Worship Resources for
the Center for Faith and Giving
Advent I
Isaiah 2:1-5
Psalm 122
Romans 13:11-14
Matthew 24:36-44
Today begins the season of Advent. It’s the first Sunday of a whole new liturgical year, so these resources include ideas for celebrating “New Year’s Day.” While commercial settings have had Christmas décor up since Halloween (or before!), in Christian settings, we mark these next 4 Sundays as a season of preparation for the Coming One. The traditional liturgical color has been purple, although royal blue has made an appearance to distinguish this from the traditional season of repentance in Lent.
Call to Worship
One: Happy New Year!
Many: What? You’re ahead of yourself!
One: This is a day to be glad as we come to the house of the Lord.
Many: Yes! Here we share “Peace” with one another …
but it’s the end of November, not January 1!
One: Ah, but today we begin a whole new Christian year with Advent.
Many: So for the sake of our relatives and friends, and for the sake of
this season of preparation,
ALL: We DO say “Happy New Year!” as we come to worship God.
If you have special additions to the service, light the first Advent wreath candle or want to point out décor changes, this might be a good time.
Opening Prayer
Gracious God, we delight in this season of preparation!
Help us turn our hearts and minds to focus on you, anticipating the coming birth of Jesus.
Call us to center in on your yearning for all your beloved creation to know full life.
Receive our highest hopes as we begin a new year with you,
eager to become more faith-filled followers of Jesus, the Christ, AMEN
Moment for Stewardship
Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “A prison cell (is one) in which one waits, hopes…and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside. (N)ot a bad picture of Advent.”
Today we begin the season of Advent, recognizing in some ways how we, ourselves, live behind the bars which can only be opened from the outside. Gratefully, we seek to follow the One who came to set people free.
And, when we claim that freedom, we become people who can open the doors for those still bound by fear, poverty, or pain.
Our financial gifts today will help keep the ministries of this congregation able to serve those whose lives are restricted (name a particular ministry, or a particular Advent effort of your congregation).
Your generosity today may well be the gift which allows someone to know the freeing power of the Holy.
Let us receive our morning offering, tithes and gifts.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Generous God,
Thank you for all you have given us.
Thank you for the ways we’re set free in Jesus, the Christ.
Receive now these offered gifts.
Help us use them to transform the world as we work to be
the strong hands and feet of the Body of Christ, here and now.
Open us each day to more ways to give in this season of giving,
so we might both make change and BE the change you desire
to lean us all toward true freedom. Amen.
Invitation to Communion
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace. We’ve been given many names by which we can call out with our fears and our joys.
Friend, disciple, neighbor, beloved. Jesus used many names for those around him as he lived and taught.
Communion, the Lord’s Supper, Eucharist. This meal has many names. However, as we call on God, speak to one another, or approach this meal, we recognize it is the remembered Jesus who invites us to “take and eat.”
So come! There is enough for all.
This table grows to make space for each one who approaches,
whether filled with fear or gratitude.
This may be a familiar place or you may be here for the first time,
but this table is for all who are faithful, and all who yearn to be faith-filled.
Come!
Share this simple meal which is the joyful feast for the people of God.
(Consider using CH# 386 We Come as Guests Invited as your communion hymn.)