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Advent

dedication – these gifts we bring (lyrics)

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Sung to the Tune of “What Child Is This”, this can be used as a doxology during Advent and Christmas. For those worship leaders who prefer to not use Christmas hymns during Advent, maybe this will do as a nice option.

These gifts we joyfully bring to you,
to fill the world with meaning;
our hearts and minds are longing for
the life of which you are dreaming.
This, this our gift we bring,
our lives we share, your praise we sing;
show us your vision, Lord,
for hope, and peace, and caring.

Here is an optional second verse for Communion Sunday:

We gather as one at your table, Lord,
the bread is broken, the wine is poured;
the walls we fashion around us fall,
we’ve dropped our spear and put down our sword;
This, this your gift we share,
you welcome all people from everywhere;
take…eat…remember me,
created…restored…community!

Submitted by Rev. Scott Cervas, Meadowthorpe Presbyterian Church, (Lexington, KY)

confession: your love is at work, yet we resist

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Call to Confession

God calls us to rest in grace, to let down our guard and be truthful about ourselves and the world. When we allow some breathing room, we can see the Spirit moving, calling us to a new way of life. Before God, with all the people of God, let us confess our brokenness and make room for healing. Let us pray.

Prayer of Confession

Your Love is hard at work, O God. Yet we resist, insisting we must do the work ourselves. We resist, unwilling to allow the undeserving to be loved. We resist, wanting to control the methods and outcomes. We forget to give thanks, instead wavering between trying harder and giving up. Forgive our hard-heartedness, and remind us that you are Love. Forgive our narrow vision, and turn us again to walk your way. Forgive our ingratitude, and open us to receive as well as give. Free us from our selfish desires, and make room for your work to grow in us.

~silence~

Assurance of Forgiveness

Hear this good news: God is at work in you. Live this truth: God’s grace is more than enough for whatever you carry. Know that you are forgiven, loved, and free.

We will rejoice and be glad! Amen.

 

Submitted by Rev. Teri Peterson, the Presbyterian Church of Palatine, IL

communion: hope, love, joy

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The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Glory to You, in the highest, oh God! It is indeed right to give You all thanks and praise.

For in the beginning You made Light. And in this season You give us light that proclaims PEACE – so we pray for the most war-torn places here and around the world knowing You are in our midst as the Prince of Peace to rule over all nations,

You give us light that proclaims HOPE – so we pray expecting You to be with us as we remember Your radical breaking-in to the world as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,

You give us light that proclaims LOVE – so we pray that all come to know Your forever-beating heart that summons all Your children to this table,

You give us light that proclaims JOY – so we pray that this table reminds us of the feast that is to come as sure as You are ever-coming into our midst in glory.

Glory to You, in the highest, oh God! We join our voices this day with the saints of every time and place and all the hearts around the world who are watching and waiting and singing to the glory of Your most holy name…

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Glory to You in the highest, oh God! And glory to the Christ Child who wondrously entered the world through the humblest of means…

To engage with the most vulnerable,
To question authority,
To love radically,
To feast with the outcast – breaking His own body and pouring His own blood proclaiming Your Kingdom come.

Glory to You in the highest, oh Christ, defeating death and inviting us again to the table to taste and see that You are good!

Come, Holy Spirit, enter this space and enter us – your people, that all things ordinary might dazzle in this Holy Meal. Fill us with Your body and blood, empower us with Your peace and hope and love and joy that we might go out from this place into Your world proclaiming Your wondrous entry into the world!

Glory to You in the highest, Oh God, for we have gathered at Your table that we might see Your light. In the name of the Most Holy Child we pray saying, Our Father…

Submitted by Rev. Lindsay Conrad, First Presbyterian Church, Ann Arbor, MI

Confession: season of anxiety

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Jesus our Christ, Prince of Peace, Savior of the Creation, we praise you.  We give you thanks for this holy time of preparing for your birth, of renewing our calling as your people.  And yet as get closer and closer to the stable, we acknowledge that we have fallen short of following Your Way.  We have allowed the allure of other gods in this season to draw us in.  We have permitted anxiety to rule our lives and fallen victim to the myth of scarcity when you have already prepared the Table of abundance for us.  We are always in need of your renewal, and so we open our souls today that the Baby in the Manger–full of trouble and full of opportunity will be our only Guide.  We offer our very selves to you this day, this community, all of who we are.  Walk alongside us O Lord our God, who is always birthing and renewing.  In Christ we pray.  Amen.

 

Submitted by Rev. Shannan Vance-Ocampo, Watchung Avenue Presbyterian Church, North Plainfield, NJ

confession: forgotten prophets

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Your Prophets call us!
Your Promises invite us!
And yet we have forgotten our prophets and we no longer believe so many of Your promises.  Have mercy upon us O Lord of Love…
(Silence is kept)
Be with us as we journey through Advent.  We confess to you our doubts, worries and fears that hold us back….
(Silence is kept)
Be with us as we prepare for the birthing of the Christ Child into this world.  We confess to you our failings as we seek to follow him alone….
(Silence is kept)
O Lord our God, hear our prayers of confession this day.  Remind us of your love and the high calling you place on the live of discipleship we seek.
Have mercy upon us this day and send us out from this place refreshed and renewed.
Submitted by Rev. Shannan Vance-Ocampo, Watchung Avenue Presbyterian Church, North Plainfield, NJ