Worship & Prayers for Advent Sunday

Opening Rite

If you’re at home you might wish to light a candle, make sure you are sitting comfortably and take a few deep breaths to still yourself. 

The Lord is here  His spirit is with us.                         

Prayers of Penitence

When the Lord comes, he will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness, and will disclose the purposes of the heart.                                   cf 1 Corinthians 4.5

Therefore in the light of Christ let us confess our sins.

After a period of reflection 

Turn to us again, O God our saviour, and let your anger cease from us: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. 

Show us your compassion, O Lord, and grant us your salvation: Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Your salvation is near for those that fear you, that glory may dwell in our land: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

May the Father of all mercies cleanse us from our sins, and restore us in his image to the praise and glory of his name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

The Collect

You might like to keep a few moments of silence

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility; that on the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Isaiah 2:1-5

The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it.  Many peoples shall come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.  He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.  O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!

Psalm 122

/R: I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go to God's house.'

I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’  And now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem; /R:

Jerusalem, built as a city that is at unity in itself.  Thither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord,  as is decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. /R:

For there are set the thrones of judgement, the thrones of the house of David. /R:

O pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you. ‘Peace be within your walls and tranquillity within your palaces.’ /R:

For my kindred and companions’ sake, I will pray that peace be with you.  For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek to do you good. /R:

Romans 13:11-end

Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 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; let us live honourably as in the day, not in revelling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

The Gospel according to Luke                                           Chapter 23.33-43

Jesus said, ‘But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

This is the Gospel of the Lord   Praise to you O Christ

Reflection

This might be a frightening piece of Scripture for some of us. We may have been taught to fear the Day of the Lord because of our own personal sinfulness and now Jesus tells us that we can never know when that day will come. Even he does not know. So, we should live as if we are ready for that day. Perhaps, however, we have learnt to fear because we automatically think about what it will mean for us personally rather than for the world. The Day of the Lord is when God steps in to put things right. The exploitation of the weak by the powerful will end. Pain and sorrow and suffering will be wiped away – ‘The last enemy to be destroyed is death’ (1 Corinthians 15:26). Knowing that, perhaps a better reaction to the coming Day is hope rather than fear. All we have done for love, justice and peace will be justified, all causes of sin and sorrow swept away. Who would not long for a day like that? How do we ‘keep awake’ in expectation of a time like that?

Reproduced with permission www.rootsontheweb.com 2002-2021  

Prayers

Spend a few moments praying for the people you know and love, for the world, for peace and for the relief of refugees everywhere. 

On Advent Sunday

Almighty God, as your kingdom dawns, turn us from the darkness of sin to the light of holiness, that we may be ready to meet you in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen

Praying for the Earth                                           Transport and food miles

We give thanks for the ability to travel widely, in this country and around the world. We give thanks for the rich variety of food available to us, at all times and from all places. Help us to discern the true cost of transport, to travel thoughtfully and to buy locally.    Amen

From the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer for the Church

Porvoo Communion: Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane (Scottish Episcopal Church) and the Diocese of Porvoo (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland)

Anglican Communion: The Anglican Church of Australia Most Revd Geoffrey Smith

Diocese of Newcastle: Communications Department: Head of Communications: Rod Stuart Senior Communications Officer: Leigh Johnson Digital Media Officer: Bethany Browning Communications Officer: Joseph Tulip

From our Parish Prayer Cycle this week 

Pray for the members of other Christian communities who live in our parish; pray for Church unity

For the sick and those being cared for in hospital or at home      

For those in residential care    

For those whose year’s minds are this week 

Gladys Isabella James, Elizabeth Murphy, Shirley Gascoigne, Dick Lawrence, Wally Akid, John George (Jackie) Cheetham, Canon Walter Hatchley, Mary Imray, John Hall, Norman Rollo, William Buston and Maud Whinham

You might like to end your prayers with The Lord's Prayer  

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.  Amen.

The Conclusion

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

Let us bless the Lord!     Thanks be to God!