Advent Week 3
Theme – Joy
Gather
This is the season of Advent, when we anticipate the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ. The nights are long…
…the darkness deep…
…but the reason for our joy draws near. He comes to interject himself into our world, messy and unclean though it is. Like the Israelites of old, we yearn for that expected arrival, and yet also as God’s people, we can miss the unexpected ways in which He comes to us even yet today.
Song – Carol of the Week
- O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Confession
Giver of light…
…we confess to You that the darkness which surrounds us so often has its source in our own deeds and thoughts, for we turn away from the light to embrace those things which conceal our need for You, rather than be exposed by it. Forgive us, O Lord.
Song – We Have Waited
We-Have-Waited-BookletPrayers of the People
God who is with us, in our joy as well as our sorrow, we pray this day for those in our community who hurt underneath the superficial appearance of merriment during this season. For those needs which are also known to us, we seek your intercession. [A time to list the publicly shared needs of the congregation as well as the community.]
Lord, in Your mercy…
Hear our prayer.
In this season when loss is felt most profoundly, whether it be loss of relationship, loss of dignity, or loss of purpose, help us serve those who bear these burdens, that we all may dwell in the hope You give, for this life and the one to come.
Lord, in Your mercy…
…Hear our prayer.
We also come to you with burdens of our own.
(a time for reflection and supplication)
Lord, in Your mercy…
…Hear our prayer.
Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Lighting of the Advent Candle/Song – In This Season (Week 3)
In-This-Season-Week-3-Joy-BookletReading – Luke 1:5-17
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Devotion
Song – Wintertide
Wintertide-BookletPeace/Benediction
And now may the God of our joy surprise us with the unexpected answer to our divinely orchestrated desires this day, this week and this season. May we be a people prepared and ever turning to the Lord. Go in joy to love and serve the Lord.
Amen.
Next: Advent Week 4