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CENTERING PRAYER
Lord, how I love this season of new beginnings, the opportunity to turn toward you and start again. Empower me to be a messenger of good news, and a leveling influence along the way, as I seek to be one with you in smoothing out the rough places I encounter. Amen.
CALL TO WORSHIP – Part of the Advent Candle Liturgy
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Faithful God, we confess we have not led lives of holiness. We suffer from impatience, apathy, and greed; we have not been at peace. We repent of these offenses and turn to you in love. Forgive our iniquity and pardon our sins, that we may walk in righteousness to the glory of your name. We continue to pray in the name of Jesus Christ. (Silent Confession)
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Mark 1:1-8
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1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,[a] the Son of God,[b] 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”[c]—
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”[d]
4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with[e] water, but he will baptize you with[f] the Holy Spirit.”
Saint John the Baptist, a 1540 portrait by Titian
God is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for God's good pleasure.
God our creator, yours is the morning and yours is the evening. Let Christ the sun of righteousness shine forever in our hearts and draw us to that light where you live in radiant glory. O Lord, our creator, by your holy prophet you taught your ancient people to seek the welfare of the cities in which they lived. We commend our neighborhood to your care, that it might be kept free from social strife and decay. Give us strength of purpose and concern for others, that we may create here a community of justice and peace where your will may be done God of glory, you see how all creation groans in labor as it awaits redemption. As we work for and await your new creation, we trust that you will answer our prayers with grace, and fulfill your promise that all things work together for good for those who love you. (Add your prayers.) Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
(Opening sentences, prayers, and blessings are from the Book of Common Worship. Readings are from the daily lectionary in Daily Prayer. Both are published by Westminster/John Knox Press.)
I believe the church liturgical calendar offers up hope (along with peace, joy, and love) for those of us willing to stand up to the night. The next four weeks are the darkest of the year, but we will light candles at the beginning of every worship service. We do this as a way of marking time as we approach Christmas Eve, but we also do it in anticipation of Jesus’ triumphal return. The light was there at the very beginning and this light will lead us through the end. “In him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:4-5, NRSV.)
I do not know what long night you might be in right now, but I do know the darkness does not have the final say.
Hope wins.
Peace wins.
Joy wins.
Love wins.
Christ wins.
May we all experience the Advent season of anticipation and preparation with candles, prayers, and praise. May you have the light of Christ in your hearts even on the longest nights. May you reflect this light into the world so desperate to believe there is a better path forward. Little deeds of grace, kindness, and forgiveness might not seem like much, but these lights have the power to change the world. May we hold them up high for everyone to see. In Hope and Confidence, Pastor Dave
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| Scripture: II Peter 3: 8-14 |
What child is this? Jesus Christ, a perfect gift from a gracious God.
Through the Christmas Joy Offering, we reflect God’s perfect gift to us, with generous support of church leaders among us—past, present, and future—who have pointed us to God.
We honor and celebrate leaders like retired pastors, church workers and their families who have faithfully guided and led us but who now find themselves in critical financial need. We honor and celebrate emerging leaders like students in schools and colleges equipping communities of color, who develop leadership skills as they pursue their education and prepare to bring their gifts in service to the world God loves so much.
Let’s continue St. Mark’s tradition of strongly supporting the Christmas Joy Offering. Use the envelope in your packet or simply designate the Joy Offering in the memo line on your check made out to St. Mark.
CENTERING PRAYER
God of power unexpected, we want you to tear open the heavens and come down; to make mountains quake, water boil, and starts to fall until all nations tremble at your presence! We know you will not perform according to our wants and whims. Instead, you come like the sound of sheer silence: Thin. Quiet. Instead you are born among us as an infant. Instead you show us how love is made perfect in weakness. So, we will stay alert, or at least we will try, because we are your people and there is no other God besides you. Amen.
ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING
Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the Sunday in which we recall the hope we have in Christ. The prophets of Israel all spoke of the coming of Christ, of how a savior would be born, a king in the line of David. They spoke of how he would rule the world wisely and bless all nations.
On Christmas day the Christ of our hope was born. On Good Friday the Christ of our hope died. On Easter day the Christ of our hope rose from the dead. He then ascended into heaven. On the last day, the Christ of our hope will come again to establish his kingdom over all things on earth.
As the follower of Christ, we await his return. We light this candle to remember that as he came to us as humbly in the manger at Bethlehem and gave light to the world, so he is coming again in power to deliver his people. We light this candle to remind us to be alert and to watch for his return.
(Light the First Candle)
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God-with-us, even in Advent, we confess you can seem too far away. You are hidden when we need you near. In our hurt, doubt, and fear, we do not try to draw close to you; instead, we lash out – against you, our neighbor, even those we love. Forgive us, we pray, and come to save us! Let your face shine until our tears are dried, our sins are faded, and our hope is restored. After all, we belong to you, and in your hands, we can be made new. We pray this in Jesus’ name. (Silent Confession)
OFFERING
Invitation to the Offering
God enriches us in every way – in speech, knowledge, and spiritual gifts. From the fellowship of Jesus Christ, we are sent out to share with thanksgiving what we have received.
Prayer after Offering
Let us pray. Faithful God, we thank you that Christ is being revealed in every time and place until he comes again in the fullness of glory. Strengthen our testimony and spiritual gifts; increase generosity in us, we pray, as we wait for the day of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Isaiah 64:1-9
64 [a]Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains would tremble before you!
2 As when fire sets twigs ablaze
and causes water to boil,
come down to make your name known to your enemies
and cause the nations to quake before you!
3 For when you did awesome things that we did not expect,
you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.
4 Since ancient times no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
5 You come to the help of those who gladly do right,
who remember your ways.
But when we continued to sin against them,
you were angry.
How then can we be saved?
6 All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
7 No one calls on your name
or strives to lay hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us
and have given us over to[b] our sins.
8 Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
9 Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord;
do not remember our sins forever.
Oh, look on us, we pray,
for we are all your people.
Photo by Iraj Beheshti on Unsplash
I appeal to you, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and
Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ ascended to the throne of heaven that he might rule over all things as Lord. Keep the church in the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace; bring all creation to worship at his feet, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Clothe us with the power promised from on high, and send us forth to the ends of the earth as heralds of repentance and witnesses of Jesus Christ, firstborn from the dead. Merciful God, strengthen us in prayer that we may lift up the brokenness of this world for your healing, and share in the saving love of Jesus Christ. We pray for those in positions of authority over others, the lonely and forgotten, children without families or homes, agents of caring and relief. (Add your prayers.) Amen.
May God in endless mercy bring the whole church, the living and departed, to a joyful resurrection in the fulfillment of the eternal kingdom.
(Opening sentences, prayers, and blessings are from the Book of Common Worship. Readings are from the daily lectionary in Daily Prayer. Both are published by Westminster/John Knox Press.)
