Approaching God
Welcome & Announcements
Gathering Song & Prelude
Call to Worship:Fourth in Advent: PEACE
Advent Guide: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Strength of God and the Sacred Shepherd of our souls.
All: Your greatness is amongst us and Your power reaches out to the ends of the Earth.
(Lighting of Three Purple Candles & Pink Candle)
Advent Guide: Lord Jesus, let us live securely in Your peace and be blessed forever by Your Holy Name. Amen.
Hymn:
Confessional Prayer
Guide: Eternal Lord of Life, we come before You as servants seeking Your favor, and as disciples devoted to Your Kingdom. Almighty God, we place our trust in You for You are our Rock and refuge, our shield and salvation, our gracious leader and loving guide.
People: Heavenly Father, we have wandered from Your ways and rebelled against Your righteousness. We have chosen to embrace our pride and greed; we have decided to follow our fallen ideals and selfish sins.
Guide: Loving God, we have sometimes placed our confidence in our own strength and rejected Your truth. We have frequently allowed ourselves to be swayed by our culture and misdirected by our misconceptions. Forgive us for being false and foolish, 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 our salvation. We turn away from our guilty sins and seek Christ to renew our lives. Help us to remain united with 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 of being forgiven and restored to God’s favor and grace. Without Jesus, we have no hope of avoiding the wrath of God. With Christ, we are spiritually purified and eternally pardoned. We rejoice in His power and Holy Name, both now and forever. Amen.
Gloria Patri(unison-sung): 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, our hearts cry out for healing. Bless us, Living God, for having set our hearts on You and trusting You for strength.
People: Hear our prayers, O LORD God Almighty; listen to us, O God of Jacob. Look upon Your people, O God, gathered here in Your Name. Look upon us with mercy and compassion.
Pastor: For You, O LORD, fill us with hope and help us through each day. Do not withhold Your power from us and heal our loved ones from their sickness and pain, anxiety and depression, illnesses and injuries.
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 Jesus, Draw Me Close
Prayer for Illumination:
Reader: Holy Spirit, enable us to receive Christ into our hearts through the reading of these sacred scriptures. Heal us of the past and lead us by His presence in our lives. May we experience Christ being born in our spirits this day and forevermore. Amen.
Scripture Readings
The Message & The Apostles’ Creed
Serving God
Offering & Offertory:
Dedication(unison): 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 tithes to You alone. Take these gifts and bless them for Your work in the world and Your ministry among us. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.
Hymn:
Benediction(unison): May Christ enable us to love our neighbors each day; may the Father help us to support 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 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow & Postlude
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