CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Most Loving God, Creator of the Universe, today, as we enter the Advent season, we lift up our prayer of hopeful anticipation. In the weeks that follow, we will be readying ourselves for the outpouring of your comfort and goodwill. We will be preparing our minds to embrace the wondrous things to come. We do this by remembering all that you have given to humanity since the dawn of time. You have forgiven us over and over again that we might learn how to forgive. You have rescued us that we might share your love and blessing with others. You have made covenant after covenant with us and promised to be faithful always, that we might live responsively in faith. We confess our failures in keeping covenant with you. In this season of new beginnings, we will focus our hearts and minds on doing that very thing. We shall turn our attention to you, seeking, anew, to discern your will and way for us. Speak to us of surrender and soul-searching; adjure us to make time for prayer and self-examination. Prayer is where you await us and where you promise comfort for our weary souls. We promise, in the name of the Christ, to meet you there each day. Amen.
STEWARDSHIP INVITATION
In his book Christmas is Not Your Birthday Mike Slaughter writes: “You are the evidence that God’s Messiah is present with us, when everything that is broken around you is being restored, when the oppressed are being set free and the Good News is preached to the poor.” The Black Friday madness of consumption started even earlier this year, with folks in a frenzy to shop, to buy, to get a deal at Midnight on Thanksgiving. I am pretty confident when I say: “No one was thinking about Jesus’ birthday, rather they were adding up their Santa credits. Let us be the evidence of the Messiah, not Santa.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God, pour out your blessing upon the gifts we offer with cheerful hearts. As we enter this Advent Season, remind us that these weeks are meant to be a time of spiritual reflection, as well as anticipation. In these days of shopping and buying gifts for our families and loved ones, plant a seed of ever-remembrance that the birthday we are looking forward to celebrating is not ours. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.
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