leadinginworship

Advent/Christmas Call to Worship

Dearly beloved!
We are gathered here in the sight of God
in this time of worship
to remember the holy incarnation,
the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In a tiny town of Bethlehem
a worried father waited,
a would-be mother laboured.
The world held its breath for a Saviour.
The baby arrived,
and angels incandesecent
sang of goodwill to shepherds,
lighting up the night sky.
Centuries later, we celebrate this birth
this advent of life and hope.
May God this day
lighten the darkness of our lives,
so that we too can sing
Gloria!  Gloria!

Advent Communion Service

Who is invited to the Lord's Table?
All are invited;
the young and the old,
the rich and the poor,
the lowest and the least;
sinners and saints together in communion.
Come find your place here
where there are no strangers or foreigners,
only brothers and sisters in the sight of God.

Why do we give thanks at this table?
We give thanks because Jesus showed us the way,
we give thanks because Jesus is the Way.
Jesus was a gift from God for the world.
He was called Immanuel, “God with us”.
He came to save us from our sins.
Jesus lived a life of thankfulness
and gave his life as a sacrifice for many.
We give thanks that he is our Saviour, Christ the Lord.

Why do we eat and drink at this table?
We eat because on the night before Jesus died,
he ate with his friends. 
He gave them bread and said,
“This is my body which is given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”
At that same meal he took a cup of wine and said,
“Drink this cup. This is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

What do we remember at this table?We remember Jesus’ birth and his presence as God with us.
We remember Jesus’ life and his love.
We remember Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross.
We remember the resurrection and the promise of life.
We remember that we are waiting in hope to see Jesus again.

Let us pray:
God of grace, thank you for this bread and wine,
and for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ. 
God of hope, fill us with your Spirit today
that we might have the wisdom to understand the mystery of this Table,
and the depth and  height and breadth and length of your love for us.
Through this meal, strengthen us to be followers of Jesus,
a community of peace in a broken world.

communion is served

Closing prayer:
Jesus, you truly are Immanuel “God with us”.
In this season of hope, may the meal we`ve shared together
nourish us to be your body in the world,
your kingdom come,
your will done on earth as it is in heaven.
With the angels in heaven we join in singing your praises,
Glory to God in the highest.
Alleluia!  Alleluia!
Amen. 

The year I put God on the Christmas list

It never occurred to me till this year
to put God on my Christmas list.
Heaven knows, I’ve been on the receiving end
too many times to count,
with a God whose giving knows no ending.
Maybe God would like a gift,
for a change.
What do you get Someone who has everything?
Slippers?  Does one size truly fit all?
A book?  What hasn’t God read yet?
An ipad?  Are there apps made in heaven?
Can everyone really use socks?
Tickets to a show…theatre?  sports?   
Is God hopeful enough to be a Maple Leafs fan?
Maybe I should get God something more personal.
A home-made gift perhaps,
like a coupon book.
What God might really like
is a coupon that says,
“One minute of world peace”.
I wish we could send messengers to God,
holy angels singing,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace,
good will from all people.”
This Christmas, a present for God
seems out of reach.

If I can’t get a present,
maybe I can be a present,
by being present for God.
This minute, this hour as my present.
I will completely turn my attention to God;
tuning in instead of tuning out,
deciding to be an active listener.
I will take the Bible at its word
and believe that God wants to hear from me.
I will present my requests to God
humbly, gratefully, honestly.
It`s not wrapped in shiny paper,
it`s not a perfect gift for the Father of Lights;
but I will try to be a cheerful giver.
Here`s hoping that God will say,  
“This is just what I’ve always wanted!”

Lost and found at Christmas

This Christmas, you come as a Saviour to the lost.
We gather here, we who have lost heart,
lost hope, lost patience, lost time.
We have lost innocence, we are losing the race,
we feel like lost souls.

This Christmas, we want to be finding you--
finding you in the silence of the gray morning
and in the sweet smile of a child;
finding you in the dark starry sky
and in the warm handshake of a friend;
finding you in the familiar Christmas narrative
and in the story of a stranger;
finding you in our own hearts
and in the face of our enemies.

