Lectionary resources: Advent 1 Year B

Isaiah 64:1-9 A plea to God to come down and show his power
Psalm 80:1-7,17-19 Give ear, O shepherd of Israel
1 Cor. 1:3-9 as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ
Mark 13:24-37 they will see the "Son of Man coming in the clouds"

Hymns suggested by Denis Towner (TIS Together in Song, AHB Australian Hymn Book, SA Sing Alleluia)

B	Hymns for Advent 1, Yr.B
lesson	Hymn	TiS	AHB	SA
G	A mighty fortress is our God	103	[8]
O	All my hope on God is founded	560	465
E	All praise to our redeeming Lord	442	367
E	All things bright and beautiful	135	70
E	And can it be that I should gain	209	138
E	At the first coming of the Lord			10
	Christ is the world's light, he and none other	246	191
G	Christmas is coming!	289
	Come O Jesus, come, O Lord		211
E	Come risen Lord and deign to be our guest	524	442
E/G	Come thou long-expected Jesus	272	200
	Dear Shepherd of your people, hear	464	371
O	Father of everlasting grace		313
	God of mercy, God of grace	452	379
O	God's Son came to bless us	197
E	Great is your faithfulness	154
G	Hail to the Lord's anointed	275	203
	Hallelujah sing to Jesus	517	439
G	Hark a herald voice is calling	264	192
	Hark the glad sound! the Saviour comes	269	197
G	How brightly beams the Morning Star	[199]	220
O	How can a sinner know		482
G	How firm a foundation, you people of God	578	491
	I danced in the morning	242	183
E	If we will trust in God to guide us	554	459
O	Immortal, invisible, God only wise	143	80
	Jesus calls us! o'er the tumult	589	505
O	Jesus, where'er your people meet	445	372
Ps	Joy to the world! the Lord is come	268	224
	Let all the world in every corner sing	185	13
	Lift up your heads, you mighty gates	267
wresth	Light one candle for hope	286
O/G	Lo he comes with clouds descending	273	201
G	Lord Jesus our bright Morning Star	199	[220]
Ps	Lord make us turn to you	42
	Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy	613	546
E	March on, my soul, with strength		533
	Mine eyes have seen the glory	315	205
	Morning has broken	156	91
Ps	Now Israel may say, and that in truth	79	23
O/G	O come, O come, Emmanuel	265	193
O/G	O day of God, draw near	616	547
O	O for a closer walk with God	576	488
	O God of earth and altar		542
O	O God of every nation	621
G	O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder	155
Ps	O shepherd of Israel, hear us	42
	O what a gift, what a wonderful gift	278	213
E	Open my eyes, that I may see
Ps	Praise to the Holiest in the height	141	79
Ps	Praise, my soul, the King of heaven	134	68
	Saviour of the nations, come	295
	Seek, O seek the Lord, while he is near	464	397
G	Sometimes a light surprises	128	155
G	Songs of praise the angels sang		62
G	The advent of our God	271	198
	The heavens shall declare the glory of his name	746
	The King of glory comes, the nation rejoices	279	212
G	The Lord will come and not be slow		194
	The voice of God goes out to all the world	382		86
G	There's a light upon the mountains	276	207
G	Wake, awake, for night is flying	266	195
G	Ye servants of the Lord		474

O that you would tear open the heavens and come down -- [Isaiah 64:1]. The plea for God to intervene, to show his presence in human history, was a cry from the heart in this prayer of the prophet. There are times in all of our lives, and in the lives of families and nations when God seems remote. It was from a background of war and desolation that the prophet cried out [Isaiah 64:10-12]. Theirs was not complete despair. They continued to confess faith in God [vs 4].

Waiting in faith

So it has always been to people of faith. We wait in faith and hope for the revealing of the One in whom we believe. And we remember the command of Jesus to keep alert and watch while we wait [Mark 13:37].

It is easy to dismiss as "religious nuts" those who are convinced that old prophecies point to great dangers in our present situation. Objectively, we do live in a dangerous world. One thing can be said for enthusiastic proclaimers of the coming of the kingdom and the judgement of God: they do at least believe that God will not be mocked; that is they do believe that God the Father is God, the Lord of heaven and earth. While we can, and indeed must, also remember that Jesus said, But about that day and hour no one knows (Matthew 24:35-36), we should not forget the sense of urgency in his teaching about the coming of the Kingdom.

