Advent 4
Worship
Lectionary Worship Aids, Cradled in God's Heart
Series VIII, Cycle A
Object:
Call To Worship
One: We gather in preparation
All: for good news is about to be proclaimed.
One: We gather in expectation
All: for joy is about to explode in our midst.
One: We gather in celebration
All: for we are those people who have said
yes to the manger,
yes to love enfleshed,
yes to the One incarnate for others,
yes to the wholeness of God.
One: With preparation and in expectation,
All: let us celebrate!
Prayer Of The Day
If our lives are dry and parched,
Lord God,
send the living waters of your Spirit
to revive us, to enliven us,
to bring forth new life.
Immanuel, come quickly.
If our times are empty and barren,
God of Creation,
grant us a rich harvest.
Send us home with sheaves of blessings,
fill us with your abundance,
and teach us to share the harvest with others.
Immanuel, come quickly.
If our bodies are weary and heavy laden,
Exuberant God,
fill us with laughter.
Give us shouts of joy,
envelop us with your gladness.
Immanuel, come quickly.
If our lives are small and trivial,
Majestic God,
make us see great things;
enlarge our vision,
widen our horizons.
Immanuel, come quickly,
even as we pray as you have taught us, saying,
Our Father ...
Call To Reconciliation
How can we prepare the way of the coming one into our hearts? By making our confession to God, who comes bringing joy and grace to all. Please join me as we pray.
Unison Prayer Of Confession
O promised Christ,
our world is torn by violence and death,
our peace depends on your coming.
We sin against others,
our forgiveness depends on your coming.
Full of good intentions, we are poor at keeping promises,
our only hope in being your people
is in your coming to transform our lives.
Lord Christ, flesh-bearing Word,
our world waits:
for your peace,
which comes as softly
as a snowfall;
for your mercy,
which fills the emptiness
of our souls;
for your grace,
which is always more
than our hearts can ever hold.
Immanuel, come quickly, we pray.
Silence is kept
Assurance Of Pardon
One: In this season of waiting, the good news is forgiveness of sins, the gift of Advent is new life. Let us commit our lives to Christ's way of peace and hope.
All: Thanks be to the Advent God, who comes among us, setting us free to love and serve. Amen.
One: We gather in preparation
All: for good news is about to be proclaimed.
One: We gather in expectation
All: for joy is about to explode in our midst.
One: We gather in celebration
All: for we are those people who have said
yes to the manger,
yes to love enfleshed,
yes to the One incarnate for others,
yes to the wholeness of God.
One: With preparation and in expectation,
All: let us celebrate!
Prayer Of The Day
If our lives are dry and parched,
Lord God,
send the living waters of your Spirit
to revive us, to enliven us,
to bring forth new life.
Immanuel, come quickly.
If our times are empty and barren,
God of Creation,
grant us a rich harvest.
Send us home with sheaves of blessings,
fill us with your abundance,
and teach us to share the harvest with others.
Immanuel, come quickly.
If our bodies are weary and heavy laden,
Exuberant God,
fill us with laughter.
Give us shouts of joy,
envelop us with your gladness.
Immanuel, come quickly.
If our lives are small and trivial,
Majestic God,
make us see great things;
enlarge our vision,
widen our horizons.
Immanuel, come quickly,
even as we pray as you have taught us, saying,
Our Father ...
Call To Reconciliation
How can we prepare the way of the coming one into our hearts? By making our confession to God, who comes bringing joy and grace to all. Please join me as we pray.
Unison Prayer Of Confession
O promised Christ,
our world is torn by violence and death,
our peace depends on your coming.
We sin against others,
our forgiveness depends on your coming.
Full of good intentions, we are poor at keeping promises,
our only hope in being your people
is in your coming to transform our lives.
Lord Christ, flesh-bearing Word,
our world waits:
for your peace,
which comes as softly
as a snowfall;
for your mercy,
which fills the emptiness
of our souls;
for your grace,
which is always more
than our hearts can ever hold.
Immanuel, come quickly, we pray.
Silence is kept
Assurance Of Pardon
One: In this season of waiting, the good news is forgiveness of sins, the gift of Advent is new life. Let us commit our lives to Christ's way of peace and hope.
All: Thanks be to the Advent God, who comes among us, setting us free to love and serve. Amen.
