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The advent wreath
Based on Isaiah 9 and 11
MV 11 - Come, Come Emmanuel (2 times)
Come, come Emmanuel. Come, Emmanuel.
Come, come Emmanuel. Come, Emmanuel.
Reader 1: The following quote from Adele Halliday, who was the Anti-
racism and Equity Officer for the United Church in 2008
Reader 2 “Our ingrained – and at times binary – notions of black/white and darkness/light as inherently good and evil can guide how
we treat each other…
Reader 1 Surely we can expand our vocabulary so that darkness does
not always equate evil, and light does not always equate good.
Reader 2 After all, in reality, such a simplistic dichotomy does not exist.
Reader 1: In reality, darkness can be seen as comfort as a refugee is
fleeing a time of war and unrest; Light in this circumstance,
could lead to death.
Reader 2 Darkness could be seen as a wonder to explore, full of Holy
Mystery; light, could be seen as a harsh reality, revealing
a blinding light.
Reader 1: It is my prayer that we can move beyond simple definitions
Reader 2 of darkness as bad and light as good.
All Let us search for those scriptures that speak
of darkness as goodness and as a comfort.”
Two Candles are lit
Women The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.
Men Those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them has light shined.
Women A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
Men And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest on him
All His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.
The Third candle is lit
VU 7: Hope is a Star verses 1, 2 & 3
1
Hope is a star that shines in the night,
leading us on till the morning is bright.
2
Peace is a ribbon that circles the earth,
Giving a promise of safety and worth
3.
Joy is a song that welcomes the dawn,
telling the world that the Saviour is born.
When God is a child there's joy in our song
The last shall be first and the weak shall be strong,
and none shall be afraid.
Opening prayer and the Lord's prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be don36e on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not
into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Carol: Angels from the realms of glory
1
Angels, from the realms of glory,
wing your flight o'er all the earth;
ye who sang creation's story,
now proclaim Messiah's birth:
Refrain:
come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the newborn King.
2
Shepherds in the field abiding,
watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing,
yonder shines the infant Light: R
3
Sages, leave your contemplations;
brighter visions beam afar;
seek the great desire of nations;
ye have seen his natal star: R
4
Saints before the altar bending,
watching long in hope and fear,
suddenly the Lord, descending,
in his temple shall appear: R
Welcoming Christ - Passing the Peace
Children's hymn: Ding dong! Merrily on high
1
Ding dong merrily on high,
In heav'n the bells are ringing:
Ding dong! verily the sky
Is riv'n with angel singing
Gloria Hosanna in excelsis!
2
E'en so here below, below,
Let steeple bells be swungen,
And "Io, io, io!"
By priest and people sungen
Gloria Hosanna in excelsis!
3
Pray you, dutifully prime
Your matin chime, ye ringers,
May you beautifully rhyme
Your eve'time song, ye singers
Gloria Hosanna in excelsis!
The Offertory: In gratitude and humble trust
(tune: VU 75)
In gratitude and humble trust we bring our best today
to serve your cause and share your love
with all along life's way.
O God, who gave yourself to us in Jesus Christ, your Son,
teach us to give ourselves each day
until life's work is done.
Reading of the day: Isaiah 35:1-10
(New Living Translation)
Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days.
The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses.
Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and joy!
The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon,
as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon.
There the Lord will display his glory, the splendour of our God.
With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands,
and encourage those who have weak knees.
Say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, and do not fear,
for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
He is coming to save you.”
And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind
and unplug the ears of the deaf.
The lame will leap like a deer,
and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!
Springs will gush forth in the wilderness,
and streams will water the wasteland.
The parched ground will become a pool,
and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land.
Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish
where desert jackals once lived.
And a great road will go through that once deserted land.
It will be named the Highway of Holiness.
Evil-minded people will never travel on it.
It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways;
fools will never walk there.
Lions will not lurk along its course,
nor any other ferocious beasts.
There will be no other dangers.
Only the redeemed will walk on it.
Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return.
They will enter Jerusalem singing,
crowned with everlasting joy.
Sorrow and mourning will disappear,
and they will be filled with joy and gladness.
May God bless to our understanding this reading of Holy Scripture
Amen
Hymn: When the King shall come again
(Tune: Good King) VU 881
1
When the king shall come again,
all his power revealing,
splendour shall announce his reign,
life and joy and healing;
earth no longer in decay,
hope no more frustrated;
this is God's redemption day
longingly awaited.
2
In the desert trees take root,
fresh from God's creation;
plants and flowers and sweetest fruit
join the celebration;
rivers spring up from the earth,
barren lands adorning;
valleys, this is your new birth;
mountains, greet the morning.
3
Strengthen feeble hands and knees;
fainting hearts be cheerful!
God, who comes for such as these,
seeks and saves the fearful;
deaf ears, hear the silent tongues
sing away their weeping;
blind eyes, see the lifeless ones
walking, running, leaping.
4
There God's highway shall be seen
where no roaring lion,
nothing evil or unclean,
walks the road to Zion;
ransomed people homeward bound,
all your praises voicing,
see your Lord with glory crowned,
share in his rejoicing!
Carol: See amid the winter snow
VU 76
1
See amid the winter's snow,
born for us on earth below,
see, the tender Lamb appears,
promised from eternal years.
Refrain:
Hail, thou ever-blessed morn;
hail, redemption's happy dawn;
sing through all Jerusalem,
Christ is born in Bethlehem.
2
Lo, within a manger lies
God who built the starry skies,
who enthroned in height sublime
sits amid the cherubim. R
3
Say, ye holy shepherds, say
what your joyful news today;
wherefore have ye left your sheep
on the lonely mountain steep? R
4
'As we watched at dead of night,
lo, we saw a wondrous light;
angels singing 'Peace on earth'
told us of the Saviour's birth.' R
5
Sacred infant, all divine,
what a mighty love was thine,
thus to come from highest bliss
down to such a world as this! R