Advent worship - waiting for light

“The True light that gives light to everyone”
Service for the Second Week of Advent
Visit of the China Christian Council
Praying through the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle for
Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal
6 December 2010

Musical rehearsal
Words of Welcome
Call to Worship

This is the season of holy waiting.
We wait for the time when the desert will bloom abundantly.
We watch for the day when all God’s people will come together with singing.
We wait while the dawning light appears on the horizon.
Come let us walk in the light of God!

Advent hymn
Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh! Viens Jésus, oh! Viens Emmanuel !
Nous dévoiler le monde fraternel,
Où ton amour plus fort que la mort,
Nous régénère au sein d’un même corps.
Chantez, Chantez, il vient à notre appel
Combler nos cœurs Emmanuel. !

Oh! Viens Jésus tracer notre chemin;
Visite-nous étoile du matin.
Au fond de nos regards fais monter
L’éclat soudain du jour d’éternité.
Chantez, Chantez, il vient à notre appel
Combler nos cœurs Emmanuel !

Oh, come, O Key of David, come,
and open wide our heav'nly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path of misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Prayer
God of patience and longing may the light of your truth enter our hearts,
that we may see more clearly what promise your coming holds out for us and have the courage to live our lives for you.
Send your Holy Spirit upon us and bless us with your inspiration.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sung Response: Kindle a flame to lighten the dark and take all fear away
(candles can be lit)
Advent Antiphones
O wisdom, coming forth from the Most High,
filling all creation and reigning to the ends of the earth;
come and teach us the way of truth. Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus.

O Lord of Lords, and ruler of the House of Israel,
you appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush, and gave him the law on Sinai:
come with your outstretched arm and ransom us. Amen.
Come Lord Jesus.

O root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the nations;
kings will keep silence before you for whom the nations long;
come and save us and delay no longer. Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus.

O key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;
you open and none can shut; you shut and none can open:
come and free the captives from prison, and break down the walls of death. Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Sung Response: Kindle a flame to lighten the dark and take all fear away

O morning star, splendour of the light eternal and bright sun of righteousness:
come and bring light to those who dwell in darkness and walk in the shadow of death. Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus.

O king of the nations, you alone can fulfil their desires: cornerstone, binding all together: come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust of the earth. Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus.

O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, hope of the nations and their saviour:
come and save us, O Lord our God. Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Sung Response: Kindle a flame to lighten the dark and take all fear away

Bible Reading - Genesis 50:15-21
Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, ‘What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?’ So they approached Joseph, saying, ‘Your father gave this instruction before he died, “Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.” Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father.’ Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also wept, fell down before him, and said, ‘We are here as your slaves.’ But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones.’ In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.

Please rise to sing Hale, Hale hale luya ~Thuma Mina 55
and remain standing for the gospel reading

Gospel Reading - John 1:1-9
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

Reprise Hale Hale Hale luja

Meditation

Prayers
(Through the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle this week we pray for the peoples and churches of Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal)

For the darkness of waiting
of not knowing what is to come
of staying ready and quiet and attentive,
we praise you, O God:
For the darkness and the light
are both alike to you.

Sung Response: Lumière de Dieu (Thuma Mina 150 - in French)

For the darkness of staying silent
for the terror of having nothing to say
and with a greater terror
of needing to say nothing,
we praise you, O God:
For the darkness and the light
are both alike to you.

Sung Response: Lumière de Dieu (Thuma Mina 150 - in French)

For the darkness of loving
in which it is safe to surrender
to let go of our self-protection
and to stop holding back our desire,
we praise you, O God:
For the darkness and the light
are both alike to you.

Sung Response: Lumière de Dieu (Thuma Mina 150 - in French)

For the darkness of hoping
in a world which longs to you,
for the wrestling and the labouring of all creation
for wholeness and justice and freedom,
we praise you, O God:
For the darkness and the light
are both alike to you.

Sung Response: Lumière de Dieu (Thuma Mina 150 - in French)

Let us pray for the unity of the Church and the unity of creation; for all who work that the world may be one; for the work and witness of the Church throughout the world
In silence and aloud we offer our prayers for the world, for our friends and enemies, for ourselves
Silence or free prayer

Gathered together by the Holy Spirit we say the Lord’s Prayer, each in our own language.

Please rise for the sending
Au commencement était la parole!
In the beginning was the Word
Am Anfang war das Wort
In the beginning was the Word

Follow, where the Spirit of Hope leads us.
Listen, as the Child of Peace cries for us.
Rejoice, as the love of God embraces us
and let us go with Hope, Peace and Love in our hearts
and the blessing of the Triune God
Creator, Child and Spirit for ever within us.
Amen.

Song: Siyahamba ~ we are walking in the light of God ~ Thuma Mina 107;
sung first in Zulu then in English