First Mid-week Advent Service Nov. 30, 2016

11-30-2016-advent-mid-week-1

Mid-Week Advent Service

November 30, 2016

Pre-Service Music

Welcome

Procession

Leader: Jesus Christ, you are the light of the world;

All: the light no darkness can over-come;

Leader: Stay with us now, for it is evening,

All: and the day is almost over.

Leader: Let your light scatter the darkness,

All: and shine within your people here.

Evening Hymn

All:

Joyous light of heavenly glory, loving glow of God’s own face, you who sing creation’s story, shine on every land and race. Now as evening falls around us we shall raise our songs to you, God of daybreak, God of shadows, come and light our hearts anew.
In the stars that grace the darkness, in the blazing sun of dawn, in the light of peace and wisdom, we can hear your quiet song. Love that fills the night with wonder, love that warms the weary soul, Love that bursts all chains asunder, set us free and make us whole.
You who made the heaven’s splendor, every dancing star of night, make us shine with gentle justice, let us each reflect your light. Mighty God of all creation, gentle Christ who lights our way, Loving Spirit of salvation, lead us on to endless day.

Evening Thanksgiving

Leader: May God be with you all,

All: and also with you;

Leader: Let us sing our thanks to God,

All: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Leader: Blessed are you, Creator of the universe – from old you have led your people by night and day. May the light of your Christ make our darkness bright, for your Word and your presence are the light of our pathways, and you are the light and life of all creation.

All: Amen

Psalm 141

All: Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.

Group One: O God, I call to you, * come to me now; O hear my voice when I call to you, Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you. Keep watch within me, God; deep in my heart may the light of your love be burning bright. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you. All praise to the God of all Creator of life; all praise ge to Christ and the Spirit of love. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.

* At this point Group two starts

Leader: May our prayers come before you, O God, as incense, and may your presence surround and fill us, so that in union with all creation, we might sing your praise and your love in our lives.

All: Amen.

(Silence for meditation)

Reading: Isaiah 64:1-8

Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might 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,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
³When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
⁴From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.
⁵You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
⁶We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
⁷There is no one who calls upon your name,
who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.

⁸But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.

Leader: The Light shines in the darkness

All: and the darkness has not overcome it.

Hymn “Green Book” 30 Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus,

Born to set thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us;

Let us find our rest in thee.

Israel’s strength and consolation,

Hope of all the earth thou art,

Dear desire of ev’ry nation,

Joy of ev’ry longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,

Born a child, and yet a king;

Born to reign in us forever,

Now thy gracious kingdom bring.

By thine own eternal Spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone;

By thine all sufficient merit

Raise us to thy glorious throne.

Message “Waiting with Prayer”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You promise never to leave us or forsake us. Grant that in the midst of impatience….we might find comfort in You and a renewed focus of loving service to our neighbor. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Annunciation

Luke 1: 26-28, 30-32, 38

Leader: An angel went from God to a town called Nazareth to a woman whose name was Mary. The angel said to her, “Rejoice, O highly favored, for God is with you. You shall bear a child, and his name sall be Jesus, the Chosen One of God Most High.” And Mary said, “I am the servant of my God, I live to do your will.”

The Magnificat

Luke 1: 46-55

My soul proclaims your greatness O God, and my spirit rejoices in servant here, and blessed be all my life though. Great and mighty are you. O Holy One, strong in your kindness evermore. How you favor the weak and lowly one, humbling the proud of heart.
You have cast the mighty down from their thrones, and uplifted the humble of wondrous things, and left the wealthy no part. Great and mighty are you, O Faithful One, strong is your justice strong your love. As you promised to Sarah and Abraham, Kindness forever more.
My soul proclaims your greatness O God, and my spirit rejoices in servant here, and blessed be all my life though.

Litany and Prayers

All: (Hum first round then sing) God of mercy, Hold us in love,

Leader: In peace, in Peace, we pray to you: