Led by Stephen Spain
If you would like to join this service of worship using just the videos playing one after another, you can visit our playlist on Youtube by following this link or simply clicking play on the first video below.
Welcome and call to worship
Hello and a warm welcome to this service of worship for the first Sunday in Advent. My name is Stephen Spain and I’m a minister in Oxford Circuit. Let us worship God together.
Come to God all you who are afraid.
Come all you who are anxious.
Come all you who are weary,
and in Him find peace and hope and rest,
this Advent and always.
Song: StF 175 Light of the World
Advent Candle Liturgy
We read from the prophet Isaiah: ‘Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; lift it up, do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”’ – the Advent God of creation.
As we light our first candle, we give thanks to God for the gift of this bounteous creation, celebrating its diverse life and wondrous beauty. We know that all created life should be enabled to flourish as God intended, and yet often our actions do not treat it with value. As we face the climate crisis, we lament the ways in which creation has been stifled and altered by our actions. And yet, we also give thanks for the hope we find in the Creator as we wait for God to visit us again.
Let us pray. We pray for all who work to renew the environment, to reverse the years of neglect and abuse and bring hope, love and light to the world. We commit ourselves to play our part in protecting this most precious of gifts and to ‘lift up our voices mightily’ to call on all to do more to care for creation. Amen.
Song: Light a candle in a darkened place, verses 1 and 2:
Prayers
We praise you, O coming God, for you are ever near us.
The presence of your love transforms and renews us.
Draw close to us as we draw close to you.
You are the Lord who saves and heals
To you, O Lord, we lift up our praise.
Lead us in your truth and teach us your ways;
Have mercy on us and surround us with your love;
In you, O Lord, we put our trust.
We praise you, God of all time and all seasons,
for your trustworthiness, for your faithfulness,
and for your watchfulness.
For you do not let us down,
you do not give up on us and you do not let us go.
Amen.
Forgive us, loving God,
when we allow fear to overcome confidence;
when we put our trust in that which is destructive
and allow hope and faith to slip through our fingers.
Forgive us and strengthen us when we are fragile.
Protect us when we are vulnerable,
and use us to bring light and hope
to those in darkness and despair.
We ask this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Song: StF 180 O come, O come, Immanuel
Reading: Luke 21:25-36
The Coming of the Son of Man
‘There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves.People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in a cloud” with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
Then he told them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
Exhortation to Watch
‘Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.’
Sermon
Music for reflection: Look up – Matt Beckingham
Prayers for the world
God, you entered the world as a human baby at a difficult time.
We pray for those in difficult circumstances,
those for whom the picture is bleak:
those waiting in hope for justice,
those in the darkness of poverty,
those who must walk for clean water.
Lord, inspire us, and make us signs of your kingdom.
We pray for those who live in fear and foreboding
under the tyranny of modern-day Herods;
for those who are weighed down with dissipation
and the worries of this life.
Give us the courage to support them through protest and prayer.
Lord, inspire us, and make us signs of your kingdom.
We pray for those who show where God is to be found:
those who offer friendship at bus stops and in the playgrounds,
in the counselling rooms and on telephone help lines,
those who work to bring peace and restore hope.
Lord, inspire us, and make us signs of your kingdom.
Amen.
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.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.
Amen.
Song: StF 173 Into the darkness of this world
Blessing
Be brave and admit your fears.
Be daring and speak out your hopes,
and be confident that the God of Advent is with you.
And may the blessing of the coming God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Be with you this Advent and forever more.
Amen.
Organ Voluntary
Carina Sturdy plays Toccata on Veni Emmanuel by Andrew Carter
Oxford Methodist Circuit worship 