Abstract
Advent 1
Prayer of Approach to God in praise and worship
Lord God Creator of All Yours is the imagination behind all things, Seas and the rivers Mountains and hills Glaciers and deserts. Yours is the word that brings all things to life, Plants and animals Valleys and fertile plains Towns and cities And we bring you our praise. Lord God Redeemer of All Yours is the love that knows no limits, Entering a world where people opt to live by Swords and spears Chemical weapons and nuclear threats. You are the Word that offers a new way of life, Plough shares and pruning hooks Forgiveness and grace Kindness and compassion And we bring you our praise. Lord God Sustainer of All Yours is the inspiration which enables people to glimpse your new life. Through prophet and psalmist, word and music you speak to people of your ways of justice and peace. Yours is the gift that enables people to live that life, Caring and sharing Praying and loving Walking in the light of your love And we bring you our praise. Lord God, Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer This Advent Season May we hear your word May we know your love May we experience your life For then we will be ready to celebrate The coming of your Son Into our world In ways that are new and unexpected Even when you take us by surprise All this we pray in Jesus name Amen.
Prayer of Reflection
The night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light (Romans 13:12)
Awake! Awake! Into the depths of slumber With muffled tones The alarm sounds Calling us to open our eyes To the dawning of a new day, God’s new day! Awake! Awake! Piercing the dreams that hold us fast In pleasure or in fear The alarm sounds Calling us to leave behind illusions And live in the reality of a new day God’s new day! Awake! Awake! Disturbing our comfort zone The alarm sounds Calling us to rise And face the challenges of a new day God’s new day! Awake! Awake! Breaking into the forgetfulness of sleep The alarm sounds Calling us to remember Who God is and who we are God’s new people! Awake! Awake! Into the stupor of our self-indulgence The alarm sounds Calling us to leave behind our heedless ways For a new way of faith and love God’s new way! Awake! Awake! Breaking into the depth of winter darkness The alarm sounds Calling us to celebrate the advent Of peace and justice In God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Awake! Awake! The night is far gone, the day is near! Let us rise and prepare the way For God’s new day Amen
Prayers of Intercession
Psalm 122 suggests a focus on peace and a response such as this might be appropriate:
For the sake of our world and ourselves we pray
Advent 2
Call to Worship (where an Advent wreath is not being used - Psalm 72:18,19)
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, Who alone does wondrous things
Prayer of Approach to God in praise and worship
Lord God As we look around and wonder at the world of which we are a part. The trees stand tall and stark Against the winter skyline Branches swept bare of leaves by winter winds Weak twigs snapping under the weight of snow New shoots only a distant spring hope. Yet even here in the bleakness of winter Your majesty and glory Are visible to those who will see. We marvel at the breadth of trunk The height of treetop The length of bough The depth of root Of the tree that withstands the harshest storm And we recall your steadfast love That endures from age to age. And we praise you. Lord God As we look around we celebrate the families of which we are a part. We remember the great family of people into which your Son was born A family of kings like David and Solomon Leaders like Abraham and Moses, Prophets like Elijah and Isaiah Women and men like Ruth and Jesse, Young folk like Mary and Joseph At its height your family tree speaks of royalty and wisdom But like every family tree it has its share of tragedy and sorrow, Leaves that fall and twigs that break And yet your steadfast love remains To bring forth a new shoot A new beginning for all creation And we praise you. Lord God As we look around we give thanks for the Church of which we are a part. At its heart stands the tree on which your Son gave his life that we might live Part of your world-wide family Yet still there are leaves that fall and twigs that break. But encouraged by your Spirit we continue to hope Hope for justice and peace Hope for healing and wholeness Hope for that day when all will be made new And your tree will bear fruit Beyond our imagining In our lives and in the life of the world And we praise You. May our worship today and throughout this Advent season reflect this hope In Jesus name…
Prayer of Confession
“Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (John 3:10)
Merciful God Sometimes the promise of your coming Is like a whisper of hope A chink of light in the darkness Comforting and encouraging; Sometimes the promise of your coming Is like a clarion call Striking our ears and hearts Calling us to examine our lives And mend our ways. However you choose to attract our attention Help us to see not just with our eyes But with our minds so that We might gain understanding. Help us to hear not just with our ears But with our hearts so that we might gain wisdom And in gaining wisdom and understanding May we recognise the ways in which Our lives fall short of your desires for us and your creation. Hear us as in the silence we make our confession before you now………….
In your mercy forgive us we pray
(at this point kyrie eleison(CH4 776) could be sung by choir or congregation)
Gracious Lord Fill with love the potholes sin has made in our lives Straighten out the twistedness which prevent us from following your way And where we would erect walls and fences Help us to build bridges Restore us and renew us That we might grow into the people You would have us be Bringing honour and glory to your name Now and always Amen.
Sunday after Christmas
Call to Worship
The Word became flesh and lived among us
Let us worship God
Prayer of Approach to God in praise and worship
Psalm 148 could be read responsively with pauses after every second verse
Prayer of Reflection
Christmas over for another year Families have come and gone Cards have been exchanged Gifts have been given The tincan carols no longer Echo through the shopping aisles The feasting has paused Like a brief sigh of relief Before the celebrations begin again As the bells ring out the old year In favour of the new. Christmas over for another year Leaving in its wake the usual disarray Families crumpled or torn Like discarded wrapping paper Christmas card recycling boxes vying with sale signs in supermarket aisles. While the Church carols its praise The world wonders what all the fuss was about And quickly turns its attention to Superstition and resolution As the bells ring out the old year in favour of the new. Christmas over for another year? Lord God It is so easy to slip into The world’s way of thinking Forgive us when we fall into that trap Forgive us for our lack of faith Stop us in our tracks Remind us that Christmas is not Just a season filled with sentiment that vanishes like the snow off a dyke, Or Christmas cakes off a supermarket shelf. But that at Christmas, in Christmas You give the world a message that Lasts for all eternity. Christmas cannot be over for another year For in the birth of your Son You show us that Christmas is a way of life A way of life that embraces all that is good and true A way of life that rejects all that is Wrong and harmful As the bells ring out the old year In favour of the new By your Spirit Raise us up to live As your people who celebrate each and every day That most profound truth of Christmas - God with us Through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
Prayers could focus on refugees, asylum seekers and the homeless
The chorus of CH4 724 might be a suitable sung response
To the lost Christ shows his face
To the unloved he gives his embrace
To those who cry in pain or disgrace
Christ makes, with his friends, a touching place.
Coming Next Month
In next month’s issue, George G. Nicol considers “Biblical Studies: Between Academy and Church”, and John Vincent offers “Outworkings: Multi-Faith Mission in Mark 5”.