 Welcome, Cheviot churches! We worship together on first Sunday of Advent
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From a branch sprouting hope is coming. The heavens are shifting, hope is coming. A troubled world waits. Hope is coming. Lord, we, your people, wait patiently, hanging on with Advent hope. Lord, we bring you ourselves, we bring you our worship. Hymn 273 – O come, o come Emmanuel (1,4,5) Prayers of Adoration and Confession God of light and love, our praises and prayers overflow with hope as the season of Advent opens. You come to your people to dwell with us. You come with power—not to dominate, but to transform. You come with promises—not to give us what we want, but to make all things new. You come with signs of your deep love for the world. You come, and your truth breaks forth, shattering lies and half-truths, setting your people free. Your coming is our hope, and so, we offer you our worship in gratitude and anticipation. Come into our lives again, O God, and show us how to hope in the face of all that is discouraging, for we gather in the name of Hope made flesh, Jesus Christ, your promise and our desire. Surprising God, Forgive our sleepiness in the presence of your splendour. Forgive us for abandoning hope so quickly, and expecting the same old thing in the same old way. Forgive us for underestimating your power to do a new thing. Awaken us to your holy, hopeful presence. Awaken us so we may watch and wait for you. Come, Lord Jesus, come. The One who comes with justice also comes with mercy. The God of Judgment is the Christ of compassion. Do not be afraid but rejoice in the God who comes to us. Lord’s Prayer Lighting of Advent crown We light this candle for all God’s people, Struggling to be bearers of hope in a troubled world. As we wait for your promise, give light, give hope. Hymn 284 – Hope is the candle (v1) Readings – Jeremiah 33:14–16 Luke 21:25–36 Hymn 339 – Sing of Andrew Weekly Prayer Almighty God, as the new day dawns on this Advent Sunday, we give thanks for the first glimmers of the light which remind us of the coming of your Son Jesus Christ into our world. We believe that your light has the power to overcome all our darkness and pray that throughout the Season of Advent we may share in the mystery of the incarnation. Amen Reflection It was 1905, and a librarian in Brooklyn in the United States had taken exception to the book ‘Huckleberry Finn’. She didn’t think it was appropriate reading for children and wanted it banned from the children’s library. The Director of libraries for New York contacted the author, Mark Twain, who in his ironic reply said he quite understood, as his parents had forced him to read the Bible from cover to cover in his early teens and he had found it a traumatic experience. He recommended that the Bible be removed from the shelves too. The passage we read from Luke this morning can make uncomfortable reading, especially at the start of Advent when we look for something warm and comforting. The whole chapter talks about nation rising up against nation; there are earthquakes, famines and plagues. There’s persecution, and in our passage today people are perplexed by the waves and tides. The whole world seems to be falling apart. It is easy for us to see signs of disaster, to look at what is happening around us and be anxious. The Cop 26 conference has drawn attention to the extreme weather patterns, if we hadn’t noticed them already, and the climate emergency. The Covid pandemic is still very much with us, and some states in Europe are going back into lockdown. The migrant situation is bad with many so desperate for safety that they take enormous risks, and as we saw this week some die in crossing the channel. There is so much talk of racism and misogyny and sleaze. There seems to be a lot of bad news about. The prophet Jeremiah is often accused as being a prophet of doom and gloom, but in our reading today he gives hope as he talks of a green shoot sprouting, which would bring safety and security to Jerusalem. Equally in the Gospels, Luke records this litany of bad news, but then in verse 28 says, ‘Stand up and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand’. In other words, don’t be anxious, don’t give into fear, for there is hope. Luke goes on to talk about the fig tree bursting into blossom in the summer. Advent is a season of hope, as we wait for the coming of Christ at Christmas. This morning we sang that hope is the candle, which is never burnt up, but continues on. There are signs of hope around us. I get the ‘i’ newspaper, and every Saturday there is a page of good news stories, stories like the deaf actress Rose in Strictly Come dancing who with her partner seems to have made an impact, not least because she can’t always hear the music. But last week they started to dance, and then the music suddenly stopped and they continued, and suddenly the audience was in Rose’s world. I didn’t see it, but I could imagine how powerful it was. A sign of hope, and if we look around us, there are signs of hope everywhere. This Advent we prepare for the coming of Christ, who gave the world hope and whose words, we are told in Luke, will never pass away. As his followers, we are to be grounded in that hope and show that hope in our relations with the world and with those around us. The hope for the world born in Bethlehem and which allows us to reimagine a world which is just and fair, where we live out the radical love of Christ for all. Let us not be afraid, but live out the Advent hope. Hymn 509 – Jesus calls us o’er the tumult (1,2,5) Prayers of Dedication & Intercession Holy and Righteous God, we offer our gifts with humble hearts and with them we bring ourselves to be used ever in your service. O Spirit of Hope, When the world is confusing and bleak, you pierce the despair with your Word, and renew our vision of God’s possibilities for our lives. Thank you for lessons learned, for changes of heart, for new discoveries made and hope restored, even as the pandemic stretches on. As the world around us prepares for the long, cold sleep of winter, we pray for those who feel the burden of loneliness and isolation. We remember those without homes to shelter in, and those forced to leave their homes through conflict, natural disaster or political upheaval. We remember those who lost their lives in the English Channel and all risking the crossing. (Keep a brief time of silence) Spirit of Hope, shelter all these under your wings. Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer. O God of Peace, There is strife and disagreement all around us these days, sometimes in our own lives and relationships, and in many nations and neighbourhoods in the news. We pray for places where violence and cruelty appear to win the day, thinking especially of Afghanistan and Ethiopia, and situations closer to home that we carry on our hearts. (Keep a brief time of silence) God of Peace, work for just and peaceful resolutions to prevail. Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer. O Creator of Joy, We give you thanks for moments of joy and celebration in our lives, for pleasure given and received, for quiet times of reflection and conversation, and for the many ways that allow us to keep in contact with those we love. As the days grow colder, we remember those who feel bitter while others rejoice, those who grieve the loss of loved ones, and those who face a bleak winter for any reason. (Keep a brief time of silence) Creator of Joy, bring them light and warmth in the season ahead, and let your joy shine through us as compassionate companions. Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer. O Love divine made flesh in Christ, You call us into communion with you and community with one another. We pray for your church and our congregation, especially at this time when we envisage new kinds of ministry. May love guide all your people as we plan for our life and mission. We remember before you our families and friends, whether nearby or far away. (Keep a brief time of silence) Love divine, bless each one with your love and help us express our gratitude and concern for each other in word and action. Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer. Amen Hymn 477 – Lo, he comes (1,3,4) Benediction Go in eager expectation, awaiting and watchful for the coming of Christ. May the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you and those whom you love and those whom we are called to love, this day and even forevermore. Amen
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