SECOND DAY OF ADVENT
**Kindly stand if you are able
PRELUDE Mary Lee Farris, Organ
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
LIGHTING THE ADVENT CANDLE
CALL TO WORSHIP (Adapted from Luke 1)
Leader: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
PEOPLE: He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his child David,
Leader: as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
PEOPLE: Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors and has remembered his holy covenant,
Leader: the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us
PEOPLE: And you will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
Leader: Because of the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us,
PEOPLE: to shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
INVOCATION
Creator God, we come to you in this your house of worship, giving thanks for the plenty you have granted us even as we ask for more in the boundless pastures of your love in your creation and in all the greater universe where we stand in awe of all that you have given us, especially in the message of Jesus who brings us love and grace and hope for eternity. This we pray in his name, Amen.
**OPENING HYMN: “Joy to the World” Red #146
CALL TO CONFESSION
In Advent we learn of what is to come. We prepare ourselves for the Christian year. We also acknowledge our shortcomings and our aspirations for better results. Let us pray together.
PRAYER OF UNDERSTANDING
O God of the covenant, have mercy upon us as we come before you. The afflicted await good news. The brokenhearted seek comfort and those in mourning await healing. Bring to us a greater understanding of your boundless love as we place ourselves in your beautiful creation that we can never truly comprehend. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
(a moment for silent personal confession)
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
My fellow seekers of understanding, believe in the word of our Lord, and the comfort of Scripture even as we struggle to live within the wisdom of the prophets. Amen
**GLORIA PATRI (Avery & Marsh, back cover of the Red Hymnal)
**AFFIRMATION OF FAITH -- APOSTLES CREED (Loosely Translated from Lakota Sioux)
We believe in the Great Creator, who made all that is and will be made, and in his shining Son of the East, whose bright light came with a star and lived among the people and died among them for his own light. The Great Spirit raised him to live again among the people of the stars and the mother earth, as he leads all who wish to join him in the feast of his being, for as long as the stars shall shine, and the rivers shall flow. Amen.
**HYMN OF PRAISE “The First Noel, the Angel Did Say” Red # 162
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
Holy God, Word made flesh, let us come to this word open to being surprised. Silence our agendas; banish our assumptions; cast out our casual detachment. Confound our expectations; clear the cobwebs from our ears; penetrate the corners of our hearts with this word. We know that you can, we pray that you will, and we wait with great anticipation. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
OLD TESTAMENT READING: Malachi 3: 1-4 Theresa Cotanche
EPISTLE READING: Philippians 1: 3-9
GOSPEL READING: Luke 3: 1-6
SERMON MESSAGE: Prepare the Way John Redman, CRE
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & LORDS PRAYER
And Lord we pray for those in our own hearts whose names you already know, for their own healing and comfort, in your name and that of our redeemer Jesus Christ, who taught to pray, saying:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
**PASSING OF THE PEACE
TITHES AND OFFERINGS
It is right to share our abundance with those who have less or need more. May what we offer here help to be the answer of the prayers of others in the name of Jesus, Amen.
OFFERTORY “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry”
**DOXOLOGY Traditional
** PRAYER OF THANKS
Gracious God, accept our gifts that they may be used wisely in your service for those who hunger, or thirst, or merely seek a greater understanding of your love. This we gratefully pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
HYMN OF PARTING “Let There Be Peace on Earth” Follow the video
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE “Angels from the Realms of Glory” Mary Lee Farris, Piano
Candles in Our Worship Service A bit of History: The seven-light candelabra are symbolic of the seven days of the week, meaning we ‘worship’ God every day, not just on Sunday. The two altar candles symbolize that Jesus is both God and Man, and the Christ candle is symbolic of Christ being the Light of the World.
The Christ candle is lit first and extinguished last. The ushers leave its light with the other candles during worship, and when extinguished after worship, the ushers carry the light out into the world.
The reason the Christ candle is larger and placed by the pulpit, is that in the past, it also provided light for reading!
Blessings! JTR
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John Redman, CRE
Mobile: (914) 474-0722
Union Church
44 Balmville Rd, Newburgh NY 12550
Phone: (845) 562-0954
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