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.

Prayer for Others: Advent 3A

Here’s a prayer of intercession inspired by the suggested scripture readings for Advent 3, Year A.  It was written by Terri, and posted on RevGalBlogPals.

Prayer of Intercession for Advent 3A
(inspired by Isaiah 35:1-10, Psalm 146:5-10)

For the speechless tongues of those oppressed
For weak hands, feeble knees, widowed, spirits 
Made lame, we pray

For those orphaned from war, violence, fear
Parentless children, silent, stifled cries. For the
hungry, we pray

For wives, beaten, abused, trampled, shot
Spirits abandoned, imprisoned by fear. For
Women, we pray

In the dry land of desert wilderness, parched
Stranded spirit, a deer that cannot leap. For the
Broken, we pray

Blessed are those whose help is God
Happy are those whose hope is God, for the
Good News, we pray

For the Good News of God, born human, who
Comes to live and love us, as us, be glad, rejoice,
Singing, we pray

For hope, like blooming flowers in a dusty desert
For hope, compassion bursting forth, be strong!
God is with us.
Amen.


Confession: James 5: 7-10

Here’s a responsive prayer of confession inspired by James 5: 7-10.  It was written by Rev. Susan A. Blain.

Prayer of Confession
(inspired by James 5: 7-10)

Oh God, you call us to patience and diligence
in the painstaking work of your Reign,
But we get discouraged and give up too soon.
Lord, have mercy.
Oh God, you call us to collaborate in community
in the painstaking work of your Reign,
But we neither trust nor honor the gifts of others.
Christ, have mercy.
Oh God, you call us to be full of joyful confidence
In the painstaking work of your Reign,
But we burden ourselves with anxiety and fear.
Lord, have mercy.

(a moment of silent prayer)

Forgive us, O God,
and lead us in the ways of patience, community and joy.

~ written by The Rev. Susan A. Blain, and posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways website. http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/year-a/ace/advent-third-sunday-of.html

Isaiah 11: A Creed

Here’s an affirmation of faith inspired by Isaiah 11: 1-10, the suggested scripture reading for the second Sunday of Advent, Year A. 

We Believe
(inspired by Isaiah 11: 1-10)

In that day, the wolf and lamb will live together….  Isaiah 11:6

Jesus has taught us to speak of hope as the coming of God’s Kingdom.
We believe that God is at work in our world
turning hopeless and evil situations into good.
We believe that goodness and justice and love will triumph in the end,
and that tyranny and oppression cannot fast forever.
One day ‘all tears will be wiped away’
and ‘the lamb will lie down with the lion.’
True peace and true reconciliation are not only desirable,
they are assured and guaranteed.
This is our faith, and our hope.

~ from Third World Solidarity Day, from the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace, 1987.  Posted in Liturgy, Justice and the Reign of God Integrating Vision and Practice http://www.jfrankhenderson.com/pdf/LJRG.pdf

Call to Worship: Isaiah 35: 1-10

Here’s a responsive call to worship inspired by Isaiah 35: 1-10. It comes from the Ministry Matters website.

Call to Worship
(inspired by Isaiah 35: 1-10)

Today there is good news for us to behold!
Those who feared that they were worth little to God
have found blessing in God’s sight.
For in the mercy and love of God,
the blind shall see, the lame shall walk without pain,
those who could not hear shall be blessed with hearing,
and there shall be peace.
God’s mercy and love is poured out for our parched souls.
Behold! The Lord’s compassion is with God’s people.
Believe in the power of God in all things. Amen.

~ posted on the Ministry Matters website. http://www.ministrymatters.com/

Benediction: Isaiah 35: 3-4

Go from here with confidence and hope.
Strengthen those who are tired and exhausted;
comfort those who are anxious and fearful.
Say to them all:
“Be strong, and do not fear!
For God is coming—
Indeed, God is already here!