Immanuel, God with us,
we wait for your presence this Christmas;
help us to give with generous hearts
and receive with thankfulness.
Give us patience in the face of irritation
and kindness in the face of anger;
fill us with contentment and peace
and remove all jealousy from us.
May our celebration of your birth
give honour to you in all we say and do
and may we enter the New Year
refreshed and recommitted to your service.  Amen

Advent Prayer: The world waits

God of grace, thank you for this season of waiting.
Thank you for the beauty of the sleeping earth  
waiting for spring’s new life.
Thank you for the joy of children
waiting for the excitement of gift giving.
Thank you for the gift of familiar carols,
whose joyful music touches waiting hearts.
Thank you for far-flung family and friends
that we can’t wait to see this season.
Thank you for the gift of Jesus Christ;
we have been waiting for a Saviour.

We pray for all who are waiting this morning;
people who are waiting for an end to violence
because they have known too much war;
people who are waiting for healing
because they live with sickness and pain;
people who are waiting for good news
because they are weighed down with sorrow.
We pray for all of the earth that is waiting--
creatures who are waiting for protection
because their environment has been destroyed;
waterways that are waiting for renewal
because they have been contaminated;
lands that are waiting to be redeemed from pollution
because we have forgotten that God called the land good.

Throughout the world, in and on and under it,
waiting happens, waiting grows and gathers,
the earth is pregnant waiting for redemption.
In eager expectation we wait for the revelation of the Son of God.
“How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts, the blessings of his heaven,
no ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Lord enters in.”*

*Philip Brooks, “O Little Town of Bethlehem”

 

 

Christmas Reader's Theatre: For unto us a child is born!

[I wrote this for a Christmas Eve service and I had different congregants take the parts; they got up from where they were sitting in the congregation and came to the front to say their part, then they each lit a candle and placed it at around the manger scene that was at the front of the church.  Congregation members could each be invited to light a candle after their part to honour Jesus.]

Narrator:  Waiting, watching, hoping against hope,
the faithful have looked and longed for a Saviour.
Wrapped up in our own lives, in our own struggles,
consumed with our own desires and our own sins,
still our hope was in God.
At long last, all generations cry out,
“For unto us a child is born”.

Abraham:   My name is Abraham.  I followed God’s call. 
I went from my own country and my kindred to the land that God showed me. 
God promised to make a nation from my descendants.
 God said that all families of the earth would be blessed through me. 
Now we see the fulfillment of that promise with the gift of this child…
today we are blessed indeed!
For unto us a child is born.

Hagar:  I am Hagar.  I was Sarah’s slavegirl.
I bore Abraham a son, whom I called Ishmael. 
When I was at the end of all hope because of my suffering,
I fled into the wilderness.  
It was there that I met “the God who hears”;
the God who hears even the crying of the cast out. 
God has heard the cries of all people; the insiders and the outsiders. 
This baby is a gift to us: a gift for all peoples. 
For unto us a child is born!

Jacob:  I am Jacob, grandson of Abraham. 
Even though I was a liar and a cheater, there was still room for me in God’s plan. 
I had a dream one night where God stood right next to me.
In the morning I called that place Bethel, the House of God.  
Today a child is born with the same message…God is right here with us!
We give thanks for Immanuel--God with us.
For unto us a child is born!

Moses:  I am Moses.
When God spoke to me from a burning bush in the wilderness,
I had lots of excuses. 
I didn’t want to help God liberate our people from slavery. 
But God didn’t give up on me or Israel. 
With God’s power,
our people were delivered from the hands of the mighty Pharaoh.
We worship a God who delivers!
And then through God’s mercy, we were given the law at Sinai to guide us.
We worship a God who guides us!
And today we have been given a Saviour who will deliver us from evil,
a Saviour who will be our guide.
For unto us a child is born!

Ruth:  I am Ruth. 
I am a foreigner from Moab, who married one of the sons of Israel. 
When my husband died, I followed my mother-in-law back to her country Israel.
I was her faithful friend, and her God, the God of Israel,
was faithful in restoring our happiness.
I gleaned wheat in the fields near this town of Bethlehem. 
A man named Boaz married me, even though I was a widow and a foreigner.
I gave birth to a child that brought great joy to my family.
This baby Jesus is one of my descendants,
he has come to bring great joy to the world!
For unto us a child is born!

