Advent Order of Service

The week has been crazy. I decided to start implementing some of the Getting Things Done objectives to my office and the way I work, spent three exhausting days labeling and organizing files - amazing to discover what all I had and amazing to see how useful this system is. Nonetheless time rolls on, Advent will be here in a couple of days and Sundays do not stop just because I am organizing myself. The sermons for the Advent-Epiphany cycle will all be from the prophets, I am using the lectionary selections but will break off after Epiphany and start a series on sharing our faith and hopeful ideas for the year in preparation for the Annual Meeting and Visioning Sessions.

So here is the Order of service for Advent this year:

LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES

PRELUDE

RINGING OF THE BELL

*OPENING HYMN NO. 154 VENI EMMANUEL
O Come, O Come Immanuel

*SENTENCES FROM SCRIPTURE

*INVOCATION
Creator God,
We praise you for you love in coming to us,
unworthy though we are.
Give us grace to accept the Christ who comes in your name,
and the courage to be Christ for others.
We praise and thank you, Creator God,
for you have not left us alone.
Each year you come to us, Emmanuel,
God with us in a manger.
Each time you come to us
in the broken bread and the cup we share.
In time or out of time you will be revealed
and we shall see you face to face.
Give us courage, God our strength,
to see your Christ in all who suffer,
to be hands to the helpless,
food for the hungry,
and rescue the oppressed. Amen.

THE CONGREGATION SEATED

PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of all mercy,
give us grace to make a fresh start today.
We know we have not loved you
with our whole heart,
nor have we loved our neighbor as ourselves.
As we hope to be forgiven,
teach us also to forgive;
and lead us forward in a new life
where neither grudges
nor resentment have a part;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYER FOR PARDON

THE LORD'S PRAYER
In unison

*THE GLORIA NO. 182 Refrain ADESTE FIDELES
O Come, All Ye Faithful

THE PSALTER Psalm
To be read responsively

LESSON FROM SCRIPTURE
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.

HYMN NO. 175 WIR HATTEN GEBAUET
We Light These Advent Candles

A TIME WITH THE CHILDREN
The children will light the first Advent Candle

CHORAL ANTHEM

SERMON

INVITATION TO DISCIPLESHIP

*HYMN NO.

THE MORNING PRAYER

PRAYER RESPONSE NO. 285 Taize Community
Jesus, Remember Me

THE PEACE
The Peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

INVITATION TO THE TABLE

OFFERINGS

AT THE OFFERTORY

*DOXOLOGY NO. 147 LASST UNS ERFREUEN
Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

*HYMN NO.

BLESSING

CHORAL BENEDICTION GOD BE WITH YOU

POSTLUDE