04B – Advent 4B

03B - Advent 3B05B - Christmas Eve
 
See also my posts from 2011, 2017, 2020 , 2023

 
PSALM 80:1-7,17-19
O Shepherd of Israel,
leading Joseph like a flock, listen;
seated upon the Cherubim, shine forth,
before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.
Stir up your strength
and come for our salvation.
O God, restore the life we once knew,
let your face shine that we may be saved.
O LORD, God of hosts,
how long will you fume at your people’s prayers?
You have fed us tears for bread,
and given us tears to drink by the flagon.
You have made us a disgrace among our neighbours,
and our enemies ridicule us among themselves.
O God, restore the life we once knew,
let your face shine that we may be saved.

Let your hand be on the one at your right,
upon the person you strengthened for yourself;
then we will never turn away from you.
Give us life, and we will call upon your name!
O LORD, God of hosts, restore the life we once knew,
let your face shine that we may be saved.

PRAYER OF INTERCESSION
How long, Gracious God;
how long, Shepherd of your flock?
When will you restore the life we once knew;
when will you let your face shine that we may be saved?
Let your hand be on those whose food has been their tears
those drunk with grief and loneliness and pain.
Strengthen for yourself those ridiculed by oppression and helplessness;
give life to those we have named on our lips and in our hearts,
give life to those we cannot name
that they may also call upon your name

and never turn away from you;
in Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen

For use in worship, with acknowledgement. © Jeff Shrowder 2000.


A CREATIVE MOMENT 
Click here for some ideas for worship in Advent and Christmas gleaned from the pages of “On the Move” (now out of print) which was published by the Joint Board of Christian Education, Melbourne, Australia.


THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
(A prayer to gather the spoken and silent concerns/joys/thanks of the congregation and lead into a more structured Intercession with connection to the lections for the day. Sometimes this prayer will borrow phrases or lines from other sources e.g. Uniting in Worship 2 or publications of the Iona Community. )

Compassionate God,
you lift up the lowly,
and fill the hungry with good things.
Look with favour
on those whom we name on our lips and in our hearts
and on those whose concern is known only to you,
that they may the presence of your healing Spirit;
in Jesus’ name we pray …
(The Prayers of the People continue)


Looking for contemporary music and song resources?
Try David MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate

HYMN SUGGESTIONS FOR ADVENT 4 – YEAR B
 
Glory be to God the Father TIS 142
Let all mortal flesh keep silence TIS 497
Let earth and heaven combine TIS 305
Love Divine all loves excelling TIS 217
O worship the King, all-glorious above TIS 133
Son of God, eternal Saviour TIS 606
The people that in darkness walked TIS 274
There’s a light upon the mountains TIS 276
2 Samuel 7:1-11,16
Come, thou long-expected Jesus TIS 272
Hail to the Lord’s anointed TIS 275
Long ago, prophets knew TIS 283
O bless the God of Israel TIS 284
O come, O come, Immanuel TIS 265
Psalm 89:1-4,19-26/Luke 1:47-55
Begin, my tongue, some heavenly theme TIS 116
I will sing forever of your love, O Lord TIS 46
I will sing the wondrous story TIS 233
My soul gives glory to my God TIS 172
My soul gives glory to the Lord TIS 173
Rock of Ages,cleft for me TIS 222
Sometimes a light surprises TIS 128
Tell out,my soul, the greatness of the Lord TIS 161
Romans 16: 25-27
God gives us a future TIS 687
Immortal, ivisible, God only wise TIS 143
Joy to the world! the Lord is come TIS 268
May the mind of Christ my Saviour TIS 609
Of the Father’s love begotten TIS 290
Son of God eternal Saviour TIS 606
Thanks to God whose word was spoken TIS 431
Luke 1:26-38
At the name of Jesus TIS 231
Behold, a rose is growing TIS 294
Hail Redeemer, King divine TIS 237
Jesus Christ is waiting TIS 665
Jesus, the name high over all TIS 218
No wind at the window TIS 287
Not the powerful, not the privileged TIS 288
Once in royal David’s city TIS 312
The angel Gabriel from heaven came TIS 302

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