Grateful for the presence of hope; grateful for the gift of life.
And when I think of God’s presence in my life, I am humbled:

Humbled by the gift of grace;
humbled by the invitation to begin again.
And when I think of God’s presence in this community, I am glad:
Glad to be surrounded by holy people worshipping our Holy God.

Thank you all; thank you, God.

Slowly, we come to worship on this holy Friday.
Reluctantly, we hear the story of Jesus’ suffering.
Bleakly, we follow Jesus to the cross.
Humbly, we acknowledge our part in his passion.
Deeply, we yearn to understand the depth of this sacrifice.
Solemnly, we gather this day to pray and worship together,
giving thanks for our Saviour Jesus Christ.

God of Surprising Love and Hope,

we come this evening to the manger, gazing lovingly on the Child born to bring hope to the world. Open our hearts tonight as we hear the story anew. Help us to be guided by the Light of Jesus Christ, that we may truly feel the power of your love and bring that love, with joy, to all we meet.

In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

In the hustle and bustle of the Advent season, it is easy to get swept up with the business of

preparing our homes for guests, visiting friends and families, and finding the perfect gift for our

loved ones. Let us take a moment to slow down and remember what Advent is meant to be: a

time of waiting for the coming of Christ.

Let us worship our King.