Tú Jesús, nuestra esperanza/Come to Be Our Hope, Jesus

The service features songs for both choir and congregation from Latin America, led by Coro Polifónico from the Seminario Internacional Teológico Bautista from Argentina, including several being prepared for use in bilingual English-Spanish language communities in North America.

Outline of the service:

Prelude: Cristo es la peña                                                                         _{tradicional/traditional}

Welcome and Call to Worship                                                                                        _{Lamentations 3:21–26}

But this I call to mind,
   and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
   his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
   great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
   “therefore I will hope in him.”
The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
   to the soul that seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly
   for the salvation of the Lord.

Prayer

Advent

The season of Advent, a season of waiting, is designed to cultivate our awareness
of God’s actions—past, present, and future. We take the time in Advent to live in
a deliberate tension—God has come in Christ’s birth, and yet, not everything has
reached a perfect completion—and so, we wait for Christ’s coming again—
tú Jesús, nuestra esperanza, come to be our hope, Jesus.

A Reading from the Prophets                                                                         _{Isaiah 11:1–2}

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
   and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
   the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
   the spirit of counsel and might,
   the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Song of Response: Tú Jesús, nuestra esperanza/Come to Be Our Hope, Jesus

_{Words: Portuguese and English, Jaci Maraschin, Brazil © 1987 Jaci Maraschin; Spanish tr., Jorge Rodriguez © Jorge Rodriguez
Music: Marcílio de Oliveira Filho, Brazil © Marcílio de Oliveira Filho}

Christmas

Christmas is the revealing of the glorious hope fulfilled—a celebration of
God’s promises fulfilled in the coming of Christ. We remember the glorias of
that night so long ago, and we look forward to a day when all the earth will
see the salvation of our God.

A Reading from the Prophets                                                                            _{Isaiah 52:7–8}

How beautiful upon the mountains
   are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
   who announces salvation,
   who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices,
   together they sing for joy;
for in plain sight they see
   the return of the Lord to Zion.

Choral Response: La peregrinación and El nacimiento            _{Ariel Ramírez and Felix Luna}
La peregrinación

A la huella José y María,
por las pampas heladas, cardos y ortigas.
A la huella, cortando campo,
no hay cobijo ni fonda, sigan andando.

Florecita del campo clavel del aire,
si ninguno te aloja, a dónde naces,
¿Dónde naces, florcita, que estás creciendo;
palomita asustada grillo sin sueño?

A la huella José y María,
con un Dios escondido, ¡nadie sabía!

A la huella, los peregrinos,
¡préstenme una tapera para mi niño!
A la huella, soles y lunas,
los ojitos de almendra, piel de aceituna.

¡Ay burrito del campo! ¡Ay buey barcino!
Que mi niño ya viene, ¡háganle sitio!
Un ranchito de quincha, solo me ampara,
dos alientos amigos, la luna clara.

El nacimiento

Noche anunciada, noche de amor,
Dios ha nacido, pétalo y flor.
Todo es silencio y serenidad,
paz a los hombres, es Navidad.

En el pesebre, mi Redentor
es mensajero de paz y amor.
Cuando sonríe se hace la luz,
y en sus bracitos crece una cruz.

Ángeles canten sobre el portal,
Dios ha nacido es Navidad.
Ésta es la noche que prometió
Dios a los hombres, y ya llegó.

Es Noche Buena, no hay que dormir:
Dios ha nacido; Dios está aquí.

La peregrinación

To Bethlehem Joseph and Mary,
to find a borning place for the blessed baby,
to Bethlehem through cold and snow,
and Joseph walks beside her to Bethlehem they go.

But who will come to greet them the pilgrims forlorn,
and who will make them welcome on Christmas morn,
will someone bring them flowers, will anyone sing,
is there somewhere a candle that someone can bring.

To Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary,
the son of God is with them, the blessed baby.

And when they come to Bethlehem, no door is thrown wide,
and no one comes to greet them, to bring them inside,
then to a lowly manger, where donkey and dove,
are glad to make welcome, to offer their love.

