Fourth Sunday in Advent
Worship
More Services for the Advent Wreath
For Lectionary Cycle B
Object:
(Distribute this sheet to the readers.)
Date: _________________________
Reader A: ________________________________
Reader B: __________________________________
Introit
(As the introit is being sung, Readers A and B come forward and stand by the Advent wreath until the music is finished.)
Litany
Reader A: Please turn to the Advent litany in your bulletins.
(Pause as they do so.)
[God said,] "I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness."
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God.
Scripture
Reader B: Listen to this Lukan narrative of the angel's visit to Mary:
Reader A: In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.
Lighting Of The Four Advent Candles
Reader B: On this fourth Sunday in Advent, along with the candles of hope, peace, and joy, we now light the candle of love. We are the children of God because of God's love for us.
(While Reader B is reading, Reader A uses the small candle at the back of the wreath to take the light from the altar candle and transfer it to all four candles on the wreath. DO NOT light the center candle. Extinguish the small candle and return it to the back of the wreath.)
Prayer
Reader B: Let us pray:
Almighty God, as Mary proclaimed to be a servant of God, may we make the same proclamation out of our love for you. We are humbled in knowing that you love us. Amen.
Introit
(As the introit is being sung again, the readers may be seated.)
Date: _________________________
Reader A: ________________________________
Reader B: __________________________________
Introit
(As the introit is being sung, Readers A and B come forward and stand by the Advent wreath until the music is finished.)
Litany
Reader A: Please turn to the Advent litany in your bulletins.
(Pause as they do so.)
[God said,] "I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness."
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God.
Scripture
Reader B: Listen to this Lukan narrative of the angel's visit to Mary:
Reader A: In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.
Lighting Of The Four Advent Candles
Reader B: On this fourth Sunday in Advent, along with the candles of hope, peace, and joy, we now light the candle of love. We are the children of God because of God's love for us.
(While Reader B is reading, Reader A uses the small candle at the back of the wreath to take the light from the altar candle and transfer it to all four candles on the wreath. DO NOT light the center candle. Extinguish the small candle and return it to the back of the wreath.)
Prayer
Reader B: Let us pray:
Almighty God, as Mary proclaimed to be a servant of God, may we make the same proclamation out of our love for you. We are humbled in knowing that you love us. Amen.
Introit
(As the introit is being sung again, the readers may be seated.)
