The Presbyterian Outlook - Praying when we're tired of giving thanks 🍁

December 1, 2024 First Sunday of Advent  Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25:1-10; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 21:25-36 The goal of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement was clear — freedom from oppression, segregation, and racism. African Americans had a vision of what this freedom could and should look like and worked toward it. Before civil rights protestors marched, they gathered in churches to sing hymns and spirituals about the future God desired for them. This clear vision of promise strengthened them to nonviolently endure water hoses, attack dogs, and the beatings of police batons. Of these marches, Martin Luther King Jr. said, “We just went on before the dogs and we would look at them; and we’d go on before the water hoses and we would look at it, and we’d just go on singing ‘Over my head I see freedom in the air.’” The lectionary texts for the first Sunday of Advent lift our eyes to the horizon, to the promised future for God’s world, each text a tile of a larger, unseen tessellation. “The days are surely coming” declares Jeremiah, for the fulfillment of God’s promise to redeem and restore the house of Israel and Judah. This promise will manifest through a branch of David’s lineage, someone whose reign will be characterized by “justice and righteousness” leading God’s people to “live in safety.” ... Read the rest of the commentary on the website. Order of worship — December 1, 2024, by Teri McDowell Ott Horizons — Water justice by Rosalind Banbury God acting through time (December 1, 2024) by Rose Schrott Taylor  Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the PC(USA) votes to change name by Gregg Brekke A Thanksgiving prayer (When we’re tired of giving thanks) by Elizabeth Doolin  A Great Thanksgiving around the family table by Shea Watts  Want the worship resources for November 24, 2024? You can find them here. An Advent Candle Liturgy by Dr. Montisa Anntoinette Watkins and Rev. Shavon Starling-Louis — Free for a limited time! IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... In Mike Huckabee, Israel will have a longtime friend and true believer as ambassador The former Arkansas governor and pastor-turned-Fox News host has been a supporter of Israel since his first visit in the 1970s. He sees the growth of Israel as a sign that biblical prophecies are true. — Bob Smietana, Yonat Shimron and Jack Jenkins What evangelicals say they want from a second Trump term ‘Our people were elated, for the most part, over the election results,’ said Robert Jeffress, a Southern Baptist pastor. — Jack Jenkins “Thou shalt not lie” and other thoughts on loving our neighbor The command against bearing false witness connects truth-telling with the well-being of our neighbor, writes Ray Roberts. In light of the election, we need to remember this. What now for the Anglican Communion? Besides needing to pick a new leader, the Church of England has an urgent need to show in short order that it can respond to abuse. — Catherine Pepinster Taming the power of trauma: The ongoing challenge is to reconcile experiences of trauma with our theology The ongoing challenge, says Sarah Ann Bixler, is to reconcile experiences of trauma with our theology. A letter to my Sunday school teacher Sherry Blackman shares how one person can change the trajectory of someone's life. Revelation: Professing Christ Today In a world that frequently promotes hatred, hostility and division, discover Revelation’s call to embody God’s grace, generosity and forgiveness. A new Fresh Outlook study. Patterns of divine possibility: An Advent search for God’s diverse ordering In a world dominated by binary thinking – light vs. dark, good vs. evil – this Advent devotional by Teri McDowell Ott challenges us to see beyond familiar binaries and embrace the complex, natural patterns of God in the world.