December 7, 2025
Peace is not something you must hope for in the future.
Rather, it is a deepening of the present,
and unless you look for it in the present you will never find it.
~Thomas Merton
Brunch!
WORDS OF GREETING AND GATHERING
Chris Zepp
WELCOMING STATEMENT
RISE believes that God has open arms, and so should we. Our Creator wants us to love, accept and affirm every human being, including persons of every age, race, ethnic background, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, family or socioeconomic status, educational background, religion or creed, and physical or mental ability. We celebrate our diversity and recognize the sacred worth and dignity of all. Everyone is invited and encouraged to join us as we seek to follow Jesus with mutual respect, understanding, and love.
*Read more about “Why Pronouns Matter” HERE.
OPENING Prayer
~Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi (adapted for the plural)
Lord, make us instruments of your peace:
where there is hatred, let us sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that we may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
Opening SongS
Songs Will Happen!
“Gloria” (Angels We Have Heard on High)
~French Carol
Angels we have heard on high
Singing sweetly through the night,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their brave delight.
Gloria, in excelsis deo!
Gloria, in excelsis deo!
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why these songs of happy cheer?
What great brightness did you see?
What glad tidings did you hear?
Gloria, in excelsis deo!
Gloria, in excelsis deo!
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
Gloria, in excelsis deo!
Gloria, in excelsis deo!
See Him in a manger laid,
Whom the angels praise above;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While we raise our hearts in love.
Gloria, in excelsis deo!
Gloria, in excelsis deo!
“Good Christian Friends Rejoice” (Geistliche Lieder)
~John M Neale
Good Christian friends, rejoice
with heart and soul and voice;
give ye heed to what we say:
Jesus Christ was born today.
Ox and ass before him bow,
and he is in the manger now.
Christ is born today!
Christ is born today!
Good Christian friends, rejoice
with heart and soul and voice;
now ye hear of endless bliss:
Jesus Christ was born for this!
He has opened heaven's door,
and we are blest forevermore.
Christ was born for this!
Christ was born for this!
Good Christian friends, rejoice
with heart and soul and voice;
now ye need not fear the grave:
Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all
to gain his everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save!
Christ was born to save!
Advent Reflections
Macklin Wright
Personal Reflections
Lighting the Advent Candles — Peace (+Hope)
Advent Song
“Prince of Peace”
~Brent Holl and Chris Zepp
When darkness falls, pain returns, hope is all but lost.
For peace she would do anything regardless of the cost.
At Christmas time, she often feels like no one understands,
With fa-la-las and ho-ho-hos, it's more than she can stand.
Didn’t you come to bring release from all despair and pain?
Prince of Peace, Light of the World — come to us again!
You know sadness, you’ve conquered darkness, come to us again!
Prince of Peace, Hope for us all, come to us again!
When the calendar turns, his thoughts do too, and memories stir once more
Of times they shared and the way they cared, now gone forevermore.
At Christmas time, those memories bring grief and bitter tears.
For what’s been lost and won’t return for all his remaining years.
Didn’t you come to bring release from all despair and pain?
Prince of Peace, Light of the World — come to us again!
You know sadness, you’ve conquered darkness, come to us again!
Prince of Peace, Hope for us all, come to us again!
Every night we hear news of violence and strife
Oppression and fear fuel hatred and war, taking so many lives.
At Christmas time, we’re supposed to forget what makes us sad.
We smile, say “Merry Christmas”, and pretend that nothing’s bad.
Didn’t you come to bring release from all despair and pain?
Prince of Peace, Light of the World — come to us again!
You know sadness, you’ve conquered darkness, come to us again!
Prince of Peace, Hope for us all, come to us again!
Won’t you be our Prince of Peace again?
Scripture Readings
Isaiah 11:1-10 (CEB)
1 A shoot will grow up from the stump of Jesse;
a branch will sprout from his roots.
2 The Lord’s spirit will rest upon him,
a spirit of wisdom and understanding,
a spirit of planning and strength,
a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.
3 He will delight in fearing the Lord.
He won’t judge by appearances,
nor decide by hearsay.
4 He will judge the needy with righteousness,
and decide with equity for those who suffer in the land.
He will strike the violent with the rod of his mouth;
by the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness will be the belt around his hips,
and faithfulness the belt around his waist.
6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
and the leopard will lie down with the young goat;
the calf and the young lion will feed together,
and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow and the bear will graze.
Their young will lie down together,
and a lion will eat straw like an ox.
8 A nursing child will play over the snake’s hole;
toddlers will reach right over the serpent’s den.
9 They won’t harm or destroy anywhere on my holy mountain.
The earth will surely be filled with the knowledge of the Lord,
just as the water covers the sea.10 On that day, the root of Jesse will stand as a signal to the peoples. The nations will seek him out, and his dwelling will be glorious.
