Advent Candle Readings 2013

Advent One

Pastor:                 Isaiah 2:3            Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Family:                  Hope is the theme of the First Sunday in Advent. Hope reminds us that our future is in God’s safe hands and that His promises will always be fulfilled. He teaches us His ways through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lighting of First Advent candle.

Family:                  We are blessed by Christ’s Birth and redeemed through His Resurrection.

All:                         Glory be to God on high! Amen.

Advent Two

Pastor:                 Isaiah 11:6-7      The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

Family:                  Peace is the theme of the Second Sunday in Advent. Peace is what we all long for in our lives and the scriptures tell us of a wonderful day when all of nature will be at peace forever. Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace and we welcome His sacred presence in the world.

Lighting of Two Advent candles

Family:                  May Christ’s peace descend upon our hearts and souls during this time of praise.

All:                         Glory be to God on high! Amen.

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.

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.

Christmas Eve

Pastor:                 Isaiah 9:6-7        For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Family:                  On this holy night, Christ will be born among us and our spirits will be at one with Him. He came into the world to offer us salvation. He will return again and meet us face-to-face, when we, as Christian believers, will be restored to God’s favor forevermore.

Lighting of all four candles, plus the white Christ candle in the center.

Family:                  May we all know the blessing of Christ in our hearts and homes this night. May His blessings of hope, peace, joy, and love be with us and all our loved ones, both near and far.

All:         Glory be to God on high and on Earth, peace and goodwill to everyone. Amen.

Sunday Prayers for Ordinary 31c - Nov 03

Approaching God

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude

Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Liturgist:               Almighty God, Your promises have always been fulfilled and we have been constantly blessed by them.

People:                 Gracious Lord, Your righteousness is everlasting and Your Words are forever true.

Leader:                 Heavenly Father, Your teachings are always right; they give us a better understanding so that we may live in Your Presence forever. Amen.

Hymn

               

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Almighty Father, Who created the land, sea and air, we worship Your wonderful ways and praise Your everlasting Name. You are the King of Glory, Whose words produce Life and Whose thoughts uphold the Universe. You have filled history with Your deeds of deliverance and sustained our people with Your Love. You have directed our destinies and determined the paths that we should follow.

People:                 Merciful God, we have sought safety in Your plan of salvation and refuge in Your acts of  redemption. You have become a haven of healing and a harbor of holiness for our minds, our hearts, and our souls. Become a river of life for us, cleansing us of our past mistakes, freeing us from our vilest sins, as well as pardoning us of our selfish ways. We acknowledge that we have disappointed You with our false choices and feeble faith. Hear us now as we personally confess our sins to You.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Father God, without Jesus, we have no hope of forgiveness. Without His sacrifice, we have no way to be forgiven. We place our sinful selves into His Hands and pray that His power will restore us to Your Favor and Eternal Kingdom. For we ask this in our Precious Savior’s Name and through Christ’s own words, we pray, saying,

“Our Father….THE LORD’S PRAYER.” (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  Jesus alone has the authority to forgive our sins, to feed our souls, and to give us God’s blessings. When we truly believe that He is the Son of God and place our lives into His Keeping, we are guaranteed forgiveness for our sins and receive God’s everlasting love. Let us rejoice and be glad, for Jesus is our One, True, and Living Savior, both now and always. Amen.

Gloria Patri(sung – 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 will worship you, O LORD, for You lift us out of the depths of despair and will not let our troubles overwhelm us. We call to You for help, for You alone can truly heal us.

People:                 We feel secure in Your Presence and safe in Your Love. Strengthen our faith and diminish our fears. Fill us with peace and free us from pain. O LORD, show Your favor to our friends and families. Grant them health and healing; release them from dismay and depression. Bring to them hope and happiness. Hear us now as we quietly pray.

                               

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                  May our hearts sing to You and never be silent. May we give thanks to You forever. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.                (Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 30)

Prayer for Illumination

Reader:                                Holy Spirit, You know what lies ahead of each of our lives. You know the joys we will celebrate and the problems we will encounter. Prepare our hearts and minds for those future times by enabling us to hear Christ’s words, receive them in our hearts, and apply them in our daily lives. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings                         

Message

The Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (in unison):                                 Lord Jesus, may we primarily give of our lives to Your ministry in this church, community, and nation. May we freely give to You of our time, talents, and resources in ways and means that will honor and glorify Your Name. May You favorably bless these tokens and pledges, these gifts and offerings for the life, work, and mission of Your church at Erin, as well as throughout the world. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen. 

Hymn                   

Benediction (unison):    May Christ enable us to branch out into the world in service, ministry, and mission; may the Father establish strong and firm roots of faith in our hearts, souls, and minds; and may the Holy Spirit empower us with godly gifts, so that we may witness to Christ’s grace, God’s love, and the Spirit’s compassion, both now and always. Amen.

Prayers for Ordinary 30c Sunday Oct 27

Approaching God

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude

Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Liturgist:               O Lord, Your teaching and commands are wonderful; we will seek to obey and fulfill them.

People:                 Your Holy words brighten our lives; they bring to us understanding and wisdom.

