nation and one house of prayer through his son, Jesus.
On our way to Bethlehem, we spoke with King Herod about our search for a new king … but one not of this world. At first, he seemed very excited, but I now believe Herod is worried. And a worried king is a dangerous king. I am doubtful of the motivation behind his plans to find the Child and now that he knows I know where he is, I am fearful for my own safety and that of my scribe. Thus, we will not return to Herod’s courts, but we will go home another way.
Truly, it was a wondrous moment when I lay my eyes on the Child. God led us to Bethlehem with a Star that was as constant as God’s love and faithfulness. The quiet beauty and holiness was a balm to my troubled and confused soul. I wish you could have been there. I really do. Melchior and Balthazar agreed with me later that the gifts we gave the Christ Child appeared to the locals to be a bit over the top for the place in which we found Him, but we know that God calls us to give cheerfully and joyfully from our hearts. So, we were honoured to give gifts fit for a king. My message for you is to remember that your lives are a gift from a joyful God. So, come with an open and joy-filled heart and bow down before the Lord Jesus and worship him.
Magi motions to scribe to leave and they process quietly and thoughtfully up the aisle and out the doors.
Narrator – (Leah)
When we celebrate Advent, we are waiting and preparing for the time when Jesus returns. When is that going to be? We don’t know. The Bible tells us that only God knows, and it will be a surprise when it happens. How can we be ready for something when we don’t know when it will happen? How can we watch for something when we don’t know what it will look like? And what do we do in the meantime, while we’re waiting? This week, think about Joy and its place in our lives, both individually and as a Dayspring family, during Advent and throughout the year.
How are you doing? Are you feeling Joy or are you like the owner of the stable who is too busy? Are you like the shepherd whose responsibilities and worries lay heavy on your shoulders? Or are you like the wise man – lost, confused and searching for something? Our message today is that despite being too busy, too tired or too full of questions, we hope you find Joy because it is a gift to you from a joyful and loving God.
During Advent, try not to get caught up in thoughts and things that shift your focus from living a joyful life. Remember how much God loves you. Remember that God will make sure you have everything you need. Live your life in a way that pleases God: use your heart to love, your talents to serve and your gifts to praise God. Pray for help to keep your eyes and ears and heart open. Pray for hope, peace, joy and love and make space to feel each one, today and every day. That is the path to Joy. And God will take care of the rest.
We respond to serve God
Our time of giving
Prayers of thanksgiving and for our world
O God, our Strength and Salvation, we come to you with joyful hearts, full of thanks, as we see the beauty of this special season all around us.
We are reminded of the colors, lights, and kindness that make this time of year so bright and meaningful.
Through your Spirit, help us discover new ways to understand and support each other, especially when we disagree.
Refresh our community and church with a sense of joyful anticipation, knowing that your greatest gift, Jesus, can change everything.
Generous God, send joy to the world again, and let it begin with us.
Tender God, we are grateful for the joy you bring into our lives, homes, and neighborhood through our time together in Jesus and through the love of family and friends.
These blessings have supported us through difficult times, and we thank you sincerely.
Help us to always show appreciation for these gifts and to share them freely with others.
We pray for those who are facing illnesses, whether in their body, mind, or spirit, for those waiting for medical answers or treatments, as their worries grow.
May your healing presence comfort them and bring peace to anxious hearts.
(Keep a brief time of silence)
We remember those who feel lonely or are in mourning, and all who have been impacted by sadness, tragedy, or violence.
Surround them with your love and give them strength through troubled times.
(Keep a brief time of silence) We lift up those searching for work, struggling with rising costs, worried deeply about their security and their future.
Grant them hope and open doors to new opportunities and stability.
(Keep a brief time of silence)
We also pray for those who are dedicated to bringing justice to the discouraged and defeated, and those doing their best to care for the earth you love, despite the challenges they face.
May their efforts be blessed, and may we support them through our actions and prayers.
(Keep a brief time of silence)
Help us, O God, to bring joy to others through our gifts of friendship, generosity, and understanding.
Generous God, send joy to the world again, and let it begin with us, as we strive to live with kindness and compassion.
We bring these prayers in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who is our hope, our peace, and our joy.
He taught us to come together and pray these words as one family:
The 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Song: Hark the glad sound (118: vss 1,3,4 )
Sending out with God’s blessing
Go into the world in joy.
Be of good courage. Hold fast to what is good.
Return no one evil for evil.
Strengthen the fainthearted. Support the weak.
Help the afflicted.
Love God and one another, follow Christ, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit; and the blessing of God almighty, Creator, Christ and Spirit, be among you and remain with you this day and always. Amen.
Response: Gloria in excelsis Deo
Music postlude
Numbers in brackets after a song/hymn indicate that it is from the 1997 Book of Praise of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Those and other songs are being used in accordance with the specifications of Dayspring’s licensing with One License (3095377) and CLC (A735555).
The baptismal liturgy is from The Book of Common Worship of the Presbyterian Church in Canada (1991).
The Rev. Brad Childs retains the copyright (© 2024) on all of his original material in this service. As far as Brad Childs is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is his own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.
Andrea Gartrell retains the copyright (© 2024) on all of her original material in this service. As far as she is aware, all of the pageant material that has not been attributed to others is her creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.