Benediction: Advent 3A

Here’s a closing  commission and benediction inspired by the suggested scripture readings for the third Sunday of Advent, Year A.  It was written by Nathan Nettleton.

Commission & Benediction

Go now, with good news for the poor
and prepare the way for the Lord.
Wait patiently.
Do not grumble against one another,
but encourage one another.
Be strong and do not fear.

And may God come quickly to save you;
May Christ Jesus give you everlasting joy and gladness;
And may the Holy Spirit strengthen your hearts
and lead you on God’s holy way.

We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.

~ copyright © 2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Opening Prayer: Matthew 11: 3-5

Here’s an opening prayer of invocation inspired by Matthew 11: 3-5.  It was written by Rev. Susan A. Blain.

Prayer of Invocation
(inspired by Matthew 11: 3-5)

O God,
we come today echoing John the Baptist's question to your Beloved Child:
"Are you the one who is to come?"
Give us eyes to see and ears to hear the answer for ourselves:
In the work of justice: Christ!
In the practice of mercy: Christ!
In good news for the poor: Christ!
In the vision of peace: Christ!
Make us ready, with open hearts and joyful spirits,
to follow in Christ's Way. Amen.

~ written by The Rev. Susan A. Blain, and posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways website. http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/year-a/ace/advent-third-sunday-of.html

Pastoral Prayer: The Christ Who Comes

Here’s an Advent prayer from the Anglican Prayerbook website.

Prayer

Creator God,
we praise you for your love in coming to us, unworthy though we are.
Give us grace to accept the Christ who comes in your name,
and the courage to be Christ for others.

We praise and thank you, Creator God, for you have not left us alone.
Each year you come to us, Emmanuel, God with us in a manger.
Each time you come to us in the broken bread and the cup we share.
In time or out of time you will be revealed and we shall see you face to face.
Give us courage, God our strength, to see your Christ in all who suffer,
to be hands to the helpless, food for the hungry, and rescue for the oppressed.

~ posted on the Anglican Prayerbook website. http://anglicanprayerbook.org.nz/525.htm

Prayer: Waiting for the Kingdom

Here’s a responsive prayer from Annabel Shilson-Thomas.

Waiting for the Kingdom
(inspired by Isaiah 61:1, Luke 4:18, Luke 1:47-55)

Lord, we wait with eager expectation for the coming of Your kingdom
when the humble will be exalted and the hungry fed.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done.

Lord, we prepare for Your advent with searching minds and contrite hearts,
trusting in Your healing spirit and redemptive love.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done.

Lord, we watch with those who wait and weep,
longing to see the rule of justice and the reign of peace.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done.

Lord, we seek You among the despised and rejected,
knowing that there we will find Your light shining in the dark.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done.

Lord, we proclaim sight to the blind and liberty to the oppressed,
trusting in Your tender mercy and passion for justice.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done.

Lord, we work with others to proclaim Your truth,
challenging the mighty and raising the meek.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done.

Lord, we wrestle with our hopes and our fears, our struggles and our joys
laboring with creation to come to new birth.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

~ Annabel Shilson-Thomas.  Posted on the Christian Brothers of the Midwest website. http://www.cbmidwest.org/

Call to Worship: We Wait

Here’s a call to worship for the season of Advent from Jane Stranz.

Call to Worship
(inspired by Isaiah 35: 1-10)

This is the season of holy waiting.
We wait for the time when the desert will bloom abundantly.
We watch for the day when all God’s people will come together with singing.
We wait while the dawning light appears on the horizon.
Come let us walk in the light of God!

~ posted on Jane Stranz’s Of Life, Laughter and Liturgy blog. http://stranzdocs.blogspot.ca/2007/12/advent-liturgy-for-visit-of-archbishop.html

Advent Call to Worship: Come Once More

Here’s a responsive call to worship based on Isaiah 35: 1-10 and Psalm 146.  It was written by Rev. Richard J. Fairchild, and posted on Kir-shalom.