Leader:                 May Your face shine upon Your servants, O God,  and teach us Your ways, as we worship and glorify Your Name. Amen.

Hymn

               

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  LORD Almighty, whose plans are always fulfilled and whose will is never diminished, we adore and revere You as our True Creator, Heavenly Father, and Everlasting God. You have called us to this place of prayer and worship, so that we may know Your peace, share Your Words, and experience Your Love.

People:                 Loving God, we praise You for being patient with us. We acknowledge Your kindness and compassion. We know that we have sinned against You by allowing pride to determine our actions, fear to diminish our faith, and greed to overrule our generosity. Merciful Father, humble us in Your Holy Presence. Enable us to cast off our sinful ways. Forgive our foolish mistakes and inept decisions, as well as our selfish choices and unworthy deeds. Please hear us now as we personally confess our faults to You.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Eternal God, You can save us from our sins when we place our lives into Christ’s hands. You can even forgive our most grievous of faults when we humbly confess to Jesus, Your Son, who died for our sake. We ask these prayers in Christ’s Name, seeking His forgiveness and uniting our spirits with Him, saying, “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  Jesus receives our confessional prayers and changes our sinful lives. He takes each one of us, despite our weaknesses and failings, and blesses us with forgiveness and faith, salvation and strength. So let us rejoice In God’s grace and be truly thankful, for Jesus is our Savior and Lord forevermore. Amen.

Gloria Patri

Children’s Sermon

Encountering God

Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                  Ascribe to the LORD, all you His people, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Give to the LORD the glory due to His Name, for He is powerful, compassionate, and kind.

People:                 We worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness; in this place of prayer, we seek His healing. The voice of the LORD is powerful; when He speaks to our spirits, we can be restored to health, wholeness, and happiness.

Pastor:                  The power of the LORD is majestic; therefore, we humbly call upon Him to heal us of all that harms us.

May He be merciful to our family and friends; may He love them and comfort them, releasing them from pain and suffering, as well as renewing their strength and mending their broken bodies, minds, hearts and spirits, all in Jesus’ Name. Hear us now as we silently pray.

                               

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                  The LORD gives strength to His people; the LORD blesses us with peace.

(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 29)

Prayer for Illumination

Reader:                                Holy Spirit, reveal to us God’s message for our lives today, through the words of these sacred scriptures. Enable us to seek, find, and experience the promises of blessing, guidance, and wisdom that emerge from Christ’s life and teaching. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings                         

The Message

The Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison – led by pastor):       Lord Jesus, direct our lives and enable us to freely give of our resources to You.  Take these gifts and bless them for the life, work, and ministry that You have called our church to undertake and fulfill. Let Your Name be praised through this offering and let Your Word be spread through these assets. For we give and pray in Your Holy Name. Amen.

Hymn                   

Benediction (unison):    May Christ set us free from our fears and sins; may our Heavenly Father bring us to His Kingdom and grow us in His Love; and may the Holy Spirit enable us to share in God’s work and be nourished by His Everlasting Word, both now and always. Amen.

Ordinary 29c prayers - Sunday October 20

Approaching God

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude

Gathering Song

Call to worship

Liturgist:               O Lord, may You always watch over us with love; teach us this day Your holy promises.

People:                 We are Your servants; open our hearts and minds so that we may understand Your sacred ways.

Liturgist:               Come among us, O God, and bless us as we praise and worship Your powerful Name. Amen.

Hymn:

               

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Heavenly Father, You are the Lord of Life and Bringer of blessings, therefore we adore and applaud Your mighty works of Creation, which remind us of Your majestic Power and inspire us to faithfully place our lives into Your hands. We have set aside this sacred time to reflect upon Your ways, to rejoice in Your deeds, and to regenerate our faith by Your Holy Word. You are the One, True, and Living God; we are privileged to be Your humble servants.

People:                 Merciful Lord, despite our enthusiasm for Your ways, we admit to being partial to our own understanding and are more apt to follow our own desires. Instead of constantly seeking Your guidance, we cherish our own opinions and ideas. Instead of accepting Your wisdom and counsel, we pursue our own paths, which sometimes lead us into temptation and cause our faith to be challenged. Forgive us for those foolish times when we offend You with our sinful acts and selfish deeds. Pardon our mistaken choices which taint our souls with greed, pride, envy, hatred, anger, and indifference. Hear us now as we individually confess our sins to You.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Gracious God, our hope is in the Lord and our salvation is in Christ’s hands. By His blood, we are cleansed. By His sacrifice, we are saved. He alone can forgive our past mistakes and restore us to Your Favor.

We make these prayers in Christ’s Name and unite our hearts to Him, saying, “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER” (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel:

Guide:                  Jesus calls us to be His disciples and we are meant to witness for Him. Through faith, we testify to Christ’s power of forgiveness and His sovereignty over lives. Let us rejoice in Him and express our thanks to Him, by sharing His promises and gospel with all whom we love, and with all whom we also need to forgive. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Gloria Patri

Children’s Sermon

Encountering God

Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                  We call upon You, O Lord, as the Rock of our salvation. Hear our prayers and grant us peace. Acknowledge our cries for mercy as we call to You for help; listen to our personal pleas in this holy place of prayer.