A borning place they give her, on newmown hay,
and Joseph sits beside her, on Christmas day.
And here the infant Jesus, is soon to be born.
A star will shine on Bethlehem, to welcome this morn.

El nacimiento

Night long awaited, night of love’s power,
Jesus is born of petals and flowers.
All is in silence, calm is his birth,
Christmas is with us, peace upon earth.

Low in the manger, Lord from above,
brings us the news of peace and of love.
When he is smiling, radiance glows,
and in his arms, a tiny cross grows.

Angels are singing over the door,
Christmas is with us, Jesus is born.
This is the night God promised of old
his gift to all people, see it unfold.

This is the night when sleep is foregone,
God is among us, Jesus is born.

_{Words: Ariel Ramírez; English tr. Louise Dobbs; © 1965 Editorial Pigal, Argentina; © renewed and assigned to French Music Ltd.,
New York.
All rights reserved.}

Epiphany

Christ’s incarnation is about more than just a baby in a manger—it is about God’s
light dawning on all peoples, everywhere. In Epiphany, we remember how God’s word
became manifested in Christ, and we look forward, in hope, to the day when
all nations will come to God’s light and all peoples will marvel at
the glory of the Lord.

A Reading from the Prophets                                                                            _{Isaiah 60:1–3}

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
   and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth,
   and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
   and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light,
   and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Song of Response: Jehová es mi luz/My Light, My Savior Is the Lord

_{Words: Vincente Mendoza, 1911; English tr. Christopher L. Webber © 1986 Christopher L. Webber
Music (ROCKINGHAM OLD): Edward Miller (b. 1735; d. 1807), 1790, P.D.}

Ministry

Christ was not a royal king or a king who conquered enemy armies. He was
a humble king, a servant, who opened the eyes of the blind, held children
on his knee, and quenched the thirsty. He brought hope to the hopeless and
rest to the weary. As a light to the nations, Christ’s ministry works toward
a total redemption of the world—a world for which we hope and long, where
justice will reign and peace will triumph—where all God’s promises are fulfilled.

A Reading from the Prophets                                                                      _{Isaiah 42:1, 6–7}

Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
   my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him;
   he will bring forth justice to the nations.
Thus says God, the Lord,
I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,
   I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
   a light to the nations,
   to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
   from the prison those who sit in darkness.

Song of Response: Quién es ese/Who Is This

_{Words: traditional; tr. Ronald F. Krisman © 2012 GIA Publications, Inc.
Music: traditional; arr. Ronald F. Krisman © 2012 GIA Publications, Inc.}

Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

Following custom, Jesus went up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover—when God
saved his people from slavery in Egypt. Hearing of Christ’s miracles, the people
knew that Jesus was someone special. And so they honored him just like the Psalms
and prophets predicted. May we, too, shout loud hallelujahs to our King—who
has saved us and continues to save us.

A Reading from the Prophets                                                                             _{Isaiah 52:13–15}

See, my servant shall prosper;
   he shall be exalted and lifted up,
   and shall be very high.
Just as there were many who were astonished at him
   —so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance,
   and his form beyond that of mortals—
so he shall startle many nations;
   kings shall shut their mouths because of him;
for that which had not been told them they shall see,
   and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.

Song of Response: Mantos y palmos/Filled with Excitement

_{Words and Music: Rubén Ruíz Ávila (b. 1945); English tr. Gertrude C. Suppe (b. 1911; d. 2007);
arr. Alvin Schutmaat (b. 1921; d. 1988) © 1972, 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House}

Death

Christ’s death is marked by somber remembrance and love-filled hope. Our Savior
who came as a baby suffered and died, taking on himself the iniquity and the pain
and the diseases of all people. The whole weight of the world was upon him. And yet,
out of love, he willingly sustained death as the greatest intercession of all.
And so, because of Christ’s death, we have hope. We have the hope of salvation—
of something better than we could have ever imagined.

