Liturgy

We are an Advent people,
a people of hope.
For us, Advent is a time of waiting,
and so we wait.

We wait for the coming of the One
who is the fulfillment of God’s promise,
the fulfillment of hope,
the declaration that we have been redeemed.

Even so, we are not a naïve people.
We know that the world in which we live
will continue to be filled with pain and sorrow.

We know that hatred and violence will continue to exist.
We know that death and separation will continue to be a part of our lives.

But because we are an Advent people,
we know that none of these things will win in the end.

The Holy One is coming,
to make holy once again
all that was, is, and ever will be.

And in our waiting and our hoping,
we work and worship,
pray and play,
in all things hoping that peace, love and joy will reign
in our lives and in our world,
now and forever.

We light the 2nd candle of Advent,
worshipping the name of the Father,
of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Community Confession

O holy God, our very waiting in Advent is itself a confession:
If we are waiting for Emmanuel, we are not yet with you;
if we are waiting for Jesus, we need a Savior.

If we are waiting for the Messiah,
the proud are still powerful,
the mighty are still exalted,
the hungry stand unheard at the door.

If we are waiting for your incarnation in human form,
we confess that we have not known you in our sisters,
we have not loved you in our brothers,
we have not served you in our neighbors.

In this time of great meaning, in the stillness of Advent,
prepare us to learn well, hear our deepest confession;
heal us, forgive us, make us new through the good tidings
of our Savior, Christ the Lord.

We ask of our God in community, holy in One.
Amen.

Reflection

What kind of people should we be that anticipate the justice of God?
Do we trust in God’s promise that he will bring justice? What are the things that we need to trust God in?

Benediction

In this Advent season, may God,
who has begun a good work within you,
continue that work until the day when Christ Jesus returns.

May your love overflow more and more;
may you continue to grow in knowledge and understanding,

so that you can clearly discern what really matters,
and so that you may stand pure and blameless before God
on the day of Christ’s return.

The God who calls you is faithful.
Go into our season of Advent,
serving all in the name of the Father,
of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Go in peace and live the church.
See you throughout the week.

[Photo by Joanna Kitchener @ Flickr]