Call to Worship
(based on Isaiah 35, Psalm 146)


Come once more, with eager longing,
to receive the promises of God.

Out of the desert places of our lives
we gather with joy and gladness.

Happy are those who help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.

Our God has promised that lonely places and deserts will be glad
and blossom as the rose.

The Lord has promised that the blind will be able to see,
the deaf will hear,
the lame will leap and dance,
and those who cannot speak will shout for joy.

Our God,
who made heaven and earth and all that is in them,
keeps faith forever.
He sets the prisoners free
and brings healing to all who seek him.


The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down
and watches over strangers.
He upholds the orphan and the widow.

Our God executes justice for the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.

Come once more, with eager longing,
and bless the holy name of our God.

~ written by Richard J. Fairchild, on his Kir-shalom website. http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermon.html 

Call to Worship: Isaiah 35: 1-10

Here’s a call to worship inspired by Isaiah 35: 1-10.  It was written by the Rev. Nathan Decker.

Call to Worship
(inspired by Isaiah 35: 1-10)

Too long have we walked this dry desert wilderness searching for salvation.
We've drunk the cup of sorrow,
burned our feet upon the sands of misery,
and watched as our children were devoured by jackals, lions, and beasts.
"Be Strong! Do not fear! Here is our God! God will come and save you!"
Today, we walk in the Holy Way, the highway of the wise!
Where the lame leap as deer!
Where grateful blind eyes see colors!
And the speechless sing out to our merciful Lord!
Blessed be the Lord our God!
Praise the Lord, O Zion!

~ written by the Rev. Nathan Decker, and posted on the GOBD website. http://www.gbod.org/lead-your-church/21st-century-liturgy/resource/call-to-worship-based-on-isaiah-351-10

Confession: Isaiah 35: 1-10

Here’s a prayer of confession inspired by Isaiah 35: 1-10.  It comes from the Ministry Matters website.

Prayer of Confession

Patient Lord, forgive our lack of faith in your loving power.
We look around us and all that we see is what we don’t have.
We fail to notice the daily blessings you lavish upon us.
Clear our blindness to the needs of others.
Strengthen us and move us from lame excuses for not serving you.
Help us to truly listen to one another,
not with our pat answers ready, but with loving and generous hearts.
Heal us and make us ready to truly be your disciples.
In Jesus’ Name, we pray. AMEN.

Words of Assurance

Behold and believe in the wondrous power and love of God!
It is poured out for you and for God’s beloved world.
Rejoice in this good news,
for it is given especially to you. Amen.

~ posted on the Ministry Matters website. http://www.ministrymatters.com/

Call to Worship, Opening Prayer: Psalm 146

Here’s a combination call to worship and opening prayer inspired by Psalm 146:5-10.  It was written by Joan Stott and posted on The Timeless Psalms.

Responsive Call to Worship
(based on Psalm 146: 5-10)

Called to be God’s people,
we gather in joy-filled celebration of our Creating God.
We celebrate the Godly miracles of creation
we experience every day and night.

Called to be a people of faith,
we gather to praise our Eternal and Loving God.
Faithful God, we gather to give our thanks
that your promises are totally reliable.

Called to be a people of hope and trust,
we gather to give thanks for God’s care
and compassion towards people who are vulnerable
to life’s fears and stresses.
Justice-loving God,
we give thanks that your love and mercy
are the source and power behind God’s commitments
to the created world and towards all humanity;
and especially towards vulnerable,
dispossessed and isolated people in our midst. Amen.

~ written by Joan Stott, and posted on The Timeless Psalms. http://www.thetimelesspsalms.net/w_resources/advent3a_2013.htm

Call to Worship, Prayer: Isaiah 35: 1-10

Here’s a call to worship and opening prayer inspired by Isaiah 35: 1-10. It was written by Rev Nancy J.

