Sunday December 14, 2025: Please Join Us Today for our Emmaus Community Celebration - Gaudete (Rejoice!!!) Sunday


Time: 1:45 Greeting. Our liturgy begins at 2:00PM with light potluck following. 

All are welcome

Join us in Person at Christ Church United Methodist 
1717 Yulupa Avenue in Santa Rosa 

Join Zoom Meeting using this link:

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Passcode: 1234


Meeting ID: (after starting Zoom)
519 315 8573

Passcode: 1234

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Emmaus Liturgy Celebrating REJOICE (Gaudete) Sunday,
Third Sunday of Advent, December 14, 2025

Opening: Ring the Singing Bowl three times followed by a moment of silence and welcome to all new people.

Opening Song: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You (Beethoven)

Call To Worship: 
Pat: The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad-
All: The desert shall rejoice and blossom like the rose.
Pat: The trees clap their hands the fields exult in praise.
All: All creation sings, “Joy to the world”!
Pat: Come let us join the chorus of earth and heaven.
All: We rejoice in God, whose love makes the world bloom again.

Opening Prayer
 All: God of overflowing joy, you make the wilderness sing and the rivers dance. Open our eyes to the beauty that still shines all around us-in the laughter of children, in the shimmer of morning light, in the resilience of the earth. Fill us with gratitude until our lives become songs of praise. Through Jesus Christ, in whom creation finds its joy, Amen.




Liturgy of the Word
Jim: 1st Reading from the Prophet Isaiah 35:1-10
Let the desert and the wilderness exult. Let the Arabah rejoice and bloom like the crocus. Let it blossom profusely, let it rejoice and sing for joy! The glory, of Lebanon is bestowed on it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of Yhwh, the splendor of our God. Strengthen all weary hands, steady all trembling knees. Say to all those of faint heart, “Take courage! Do not be afraid!

Look, Yhwh is coming, vindication is coming, the recompense of God—God is coming to save you!” Then the eyes of the blind will be open, the ears of the deaf will be unsealed. Then those who cannot walk will leap like deer and the tongues of those who cannot speak will sing for joy. Waters will break forth in the wilderness, and there will be streams in the desert. 

The scorched earth will become a lake; the parched land, springs of water. The lairs where jackals used to dwell will become thickets of reed and papyrus. And through it will run a highway, a road called the Sacred Path. The unclean may not travel by it, but it will be for God’s people alone. And no traveler—not even fools—will go astray. No lions will be there nor will any fierce beast roam about it, but the redeemed will walk there—for those whom Yhwh has ransomed will return. They will enter Zion shouting for joy, with everlasting joy on their faces, joy and gladness will go with them, and sorrow and lament will flee away.

Response: Magnificat- Suzanne Toolan, SM

Melva: 2nd Reading from the Gospel of Luke 2:8-14
There were shepherds in the area living in the fields and keeping night watch by turns over their flock. The angel of God appeared to them, and the glory of God shone around them; they were very much afraid. The angel said to them, “You have nothing to fear! I come to proclaim good news to you—news of great joy to be shared by the whole people. “Today in David’s city, a savior—the Messiah—has been born to you. 

Let this be a sign to you: you’ll find an infant wrapped in a simple cloth lying in a manger.” Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host to those on whom with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in high heaven! And on earth, peace to those on whom God’s favor rests.”



Dialogue Homily- As we complete this Advent Season and celebrate Christmas, 
How will you bring glad tidings to the poor?
How will you share God’s joy? Give God joy?

Prayer of the Faithful (Joys and Concerns)-Spoken with usual hand gestures

JoAnn:
Basket of Giving, our alms and our works- We remember John at this time and all those in our community who have gone before us.

Liturgy of the Eucharist
All: On the night before he died, Jesus was at table with his friends. He took bread, gave thanks to you, broke it and gave it to his friends saying, “This is my body, broken for you”.

As supper was ending, Jesus took the cup of wine. Again, he gave thanks to you gave it to his friends and said, “This cup is the new covenant of my life’s blood shed for you; and as often as you do this, you do this I memory of me”.

Acclamation Song
We remember how you loved us all your life and still we celebrate for you are with us here. And we believe that we will see you when you come. When you come again. We remember! We celebrate! We believe!

JoAnn: Now gathered at your table, we offer to you our gifts of bread and wine, and ourselves, a living sacrifice. Pour out your Spirit upon all these gifts that they, and we, may be the Body and Blood of Christ. Breathe you Spirit over the whole earth and make us your new creation.

Jim: In the fullness of time, bring us with all your saints from every tribe and language, from every people and nation, to feast at the banquet prepared from the foundation of the world.
Jim and JoAnn: (Holding the bread and wine)

Sing: Amen Siakadumisa 2x Amen, Bawo 2x Amen Siakadumisa 
Through him, with him, in him in union with the Holy Spirit all glory is yours, maker of all Amen Siakadumisa 2x Amen, Bawo 2x Amen Siakadumisa

Pat: Now together, as one community of joy, we offer to you O God our prayer in the name of your beloved son and our brother Jesus.

All: Creator, holy and blessed is your true name.
We pray for your reign of peace to come. 
We pray that your good will be done, let heaven and earth become one. 
Give us this day the bread we need. Give it to those who have none.
Let forgiveness flow like a river between us, from each one to each one.
Lead us to holy innocence beyond the evil of our days.
Come swiftly Divine Mother, come.
For yours is the power and the glory and the mercy:
Forever your name is All in One.

Offering our Gift of Peace

Pat: Let us offer one another a sign of our peace and love.


Invitation to Communion
JoAnn/Jim: Everyone is welcome to this table. The Divine Spirit whom the universe cannot contain, is present to us in this bread. The Divine Spirit who redeems us and calls us by name, now meets us in this cup. So come, Beloved friends, and take this bread, drink this wine. In the bread and wine, the Divine Spirit comes to us so that we may come into the Divine and love one another.

Pat: We invite everyone now to partake of this communion we share. (As the cup is passed, if you choose, please dip the breads into the cup of wine or of grape juice.


Communion Song: Bread for the World
Bread for the world, a world of hunger
Wine for all peoples, people who thirst.
May we who eat, be bread for others.
May we who drink, pour out our love.

Lord Jesus Christ you are the bread of life, 
Broken to reach and heal the wounds of human pain. 
Where we divide your people, you are waiting there
on bended knee to wash our feet with endless care.

Bread for the world, a world of hunger
Wine for all peoples, people who thirst.
May we who eat, be bread for others.
May we who drink, pour out our love

Lord Jesus Christ, you are the wine of peace.
Poured into hearts once broken and where dryness sleeps. 
Where we are tired and weary you are waiting there 
To be the way which beckons us beyond despair.

Refrain 

Lord Jesus Christ, you call us to your feast,
At which the rich and pow’rful have become the least. 
Where we survive on others in our human greed, 
You walk among us begging for your ev’ry need.

Refrain

Following Communion: Prayer 

All: Promised One, You, who put the song of joy in our hearts, strengthen hands and knees that are weak, Open our eyes and ears. Free our voices to truth and beauty as we joyfully sing of your praise, we dance and clap our hands.

Enid: Birthday Blessing 

Closing Song: Joy to the World

And the people of this beloved Emmaus Community proclaim: Amen!

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