St Clement Church First Sunday of Advent
Community Service
Good morning to you all
Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the season during which we prepare ourselves for the coming of the Christ Child. More than that, how far have our lives at times mirrored the ‘Advent signs’ that our Lord talks about. Perhaps we could think about Advent differently this year – what do you think?
My love to you all
Liz
Father God, we gather here today under your care and protection. Thank you for your loving kindness that never fails us. We thank you for those with us and those sharing this time in their own homes, that you would guide our thoughts and actions to bring you glory. Strengthen us and fill us with your peace.
May we love and serve each other as Jesus has shown us.
Fill us with the Holy Spirit to do your good work on earth. Amen
We say together:
Lord of all, as we gather to worship You, we ask for hearts open to Your presence. Fill this place with Your Spirit and our souls with Your peace. Let every song, prayer, and word spoken glorify You and draw us closer in communion with You and each other. In Your holy name, we worship. Amen
Hymn: 11 O come, O come, Emmanuel
We say together our Prayer of Penitence:
Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbour as ourselves.
In your mercy for give what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God.
Amen.
The Collect for the first Sunday of Advent
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and put on the armour of light, now in this time of mortal life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility; that on the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen
Readings:
Jeremiah 33. 14 – 16
1 Thessalonians 3. 9 - 13
Hymn: 335 All my hope on God is founded
Gospel: Luke 21. 25 - 36
(Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Response: ‘Glory to you O Lord.’)
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in a cloud” with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’
Then he told them a parable: ‘Look at the fig trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth.
Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.’
(This is the Gospel of our Lord. Praise to you, O Christ)
Reflection
As a child, I don’t remember anything special in Advent – perhaps Methodists weren’t into Advent in the same way as Anglicans – we definitely didn’t celebrate many of the festivals and saints’ days that the Church of England does. Advent was the countdown to and looking forward to Christmas.
Once I had children, each year we had an Advent calendar and the children took it in turns to open a door. We also had a family Advent candle which was lit every day but, I am ashamed to say, I didn’t really think any more about it. It was only when hearing this reading years later, and then reading it for myself, that I began to think – what does it really mean?
I thought of my life – the days when they were not days of looking forward, they were days of agony and despair when I really wondered if I could go on. The days agonising whether I should bring my children back to Cornwall; the days watching my father deteriorating in a hospital bed until only his intellect was left; the day of the phone call telling me that my mother had been killed in a car accident; the struggle with inner loneliness. Are these not Advent signs?
‘There will be signs,’ said Jesus.
Wow! When you read what the signs will be, it sounds as if the ‘end of the world is nigh,’ doesn’t it? But does it?
Jesus’ words are not words of warning and threats. Jesus doesn’t ask us to predict the future. He never says that these are the signs that the end of the world has come. Instead, He says that when we see the signs we are to stand up, raise our heads, and know that help is on the way; our redemption, our healing, our Saviour have drawn near.
The signs are not a reason to hang our heads in despair or shrink, from life. That we can see the signs in our lives and world means that the circumstances we face and the events that happen contain and reveal the promise of Christ’s coming. The signs are our hope and reassurance that God has not abandoned us, that God notices us, that God cares, comes to, and participates in our life’s circumstances.
Jesus’ parable of the fig tree teaches us how to read the signs. The Advent signs are as ordinary and common as a fig tree sprouting leaves. We see leaves and know something is happening. It’s a new season with new life, new growth, new fruit. That is the promise and good news of the Advent signs. And yet that promise, that good news, is fulfilled not apart from but in and through the reality of our life’s circumstances and our world’s events, no matter how difficult or tragic they may be.
So, if we looked at our lives and our world and we began to read and understand the signs in our Advent stories as sprouting leaves, what would we see? What would it mean?
It would mean that the Kingdom of God is near. It would mean that we are entering a new season. We would see new life and new growth. We could produce new fruit. We could open the doors of our life with new courage and confidence. We could look on the world with a new sense of compassion and hope. We would be strengthened to do the work that God has given us to do.
