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BLESSING OF ADVENT WREATH

LEADERO God, by whose word all things are sanctified,pour forth thy blessing upon this wreathand grant that we who use it may prepare our heartsfor the Coming of Christ,and may receive from thee abundant graces.Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

MINISTERPriest: Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe.You sent your Son to be the Light of the worldand to spread his light of love to all.Bless us and accept + these wreaths of light made from our hands.May their ever increasing brightness be a sign to usof the approaching nearness of your Son,that we might prepare in joy for his humble birth in a mangerand be ready to receive him at his coming again in glory;through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reignswith you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

PEOPLE

Amen

(From Celebrating Advent and Christmas: A Sourcebook for Families.)© 2001 by Women for Faith and Family, http://wf-f.org

LIGHTING OF ADVENT CANDLE

DIRECTIONS

Light the first candle

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LEADERStir up thy power, O Lord, and come,that by thy protection we may be rescuedfrom the dangers that beset us through our sins; and be a Redeemer to deliver us; Who livest and reignest with God the Fatherin the unity of the Holy Spirit,ever one God, world without end. Amen.

PEOPLE

O Emmanuel, Jesus Christ,desire of every nation,Savior of all peoples,come and dwell among us.(From Christmas Prayers, Victor Hoagland, C.P.)

FIRST HYMN

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MINISTER

'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.''... And the Spirit (the breath) of God was hovering over the waters.'

(John 1:1-3, Genesis 1:2)

Lord of the morningof dawn chorusrising sunmist on water

Lord of the noontimeof chattering voiceslaughter and funsparkling watereveryone

Lord of the eveningof quiet breezesetting sungentle watersday that’s done

 

MINISTER

O Lord, our Lord

PEOPLE

How majestic is your name in all the earth

MINISTER

You have set your glory above the heavensPEOPLE

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And from the lips of children ordained praise

MINISTER

O Lord, our Lord

PEOPLE

How majestic is your name in all the earth

 

MINISTER

Creative God, breath of all lifeThrough whom all things are created and sustained;all sons and daughtersflocks and herds,all birds of the airand fish of the seaYou walked this earthas child and CreatorYou touched the soilquenched your thirstembraced this worldbrought life and lightlove and laughterinto dark and death-filled livesCreative God, breath of all lifeThrough whom all things are created and sustained

PEOPLE

We bring to you our sacrificeof a contrite and willing heart

MINISTER

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O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,Who orders all things mightily;To us the path of knowledge show,And teach us in her ways to go.

PEOPLE

Rejoice! Rejoice! EmmanuelShall come again and with us ever dwell

 

MINISTER

'Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.'Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.'They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.'

(Psalm 20:6-8)

 

(A moment of silence

MINISTER

May this eternal truth be always on our heartsThat the God who breathed this world into beingPlaced stars into the heavensAnd designed a butterfly's wingIs the God who entrusted his lifeto the care of ordinary peoplebecame vulnerable that we might knowhow strong is the power of LoveA mystery so deep it is impossible to graspA mystery so beautiful it is impossible to ignore

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CELTIC CONFESSIONS

By John Birch

Unclutter our lives, Lordwe have too much,consume too much, expect too much.Grant us perspective;to see this worldthrough others’ eyesthan just our own.Grant us compassion;where there is needto play our part not turn aside.Grant us gratitudefor what we have,our daily breadthe gift of life.Unclutter our lives, Lord,give us space,simplicitythankful hearts.

MINISTERLord, have mercy upon us

PEOPLEChrist, have mercy upon us

MINISTERLord, have mercy upon us

PEOPLEGod of healing,God of wholeness,we bring our brokenness,our sinfulness,our fears

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and despair,and lay them at your feet.God of healing,God of wholeness,we hold out hearts and hands,minds and soulsto feel your touch,and know the peacethat only you can bring.God of healing,God of wholeness,this precious momentin your presence and powergrant us faith and confidence that here broken lives are made whole.

SCRIPTURE LESSON

MINISTER

Lord, thou hast given us thy Word for a light to shine upon our path;grant us so to meditate on that Word, and to follow its teaching,that we may find in it the light that shines more and more until the perfect day; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

(Jerome, c 342 - 420)

HYMN

SERMON

HYMN

INTERCESSIONS

MINISTER

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Imagine throwing a pebble into the centre of a pond, and the circles of ripples that move out from the centre.)

We pray firstly for those closest to us, our immediate family and closest friends - for their health, needs, joys and fears.

(Silent prayer)

God of creation, God of Salvation

PEOPLEHear the prayers of our hearts

MINISTERWe pray for our extended family and friends who we might not see each week - for their love and concern, for their wellbeing.

(Silent prayer)

God of creation, God of Salvation

PEOPLEHear the prayers of our hearts

MINISTERAs the ripples reach out toward the land we pray for those who we only have contact with annually or less - for a blessing this Advent-time

(Silent prayer)

God of creation, God of Salvation

PEOPLEHear the prayers of our hearts

MINISTERAnd as the ripples reach their furthest point we pray for this world and its people - for the needs of this week and the future.

(Silent prayer)

God of creation, God of SalvationWho speaks to us through thunder and whisper

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Who loves us as if there were but one of us to love

PEOPLEHear the prayers of our hearts

 

 

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