Advent Sunday - Mornings - Christian Worship Tools

(These are the four Sundays before Christmas.)

“A VOICE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS”

Matthew 3:1-12, Mark 1:1-8, Luke 3:1-6 & John 1:6-9, 19-23

GREETING (adapted from Isaiah 40:3-5)

In this world’s wilderness, God, we stood listening.

A voice cried out, “Prepare the way of the Lord,

make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be lifted up,

and every mountain and hill be made low….

Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,

and all people shall see it together.”

In this world’s wilderness, God, we stand watching.

LIGHTING THE ADVENT CANDLE

(Optional – light one of four purple candles 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.)

HYMN

Week One 567 “Heralds of Christ”

Week Two 207 “Prepare the Way of the Lord”

Week Three 202 “People, Look East”

Week Four 198 “My Soul Gives Glory to My God”

PSALM

Week One Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13

Week Two Psalm 25:1-10

Week Three Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

Week Four Luke 1:46-55

PRAYER

Our Father, we remember Israel’s prayers,

unrelenting in their cry for the messiah.

They needed someone to fix things:

corruption in the nation’s rulers and in the marketplace;

selfishness and spiritual malaise in the temple’s priests;

self-indulgence and immorality in themselves as well.

You sent Jesus to address this sinfulness.

His teaching and miracles inspired us.

His gift from the cross awakened us:

stunning the world with your love for the unlovable;

sending witnesses everywhere to share the good news;

transforming those of us who accepted his salvation.

Bethlehem’s Child and Golgotha’s Savior,

often found his selfless love rejected:

national leaders and business people fear building on love;

selfishness and apathy still reign in too many churches;

we welcome his salvation, but ignore bonding with you.

Send Jesus to finish what he started, God.

He knows we continue to fall into sin.

His compassion is a healing balm:

providing courage to do right in governing and business;

returning self-giving love to churches that have strayed;

restoring the relationship between you and your children.

We dedicate this Advent to your holy Son.

Send your Spirit to let him live in us.

Let his love transform who we are.

Let Christ live through our governing and our business.

Let the church become Christ’s mouth, hands and feet.

Let the Christmas Child bond us with you, Holy Father. Amen.

GATHER WITH A CONGREGATION OF CHRISTIANS

TO CONTINUE THE WORSHIP OF GOD

ON THIS DAY OF JOYFUL RESURRECTION.