The Congregations of
St. Mark’s and St. David’s
United Church of Canada
Port
Hawkesbury/Port Hastings, NS
Office:
625-2229, Fax 625-3597, e-mail: stmarks1@eastlink.ca
Presbytery
Website: inverguyunited.ca
Ministers:
The Whole People of God
Ministers:
Nan Corrigan D. M.
Minister
of Music: Al Fougere
December 7th,
2014-Advent 2/Sacrament of Baptism St. David’s
Announcements The Work of
Church and Community
WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD
Greeting
One: The peace of Christ be
with you. All: And with your spirit
*Introit Procession &
Hanging of “Peace” Banner
*Call to
Worship
(back
of bulletin) Advent Candlelighting Liturgy
Adult:
Let us join together in a prayer for
peace for ourselves and our world using the words of the
International Peace Prayer.
Congregation:
Lead me from death to life,
from
falsehood to truth.
Lead
me from despair to hope,
from
fear to trust.
Lead
me from hate to love,
from
war to peace.
Let
peace fill our hearts,
our world, our
universe. Amen
*Candlelighting Hymn Hope
Is a Star verse 2 VU 7
Opening Prayer
*Hymn Hark
the Glad Sound VU
29
Prayer
of Confession
One:
I am just one voice.
All:
I am just one voice.
We
confess we have believed this. Even as we stand here together. Even
as we worship together. Even as we sing and explore and discern your
spirit together, we have imagined and believed we are each just one
and therefore cannot offer much to the ways of hope and peace in this
world. We have not carried our lights high. We have not shouted our
concern and wisdom from the mountaintops. We have not reached out to
embrace the ways of righteousness and peace, none-the-less allowed
them to kiss! We have seen the winding paths of the need for change
in our world, and in discouragement and grief, have entertained the
possibility of giving up on our ability to help.
One:
Help us to lift our voices.
All:
Help us to cry out for justice and healing. Help us to claim our
power to be the change we want to see in the world! Forgive us and
help us to proclaim: We are a thousand voices! We are not alone! We
can be
your way of hope and peace!
Words
of Affirmation
One:
God hears each voice, however small or large, whether from the centre
or the periphery.
Two:
God hears all voices.
Three:
God needs all voices.
Four:
God loves all voices.
Five:
God claims and renews all voices.
All:
God forgives all. Let us rejoice in this. Amen.
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
Isaiah 40:1–11 Comfort, O
comfort, my people.
One: This is the witness of
the Hebrew people.
All:
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 85:1–2, 8–13 Justice and peace will embrace VU
802
*Hymn Prepare
the Way of the Lord VU 10
Opening the Word & Lord’s Prayer/Sacrament of Baptism
The Gospel
Acclamation
Mark 1:1–8 The preaching of
John the baptizer.
One:
The gospel of Jesus
Christ. All: Praise to
you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Opening the Word 2
WE RESPOND IN FAITH
*Hymn There’s
a Voice in the Wilderness VU 18
Minute for Mission A Story from the Peace BoxOffering Our Gifts to God
*Offering Prayer
Accept, O God, this
money offered, these gifts given, the goodwill of our hearts, that
disappointment may be turned to hope, and worry may be turned to
anticipation, as we await with wonder the birth of the Christ. Amen.
Prayers of the People
One:
Hear our voices,
eternal Spirit, as we lift them up in prayer. Right:
Help us to be faithful
and to embrace the ways of justice and peace.
Left:
Help us to be
righteous, and kiss the ways of steadfastness and virtue.
One:
Hear our voices,
loving Kindness, as we pray for all who suffer and are oppressed:(The
congregation is invited to name situations of suffering and
oppression out loud.)
One:
Hear our voices,
healing Hand, as we lift them up in prayer.
Right:
Help us to be loving,
in a world hurting and in pain.
Left:
Help us to add our
voices to the chorus of those seeking peace and justice all around
the world.
One:
Hear our voices,
radical Welcome, as we lift them up in prayer:
All:
Help us to open our hearts to those in pain. Help us to share from
our strength and privilege. Help us to hear the truth and embrace the
ways of new life. Help us to be heard, known, seen, and loved. Amen.
WE GO
TO SERVE GOD
*Hymn Come and Find the Quiet
Centre VU 374
*
Sending Out
One:
Allow your voices to
be heard, people of God!
Do
not be afraid!
All:
Let us take our song into the world,
knowing
we are not alone.
*Choral Amen