Call to Worship
(inspired by Isaiah 35:1-10)

Listen–all creation rejoices, can you hear it?
There is so much noise and chatter, are you sure there is music?
Listen–the wilderness and desert are breaking out in song, can you hear it?
It’s been so long since we’ve heard a melody of praise.
Listen–the crocus blooms with joyful singing, the very mountains join in the refrain.
Can you hear it?
We join our voices in hope,
worshipping our God who brings forth a new song in the world.

Opening Prayer

Life-giving God, we are a blessed people.
In this moment of worship we pray that you might bless us anew.
Give us ears to hear the melodies of praise that fill the world around us.
And as we hear the songs, teach us to sing,
to dance with abandon,
to rejoice in the wonders of your grace.
Forgive us when we have passed by signs of your mercy.
From this moment forward,
open our eyes to the places where joy is springing up from parched ground.
Lead us by your Spirit in the pathways of your overflowing peace, hope, and joy.
Amen.

~ written by Rev. Nancy J. and posted on wonderings thru life and other such nonsense. http://ruminari.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/advent-3a-call-to-worship/

Pastoral Prayer for Advent 3A

Here’s a pastoral prayer for the third Sunday of Advent, Year A.  It comes from the Lutheran Forum website.

Prayer for Advent 3A
(inspired by Isaiah 35:1-10, Psalm 146:5-10, Matthew 11:2-11, James 5:7-10)

Lord Jesus Christ,
like John the Baptist we want to know if you are the Messiah.
You tell us to listen and to take notice of you in this world,
and then, from experience, you talk about the kingdom of heaven.
Open our eyes to see the lame walking, cures occurring,
and hope rising in the kingdom that shall come,
all as evidence of your presence among us.

Stir up your power and come: Be born anew in us.

Dearest Father, your glory is made manifest
by the strength you give us as your believing people.
Fear dissipates when you are near.
Weak knees no longer tremble.
We want to sing, and joy replaces doubt.
We reach for you with our feeble hands,
but it's your hand that holds us fast.

Stir up your power and come: Be born anew in us.

Holy Spirit, we need your counsel.
We do not wait well.
Like farmers waiting for crops to ripen, we need to remember
that your time and presence saturates all of our days,
especially those in which nothing much seems to be happening.
And then you make us bloom in due season

Stir up your power and come: Be born anew in us.

We remember, Lord, that you set the prisoners free,
and gave justice to the wronged.
Now you care for parent-less children and surviving spouses through us,
your hands and heart and voice in a world
that does not see loneliness as suffering.
Be present through us as we attend to all in need.

Stir up your power and come: Be born anew in us.

As we name those whom we know have special needs for healing,
remind us of our own need to be prayed for by the faithful.
Hear us as we speak aloud, or in our hearts, the names of those who need you,
even as we whisper our very own names ____.

Stir up your power and come: Be born anew in us.

Soon, Jesus, comes the Day of Christmas, your incarnation.
Help us, like children, to feel the excitement,
for we are all children of the Heavenly Father.

Stir up your power and come: Be born anew in us.

All the earth, seas, and heavens are yours,
and we pray these prayers
because you have promised to listen to us. Amen.

~ from the Lutheran Forum website. http://www.lutheranforum.org/extras/Advent_3.pdf

A Prayer for the Philippines

Here’s a prayer for the situation in the Philippines from Rev. Mindi’s Rev-o-lution blog.

Prayer for the People of the Philippines

Holy Creator,
We cannot fathom the loss, the despair, the destruction.
We cannot comprehend the grief, the anguish, the mourning.
We cannot make meaning, sense, understanding, of what has happened.
We hold the country of the Philippines in our minds.
We hold the home of so many in our hearts.
We hold the lives of tens of thousands in our prayers.

Holy Spirit,
We ask for the wisdom to be silent and to listen.
We ask for the strength to reach out with helping hands.
We ask for the courage to have hope in humanity.
We seek guidance to avoid empty words.
We seek gently to offer assistance in helpful ways.
We seek our brothers and sisters in need.

