Rev Gav

Advent

The name ‘Advent’ comes from the Latin for ‘coming’ or ‘arrival’.
During this season we look forward to the arrival of Jesus at Christmas
and we also think about the end game, where we’re all heading
and what we, as Christ’s church, are working towards.

Isaiah 40:3

Time to express an address from the wilderness
Shouting out from the desert with flow finesse

“Get yourself ready for the coming of the Regent
Clear the street with red carpet treatment

Mountains will be flattened and the valleys plugged
He’ll straighten the curves and level up the rough

Cos it’s time to sit up and check out the situation
A cosmic equation of equalisation

A revelation to the nation and the wider population
People, are you ready for total God salvation?”

Gathering Prayer

May we know the presence of our Lord with us today as we pray and worship him.

Wherever we are,
whatever is going on with us,
whatever our mental state,
we come together as one community in the name of Christ.
We will offer God our praise and thanksgiving.
We will hear and receive God’s holy word.
We will pray for the needs of the world.
We will seek God’s welcome and acceptance.
And, through the power of the Holy Spirit
we will give ourselves to serve God, others, and the world.

Getting Ready…

We give our body to you.
We give our mind to you.
We give our emotions to you.
We give our spirit to you.
Come, Lord, and save us.
Come, Lord, and help us.
You give us life in all its fulness.
Free our praise.
Inspire our prayer.
And shape our lives.
May you receive all the praise, honour and glory,
for you are one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
now and forever.
Amen.

Self examination…

Lord Jesus Christ
You are the light of the world.
Dispel the darkness of our hearts
And under your light
We now let examine ourselves:
Our brokenness, our motives, our mistakes.

We keep a moment of silence.

We make a conscious decision to turn to you.

Father,
We have messed up.
We have hurt you.
We have hurt others.
We have disrespected your world.
We are not worthy to be called your children.
But we turn to you again.
Please have mercy on us,
Please bring us back to yourself
Because we were once dead
but now have life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In and through him,
may you bring us his pardon and peace,
now and for ever.
Amen.

Affirmation of Faith

We now declare our faith in God:

We believe in God the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.
We believe in God the Son,
who lives in our hearts through faith,
and fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit
who strengthens us with power from on high.
We believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Prayers

We now pray for our own needs and for the needs of the world:
Lord, meet us in the quiet and hear our prayer.

For the world
(for peace, for all leaders, for those suffering or in need)

For Christ’s church
(for our bishops, clergy, the diocese, local churches)

For the fab.church community
(for leaders, groups, and those in need or distress)

For our friends and family
(for those we love and those no longer with us)

For ourselves
(we give thanks and we ask for help and guidance)

In darkness and in light,
in trouble and in joy,
help us, heavenly Father,
to trust your love,
to serve your purpose
and to praise your name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

As we wait for Jesus to come in glory, we pray with confidence:

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

The Song of Zechariah (Benedictus)

Praise the Lord, the God, of Is-ra-el
He rocked up, shocked up and redeemed his people

From the blue line of Dave, our God is stating
The one on a mission is mighty liberating

Us from our rivals, they will be deterred
Through his holy prophets God gave his word

To remember his promise, his pledge to assure
Being merciful to those that came before

He did a deal to win, a great planned grand slam
Through a contract he made with Abraham

And so we have been saved from being enslaved
Preserved to serve without having to be brave

For we are edified, verified, amnestied, bona fide
For ever and a day we are fully sanctified

And you, my little boy will be the prophet of the Most High
Prepare and declare, the way for the big guy

With a message to the massive how to save their soul
Forgiving the sin, taken in like a black hole

Because God’s mercy is loving and tender
The dawn from heaven is about to render

Light to those in darkness on the edge of mortality
Fatality, brutality, we’re talking in-finality

To guide us to the place of peace and vitality
Morality, normality, a holy totality

Prayer of St. Columba

Be, O Lord,
a bright flame before me,
a guiding star above me,
a smooth path below me,
a kindly shepherd behind me,
this day and for ever.
Amen.

Blessing

May the love of the Lord Jesus draw us to himself,
the power of the Lord Jesus strengthen us in his service,
the joy of the Lord Jesus fill our hearts;
and may the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be among us and remain with us always.
Amen.

In joyful expectation of his coming we say
Come Lord Jesus!