Second Sunday Of Advent
Worship
Lectionary Worship Aids
Series VI, Cycle C
Theme: The Coming Messenger
Call To Worship
Leader: Let us praise the Lord, the God of Israel!
People: He has come to the help of his people and has set them free.
Leader: He has provided for us a mighty Savior,
People: so that we might be holy and righteous before him all the days of our life.
Collect
Creator God, just as you sent John the Baptist as a messenger to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord, so, too, you have given us this season of Advent that we might prepare the way for the coming of Jesus into our lives with renewed faith and dedication. Help us to use this time wisely, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Lord Jesus, we would prepare the way for your coming with our lives, and so we humbly confess that in many ways we have fallen short of what you would have us be. Even as we repent of our sins we seek your forgiveness, and pray that through your Holy Spirit we may lead lives worthy of your disciples. Amen.
Offertory Prayer
Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, accept these our offerings and through the power of your Holy Spirit use them and us to prepare the way for the coming of our Savior into the hearts of people everywhere. Amen.
Hymns
"Tell Out, My Soul"
"Hail To The Lord's Anointed"
"Blessed Be The God Of Israel"
Second Sunday Of Advent
Second Lesson: Philippians 1:3-11
Theme: Let This Be Your Prayer: That Your Love Will Keep Growing
Call To Worship
Leader: Children of God, why have you come here?
People: We come seeking the One who will give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
Leader: You have come to the right place, for Jesus is the Light of the world.
People: We need that Light and his direction to guide our feet into the way of peace.
All: Praise be to God!
Collect
Lord, you have taught us the meaning and the power of true love. May that love keep on growing, as our faith and understanding of you continue to grow, enabling us to make better judgments. Keep ever before us the challenge to show forth that love in all that we do or think. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Lord, we don't always make the right choices in life because we think we know what is best. Keep us ever mindful, we pray, that we have surrendered ourselves to you so that your Spirit working in and through us may accomplish the greatest good. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Offertory Prayer
O God, as we present these gifts for the work of your church, we know that the gift without the giver is of little use. So we offer unto you today not only these gifts, but ourselves as well, to be used by you in the work of your kingdom. Amen.
Hymns
"Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence"
"Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates"
"Of The Father's Love Begotten"
Second Sunday Of Advent
Gospel Lesson: Luke 3:1-6
Theme: Get The Road Ready For The Lord
Call To Worship
Leader: The Lord is coming. Is everything ready?
People: We have come this morning to prepare our hearts to receive him.
Leader: Are the paths clear for the whole human race to see God's salvation?
People: We will make the path straight for him to travel; we will do our part to clear every stumbling block.
Collect
Christmas is coming, Lord, and there are many preparations to be made if we are to be ready. Help us, we pray, to concentrate our efforts on clearing our minds and hearts of all that would distract us from the true significance of this season. Then we will be able to join our voices with the angels in singing: "Glory to God in the highest, our Savior has come!" Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Heavenly Father, when we think of preparing the way for the coming of your Son into the world, we are tempted to think of the changes that need to be made by and in others. We confess that far too often we overlook the fact that we need to straighten out the rough places of indecision and fill the valleys of doubt that exist in our own lives. Let your Holy Spirit work in us that we may be worthy messengers of your Advent. Amen.
Offertory Prayer
Bless these gifts, O Lord, and may they be used to prepare the way for your coming into the hearts of people everywhere. Amen.
Hymns
"I Want To Walk As A Child Of The Light"
"Savior Of The Nations, Come"
"There's A Voice In The Wilderness Crying"
Call To Worship
Leader: Let us praise the Lord, the God of Israel!
People: He has come to the help of his people and has set them free.
Leader: He has provided for us a mighty Savior,
People: so that we might be holy and righteous before him all the days of our life.
Collect
Creator God, just as you sent John the Baptist as a messenger to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord, so, too, you have given us this season of Advent that we might prepare the way for the coming of Jesus into our lives with renewed faith and dedication. Help us to use this time wisely, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Lord Jesus, we would prepare the way for your coming with our lives, and so we humbly confess that in many ways we have fallen short of what you would have us be. Even as we repent of our sins we seek your forgiveness, and pray that through your Holy Spirit we may lead lives worthy of your disciples. Amen.
Offertory Prayer
Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, accept these our offerings and through the power of your Holy Spirit use them and us to prepare the way for the coming of our Savior into the hearts of people everywhere. Amen.
Hymns
"Tell Out, My Soul"
"Hail To The Lord's Anointed"
"Blessed Be The God Of Israel"
Second Sunday Of Advent
Second Lesson: Philippians 1:3-11
Theme: Let This Be Your Prayer: That Your Love Will Keep Growing
Call To Worship
Leader: Children of God, why have you come here?
People: We come seeking the One who will give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
Leader: You have come to the right place, for Jesus is the Light of the world.
People: We need that Light and his direction to guide our feet into the way of peace.
All: Praise be to God!
Collect
Lord, you have taught us the meaning and the power of true love. May that love keep on growing, as our faith and understanding of you continue to grow, enabling us to make better judgments. Keep ever before us the challenge to show forth that love in all that we do or think. Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Lord, we don't always make the right choices in life because we think we know what is best. Keep us ever mindful, we pray, that we have surrendered ourselves to you so that your Spirit working in and through us may accomplish the greatest good. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Offertory Prayer
O God, as we present these gifts for the work of your church, we know that the gift without the giver is of little use. So we offer unto you today not only these gifts, but ourselves as well, to be used by you in the work of your kingdom. Amen.
Hymns
"Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence"
"Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates"
"Of The Father's Love Begotten"
Second Sunday Of Advent
Gospel Lesson: Luke 3:1-6
Theme: Get The Road Ready For The Lord
Call To Worship
Leader: The Lord is coming. Is everything ready?
People: We have come this morning to prepare our hearts to receive him.
Leader: Are the paths clear for the whole human race to see God's salvation?
People: We will make the path straight for him to travel; we will do our part to clear every stumbling block.
Collect
Christmas is coming, Lord, and there are many preparations to be made if we are to be ready. Help us, we pray, to concentrate our efforts on clearing our minds and hearts of all that would distract us from the true significance of this season. Then we will be able to join our voices with the angels in singing: "Glory to God in the highest, our Savior has come!" Amen.
Prayer Of Confession
Heavenly Father, when we think of preparing the way for the coming of your Son into the world, we are tempted to think of the changes that need to be made by and in others. We confess that far too often we overlook the fact that we need to straighten out the rough places of indecision and fill the valleys of doubt that exist in our own lives. Let your Holy Spirit work in us that we may be worthy messengers of your Advent. Amen.
Offertory Prayer
Bless these gifts, O Lord, and may they be used to prepare the way for your coming into the hearts of people everywhere. Amen.
Hymns
"I Want To Walk As A Child Of The Light"
"Savior Of The Nations, Come"
"There's A Voice In The Wilderness Crying"
