Opening Prayer

We praise you, O God, for being not only the God of history but the God of our story. You have gathered us here today to remind us that although you are the one to whom all power belongs, yet you care for the weak and powerless. You care for us. We praise you for joining your story to ours in such a special way through Jesus, our Lord. He proved his great love for you and for each person in the way he lived—releasing what was captive, lifting up the burdened, empowering the powerless.

God, source of lovingkindness and strength, we worship you.
Jesus, foundation of our faith, we worship you.
Holy Spirit, ground of our very being, we worship you. Amen

Written by Moira Laidlaw and posted on Liturgies Online. http://www.liturgiesonline.com.au/. Reposted: https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2012/10/call-to-worship-prayer-psalm-146.html.

Advent Prayer: Maranatha

Maranatha,
Come, Lord Jesus, come soon.

The glory of God shall be revealed
and all flesh shall see it together

Maranatha,
Come, Lord Jesus, come soon!

Sing aloud, waste places of Jerusalem!
Sing to the God who gives courage and strength.

Maranatha,
Come, Lord Jesus, come soon!

You who are unsure of what you believe,
or whether you believe at all: listen!

You who are weighed down by thoughts of failure,
or feelings of grief: listen!

You whose hearts are heavy,
whose problems seem insurmountable: listen!

Soon God’s salvation will come;
God’s deliverance will be revealed.

For a woman shall conceive and bear a son
and shall call his name Emmanuel: God with us

Maranatha
Come, Lord Jesus, come soon!

https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2013/10/advent-prayer-maranatha-come-lord-jesus.html

Unison Prayer

God of the wilderness, God of the wastelands of our lives, lead us apart to those places where we hear your word most clearly. In the startling awareness of Christ’s coming, may we order our lives with repentance and with compassion. Sift from our lives all useless chaff, that like good wheat into a barn, we may be gathered into the realm of your righteousness, through the grace of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Ruth Duck, Bread for the Journey, edited by Ruth Duck (Pilgrim Press, 1981), 22.

Benediction

Isaiah 35: 1-4

One day the wilderness will blossom with flowers;
and the desert wasteland will come alive with new growth.
And God’s glory and splendor will be on full display.
With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands,
and encourage those who have weak knees.
Say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, and do not fear,
for your God is coming to save you.”
So go with confidence into the days ahead.
And may the love of God,
the grace of Jesus Christ,
and the presence of the Holy Spirit,
be among you and within you. Amen.

https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2013/11/benediction-isaiah-35-1-4.html