Psalm 72:1-7,18-19 (CEB)
1 God, give your judgments to the king.
Give your righteousness to the king’s son.
2 Let him judge your people with righteousness
and your poor ones with justice.
3 Let the mountains bring peace to the people;
let the hills bring righteousness.
4 Let the king bring justice to people who are poor;
let him save the children of those who are needy,
but let him crush oppressors!
5 Let the king live as long as the sun,
as long as the moon,
generation to generation.
6 Let him fall like rain upon fresh-cut grass,
like showers that water the earth.
7 Let the righteous flourish throughout their lives,
and let peace prosper until the moon is no more.18 Bless the Lord God, the God of Israel—
the only one who does wondrous things!
19 Bless God’s glorious name forever;
let his glory fill all the earth!
Amen and Amen!
THEOLOGICAL Reflection
Alexis Ward Owens
“Instruments of Peace”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
When are some times or situations where you have been an instrument of peace in the world? Is there someone in your life who you feel like is a particularly good example of an instrument of peace?
How do you seek out your own sense of peace? Does quiet yoga and meditation work for you? Being in nature? Helping others? What are some examples from your life when you have felt your greatest sense of peace and harmony? Do you have any prayers, mantras, scriptures, etc. that help you to stay rooted in your own peace when working to be an instrument of God’s peace in the world?
What are some ways that RISE as a community works (or could work) towards being an instrument of peace?
Prayer
~Adapted from Homiletics; Prayer of St. Francis added
(In unison when prompted…)
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
Prayer Song
“Make Me a Channel of Your Peace” (Prayer of St. Francis)
~Adapted by Sebastian Temple
Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is hatred let me bring your love
Where there is injury your pardon, Lord,
And where there’s doubt, true faith in you
Make me a channel of your peace
Where there’s despair in life let me bring hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there’s sadness ever joy.
Master, grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved, as to love with all my soul
Make me a channel of your peace
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving of ourselves that we receive
And in dying that we’re born to eternal life.
Offering and NOMOFOMO
One of our core values is, "God gives to us, so we give back." We're called to give as a joy-filled response to what we've been given. Your financial gifts make a tremendous difference in the lives of God's beloved in Harrisonburg and beyond. Whether it's helping to make sure children in our community have enough to eat, helping to respond to the mental health crisis in our community, or providing much needed backing for the operating costs of our spaces and staff — your gift is a part of God's dream and we are grateful for everyone who partners with us on this journey!
WTF?
Wednesday’s at exactly dinner-ish! (6pm EST)
Downstairs at John Wesley UMC
This Week’s Menu (12/10):
Pot Roast
Join us for a midweek check in to fuel your body, mind and soul. RISE will provide the meal and an Advent topic for contemplation and conversation. All you have to do it show up!
If you are interested and/or able to help (cooking and prep, giving rides to students, setting up and greeting, washing dishes, etc) let us know using the link below!
Valley Treble Voices
Massanutten Presbyterian Church
THIS AFTERNOON (12/7) 4 pm
Enjoy a concert of beautiful holiday choral music! Laura and Kate Douglass are members of the ensemble. A free-will offering will be received.
VOICE
Winter Benefit Concert
Court Square Theater
Saturday, December 13, 7 pm
Sunday, December 14, 3 pm
The VOICE Ensemble will present their Winter Benefit Concert “Be Kind - Rewind” twice next weekend at Court Square Theater. Beth and Taylin Sellers and Sue Nelson are members of the ensemble. 100% of all donations at the door ($20 suggested) will go directly to Cat’s Cradle.
Longest Night Worship
Trinity Presbyterian Church
Sunday, December 21, 7 pm
A reflective worship service held on the winter solstice. This is a compassionate space to acknowledge pain, loss, loneliness, or illness, and to find hope alongside others who understand. Elements such as candle lighting, prayer, quiet reflection, and communion will be included.
Closing Song
“He came down”
~From Cameroon
He came down that we may have Hope (3x)
Hallelujah forever more! (Why did he come?)
He came down that we may have Peace (3x)
Hallelujah forever more! (Why did he come?)
He came down that we may have Joy (3x)
Hallelujah forever more! (Why did he come?)
He came down that we may have Love (3x)
Hallelujah forever more! (Sing it all again!)
Parting Blessing
~Homiletics, adapted
Peace be with you!
Divine peace,
heavenly peace,
eternal peace.
Peace,
not fear;
not doubt;
not despair;
not anger;
not anguish.
Peace.
Friends, remember that you are a gift.
Now go in Peace and be a gift this Advent season
As we await again the coming of the Prince of Peace…
Remember friends — you are a gift!
Now go and be a gift!
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