Samuel: My name is Samuel.   
When I was just a small boy I heard God calling me.
 I said, “Yes Lord, your servant hears you.” 
And so I served God all my days, calling the people of Israel to faithfulness. 
It was a hard job, because the people did not always want to hear what I had to say.
But God never deserted me. 
Now I see that God has sent his own son to call us to faithfulness. 
For unto us a child is born!

David: My name is David.
I was the Lord’s anointed, a man after God’s own heart.
I ruled Israel as a king for many years.
I was a sinner, like everyone else, and I disappointed God in many ways.
But God was faithful to me.
This night in Bethlehem, in my own city,
a new King has been born, one of my own descendants.
This Ruler will bring peace to the world. 
He will be called the Prince of Peace.
For unto us a child is born!

Isaiah:  My name is Isaiah, and I was a prophet of the Most High. 
The people of Israel had turned from God. 
God allowed them to be conquered by the Babylonians. 
he holy city Jerusalem was in ruins, our temple was destroyed. 
Our people were taken in chains into captivity. 
How can we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end. 
He will establish the throne of David
and uphold it with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore. 
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this!  (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Joseph: Joseph is my name, and my betrothed Mary has given birth to a son. 
This child has come to save our people from their sin. 
We have great hopes for this small baby, our firstborn.
And we have named him Jesus, as the angel instructed me.
For unto us a child is born!

Mary:  My name is Mary and I am a servant of the Lord.
God’s mercy is on those who fear God, from generation to generation. 
God has helped his servant Israel,
according to the promise made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and Sarah and to their descendants forever. 
Jesus is a blessing for the world, that has come through my life.
For unto us a child is born!

People:  Today we add our voices to the chorus of thanksgiving.
We join our voices to the song that rises through time,
around the world on every parallel,
“Glory to God in the highest”.
The harmony of our song of praise reaches heaven,
as we give thanks for God’s son, Jesus Christ our Lord!
For unto us a child is born!

 

Christmas Benediction

By the tender mercy of our God
love has broken upon us!
Light is given where once there was darkness
and hope where there was only death.
We go into this season knowing
that God will guide our feet into the way of peace.

 

Advent Adventure

A story of light dawning,
light that is yearned for, longed for, desperately sought,
a story of light dawning in darkness;
darkness that covers the deep,
darkness that speaks of death.

A story of hope dawning,
hope that is yearned for, longed for, desperately sought,
a story of hope dawning in the midst of despair;
despair that defeats us,
despair that speaks of death.

A story of peace dawning,
peace that is yearned for, longed for, desperately sought,
a story of peace dawning in the midst of violence;
violence that destroys us,
violence that speaks of death.

The story is about Jesus.
A baby dawns as light in the world,
a dayspring of hope, the bright and morning star.
He is the Prince of Peace.
We take our place in this gospel story;
 hesitant, unsure, not knowing our lines.
Lord, you are the Author who imagines us.
You created us, you know this story inside out.
In this dark season of adventure,
give us light for the journey, and hope.
Guide our feet into paths of peace.

 

Advent peace prayer for children: What child is this?

What child is this?

This hungry child, this child with AIDS,

this child afraid of bombs and soldiers,

this child too poor to go to school,

this child from a refugee camp,

this child abused and neglected,

this child crying and uncomforted.

What child is this?

This child is not a statistic,

this child is not collateral damage,

this child is not a mistake,

this child is not the enemy.

What child is this?

This is a child of God,

this is a Christ child,

this is our child.

Lord Jesus, born a child and yet a king,

you remind us that each baby boy and girl

is a holy infant, tender and mild.

We say a prayer for all the dear children in your tender care,

all the children in the world.

In a world where so many do not sleep in heavenly peace,

empower us to be your peacemakers.

Thank you for the gift of each baby, each child of hope.

An advent prayer for 35,000 people in prison

Jesus, you know the 35,000 people in jail in Canada

by name, not number.

