The Acclamation
Darkness encircles us, Loving God.
Its weight is heavy. We call out for your Light.
Facing danger and loss of what is right and true, we light these candles to remind us that You alone radiate justice and peace.
Advent Wreath Lighting
Advent Collect
Let us pray.
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
God’s Word
Isaiah 35: 1-10
A reading from the book of Isaiah.
Wilderness and desert will sing joyously,
the badlands will celebrate and flower—
Like the crocus in spring, bursting into blossom,
a symphony of song and color.
Mountain glories of Lebanon—a gift.
Awesome Carmel, stunning Sharon—gifts.
God’s resplendent glory, fully on display.
God awesome, God majestic.
Energize the limp hands,
strengthen the rubbery knees.
Tell fearful souls,
“Courage! Take heart!
God is here, right here,
on his way to put things right
And redress all wrongs.
He’s on his way! He’ll save you!”
Blind eyes will be opened,
deaf ears unstopped,
Lame men and women will leap like deer,
the voiceless break into song.
Springs of water will burst out in the wilderness,
streams flow in the desert.
Hot sands will become a cool oasis,
thirsty ground a splashing fountain.
Even lowly jackals will have water to drink,
and barren grasslands flourish richly.
There will be a highway
called the Holy Road.
No one rude or rebellious
is permitted on this road.
It’s for God’s people exclusively—
impossible to get lost on this road.
Not even fools can get lost on it.
No lions on this road,
no dangerous wild animals—
Nothing and no one dangerous or threatening.
Only the redeemed will walk on it.
The people God has ransomed
will come back on this road.
They’ll sing as they make their way home to Zion,
unfading halos of joy encircling their heads,
Welcomed home with gifts of joy and gladness
as all sorrows and sighs scurry into the night.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 146
Don’t put your life in the hands of experts
who know nothing of life, of salvation life.
Mere humans don’t have what it takes;
when they die, their projects die with them.
Instead, get help from the God of Jacob,
put your hope in God and know real blessing!
God made sky and soil,
sea and all the fish in it.
He always does what he says—
he defends the wronged,
he feeds the hungry.
God frees prisoners—
he gives sight to the blind,
he lifts up the fallen.
God loves good people, protects strangers,
takes the side of orphans and widows,
but makes short work of the wicked.
James 5: 7-11
A reading from the letter of James
Meanwhile, friends, wait patiently for the Master’s Arrival. You see farmers do this all the time, waiting for their valuable crops to mature, patiently letting the rain do its slow but sure work. Be patient like that. Stay steady and strong. The Master could arrive at any time.
Friends, don’t complain about each other. A far greater complaint could be lodged against you, you know. The Judge is standing just around the corner.
Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You’ve heard, of course, of Job’s staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That’s because God cares, cares right down to the last detail.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to our community.
Thanks be to God.
Matthew 11: 2-11
Words of Freedom from the Gospel of Matthew
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ
John, meanwhile, had been locked up in prison. When he got wind of what Jesus was doing, he sent his own disciples to ask, “Are you the One we’ve been expecting, or are we still waiting?”
Jesus told them, “Go back and tell John what’s going on:
The blind see,
The lame walk,
Lepers are cleansed,
The deaf hear,
The dead are raised,
The wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side.
“Is this what you were expecting? Then count yourselves most blessed!”
When John’s disciples left to report, Jesus started talking to the crowd about John. “What did you expect when you went out to see him in the wild? A weekend camper? Hardly. What then? A sheik in silk pajamas? Not in the wilderness, not by a long shot. What then? A prophet? That’s right, a prophet! Probably the best prophet you’ll ever hear. He is the prophet that Malachi announced when he wrote, ‘I’m sending my prophet ahead of you, to make the road smooth for you.’
“Let me tell you what’s going on here: No one in history surpasses John the Baptizer; but in the kingdom he prepared you for, the lowliest person is ahead of him.
The Gospel of the Saviour
Praise to you O Christ
Sermon
The Prayers
Advent Affirmation of Faith
We believe in God, the Creator, who formed the heavens and the earth,
called us to care for creation with humility and love.
We believe in Jesus Christ, God with us, born of Mary, who proclaimed good news to the poor, freedom to the oppressed, healing to the wounded, and justice to those cast aside.
We believe in the Spirit of God, who moves through darkness and chaos, bringing life, renewal, and hope; who stirs us to protect the earth, to defend the marginalized, to stand against racism, war, and abuse, and to honor the dignity of all people.
We believe in the coming of Christ, who will make all things new, who calls us to prepare the way of peace and to walk humbly with God.
In this season of hope, we commit to act with courage and compassion, for the sake of creation, for the least among us, and for the glory of God.
Amen.
Prayers of the People
God of hope, hear our prayers:
We pray for the hungry or homeless. Energize us to call on our leaders to eliminate poverty by taxing the ultra-wealthy and relieving burdens on the working poor. Empower this church to do what we can to provide for the needs of all.