Yes, the Advent seasons of our lives can be long, difficult, and painful. But we never face those seasons without the signs of hope and reassurance, signs that point to the one who is coming.
‘There will be signs,’ Jesus said.
Amen
We say together in faith
We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.
We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high.
We believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen
Hymn: 9 Lo! he comes with clouds descending
Our Intercessions
Father God, as we come before you today on this First Sunday of Advent, we ask you to prepare us for the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ. We pray in faith and we bring before you the needs of the Church and the world.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
We pray for your Church gathering all around the world today, in tiny churches and great cathedrals, in homes and in open spaces, to praise you and to hear your holy word. Give us a sense of expectation as we come, and inspiration as we go.
Help us to put our differences behind us and to unite instead behind the great commission of Jesus to make disciples of all nations and people.
We pray for your blessing on all priests and leaders in your Church who preach and teach the message of salvation and we pray especially for our much-loved priest, Reverend Diane, as she seeks to do your will and guide us through our spiritual and worldly journeys.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
We live in a troubled world where there is so much conflict and strife. We pray for an end to the continuing wars in Ukraine, in Gaza, Lebanon and Israel and other areas of the world where there is unrest and where peace has been powerless and violent people have had their day. Revive our dreams of justice and truth, and restore our passion for what is good and right.
We ask you to govern the hearts and minds of those who lead our nations and for those in authority that they may act justly, with honesty and integrity according to your will.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
In our daily life, help us never to forget the importance of love. May love motivate our care for our neighbourhoods; may love heal the social ills which sometimes drag us into despair.
May love inspire us to live our lives beyond mediocrity; may we always remember that we are members of one family, and that we cannot exist alone.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
On this day, we pray for the homeless, for refugees, the expelled and forgotten everywhere. May they know that your guiding hand is always with them.
We ask you to help us all to use our gifts and talents to the greater good of all, challenge us to drive away complacency and apathy when we know in our hearts that we can do more to help and sustain those in need.
We pray for those for whom this day will seem long and hard, for those in hospital or ill at home, those struggling with despair or depression, those seeking work, and those for whom this day will be their last. Comfort and heal all who suffer, give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation. We especially pray for: Ken and Reverend Diane, May, Susan, Lauren, Lynda, Terry and Dot, Margaret, Maureen, Pam and David, Barrie and Sandra, Roger and Helen, Michael and Patricia, Rob and Alison, Stella, Jeremy, William, Jane, Anita and Stephen, Callum and Elaine, Andy, Anne, Sue and Martin, Margaret and John, Dave and Jeanette, Jane, Carrie and John Paul, those who we know who need our prayers and those who have no one to pray for them.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Jesus Christ is the light of the world, a light which no darkness can quench. We remember before God those who have already gone before – we remember those whose year’s mind occurs at this time:
The light of our Pascal Candle symbolizes the light of Christ which eternally shines and brings hope.
You turn our darkness into light; in your light shall we see light.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
As we leave this place today, Advent Lord, come even nearer.
Come to rejuvenate our faith, come to fortify our social conscience, come to widen our eyes of wonder, so that when the Saviour comes, He may steal into our hearts and find them ready.
Merciful Father: Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen
Let us pray with confidence as our risen Lord taught us;
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
An Advent Poem by John Bell
Light looked down and saw the darkness. “I will go there,” said the light. Peace looked down and saw war. “I will go there,” said Peace. Love looked down and saw hatred. “I will go there,” said love. So he, the Lord of Light, The Prince of Peace, The King of Love, Came down and crept in beside us.
Notices
The Peace
God has called us to live in peace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
Hymn: 495 God is working his purpose out
The Blessing
The Lord bless us and keep us; the Lord make His face shine upon us, and be gracious to us; the Lord turn His face towards us and give us peace; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among us and remain with us always.
Amen