A Reading from the Prophets                                                                         _{Isaiah 53:3–6}

He was despised and rejected by others;
   a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity;
and as one from whom others hide their faces
   he was despised, and we held him of no account.
Surely he has borne our infirmities
   and carried our diseases;
yet we accounted him stricken,
   struck down by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
   crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
   and by his bruises we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
   we have all turned to our own way,
and the Lord has laid on him
   the iniquity of us all.

Song of Response: Amazing Grace/Sublime gracia

_{Words: sts. 1-4, John Newton (b. 1725; d. 1807); st. 5 attr. John Rees (b. 1859); Spanish tr. Cristóbal E. Morales, (b. 1898; d. 1981), alt.;
st. 3 tr. Carlos P. Lopez © 1996 Abingdon Press
Music (NEW BRITAIN): Virginia Harmony, 1831; harm. Edwin O. Excell (1851; d. 1921), P.D.}

Resurrection

And just as promised, Christ rose from the dead. And in his resurrection,
he foreshadowed something even better—the glorious redemption of the whole world.
And so, we celebrate Christ’s glorious resurrection. And in our celebrating,
we wait in a still broken world and look forward to the day when Christ will
truly create all things new. . . .
tú Jesús, nuestra esperanza, come to be our hope, Jesus.

A Reading from the Prophets                                                                                                 _{Isaiah 65:17–18}

For I am about to create new heavens
   and a new earth;
the former things shall not be remembered
   or come to mind.
But be glad and rejoice forever
   in what I am creating;
for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy,
   and its people as a delight.

Song: Él es Señor/Oh, He Is Lord

_{Words and Music: Carlos Colón © 2013 Carlos Colón Music; English tr. and arr. Greg Scheer © 2016 Greg Scheer}

Song of Response: Tú Jesús, nuestra esperanza/Come to Be Our Hope, Jesus

Prayer

Grant us, Lord God, the vision of your kingdom, forgiveness and new life,
and the stirring of your Spirit, so that we may share your vision,
proclaim your love, and change this world in the name of Christ. Amen.

Blessing                                                                                            _{2 Thessalonians 2:16–17}

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father,
who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope,
comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.

Choral Response: Gloria                                                                              _{Ariel Ramírez}

Gloria a Dios
en las alturas
y en la tierra
paz a los hombres, que ama el Señor.

Te alabamos.
Te bendecimos.
Te adoramos,
glorificamos.
Te damos gracias
por tu inmensa gloria,
Señor Dios, Rey celestial.

Dios Padre todopoderoso.
Señor, Hijo único Jesucristo.
Señor Dios, Cordero de Dios,
Hijo del Padre,
tú, que quitas los pecados del mundo,
ten piedad de nosotros.
Tú, que quitas los pecados del mundo,
atiende nuestra súplica.
Tú que reinas con el Padre,
ten piedad de nosotros.

Porque tú, solo eres Santo,
solo tú Señor, tú solo;
tú solo, altísimo Jesucristo,
con el Espíritu Santo,
en la gloria de Dios Padre.
Amén.

Gloria! Glory to God
from the valley,
from every mountain
and for his children, there will be peace.

We will praise thee.
And we will bless thee.
We adore thee.
We glorify thee.
Now let us thank thee.
We will sing your praises,
O Lord God, our heavenly King.

God, the Father who can do all things.
Lord God, our own Jesus Christ, Son of Heaven.
O Lord God, sweet Lamb of God,
Son of the Father,
O Lord, forgive the sins of your children,
and have mercy on us.
O Lord, forgive the sins of your children,
O hear your children praying, Lord.
Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
O have mercy upon us.

You, my Lord, alone are Holy, only you.
Lord God, our Savior.
You, dear Jesus, Son of the Father.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, glory,
God the Father.
Amen.

_{Words: Ariel Ramírez; English tr. Louise Dobbs © 1965 Editorial Pigal (Argentina), admin. French Music Ltd.}

Postlude: Corazones siempre alegres                                                        _{Víctor Riveros}

_{Leaders: Alfredo Colman, Carlos Colón, Coro Polifónico under the direction of Constanza Bongarrá}