Holy Savior,
We desire to show compassion.
We desire to embrace our sisters and brothers.
We desire to love our neighbor as ourselves.
We trust in Your love and grace.
We trust in Your hope and faith.
We trust in Your promise of resurrection and new life.

Loving God,
Move our hearts to know our Filipino brothers and sisters in our homelands.
Move in our hearts to reach out in caring ways.
Move in our hearts so that we might seek justice for the poor,
become better stewards of the earth we all share,
and work to reduce the impact of such events
on the poor, the homeless, and the marginalized.

In the name of Jesus,
who is our companion through all storms, we pray. Amen.

~ written by Rev. Mindi, and posted on Rev-o-lution.  http://rev-o-lution.org/2013/11/14/a-prayer-for-the-philippines/

Prayer of Thanksgiving: Giver of Light

Here’s a responsive prayer of thanksgiving from Bruce Prewer.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

All thanks to you, most holy Friend,
Giver of light and love and holy joy.
Before the beginning, when space and time did not exist,
you nursed a brilliant hope for the children who were yet to be.

All thanks to you, most holy Friend,
Giver of light and love and holy joy.
In the young world, when you first raised up humankind,
you planted in them a hope that would survive their wandering and falling.

All thanks to you, most holy Friend,
Giver of light and love and holy joy.
Through the turmoil of history,
with the rise and fall of powerful nations,
you called the Hebrew tribes to be your people of hope.

All thanks to you, most holy Friend,
Giver of light and love and holy joy.
With prophets and ethical law-makers,
with their poets and devout scholars,
you prepared the world for a hope-event to outstretch all others.

All thanks to you, most holy Friend,
Giver of light and love and holy joy.
At exactly the appropriate time,
you sent John the Baptiser to get your people ready for the incarnate Hope
that would begin at Bethlehem and ripple around the world.

All thanks to you, most holy Friend,
Giver of light and love and holy joy.
And when we, you latter-day children,
found our place in this world,
we discovered all around us, like yeast in dough,
the energy of this Hope veined through all things.

All thanks to you, most holy Friend,
Giver of light and love and holy joy.
For the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,

All thanks to you, most holy Friend,
Giver of light and love and holy joy. Amen!

~ written by Bruce Prewer, and posted on Bruce Prewer’s Homepage. http://www.bruceprewer.com/DocA/02advent2.htm

Prayer: Through the Waiting

Here’s a prayer for Advent from the Christian Aid website.

Prayer

Accompany us, God,
through the waiting.
Accompany those displaced
waiting to return to the land.
Accompany those in refugee camps
waiting to go home.
Accompany those in conflict zones
waiting for normality.
Accompany those in violent homes
waiting for silence.
Accompany those imprisoned
waiting for justice.
Accompany us God
through the waiting
until your kingdom comes.
Amen.

~ from Bible Studies for Advent 2013 on the Christian Aid website. http://www.christianaid.org.uk/Images/Advent-2013-bible-studies.pdf

Advent Candle Litany: Peace

Here’s a short litany for the lighting of the second Advent candle (Year A)…or you could use it as a call to worship and opening invocation. It was written by Rev. Susan A. Blain, and posted on the Worship Ways website.

Candle Litany and Prayer
(inspired by Isaiah 11: 1-10 and Matthew 3:2)

We dream God’s dream, of a world at peace
Where enemies are reconciled, and children play in safety;
Where the poor and powerless find justice.

We remember God’s promise of a Ruler of Peace,
Filled with the Spirit of God, of wisdom and understanding,
Of counsel and might, of justice and faithfulness.

We light this Advent candle, and we pray:
Come Lord Jesus! 
Open our lives to the Peace which you bring;
let us turn to you, and get ready!