At this time of the year as we prepare for Christmas we too would express the same faith in God who comes to those who wait for him. Waiting is not something we are very good at these days. You can have it now! That is the common attitude. Do you think it is possible that losing faith in God has something to do with our loss of ability to wait for good things to come. Or is it the other way around? The church will be focussing attention during Advent (the waiting time) and at Christmas on the real meaning of Christmas -- that is, that through the birth of Jesus God reached out to form a new relationship (a new covenant) with humankind. That is the faith with which we wait: that God will come to us.

It is because we have faith in God as a God of justice, who will come to us and set us and put things right, that we are encouraged into acts of caring for those who may see little light in their darkness. It is in that faith that I want to encourage you to contribute to the Christmas Bowl or similar opportunities to share our material blessings with people in need. There are many projects around the world in which Churches acting together are working in co-operation with churches in the communities of need to bring relief and encourage development. In deed as in word, we witness to faith in the justice of God as we share with those in need and with the ancient prophet who cried out for the heavens to be torn open.

CALL TO WORSHIP
Let us worship God, who calls us out the darkness into his marvellous light. -- 1 Peter 2:9b
We wait to welcome you in Christ, as the light comes out of the darkness.

LIGHTING THE ADVENT CANDLE: first Sunday.
[A family group or individual comes to the table and one reads:]
The true light, that enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. [John 1:9]
[One coloured candle is lit, and reading continues.]
On this first Sunday in Advent we remember how the ancient prophets proclaimed that God is one who comes to his people, and that he would come in the future as Lord and Saviour. Jesus, when he came, said that he would come again come in love and power. Glory to you Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

CONFESSION
There are times, Lord, when we lose sight of the light of your presence in creation and in our lives.
Lord have mercy.
Your light came into the world in Jesus, shining in the darkness, and it was not overcome; but we have failed to recognize his presence.
Christ have mercy.
Your Spirit enlightens the whole world wherever people turn to you; forgive us for our failure to open our lives to your presence in the Spirit.
Lord have mercy.

DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. -- 1 Timothy 1:15
Hear then Christ's word of grace to us: Your sins are forgiven.
Thanks be to God.

FIRST READING Isaiah 64:1-9 A plea to God to come down and show his power
[PSALM 80:1-7,17-19 Give ear, O shepherd of Israel]

EPISTLE 1 Cor. 1:3-9 as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ
GOSPEL Mark 13:24-37 they will see the "Son of Man coming in the clouds"

OFFERING
SHARING TIME [Notices, Celebrations and requests for intercessions]
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
A SHORT LITANY FOR ADVENT
O Morning Star, splendour of light eternal and bright Sun of righteousness:
come and enlighten all who dwell in darkness and in the shadow.
Lord Jesus, come soon!
O King of the nations, you alone can fulfil their desires:
Cornerstone, you make opposing nations one:
come and save the creature you fashioned from clay.
Lord Jesus, come soon!
O Emmanuel, hope of the nations and their Saviour:
come and save us, Lord our God.
Lord Jesus, come soon!

THE COLLECT FOR THE DAY
Almighty God, you have promised to make all things new. Graciously enable us to prepare for the coming of Christ your Son, that he may find us waiting eagerly in joyful prayer. He lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Thanks and praise ..... in the eternal hymn: [SA 100c and 100d]
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.
We thank you ....

[The great prayer of thanksgiving continues, recalling God's goodness in caring for his people, the life and saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ, how he commanded his disciples to remember him with the bread and the wine, and we pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit on us and what we do.]

THE LORD'S PRAYER [Front of hymn book]
BREAKING THE BREAD
THE LAMB OF GOD [Choir: Sing Alleluia 100e]
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, grant us peace.

WORD OF MISSION
BLESSING
DISMISSAL
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord:
In the name of Christ. Amen.

A bare branched small tree stands in the sanctuary. It bears decorations prepared by the children including leaves with names of members of congregation. Gifts for people in need are placed at the foot of the tree to be distributed before Christmas. The name "Jessie Tree" is a reminder of the father of King David from whom it was promised a new descendant would arise as the Messiah, (Isaiah 11:1-2) A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. {2} The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.