You know each holding cell, each regional detention centre,

each provincial institution and federal prison.

You were a captive, you too wore chains.

No one falls through the cracks in your kingdom,

you witness every tear shed in the night.

Where there is loneliness, bring companionship.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is fear, courage.

Where there is confinement, your freedom.

We pray for every imprisoned person who misses their family,

who cannot hold their children, or visit their parents,

who will this Christmas be surrounded not by loved ones

but by inmates who have no way out.

These are people who have no trimmings for the holidays,

whose walls are garlanded with barbed wire,

who see spotlights instead of Christmas lights.

whose special holiday dinner is served on cafeteria trays

by people who are paid to be there.

We give thanks that the gift of the Christ-child on Christmas morning

is not controlled by human hands, not stopped by locks or bars.

As we wait for Christmas, open our hearts to remember

those who wait for court dates and parole hearings,

who wait for the end of each day and the end of their sentence.

Give us strength to refuse to be part of a society

that would shut doors forever and throw keys away.

We would meet you, Immanuel, God with us,

in the eyes of every person in prison.

Advent peace prayer for people living in poverty

We say a prayer of thanks today for those among us

in our community, in our country,

who are living in poverty.

Thank you for the courage of people with no money,

for their resourcefulness and ingenuity,

for the way they show that loving relationships do not depend on income,

for their joy and laughter in difficult circumstances

and for the willingness of those who live with little

to share with anyone who asks,

for they understand the spirit of Christmas.

 

We say a prayer of petition today for those among us who suffer from poverty;

for the mother who must decide which bill to pay, the electricity or the heat,

for the senior who moves to a room because they cannot afford an apartment,

for the father who doesn’t want to go anywhere near a foodbank

but must stand in line there to feed his family,

for the single person who has just been evicted and is in a shelter,

for the child who listens quietly and sadly

as their friends describe all the things they got for Christmas.

We pray for all who have experienced the dangers of our social safety net.

 

Show us, Lord, how to be people who bear good tidings.

Help us to make the crooked way straight for people suffering in poverty,

to set free those in captivity to want.

With our wallets and our voices and our votes, help us to be advocates,

creating a society that takes care of its citizens.

Open our ears to the angel’s song,

peace and goodwill for all your children.

Advent prayer for peace in Afghanistan

As we wait for the anniversary of your birth, Lord Jesus,

we are waiting for peace in Afghanistan.

We have created a war that goes on and on;

military operations come and go,

bombs get dropped or planted,

hospitals fill up and empty,

graveyards in Afghanistan and around the world

are visited by those who mourn.

And we have not found peace.

Saviour, where is your relief?

We need your strength and consolation.

We need release from fear and sin.

We require a rest from war.

And so today we ask for deliverance.

Deliver us from a mindset that takes war for granted,

that is unaffected by casualty figures,

that gives up hope for an end to conflict.

Deliver us from corporations that make billions

selling arms and armaments to countries at war,

profiteers who would like to see this war go on and on.

We pray for Afghan civilians,

who have endured too many foreign occupations.

We pray for Taliban fighters,

who believe in the cause for which they risk their lives.

We pray for foreign troops,

who also believe in the cause for which they risk their lives.

We pray for political and military leaders,

for religious leaders and diplomats on every side.

Open every heart to a longing for peace,

not just for themselves, but for their enemy.

Taliban, American, Canadian, all nations in Afghanistan

holding the bodies of their dead,

weeping together and saying, “Enough.”

Afghani people standing up to govern themselves,

providing justice for men and women.

This vision of peace is monumental and seemingly impossible,

but we know that you are the Prince of Peace,

and we ask for this gift in your name.  Amen.

Christmas Eve poem: Singing with angels

Hear the angel’s song tonight

glimmering harmonies

glorias gliding in the air like snowflakes

glorias glancing off gleaming eyes

glorias glowing in gladsome gladful hearts.

 

That glorious melody, full of earth peace,

so rich tonight, so full-fleshed,

it pierces to the deep heart’s core

and opens there, like a rose, blooming.

 

Loaded with melody, melodious we go

into a world where other songs hold sway.

