GREETING (from the hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”)
“O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.”
“Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.”
LIGHTING THE ADVENT CANDLE
(Optional – light one purple candle the first Sunday of Advent, two the second, and so on. Add a fifth, white, candle on Christmas Eve and/or Day. The Catholic Church and some Protestant denominations of the church use a pink candle on the third Sunday of Advent. This is in honor of Mary’s Sunday.)
HYMN
Week One 196 “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”
Week Two 210 “Toda la Tierra” (“All Earth Is Waiting”)
Week Three 214 “Savior of the Nations, Come”
Week Four 182 “Word of God, Come Down on Earth”
PSALM
Week One Psalm 126
Week Two Luke 1:68-79
Week Three Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19
Week Four Isaiah 12:2-6
PRAYER
(Think back to the beginning of this day. Start there, and mentally walk through the day again, while you thank God for the day's blessings and God's continuous work of love. Confess and repent of those times when you forgot, ignored or rebelled against God. Continue to pray with your personal prayer list.)
SCRIPTURE LESSON
(Choose a passage of scripture to read. It can be a chapter, a paragraph, or a particular story. Daily lectionaries are available online or in print that assign a lesson each day from the gospels, epistles, Old Testament and psalms on a three-year cycle. Or you can create a plan to read a book of the Bible, or the whole Bible. Then follow the steps below.)
Read a passage of scripture. Read it out loud, very slowly and carefully as if for the first time. Continue reading until a word, phrase or sentence captures your attention. Stop there to repeat the word, phrase or sentence over and over, listening to it deeply in your heart.
Reflect on why the passage got your attention. Consider the area of your life to which this may apply. Is God saying something to you in this passage? Take time to listen carefully to whatever God may be saying to you.
Respond to God in prayer (or with journaling, music, art or whatever you choose) about what you have heard. Ask questions. Open yourself to God’s will for you.
Rest in God’s company. Be still and quiet. Move beyond thinking, practicing interior silence. Let yourself be open to God’s presence. Savor this moment with God.
(Listed below are some lectionary readings from the gospels that might be used for this season.)
Week One Matthew 24:36-44; Mark 13:24-37; or Luke 21:25-36
Week Two Matthew 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; or Luke 3:1-6
Week Three Matthew 11:2-11; John 1:6-8, 19-28; or Luke 3:7-18
Week Four Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; or Luke 1:39-45
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
(Declare your faith by repeating “The Apostles’ Creed” (882) or “The Nicene Creed,” (880) or use the following affirmation.)
We believe God created all that is – the universe, and the physics that make it work;
and that God provided all that is necessary for amazing life on this planet,
and guided the evolution providing our wondrous human brains,
and filled them with astounding wisdom and knowledge
and has given our lives purpose and meaning.
We believe that God loves the life created, and has great interest in its well-being;
and that this love and interest extends to every single creature God created,
that God desires a holy relationship with all these living things,
even with humans who have not used their brains well,
and that God forgives and corrects our wrongs.
We believe that God lovingly decided to enter into the created life of our planet Earth;
and that God came to us in Jesus Christ, the human child born in Bethlehem,
that in him God showed us the way to use our brains for loving work,
that Jesus reestablished the relationship God desires with us,
and doing this he defeated death, our mortal enemy.
We believe that Joseph, Mary, shepherds, angels, the magi and many living creatures;
witnessed God entering into creation in the human flesh of the baby Jesus,
and that in Jesus we find God keeping the promise of a Messiah,
that he commissioned the church to share this good news,
and to pray for the consummation of God’s love.
We believe that God has, and will, keep all the promises made to all life on this planet;
and that everyone will soon see Jesus returning with a new heaven and earth,
that this is the permanent home toward which all creation points,
that this will be where God will abide forever among us,
and we and all creatures will enjoy God forever.
Amen and amen!
GLORY BE TO THE FATHER 70 or 71
PRAYER
We are waiting, God. Teach us how to wait.
We wait to celebrate Christ’s coming to Bethlehem.
Secular, commercial culture is impatient for Christmas to come,
and when Christmas finally comes, they cannot wait to be rid of it.
We wait, not for Christmas, but for Christ, because we believe.
We believe that Jesus was born to Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem.
We believe that he was our Immanuel, God-with-us.
We are waiting, God. Teach us how to wait.
We wait for the Spirit of Christ to enter us again.
Let Christ come into us through the reading of holy scripture.
Let Christ come through the holy sacraments of your new covenant.
Let Christ come through the love of the Christian community.
Let Christ take up residence, in the hearts of your beloved children.
Everyday the Spirit of Christ comes to abide in us.
We are waiting, God. Teach us how to wait.
We wait for Christ’s return during the end times.
Teach us to trust you to get us ready for when he comes again.
Teach us to expect that which we can neither imagine nor understand.
Teach us to see what cannot be seen in our very material world.
Teach us to trust you to include us in the glorious future Christ brings.
Until he returns we wait for what only Christ can do.
We are waiting, God. Teach us how to wait. Amen.
SILENCE AND COMMITMENT
(Pause to reflect and listen. Work to push out of your mind any distracting or irrelevant thoughts. Concentrate your thoughts on the words of the hymns and choruses you have sung, the prayers you have spoken and the scriptures you have read. Be aware of what you are feeling. Listen for anything that God might be saying to you in this time you have spent together. As God responds to your prayer-time, seek guidance for how you can best respond to God’s will. Then commit to serving God’s will for you.)
HYMN
Week One 211 “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
Week Two 213 “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates”
Week Three 195 “Send Your Word”
Week Four 233 “En el Frio Invernal” (“Cold December Flies Away”)
CLOSING PRAYER
Father, help us keep a holy Advent:
in the shining lights and carols,
in the joyous worship and parties,
in the shopping and gift-giving
in Christmas plays and specials,
Direct our dreams to Jesus’ coming:
in the activities of your church,
in your outreach to unbelievers,
in the love that is already here,
in love we soon offer to others.
Father, help us keep a holy Advent. Amen.
Copyright 2020. Robert D. Ingram, 32746 Jourden Rd., Albany, Ohio 45710 (dr.bobingram@gmail.com). Used by permission.
