Collect for the day
PRAYER FOR ADVENT WREATH LIGHTING
Blessed are you, sovereign Lord God of our ancestors: To you be praise and glory for ever. You called the patriarchs to live by the light of faith and to journey in the hope of your promised fulfilment. May we be obedient to your call and be ready and watchful to receive your Christ, a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for you are our light and salvation.
Blessed be God for ever.
COLLECT:
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility; that on the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
The Readings
FIRST READING: A READING FROM ISAIAH CHAPTER 64 VERSES 1 – 9
O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence—
2 as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil—to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence!
3 When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
4 From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you,
who works for those who wait for him.
5 You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways. But you were angry, and we sinned; because you hid yourself we transgressed.[b]
6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.
We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
7 There is no one who calls on your name, or attempts to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have delivered[c] us into the hand of our iniquity.
8 Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.
9 Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord, and do not remember iniquity for ever.
Now consider, we are all your people.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 80 Verses 1 – 8
1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock!
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
2 before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us!3 Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
4 O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us the scorn of our neighbours; our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
8 You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen
The Gospel Reading
HEAR THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST MARK CHAPTER 13 VERSES 24 –
Glory to you O Lord
24 ‘But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,
25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
26 Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. 27 Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
28 ‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.
29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he[e] is near, at the very gates.
30 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
32 ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.
34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. 35 Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36 or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly.
37 And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you O Christ.
Intercessions
We Pray for who’s who are sick and those who support them
We Pray for the the recently departed and those who’s anniversaries of death occur around this time.
Final Prayer
O Lord our God, make us watchful and keep us faithful as we await the coming of your Son our Lord; that, when he shall appear, he may not find us sleeping in sin but active in his service and joyful in his praise; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Welcome to all our visitors today
The Offertory Collection will be collected from the pews today.
During the service we will be offering the Common Cup. If you wish to take the communion wine please pass to the left of the altar after receiving the Communion wafer and then leave to return to your seat on that side of the church. Please do not dip the Communion Wafer in the cup of wine. The cup is for sharing only. If you do not feel comfortable sharing the Common Cup please pass to the right hand side of the altar and return to your seat on that side of the church.
CRUZ ROJA
Please continue to donate non-perishable food items for distribution to families in need. If you prefer to donate money you can put it in the Cruz Roja collection tin situated at the exit door.
