CALL
TO WORSHIP
As
people of hope we gather together for worship.
Here
we begin the road that leads to a manger in Bethlehem.
As
people with whom God has shared a vision,
we
come to worship, to share the vision, to hold it in front of us.
As
those who live the vision of peace and justice, we greet each other
with words and signs of God's peace...
OPENING
PRAYER
God
of hope,
here
in this place we open our hearts and souls to you.
God
of hope,
in
this time of worship renew the fires of hope in our hearts.
God
of hope,
help
us see past the devastations and broken-ness of the world to the time
when you will once again be born in our midst.
We
pray in the name of Jesus, whose birth we await, and who would one
day teach his friends to pray saying...
PRAYER
FOR AND ASSURANCE OF GRACE
God
we look at the news headlines and we wonder,
where
is there room for hope in such a broken world.
We
remind ourselves of your vision for the future and we wonder,
how
long do we have to wait for the reign of peace and justice?
The
tides of despair threaten to overwhelm us,
and
we lose sight of the vision, the letters are too small, we can not
read it.
God,
as we wait, and wait, and wait,
grant
us patience, open our eyes to see the vision, open our hearts that we
would be filled with your hope and promise.
And
in your grace,
help
us to see both where we are part of the broken-ness and where we can
be part of enacting the vision.
...time
of silent prayer...
In
this Advent season of preparation and waiting we wait expectantly.
God WILL break into the world again. God WILL share the Good News
for all people. Angels will sing and the world will be changed,
renewed, restored. We will be changed, renewed, restored as well.
Thanks
be to God. Amen.
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