Are there things on someone else's bucket list that you honestly hope will happen for them?

This series has led us to this: Hope is meant to be shared. It grows when it is shared. It becomes more true and powerful when shared. Perhaps most of all, hope shared does leads to something almost holy: the connection of one person to another. Unity can be a product of the vulnerable, important, and exciting task of sharing in the hopes of those around us. 

Now that you've answered the Icebreaker, here's another question - this one, about ambition.

What is the difference between hope and ambition?

At first glance, they seem almost identical. Both look forward. Both anticipate something good. Both can even inspire us to work hard. But here’s the key difference: ambition is about me - my goals, my success, my achievement. It often drives a person to compete, to climb, and to do something amazing, but it also drives a person to separate. Ambition says, ‘If I don’t make this happen, it won’t happen.’

Hope, on the other hand, is about us. It’s rooted in trust, not control. Hope unites because it says, ‘Even when we can’t make it happen ourselves, we trust that it’s possible.’

Ambition demands outcomes; hope rests in possibility.
Ambition isolates; hope connects.
Nobody needs to hide hope, but they may disguise ambition.

Here’s a beautiful thing: hope doesn’t shrink when life gets hard or things don't according to plan. Hope simply shines brighter, uniting those who share it all the more. So as we finish our exploration of hope in a certain light, ask yourself: where am I chasing ambition, and where am I resting in hope? Where am I sharing, and where am I isolating? 

Hopefully that makes enough sense to get you started. As you continue into the Worship portion of the Spotlight, pray this prayer together:

Lord,
You call us to hope in many things.
In restoration against decay,
in love against hatred,
in peace against chaos.
May these hopes connect us,
both to you and to one another,
and carry us onward.
Amen.

Read responsively the songs of Zechariah and Mary, found in Luke 1, in which each of them are praising God for his saving work. You may, if you'd like, use the video above for background music as you read.

You'll need a leader to read the beginning and end portions. Zechariah's words can be read by the men in the group, Mary's by the women. 

Leader: Lord God, we come before you with gratitude and joy. As Zechariah and Mary praised you when you announced your plan of salvation to them, so we praise you today, reflecting on the grace shown in the birth of the Messiah.
--
MEN
WOMEN

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
 
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
 
As he said through his holy prophets of long ago,
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
To show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
 
To rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.
--
Leader: We praise you, Lord, the God of Israel,
for you have remembered your people.
my soul glorifies you, and my spirit rejoices in you, my savior,
for you have looked upon the lowly and lifted them high.
you scatter the proud and bring down the mighty,
yet you raise up the humble and fill the hungry with good things.
your mercy flows from generation to generation,
like a river that never runs dry.
You have kept your promises,
spoken through prophets long ago,
and in your faithfulness you have redeemed us,
so that we may serve you without fear,
in holiness and righteousness all our days.
teach us to rest in your mercy,
to trust when we cannot see,
to hope when the night feels long.
Let our ambition fade into your peace,
and let our hearts be tethered to your promise.
For you are the mighty one who does great things,
and holy is your name.
All: Amen.

Purpose
To serve one another by creating space for hopes to be spoken, heard, and honored. (Not ambitions, but hopes that unite and inspire.) Use the timer below to govern steps 1 & 2. 

Step 1: Reflect

• Take a few quiet moments to identify something you hope for right now.
  • Think beyond personal achievement. 
    • What do I long for that brings life, connection, or renewal for myself, for others, for the world?
    • What do I long for that would bring peace or renewal to my life?
    • What do I hope for in my relationships with family, friends, or community?
    • What do I hope for in the world around me?
    • Where do I wish to see healing, growth, or restoration?
    • What do I hope for in a coming season of life?
    • What hope feels fragile but still matters deeply to me?
    • If fear or control weren’t in the way, what would I dare to hope for?
  • Remember: Hope trusts. Hope connects. Hope looks beyond control.

Step 2: Pair & Share

• Find a partner.
• Each person shares their hopes with their partner.
• The listener’s role is to serve by listening earnestly - no advice, no fixing, just listen.
• As you listen, ask yourself: 
  • What stood out to you in their hope?
  • How does this hope connect to something bigger than just one person?

Step 3: Speak for the Other

• Return to the larger group.
• Each person introduces their partner’s hope to the group:
  “This is what [Name] hopes for…”

This honors the act of listening and makes the sharing communal.

Remember:
Serving through listening means giving your full attention, valuing their words, and holding their hope with care.

For those who are suffering.
For those who are injured.
For families that are separated.

For firemen, police, emergency medical workers and all public officials.
For those who answer the call to comfort and give aid.
For those who provide support thru their prayers.

For those who are dying.
For those who died while saving the lives of others.
For all who lost their lives.

For those who survived.
For the children who have been orphaned.
For the men and women who have lost their spouses.
For all who mourn and those who comfort them.

For generosity of spirit.
For hope in times of despair.
For light in the darkness.

Gracious and Loving God,
you are our comforter and our hope.
Hear your people's prayers as they come before you.
Strengthen us in this time of need.
Inspire us to acts of charity and generosity
and give us hope of a brighter future.
We ask this in Jesus' name.
Amen.

Close this Spotlight with the song "May You Find a Light."