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Advent 1 Worship At Home

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Advent 1

3 December 2023

A Service of Praise, Prayer and Proclamation

Sentence

‘Heaven and earth will pass away,’ says the Lord, ‘but my words will not pass away.’ Mark 13.31

  • Gracious God, we humbly thank you for life and health and safety, for freedom to work, leisure to rest, and for all that is beautiful in creation and human life. But, above all, we praise you for our Saviour, Jesus Christ, for his death and resurrection; for the gift of your Spirit; and for the hope of sharing in your glory. Fill our hearts with all joy and peace in believing; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

  • Eternal God,

    through long generations you prepared a way

    for the coming of your Son,

    and by your Spirit

    you still bring light to illumine our paths:

    renew us in faith and hope

    that we may welcome Christ to rule our thoughts

    and claim our love;

    to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

The Ministry of the Word

  • 1 O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence— 2 as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil— to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence! 3 When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. 4 From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him. 5 You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways. But you were angry, and we sinned; because you hid yourself we transgressed.

    6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. 7 There is no one who calls on your name,

    or attempts to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity. 8 Yet, O LORD , you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. 9 Do not be exceedingly angry, O LORD , and do not remember iniquity for ever. Now consider, we are all your people.

  • 1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, you that led Joseph like a flock: you that are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine out in glory;

    2 Before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh: stir up your power, and come to save us.

    3 Restore us again, O Lord of hosts: show us the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

    4 O Lord God of hosts: how long will you be angry at your people’s prayer?

    5 You have fed them with the bread of tears: and given them tears to drink in good measure.

    6 You have made us the victim of our neighbours: and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

    7 Restore us again, O Lord of hosts: show us the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

  • 1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, 5 for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— 6 just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

  • 24 ‘But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. 27 Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 28 ‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 32 ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

    33 Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.

    34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. 35 Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36 or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’

  • I believe in God, the Father almighty,
    creator of heaven and earth.
    I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
    who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
    born of the virgin Mary,
    suffered under Pontius Pilate,
    was crucified, died, and was buried;
    he descended to the dead.
    On the third day he rose from the dead;
    he ascended into heaven,
    and is seated at the right hand of the Father;
    from there he will come to judge
    the living and the dead.
    I believe in the Holy Spirit,
    the holy catholic Church,
    the communion of saints,
    the forgiveness of sins,
    the resurrection of the body,
    and the life everlasting. Amen.

  • Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4.16

    Let us now confess our sins to almighty God.

    Heavenly Father,
    you have loved us with an everlasting love, but we have broken your holy laws and have left undone what we ought to have done.
    We are sorry for our sins and turn away from them. For the sake of your Son who died for us, forgive us, cleanse us and change us.
    By your Holy Spirit, enable us to live for you;
    through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

    God desires that none should perish, but that all should turn to Christ, and live. In response to his call we acknowledge our sins. God pardons those who humbly repent, and truly believe the gospel. Therefore we have peace with God, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Ministry of Prayer

  • SEASON OF CREATION 2023 PRAYER

    Creator of All,

    From your communion of love life sprung forth like a mighty river and the whole cosmos came into being.

    On this Earth of overflowing love, the Word was made flesh and went forth with

    the life-giving waters proclaiming peace and justice for all creation.

    You called human beings to till and keep your garden. You placed us into right

    relationship with each creature, but we failed to listen to the cries of the Earth

    and the cries of the most vulnerable. We broke with the flowing communion of

    love and sinned against you by not safeguarding the conditions for life.

    We lament the loss of our fellow species and their habitats, we grieve the loss

    of human cultures, along with the lives and livelihoods that have been displaced

    or perished, and we ache at the sight of an economy of death, war and violence

    that we have inflicted on ourselves and on the Earth.

    Open our ears to your creative, reconciling and sustaining Word that calls to us

    through the book of Scripture and the book of creation. Bless us once again

    with your life-giving waters so that the Creator Spirit may let justice and peace

    flow in our hearts and overflow into all creation.

    Open our hearts to receive the living waters of God’s justice and peace, and to

    share it with our suffering brothers and sisters, all creatures around us, and all

    creation.

    Bless us to walk together with all people of good will so that the many streams

    of the living waters of God’s justice and peace may become a mighty river all

    over the Earth.

    In the name of the One who came to proclaim good news to all creation,

    Jesus Christ.

    Amen.

    See Parish Focus

    Link to Pray Daily from ACSQ

  • Our Father in heaven,
    hallowed be your name,
    your kingdom come,
    your will be done,
    on earth as in heaven.
    Give us today our daily bread.
    Forgive us our sin
    as we forgive those who sin against us.
    Save us from the time of trial
    and deliver us from evil.
    For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
    now and for ever. Amen.

The Sending out of God’s People

  • Loving God, we thank you for hearing our prayers, feeding us with your word, and encouraging us in our meeting together.

    Take us and use us to love and serve you and all people, in the power of your Spirit and in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

  • May the God of peace equip you with everything good for doing his will, working in you what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.