Life’s discord, sin’s unholy racket

rises and lifts, its wild rhythm chaining us,

deafening us with jackhammer insistence.

In this surroundsound space, God of great gifts,

keep the angel’s song alive.

Teach us their tune by heart.

We would sing gloria in terror’s grip,

gloria as cruelty scars all that’s good

gloria as hope lies broken and battered

and all we love seems lost or left behind.

 

That angel song, strong as the morning star

threads through every cacophany with strains of joy.

The first-born gloria sung to shepherds sustains us

as it sustained that long ago Christmas couple.

We carry it in our hearts on the long road to Egypt

we cling to it at every Calvary,

and its notes burst the bedrock of our disbelief

as Jesus is born again

for all who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.

With angels we sang, we sing, we will sing,

Immanuel, God still with us,

Gloria! Gloria!

HIV/AIDS Advent Prayer

Dear God, you proclaimed your presence to Mary and Joseph

and walked with them to Bethlehem.

This advent, we listen for your voice;

we ask you to walk with us in our HIV/AIDS filled world.

We pray expecting your presence among us!

Be with all who live with the effects of this disease.

Be with those who wait to die because they have no access to medication.

Be with children who received HIV as a legacy from their parents.

Be with orphans and families who have lost loved ones.

Be with countries who have millions of citizens with HIV/AIDS.

Be with all who are stigmatized and ignored because they have this virus.

Be with politicians and corporate executives who control access to affordable medications.

Be with researchers and scientists who work to find a cure.

Be with healthcare workers and caregivers who comfort and encourage.

Be with all who have lost hope because of HIV/AIDS.

Lord, we hear the angel's song of peace!

Fill the hearts of people around the world with good will

so that together we can work for justice and healing

for all who suffer from HIV/AIDS.  Amen.

Advent Prayer for People Living with Violence

At this time of year as we sing “Silent night”

with its echoes of calm and heavenly peace,

we say a prayer for all who live in homes

where peace is absent.

We pray for children who live with fear,

whose homes are not a place of safety,

who live with beatings, both physical and verbal.

We pray for seniors and other vulnerable people

whose caregivers do not care

as they are neglected or degraded.

We pray for all who are emotionally abused,

and who are not loved, honoured and cherished.

We pray for women who have had to flee their homes

or are afraid to flee their homes.

We pray for all who have been sexually violated,

and who are haunted by fear of violation.

May love’s pure light this season empower us

to come to the aid of your hurting people.

We join together to sing Alleluia and thank you

for your grace that transforms our world.

In the name of the Holy Infant,

Christ our Saviour, Amen.

Advent Peace Prayer: Behind Bars

Emmanuel, God with us,

Saviour to captives and prisoners everywhere,

at this celebration of your birth

be with each lonely soul

exiled behind bars.

Emmanuel, God with us,

Saviour to prison guards and wardens everywhere,

at this celebration of your birth

protect those with power

from temptations of tyranny.

Emmanuel, God with us,

Saviour to families and friends of prisoners,

at this celebration of your birth

cheer spirits with your advent

in the darkness of every jail.

Emmanuel, God with us,

Key of David, who can unlock any door,

may we celebrate your birth

finding you again

in every lowly prison cell.

Advent Peace Prayer

Dear God: 

The newspaper brings nothing new

only an old, old story of war—

more bombing, more shooting, more bloodshed.

One more family wailing a funeral song.

Against the backdrop of brutal images,

we hear the old, old story of an angel with good news,

who brought good tidings of great joy for all people.

Angel of Bethlehem, we long to hear your song again this day.

We want good tidings for countries in crisis.

We want good tidings for people who long to govern themselves.

We want good tidings for soldiers caught in webs of violence.

We want good tidings for all who grieve, and who see no end to grieving.

We want good tidings for terrorists whose actions spread fear and anguish.

We want good tidings for ordinary people who long to live in peace.

We want good tidings for children, who long to inherit a country

where peace has blossomed.

Jesus, our Saviour,

you escaped Herod’s best-laid plans.

May your Spirit of peace be born again this year

in the hearts of all who work for peace.  Amen.