First Sunday of Advent

Call to Worship: Psalm 80

One: Arise, O Church, and look to the east! ☩

Many: The night is nearly over; the day is almost here!

One: Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.

Many: In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up your strength and come to help us.

One: Restore us, O God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

Many: O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angered despite the prayers of your people?

One: You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have given them bowls of tears to drink.

Many: You have made us the derision of our neighbors, and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

One: Restore us, O God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

Many: Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, the son of man you have made so strong for yourself.

One: And so will we never turn away from you; give us life, that we may call upon your Name.

Many: Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

One: Come, let us worship.

Collect: Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Liturgy of the Table: (Adapted From Lift Up Your Hearts: Year B, OSL Publications)

One: The Lord be with you.

Many: And also with you. One: Lift up your hearts. Many: We lift them up to the Lord One: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. Many: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

One: It is right, and a good and joyful thing.

Always and everywhere to give thanks to you,

Almighty God who is the potter that shapes and forms us.

Many: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

One: Holy are you, and blessed is your Son, Jesus Christ,

the one whom we long for.

Your Spirit anointed him to preach the good news to the poor,

to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

and to announce that the time had come when you would save your people.

He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and ate with sinners.

By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection,

you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery of sin and death,

and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples.

And he said

“Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks, gave it to his disciples,

and said

“Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these mighty acts in Jesus Christ, We offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith. Many: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again. **Placing hands over the elements to consecrate them** One: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and cup. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood, for we are called to be saints and bring the world to Christ. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at the heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and forever. Amen

And now with the confidence of children of God, let us pray: Many: Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven: Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil; For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen. One: Come, receive the elements. **Taking the bread** One: Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ. Receive, and eat.

**Taking the Cup** The cup over which we give thanks is a sharing in the blood of Christ. Receive, and drink. [Prayer After All Receive]

Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery

in which you have given yourself to us.

Grant that we may go into the world

in the strength of your Spirit,

as we await the coming of the Messiah.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. ☩

Amen. Benediction:

One: Go, in patient hope!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit ☩ go in grace and peace to love and serve the Lord and neighbor.

Many – Thanks be to God.