Call to Worship: Psalm 13

Here’s a responsive call to worship inspired by Psalm 13:3-6. It comes from the Godspace website.

Call to Worship

(inspired by Psalm 13: 3-6)

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;

lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him” –

lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

We come to you O Lord,

seeking answers to our questions.
We come to you O God,

because you are the Creator.

But I have trusted your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,

because he has dealt bountifully with me.

We come looking for a song to sing;
We wait for your voice

to call us from beyond our fear.

~ from a longer “Litany for a Blue Christmas,” posted on the Godspace website. See the entire litany here: https://godspace-msa.com/2015/12/18/litany-for-a-blue-christmas/

Advent Prayer of Longing and Waiting

Here’s an advent prayer from Ann Siddall, and the Stillpoint Spirituality Centre and Faith Community.

A Prayer of Longing and Waiting

Holy One, we have waited

through many a long night,

for your coming:

like those of old our eyes

have been red from weeping,

our minds numb from anxiety,

and our hands held out in longing.

And this Advent season

sees us waiting again,

alongside our own struggles,

and alongside a world

torn apart by greed and need,

poverty and affluence,

hunger and obesity.

When will You come to us?

When will we see a star we can trust?

When will wise ones rise up in our midst?

When will humble workers see angels?

How long, O God, must we wait

for the promises to be fulfilled?

How long will You keep us waiting?

So as once more we play the waiting game,

unable to bring about the changes we seek,

unable to put an end to society’s pain,

unable to appease all the hunger,

help us to be tenacious,

unyielding in our expectation

that Christ has come, and Christ will come again. Amen. 

~ written by Ann Siddall, and posted on the Stillpoint Spirituality Centre and Faith Community website. http://stillpointsa.org.au/prayer/prayers-and-liturgies/

Invitation to the Table: Stronger than Death

Here is an invitation to the table from the Third Space website.

Invitation to the Table

We remember the time when Jesus faced
difficult decisions and destructive forces:
Facing his winter – the days and nights of his searching,
– in facing failure – in facing death

When we too experience the winter of our lives
may we find the courage to let go
and trust in your guiding, warming light.

And we remember
Jesus has shown us that life is stronger than death.

And as we share the bread and wine together
we remember the words and the actions of that ancient meal…
Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it,
and gave it to his friends.

He poured a cup of wine, offered thanks for it,
and shared it also with his friends.

Ancient symbols.

Common acts.

~ posted on Third Space. http://third-space.org.uk/

Solstice Blessing

Here’s a blessing for Solstice (the shortest day of the year) or a Blue Christmas or Christmas service. It comes from Roddy Hamilton and the New Kilpatrick Parish Church website.

Solstice Blessing

Sorrow not, the world is wrapped in sleep no longer
Sorrow not, the darkness has length no more
Sorrow not, the light is slowly creeping back
Sorrow not, birth is soon and very soon

Rejoice now, night will soon folded away
Rejoice now, the shadows will turn and shorten
Rejoice now, the time of dark is over
Rejoice now, light is coming into the world

Be now, light within the world
Be now, the curse that has closed the darkness
Be now, the release of life as light returns tomorrow
Be now, the birth place of the child of light

~ written by Roddy Hamilton, and posted on the New Kilpatrick Parish Church website. https://www.nkchurch.org.uk/original-liturgy  

Opening Invitation to Longest Night

Here is an opening for a Blue Christmas, Solstice, or Longest Nght Service. It was posted on the Third Space website.

Invitation to Longest Night

There is a winter in all of our lives,

a chill and darkness that makes us yearn
for days that have gone
or put our hope in days yet to be.

The winter, cold and bare as nature takes stock
rests, unwinds, sleeps until the time is right.
An endless cycle
and yet a perfect model.

We need a winter in our lives
a time of rest, a time to stand still
a time to reacquaint ourselves
with the faith in which we live.

It is only then that we can draw strength
from the one in whom we are rooted
take time to grow and rise through the darkness
into the warm glow of your springtime
to blossom and flourish
bring colour and vitality into this world

Thank you, God, 

for the seasons of our lives

~ adapted from  http://www.faithandworship.com/  Posted on Third Space. http://third-space.org.uk/

Prayer: On the Edge of Advent

Here’s a prayer for the start of the Advent season from Rev. Deborah Vaughn, hospice chaplain and minister in Maryland. The prayer was posted on RevGalBlogPals.

Advent Prayer

silently and gently
falling and failing
changing and resting
seeking you, Lord…

we watch
we wait
we dream
we pray…

for the earth to renew
for our hearts to soften
for your grace to cover us
for your justice to pour out
for time and space to listen
for courage to act

on the edge of Advent,
we sit with you…
we pause…
we hurt…
we repent…
we rage…

When will it be?

Will it ever be?

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Amen.

~ written by Rev. Deborah Vaughn, a hospice chaplain endorsed by the Alliance of Baptists, and Assistant Minister at Twinbrook Baptist Church in Rockville, MD. She blogs at An Unfinished Symphony. This prayer was posted on RevGalBlogPals. https://revgalblogpals.org/2017/12/01/friday-prayer-on-the-edge-of-advent/

Pastoral Prayer: John the Baptist

Here’s a pastoral prayer inspired by the ministry of John the Baptist (Matt 3:1-12, Mark 1:1-8). It  comes from the Literature & Liturgy website.

Prayers of the People

(inspired by Matthew 3:1-12, Mark 1:1-8)

God, when the time was ripe and the hour had come,

you sent your servant John into the wilderness

to proclaim the coming of the one true Messiah:

Make way! Repent and be baptized!

For the salvation of God is at hand.

John came to bear witness to the true light,

the Messiah, the Son of God.

And he told them, wake up!

Watch and wait,

for the hour is near when the Son of God will arise.

God, on this second Sunday of Advent

we have heard your servant crying out to us in the wilderness.

We have heard the call to repentance and restoration,

and we want to respond.

We have heard that you are offering forgiveness of sins,

and we want to hear your mercy spoken over us.

We have heard that you are baptizing with water,

and with the Holy Spirit and with fire:

cleanse us and make us new.

We have heard that you are ushering in a reign of peace,

and we want to see your kingdom when it comes.

God, our sins are many, but your mercy is great.
Our vision is dim, but your coming is at hand.
Our hope is feeble, but your promises stand forever.

God, your world stands in need of you.

Everywhere we look we see need of you:

for your coming, your restoration,

your peace, your transformation.

On this second Sunday of advent

we pray for the nations to know your truth and your light.

We pray for the poor, the hungry, and the needy.

We pray for those who are spiritually hungry and poor in spirit:

may they come to know the living water,

and to drink deeply from your well.

We pray for those who face Christmas alone,

or sick, or homeless, or destitute:

Jesus Christ, Light from true Light,

be a light in the darkness.

(Prayers of the people)

God, the hour of your coming again draws near.

Make us ready: in our hearts, in our minds, in our souls.

Lord Jesus Christ, come to us again this Advent.

Come and do not tarry.

Even so, come Lord Jesus! Amen.

~ posted on Literature & Liturgy. https://jesusscribbles.wordpress.com/