A love that never ceases,
A creativity that designed the universe,
A hope that cannot be quenched,
A pursuit of reconciliation no matter the cost:
These are the things that are of God,
Then let us worship God.

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.

We come to offer thanks; we come to sing and pray.
Welcome, friends, to this time set apart,

A time to remember those we love, and time to remember the holy promises of God.
Welcome, friends, to this table of remembrance and joy,

The table where we are fed, the feast we share with many.
Welcome, friends, and let us worship God.

We meet in different buildings; in different towns.
We speak different languages and sing different songs.
We wear different clothing and have different gifts and talents.

Yet, as we gather together for worship today, we become one body, one family in Christ.

We join together with God as the Kingdom of God comes and as God’s will is done.

Let us join with all our brothers and sisters in worship and true communion with God this day

This is God’s day, and we are invited to be a part of it.
This is God’s invitation: to come and see what God is doing in the world.
This is what God is doing: bringing good news to the poor,

And proclaiming release to the captives,
Recovering sight for those who are blind
And letting the oppressed go free.

Let us join in, and let us worship God.

God has set this day before us,
A day set apart, a day of rest and praise.

God has set our lives before us,
A span of years in which we love, and learn, and serve.

God has set God’s seal upon our hearts,
So that we might live fully in deep love.

Let us worship God.

Friends, we know what God desires of us:
That we do justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with God.

We gather this morning to remind each other about that,
To remember that now is always the right time to do these things.

So with thanks in our hearts, let us worship God.

We see light, hope, and joy;
We bring heart, soul, mind, and body;
We share blessings and fears;
We bring faith and doubt.

With all that we are and all that we have, let us worship God.

This is God’s day, and we are invited to be a part of it.
This is God’s invitation: to come and see what God is doing in the world.
This is what God is doing: bringing good news to the poor,
And proclaiming release to the captives,
Recovering sight for those who are blind
And letting the oppressed go free.
Let us join in, and let us worship God.

With eyes to see,
And ears to hear,
With lips to sing,
And hands to help:

Let us worship God with the fullness of our being.

Let your hearts be glad!
God is faithful to us, and God rules in love.
Then let us worship God.

Sing a new song!
Make a joyful noise!
Let the sea roar,
And let the sky shimmer.
Let the earth be glad,
And let the children run and roll.
Let the old laugh with deep wisdom.
Let the young listen, wide-eyed and wondering.

And let us worship God.

We come to you, O God, to thank you for what is good.
We come to you, O God, to cry out for what is wrong.
We come to you, O God, to ask for help and restoration.
We come to you, O God, with aching hearts and glad souls.

Let us worship God.

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.