Advent 2
And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God. --Philippians 1:9-11 (NRSV)
MEDITATIVE READING Gospel of Thomas 88 (ANNT)
Jesus said: "The messengers and the prophets will come to you. They will give you what is yours and you will give them what you have. You will say to yourselves: 'When will they come and take what is theirs?'"
CALL TO WORSHIP Odes of Solomon 21:1-3 (ANNT)
Leader: Let us lift up our arms to the height.
People: To the compassion of the Lord.
Leader: Because God cast off our chains from us.
People: And our helper lifted us up according to the Divine compassion and redemption.
Leader: Let us strip off the darkness and put on light.
People: Let us worship God!
People: And our helper lifted us up according to the Divine compassion and redemption.
Leader: Let us strip off the darkness and put on light.
People: Let us worship God!
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (from
Luke 2-3 NRSV)
Gracious God, we come together today as your baptized people
to recommit ourselves to changing our hearts and lives and once more experience
the forgiveness of our sins. We echo the words of Isaiah the prophet,
A voice crying out in the
wilderness:
“Prepare the way for the Lord;
make his paths straight.
Every valley will be filled,
and every mountain and hill will
be leveled.
The crooked will be made straight
and the rough places made smooth.
All humanity will see God’s
salvation.”
(silent prayer)
Leader: Lord, let your servants rest in peace according to
your word,
ALL: Because our eyes have seen your salvation, prepared in
the presence of all peoples, the perfect expression of your light and love . Glory
to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace, goodwill among people! Amen.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION (adapted from Luke 3:1-2)
Today in the seventh year of the presidency of Barack Obama,
while Andrew Cuomo is governor of New York, and Rob Astorino is executive of Westchester,
and Jonathan Mark is mayor of Scarsdale, during the General Assembly moderatorship
of Ruling Elder Heath K. Rada, let us listen for the word of God addressed to
us in the wilderness of our lives.
Leader: When Paul entered into Onesiphorus’s house, there was great joy and kneeling and breaking of bread, and the word of God concerning self-control and resurrection.As Paul said,
ALL: “Blessed are the clear of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are those who observe purity in flesh, for they will
become a temple of God.
Blessed are the self-possessed, for God will speak to them.
Blessed are those who set themselves apart from this world,
for they will please God.
Blessed are those who have wives as if they do not, for they
will be heirs of God.
Blessed are those in awe of God for they will become
messengers of God.
Blessed are the ones who tremble at God’s words, for they
will be called.
Blessed are the ones who receive the wisdom of Jesus Christ,
for they will be called children of the Highest.
Blessed are the ones who keep their baptism, for they will
rest with the Father and the Son.
Blessed are those on the journey to uniting with Jesus
Christ, for they will be in the light.
Blessed are the ones who have departed the form of the world
through God’s love, for they will judge angels and, at the right hand of the
Father, they will be praised.
Blessed are the compassionate, for they will receive
compassion and will not see the day of grievous judgment.
Blessed are the bodies of maidens, for they will have favor
with God and will not lose the reward for their holiness; for the Father’s word
will be a work of salvation for them until the day of his Child, and they will
have rest forever.”
Additional Music:
"Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"
"Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"
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