Come, Christ, and bring your justice.
We pray for the earth, suffering from human exploitation. Empower leaders who stop new fossil fuel development and accelerate the spread of renewable energy for all. Protect all species. Teach us to respect our only home.
Come, Christ, and bring your justice.
We pray for survivors of violence, prejudice, and abuse. Give them safety, healing, and vindication. Teach those who mistreat others to stop and change their ways.
Come, Lord Jesus, and bring your peace.
We pray for an end to war and the flourishing of love and understanding among all nations. Instead of missiles and warheads, direct governments to spend for food, education, healthcare, and housing for all.
Come, Lord Jesus, and bring your peace.
We pray for all whom society replaces dignity and inclusion with hatred and scorn. Let us be a place that affirms the sacred worth of every person. Protect migrants.
Come, Lord Jesus, and bring your joy.
Celebrant: Almighty God, as we await your coming, kindle in us a passion for your justice and a commitment to your peace, that we may labor for the triumph of your realm.
Amen.
The Confession and Absolution
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
God of mercy,
we confess that we have sinned against you,
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
Forgive us, we pray.
Strengthen us to live in hope and work for justice,
so that we may reflect your love in the world. Amen.
Celebrant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in the zone, in the moment, in God. Amen.
The Peace
Leader: May Christ’s peace be with you, always.
People: And with you, too.
Announcements
The Holy Communion
Walk in love, the way Christ walked. Become a holy offering to God, rich with the fragrance of grace.”. based on Ephesians 5:2
During the Offertory, a hymn, psalm, or anthem may be sung.
Doxology
(Words: Isaac Watts (1674-1748), para. of Psalm 117; Music: Old 100th, melody from Pseaumes octante trois de David, 1551, alt.; harm. after Louis Bourgeois (1510?-1561?); Licensed for Use: CCLI Copyright License 20716203; CCLI Streaming License 20716210
At the Presentation
All things come of you, O Lord;
And of your own have we given you.
Our God be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them towards Our Christ.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
We lift up our thanks and praise.
It is right, and it is joyful,
to give you thanks and praise,
Holy God, Creator of heaven and earth.
In this season when the days grow short
and the world is heavy with fear and struggle,
your mercy rises like a beautiful dawn.
Through prophets you promised a child
who would bring justice to the oppressed
and comfort to all who sit in the shadow of death.
And now, when conflict and confusion swirl around us,
you are faithful—
guiding your people, renewing courage,
and leading us into peace.
And so we join with angels and archangels
and with all creation in heaven and on earth
to sing your praise:
All:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power, God of might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
We praise you in the highest.
Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
We praise you in the highest.
Celebrant:
Holy God, you love us with a love that never lets us go.
When we became stuck into darkness, you did not turn from us.
You sent Jesus, your Son, Light of the world,
to live among us, to heal us,
to welcome the forgotten, to draw forth new strength,
and to show us the way of compassion and joy.
On the night before he died,
Jesus took bread; gave thanks to you; broke it;
and gave it to his friends, saying:
“Take and eat.
This is my Body, given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”
After supper he took the cup;
gave you thanks;
and gave it to them, saying:
“Drink this, all of you.
This is my Blood of the new covenant,
poured out for you and for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
Whenever you drink it,
remember me.”
And so, remembering his love,
his death and resurrection,
and his promise to come again
we offer you these gifts,
and we offer you our lives.
Send your Holy Spirit on us
and on these gifts of bread and wine,
that they may become for us
the Body and Blood of Christ.
Make us radiant with his presence.
Strengthen us to be people of light,
people who carry your presence
into every corner of this world.
Bring us with all your saints
into the fullness of your new creation—
a day when your peace and joy are all in all.
Through Christ,
and with Christ,
and in Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
to you be glory and praise,
now and forever.
Amen.
Let’s pray together in the spirit that Jesus taught us:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever.
Amen.
Breaking of the Bread
These are God’s gifts for all of us, God’s people.
Post-Communion Prayer
God of all that is, was, and will be,
We thank You for this feast of grace and love.
Here, at this table, we’ve tasted connection—
to You, to one another, to all creation.
In the breaking of bread and the sharing of the cup,
we’ve glimpsed a world made whole,
a table where all are welcome,
and there’s always enough.
As we leave this sacred moment,
help us carry its energy into the everyday.
Let the bread fuel us for justice,
let the cup refresh our hope.
We step into the world ready to love louder,
to risk kindness, to practice peace.
May the spirit of this meal propel us forward,
toward mercy, toward courage, toward You.
Amen.
The Blessing
Our Advent blessing is in the form of a haiku, an ancient Japanese poetic form.
Morning star rising—
may its hope rest on your path.
Go now, held in light.
Closing Hymn
The Dismissal
Go into the world in hope, to proclaim justice, peace, and love. Alleluia, alleluia.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.