~ written by Rev. Susan A. Blain, in To Dream God’s Dream: Service Prayers for the Second Sunday of AdventPosted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways website. http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/year-a/ace/advent-service-prayers.html

Call to Worship: Advent 2A

Here’s a responsive call to worship inspired by the suggested scripture readings for the second Sunday of Advent, Year A (Isaiah 11: 1-10, Psalm 72: 1-7, 18-19 and Matthew 3: 1-12).  It comes from the Ministry Matters website.

Call to Worship for Advent 2 A
(inspired by Isaiah 11:1-10, Psalm 72, Matthew 3:1-12)

In this season of prophecy, promise, and preparation, 
we come to be renewed and refreshed.
We come to be inspired by stories of a messiah
who will change the world—and change us.
We come to listen for words of hope and joy,
promise and challenge.
We come with open ears, open minds, and open hearts.
We come to receive the blessings God has in store for us
in this season of waiting.
Come! Let us worship our God—
the One who brings all things to fulfillment.


Prayer: A Call to Repentance

Here’s a prayer of thanksgiving and commitment inspired by the call of John the Baptist.  It was written by John Birch, and posted on Faith and Worship.

A Call to Repentance
(inspired by Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4-6, Isaiah 40:3)

As streets fill with shoppers
Bright lights and tempting offers
Christmas songs and children’s laughter
You lead us along a different path
To a desert river and a Prophetic voice
A call to repentance
A call to service
A call to immerse ourselves
In living water that will never run dry
A call to prepare a way in our own lives
For the Saviour of the world to enter in
To know the touch of tender mercy
And rest in your forgiving love

For your faithful prophets
And your Living Word
We give you thanks. Amen

~ written by John Birch, and posted on Faith and Worship. http://www.faithandworship.com/

Confession: Advent 2A

Here’s a prayer of confession inspired by the suggested scripture readings for the second Sunday of Advent, Year A.  It was written by Jane Stranz.

Prayer of Confession
(inspired by Isaiah 11: 1-10, Psalm 72, Matthew 3:1-12)

When our faith is rooted deeply in you, O God,
our lives reflect your kingdom values of justice and righteousness,
but sometimes our lives become so entangled with the values of the world,
that your values take second place.

Forgive us, O God,
and reconnect us to the Holy Spirit,
source of power and life.

Merciful God, strip our hearts and minds
of all that prevents our lives being firmly rooted in you.
May our lives bear fruit worthy of our faith in you,
as we watch and wait for your breaking into our world once more,
in the person of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
Amen

Assurance of Forgiveness

Blessed be the Lord our God, who does wondrous things. (Psalm 72: 8)
The most wondrous of all being God's entry into our world in Jesus Christ,
"not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him."
"Those who believe in him are not condemned."
(John 3:17,18)
Thanks be to God!

~ posted on Jane Stranz’s Of Life, Laughter and Liturgy blog. http://stranzdocs.blogspot.ca/2007/12/advent-liturgy-for-visit-of-archbishop.html

Call to Worship: Zechariah 3: 6

Here is a responsive call to worship inspired by Zechariah 3:6.  It was written by Ruth Burgess.

Call to Worship
(inspired by Zechariah 3:6)

Not by might, nor by power,
but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 3:6

As farmers wait for rainfall
As prisoners wait for freedom
We wait for the coming of God

As exiles yearn for home
As peacemakers yearn for justice
We long for the coming of God

As travelers search for shelter
As disciples look for answers
We prepare for the coming of God

~ Ruth Burgess.  Posted on Of Life, Laughter and Liturgy… http://stranzdocs.blogspot.ca/2007/12/advent-liturgy-for-visit-of-archbishop.html

Call to Worship: Advent 2 A

Here’s a call to worship for the second Sunday of Advent (Year A) from David Beswick’s Home Page.

Call to Worship
(inspired by Matthew 3:3, Isaiah 11:9)

Let us worship God as we prepare to celebrate the coming of the Lord,
remembering John the Baptist—
"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the Lord'."

“For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.”

~ from David Beswick’s Home Page. http://www.beswick.info/rclresources/A2A95OS.htm