03C - Advent 3C — 05C - Christmas Eve
See also my post from 2012, 2015, 2018, 2021
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.
OFFERING
Compassionate God,
we bring an offering,
symbols of our daily living,
so that those whose food and drink have been tears
may be filled with good things;
the scorned given self-esteem;
and the lowly lifted up;
in Jesus’ name. Amen
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), 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 expressed by the congregation and lead into a more structured Intercession with connection to the lections for the day. Sometimes this prayer borrows lightly from other sources e.g. Uniting in Worship 2 or publications of the Iona Community.)
Compassionate God,
you bless us…
with the vision of your kingdom,
shedding light in our darkness.
Bless us and disturb us, O God,
with that vision of your kingdom.
In remembrance of your mercy
lift up the lowly,
fill the hungry with good things.
Look with favour
on those whose troubles are known only to you.
Comfort and encourage
those whom we name on our lips
and in the silence of our hearts
that your name may be magnified, in Jesus name….
(The Prayers of the People continue)
Looking for contemporary music and song resources?
Try David MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate
Or metrical psalms? Try Dale A. Schoening’s Sing the Psalms
| HYMN SUGGESTIONS FOR ADVENT 4C |
|
| Micah 5:2-5a | |
| Come, thou long expected Jesus | TIS 272 |
| Earth has many a noble city | TIS 291 |
| God! As with silent hearts we bring to mind | |
| O God of love whose heart is ever yearning | TIS 614 |
| O little town of Bethlehem | TIS 316 |
| Luke 1:47-55 |
|
| O come! O come, Emmanuel | TIS 265 |
| Christmas is coming | TIS 289 |
| My heart is full of Christ, and longs | TIS 214 |
| My soul gives glory to my God | TIS 172 |
| My soul gives glory to the Lord | TIS 173 |
| Tell out,my soul, the greatness of the Lord | TIS 161 |
| The angel Gabriel from heaven came | TIS 302 |
| Your hand, O God, has guided | TIS 456 |
| Hebrews 10:5-10 |
|
| From heaven you came, helpless babe | TIS 256 |
| Jesus comes with all his grace | TIS 219 |
| Let earth and heaven combine | TIS 305 |
| Long ago, prophets knew | TIS 283 |
| Master, speak, thy servant heareth | TIS 597 |
| O Jesus, Saviour, grow in me | TIS 575 |
| Luke 1:39-45 |
|
| All hail the power of Jesus’ name | TIS 224 |
| Child in the manger, infant of Mary | TIS 319 |
| Come, thou long-expected Jesus | TIS 272 |
| From heaven above and earth I come | TIS 296 |
| Hark the glad sound! The Saviour comes | TIS 269 |
| Joy to the world! The Lord is come | TIS 268 |
| Let earth and heaven combine | TIS 305 |
| The angel Gabriel from heaven came | TIS 302 |