People:                 We lift up our hearts to You, O Living God, and humbly ask for healing, for You are our strength and shield; our hearts trust in You and we are encouraged by Your love.

Pastor:                  Lord God, be gracious to us and all whom we love. Bless us all with healing and strength, wholeness and peace, as well as renewal and hope. You alone have the strength and power to overcome illness, anxiety, injuries, and insecurities.  Hear us now as we silently pray for ourselves and all those who are precious to our hearts.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                  Heal us as Your people, Lord, and bless us one by one; be our Shepherd of goodness and carry us forevermore. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.  (Healing Prayer based on words and phrases from Psalm 28)

Prayer for Illumination

Reader:                                Holy Spirit, grant our spirits confidence and deepen our faith through these sacred scriptures. Open our hearts to Christ’s amazing love and enhance our minds with His precious teaching. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings                         

The Message

The Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (in unison – led by pastor)                   Lord Jesus, our hearts are exposed to You at all times, therefore You know completely what we offer and how we give. We pray that these tithes and tokens may be given to You honorably, cheerfully, and faithfully. Grant us the wisdom to use them for the advancement of Your Kingdom through the preaching of the Gospel, the serving of the Church, and the praising of God’s Name, both now and always. Amen.

Hymn                   

Benediction (unison):    May we grow in Christ’s grace each and every day; may we be spiritually fruitful to the glory of our Father in Heaven; and may the Holy Spirit strengthen the foundations of our faith, so that we may continually share the good news of Jesus with the world, to the everlasting glory of the One, Triune, and Holy God, both now and always. Amen. 

Prayers for Ordinary 28c - Sunday Oct 13

Approaching God

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude

Gathering Song

Call to Worship

Liturgist:               O Lord, You are our refuge and shield. We have put our hopes in Your loving words.

People:                 Sustain us according to Your promises, and we will abundantly live.

Liturgist:               Support us, O God, and we will be protected. We will always praise and respect your promises. Amen!

Hymn

               

Prayer of Adoration and Confession

Guide:                  Almighty and Everlasting God, whose ancient power created the Heavens and this Earth, and whose holy word sustains all existing life, we humbly bow before Your sacred presence and seek to please You with our prayers and praises.

People:                 Gracious Father, we know that our lives are imperfect and that sometimes we disappoint You through our bad choices and poor decisions. We allow our faith to be weakened by our passions and pride, our ambitions and ideals, as well as our sinful greed and self-centered goals. Merciful God, please forgive us, for we know that only Your Holy Son Jesus can save us from ourselves, cleanse us of the past, and free us from our sins. Hear us now as we silently confess our mistakes to You.

- SILENCE -

Guide:                  Loving Lord, we thank You for Your mercy and the power of Your peace. We praise You for allowing Christ to enter into our lives. We pray that our Christian faith may settle our fears, and that Christ, our hope, may bring us to a joyful and everlasting reconciliation with You. For we pray this in His Holy Name and unite our souls together, saying, “Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER” (debts/debtors)

Promise of the Gospel

Guide:                  We cannot buy forgiveness nor can we earn God’s mercy. Only Jesus has the power to forgive our sins, direct our paths, and restore us to God’s Kingdom. He knows our hearts and understands the struggles that we endure each day. Let us rejoice in His love and praise His Holy Name.  Amen.

Gloria Patri

Children’s Sermon

Encountering God

Anthem

Prayers for Health and Healing

Pastor:                  The LORD is our light and our salvation-- whom shall we fear? The LORD is the stronghold of our lives-- of what shall we be afraid? For in the day of trouble,  God will keep us safe in His dwelling.

People:                 Hear our voices when we call, O LORD; be merciful to us and answer our prayers for healing. We seek Your grace and mercy, O Lord; heal us of all that harms us. May our families and friends be confident of Your power and care; may they know Your goodness in their lives. Grant them peace instead of pain, serenity instead of suffering, happiness instead of hopelessness. Hear us now as we silently bring them to You.

Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is lit

Pastor:                  Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart, and wait for the LORD. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.                (Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 27)

Singing of Sanctuary

Prayer for Illumination

Reader:                                Holy Spirit, make known to us the paths of life through the readings of the scriptures. Fill us with joy in Your presence, through the teachings of our Lord. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Scripture Readings                         

The Message and Apostles’ Creed

Serving God

Offering & Offertory

Dedication (unison – led by pastor) :                      Lord Jesus, You have heard our praises and prayers, and You have given us much to think about through Your words. In thanksgiving, we gather, offer, and present these tokens of gratitude to You. We pray that You will guide us to use them for the many ministries and missions that our church seeks to undertake and fulfill in Your Name. Take our time, talents, and resources, so that we may glorify You with our daily deeds. In Your Precious Name, we pray. Amen. 

Hymn                   

Benediction (unison):    May Jesus keep us holy so that we produce fruits of faith; may the Father keep us united to Him through His love and grace; and may the Holy Spirit enable and empower us to reach out to the people of this community, so that God’s Kingdom may be enhanced, both hedre and everywhere. Amen.

Postlude