Advent 4 Sunday Prayers - Dec 22

Approaching God

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude

Gathering Song

Call to Worship: Advent Four

Pastor:                 Isaiah 7:14          Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Family:                  Love is the theme of the Fourth Sunday in Advent. Love is what we all seek from our families and friends. The scriptures tell us that God is love, and that He loved the world so much, He allowed His Son Jesus to come among us. Love is at the heart of our faith and will continue beyond our mortal lives, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lighting of Four Advent Candles, including the Pink Joy Candle.

Family:                  May the love of God be experienced by all in our worship today.

All:                         Glory be to God on high! Amen.               Singing of “Gloria in Excelsis Deo.”

Hymn

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Eternal Foundation of All Life, Everlasting God and Creator of the Universe, we come before You as servants and seekers, as well as disciples and people devoted to You. Living Lord, You are our Rock and refuge, our shield and salvation, and also our gracious leader and loving guide.

People:                 Heavenly Father, we have sometimes wandered from Your ways and pushed against Your righteousness. We have chosen to embrace our pride and greed; we have followed after false notions and selfish sins. Forgive us for being unfaithful, unholy, and unworthy. Hear us now as we personally confess our sins.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Merciful Lord, we regret our past mistakes and look to Jesus for salvation. We turn away from our guilty sins and seek Christ to renew our lives. Keep us in fellowship with Jesus and help us to remain united to Him. In His Holy words, we now pray, saying, “Our Father….THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors).

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  Christ was sent by our Heavenly Father to save the world from sin. He sacrificed Himself so that we may be given the opportunity to be forgiven of all things and restored to God’s favor and grace. Without Jesus, we have no hope of receiving the love of God. With Christ, we are spiritually purified and totally pardoned. We rejoice in His power and Holy Name, both now and forever. Amen.

Gloria Patri (sung in unison):    Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.

Family Sermon (parents and all children, including Elementary school students come forward)

Encountering God

Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                 O Lord, in the midst of this sanctuary, our souls yearn for Your Favor, and our hearts cry out for healing. Bless us, Living God, for we set our hopes on You and trust You for our strength.

People:                 Hear our prayers, O LORD God Almighty; listen to us, O God of Jacob. Look upon Your people, gathered here in Your Name. Look upon us with mercy and compassion, for You alone, O LORD, can fill us with hope and help us through each day.

Pastor:                 Gracious God, do not withhold Your power from us; please heal our loved ones from their sickness and pain, their anxieties and depression, as well as their illnesses and injuries. Hear us now as we pray.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                 O LORD Almighty, blessed are those who trust in You. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 84)

Singing of ‘Sanctuary.’

Prayer for Illumination

Reader:                 Holy Spirit, enable us to receive God’s word into our hearts through the reading of these sacred scriptures. Lead us with Christ’s teaching and presence in our lives. May we experience Him being born in our spirits this day and forevermore. Amen.

Scripture Readings

The Message and Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (in unison – led by pastor): Lord Jesus, You are the Perfect One and our lives are transformed by Your mercy and grace. In return, we pledge to You our lives and dedicate our time, talents, and offering to You alone. Take these gifts and bless them for Your work in the world, as well as Your ministry among us. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen. 

Hymn

Benediction (unison):    May Christ enable us to love and support our neighbors each day; may the Father help us to treat one another with mercy and grace; and may the Holy Spirit lead us to fulfill God’s law through being servants of His Kingdom and disciples of Christ, for now and always. Amen.

Doxology & Postlude

Advent 3 Sunday Prayers - Dec 15

Approaching God

Welcome & Announcements

Prelude

Gathering Song

Call to Worship: Advent Three

Pastor:                 Isaiah 35:1-2                      The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.

Family:                  Joy is the theme of the Third Sunday in Advent. Joy refreshes our spirits in times of trouble and emptiness. Jesus Christ is the everlasting joy of our loving hearts. We look forward to that glorious day when He will return among us, so that the whole Earth may rejoice with Him forevermore.

Lighting of Three Advent Candles, which includes the Pink Joy candle.

Family:                  May the joy of Christ be present in our lives as we worship Him as our King.

All:                         Glory be to God on high! Amen.               Singing of “Gloria in Excelsis Deo.”

Hymn   

               

Prayer of Confession and Adoration

Guide:                  Almighty Lord, whose power cannot be limited and whose will can never be diminished; we applaud Your majestic works of creation and praise Your deeds of deliverance throughout history.  You sustain the Universe through mercy and grace. You watch over our lives with great care and compassion. Who are we to receive such blessings? What are we that You should love us so perfectly?

People:                 Living God, the Earth belongs to You and everything in it. We joyfully seek to serve You all of our days, but sometimes we fail and make mistakes. We hurt other people with our foolish words and thoughtless deeds. We neglect the real needs of other people and cast aside our faith at times. Forgive our selfish ways and sinful choices. Help us to turn to Jesus for the mercy that we require, as well as for the grace that we do not deserve. Hear us now as we pray.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Loving Father, thank You for sending Jesus into our world to give us the joyful opportunity of being restored to Your Favor and Kingdom. We praise You for His perfect obedience and sacred sacrifice which have brought us complete and eternal salvation. In His words, we now pray:  “Our Father….The Lord’s Prayer (debts/debtors).

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  Jesus is the evening and morning star of our lives. He gives us purpose and meaning so that we can follow His ways and walk in his paths. When we are disobedient to God and sinfully selfish, He forgive our sins and helps us through His wisdom, teaching, and Spirit to change our lives and restore us to God. So let us truly rejoice and give thanks, for Jesus is our Savior and we are blessed through the riches of His grace and the wonders of His love. Amen.

Gloria Patri (unison):                    Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

                                As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.

Children’s Sermon

Encountering God

Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                  We trust in You, O Lord, for You are good and we live to enjoy Your strength and salvation. We delight in You, and we pray that You will grant us the desires of our hearts.

People:                 We commit ourselves and our loved ones to You, O Lord, for we trust that You will help us and heal us from all harm. You brighten our lives with the promises of Your love. We pray that You will listen to our concerns and allay our fears through the power of faith.

Pastor:                  Let us be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for His grace. May our loved ones also await the Lord and abide in His way. May He bless them with hope, healing, and strength.          

               

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                  Salvation comes from the Lord, for He is our stronghold in time of trouble. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.                (Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 37)

Singing of ‘Sanctuary.’

Prayer for Illumination

Reader:                                Holy Spirit, challenge us to change our lives through the scriptures we read today. Enable us to be worthy of Christ’s Name by applying the lessons we learn from the Bible. Grant us the gift of Your Spirit in our lives and enhance our understanding of God. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings                         

The Message and Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory     

Dedication (in unison – led by pastor)                   Lord Jesus, we feast from Your blessings and quench our spiritual thirst with Your teaching and truth. In response, we gather and present this offering, recognizing that there are ministries and missions which You have called upon our church to support, strengthen, and fulfill. May we glorify You through these gifts, as well as the giving of our lives. In Your Precious Name, we pray. Amen.

Hymn                                   

Benediction (unison):    May Christ keep us free from ignoring His wonders and ways in our lives. May the Father eliminate conceit in our hearts and replace it with compassion; and may the Holy Spirit deepen our faith and prepare us for the joyous time when all things will be reconciled to the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and forevermore. Amen.

Doxology            

Postlude