Advent liturgy for visit of Archbishop of Baghdad

The following service was prepared for Monday morning worship in the ecumenical centre Geneva on December 10 2007 attended by a group of church leaders from churches living in situation of conflict. The meditation was given by Archbishop Asadourian of Baghdad, that text is not included here but he spoke both of the way Christians prepare duringr Advent and of the desperately difficult situation of people in general and also of Christians in Baghdad today.
The liturgy was prepared from various sources, in particular Ruth Burgess's wonderful book Candles and Conifers was used for the opening sentences and closing benediciton (said by the Armenian Archbishop of Tehran!). Those parts remain her copyright. The prayer of confession is adapted from an Anglican resource available on the internet and the prayers of intercession are adapted from the WCC's Porto Alegre worship book Em Tua graça.
The music came for the most part from Agape, which is jointly published by the LWF and OUP. Other music was the Magnificat from Marty Haugen's Holden evening prayer and the Lord's prayer in Syriac.
Ruth Burgess has published several other books for the various periods of the liturgical year and I shall treat myself next to Eggs and Ashes which is the Lenten and Easter series. I love the titles!
And finally Simon Barrow put the opening Bible quote from Zechariah on his blog and that was the seed for putting the service together. It's a great peace-making call to worship. Credit where credit is due - we are not only creative on our own!

Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts.
(Zechariah 3.6b)

WORDS OF WELCOME

Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts.

As farmers wait for rainfall
As prisoners wait for freedom
We wait for the coming of God

As exiles yearn for home
As peacemakers yearn for justice
We long for the coming of God

As travellers search for shelter
As disciples look for answers
We prepare for the coming of God
(Coypright Ruth Burgess)

Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts.

♪ Agape 73 (all verses in English)
Praise the God of all creation God of mercy and compassion
Alleluia, Alleluia Praise the Word of truth and life!

PRAYER OF CONFESSION
When our faith is rooted deeply in you, O God, our lives reflect your
kingdom values of justice and righteousness, but sometimes our lives become
so entangled with the values of the world, that your values take second place.

Forgive us, O God,
and reconnect us to the Holy Spirit, source of power and life.

Merciful God, strip our hearts and minds of all that prevents our lives being
firmly rooted in you.
May our lives bear fruit worthy of our faith in you, as we watch and wait
for your breaking into our world once more, in the person of Jesus
Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
Amen

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the Lord our God, who does wondrous things . (Psalm 72: 8)
The most wondrous of all being God's entry into our world in Jesus Christ,
"not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him."
"Those who believe in him are not condemned." (John 3,17, 18)
Thanks be to God!

♪ MAGNIFICAT (from Holden evening prayer)

Leader: An angel went from God to a town called Nazareth to a woman whose name was Mary. The Angel said to her, “Rejoice O highly favoured, for God is with you. You shall bear a child, and his name shall be Jesus, the Chosen One of God most high.” And Mary said, “I am the servant of my God, I live to do your will.”
(immediately to The Magnificat)

SCRIPTURE READING
Isaiah 11. 1-10

♪ Agape 107 (please remain standing for the reading of the gospel)
Word of Justice Alleluia Come to dwell here Maranatha
Tu Pardonnes, Alléluia, tu te donnes, Maranatha.
♪ Word of gladness, Alleluia, Come renew us. Maranatha!
O sagesse, Alléluia, ô promesse. Maranatha!

Gospel: Matthew 3. 1-12
♪ Agape 107
Word of power alleluia live within us maranatha.
Tu libères alleluia tu nous sauves maranatha.
♪ Word of healing alleluia heal our sorrow maranatha.
Tu consoles alléluia nos tristesses maranatha.

MEDITATION

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION (based on Isaiah 61)

God of Grace, teach us to proclaim the year of your favour.

♪ Agape 110
Yarabba ssalami amter alayna ssalam,
yarabba ssalami imla’ qulubana salam.

In a world in bondage we pray for all who try to be oaks of righteousness,
for those who break the chains of injustice and bear witness
that a world transformed through grace is possible.
Hear our prayer for those who plant signs of your kingdom of love and justice in cities and countryside ruined by war, hatred or ecological disaster.
We pray especially for the peoples of Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.

God of Grace, send your Spirit upon us that we too may proclaim good news.
♪ Agape 110
Yarabba ssalami amter alayna ssalam,
yarabba ssalami imla’ qulubana salam.

God of Grace, teach us to proclaim the year of your favour.
We pray for all those imprisoned by grinding poverty and degrading work,
for human beings treated and traded like items on a balance sheet.
Hear our prayer for all who yearn for liberation from unjust systems and oppressive regimes and especially for those fleeing war, famine or economic devastation.

God of Grace, may your word be fulfilled in our and their hearing today.
♪ Agape 110
Yarabba ssalami amter alayna ssalam,
yarabba ssalami imla’ qulubana salam.

God of Grace, teach us to proclaim the year of your favour.
We pray for all who suffer in mind, body or spirit and for all people longing for healing.
We pray for liberation from stigmatising attitudes towards disabled and ill people.
Hear our prayer particularly for the people and churches of Cape Verde, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal as we pray for and with them through the ecumenical prayer cycle.

God of Grace, give us the oil of gladness instead of mourning.
♪ Agape 110
Yarabba ssalami amter alayna ssalam,
yarabba ssalami imla’ qulubana salam.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (sung in Syriac)

BLESSING (please rise)
Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts.

We walk in the wilderness searching for meaning
May God baptise us with mercy and fire

We walk in the city thirsting for justice.
May God baptise us with integrity and hope.

We walk towards Bethlehem seeking a Saviour.
May God baptise us with holiness and joy.
(Coypright Ruth Burgess)

Any may the blessing of God
Father Son and Holy Spirit come upon us now and remain with us for ever.
Amen