Preparation

The Family assigned to light the candles on the ADVENT WREATH assembles in the front seat.

The Cantor sings the Verse:
The Choir leads the Assembly in singing the Response.

When the Ministers are ready to begin
the Procession the Commentator says: Please STAND.

The Cantor sings the Verse:

The Choir leads the Assembly in singing the Response

C       The Spirit and the Church cry out:
All     Come, Lord Jesus!

C       All those who await his appearance pray:
All     Come, Lord Jesus!

C      The whole creation pleads:
All    Come, Lord Jesus!
             [pause]

CM   On this, the First Sunday of Advent, as we await Christ's coming
         let us sing our Gathering Song:

The Ministers begin the procession
Presider kisses the altar …. then proceeds to his Chair.
Other Ministers proceed to usual places.

Sign of the Cross

Greeting

Praised be Jesus our Lord,
whose coming is announced by John the Baptist!
May you prepare for Jesus a straight path,
and may his peace and love be with you.

Lighting of Candles

Assigned family ascends the steps and lights the 1st and 2nd Candle on ADVENT WREATH
While they do this the Presider says slowly:

As we light the Advent wreath,
let us pray that God's power may prepare our hearts and our world
for the advent of the kingdom,
the dawning of God's day of righteousness and peace.

The family members now return to their seat.

Introduction and Litany of Praise

Option A
In today's liturgy we hear again the lonely voice of John the Baptist
urging us to prepare a way for the Lord. Let us create a space in our minds and hearts so that the Lord can come to us in this Eucharist. [pause]
John began his mission with a call to repentance.
Jesus repeats his call to us. [pause]

You sent John the Baptist as a herald announcing your coming:
Lord, have mercy.

You tell us to show by our actions that we are indeed repentant:
Christ, have mercy.

You send your Holy Spirit to burn away our sins and change our hearts:
Lord, have mercy.

Option B
Today the voice of John the Baptizer comes to us out of the wilderness calling us to a change of heart to prepare for the one who is to come. [pause]
In joyful expectation, let us call out to the Christ, who is our salvation. [pause]

You came as herald of the good tidings of God's mercy:
Lord, come and save us.

You come to baptize in the Holy Spirit a people to be your own:
Christ, come and save us.

You will come to establish a new heaven and a new earth
where righteousness will be at home:
Lord, come and save us.

The GLORIA is omitted.

Opening Prayer

Option A
Your kingdom is at hand,
O God of justice and peace;
you made John the Baptist its herald
to announce the coming of Christ,
who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Give us a spirit of repentance
to make us worthy of the kingdom.
Let complacency yield to conviction,
that in our day justice will flourish
and conflict give way to the peace you give us in Christ.
Grant this through him whose coming is certain,
whose day draws near;
your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. AMEN.

Option B
Stir up within us,
O God of peace and mercy,
a sincere desire for repentance,
that, baptized with the Holy Spirit
and enkindled by the fire of your love,
we may bring to every situation
the justice, gentleness and peace
that the incarnation of your Word
has caused to sprout and blossom upon the earth.
Grant this through him whose coming is certain,
whose day draws near;
your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. AMEN.

PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

P         Let us pray for the coming of a new age of justice and peace for all peoples.
           
             With confidence we pray:

CM     Lord, make us your faithful people. (Please repeat)

For the church: [pause]
that like John the Baptist, may always be a light to expose evil
and a voice to summon sinners to righteousness. We pray:

For world leaders: [pause]
that they may be converted to walk on the path of peace;
that they may try harder to put an end to war and oppression. We pray:

For our government and civic leaders: [pause]
that they seek after justice and defend the rights of the poor so that peace
may reign in our land. We pray:

That the Lord protect our country and our people from natural calamities and the evils of corruption and injustice. For this we pray:

[The Presider may add a Petition that is local / relevant]

P    God our Father, help us in our struggle to do what is right and just.
      May we be able to welcome the Lord when he comes.
      This we ask in his name - Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Prayer over the Gifts

Grant, O Lord,
that the gifts we present
may be pleasing in your eyes.
Make us watchful
and keep us faithful
as we await the coming of your Son;
that, when he shall appear,
he may find us active in his service
and joyful in his praise.
We ask this in the name of the same Christ our Lord. AMEN

Invitation to the Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray that God's reign may come among us,
and that justice and peace
may flourish in our world.

Our Father ...

Deliver us Lord

Deliver us, Lord, from every evil
and give us dedicated men and women
to work for that peace
which is the sign of the presence of your Son on earth.
Turn our hearts to you and free us from sin,
as we wait in joyful hope
for the coming among us
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Prayer for Peace

Isaiah said:
"Then the wolf shall live with the lamb,
calf and lion cub will feed together."
Lord, guided by this vision
let us promote the peace and unity of your kingdom
where you live for ever and ever.

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

Exchange of Peace
The Baptizer pointed the way to Christ.
Let us acknowledge Christ in each other as we offer a sign of peace.

Optional Prayer to accompany the ‘Breaking of Bread’

P     As we break the bread of life,
       in a sharing of communion in the Lord,
       we remember the promise of Jesus:
       "See, I am coming soon." (Rev. 22.7)
       And let us pray:

A   "Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!" (1 Cor. 16:22)v.

Lamb of God

Invitation to Communion

This is Jesus, the Lamb of God.
It is he who is coming to save us.
Blessed are we who have been invited to his supper.

Lord, I am not worthy…

Prayer after Communion

Lord, God of hope,
in this Eucharist we have celebrated
the coming of your Son in our midst.
Let this brief encounter with him
refresh and restore us
so that we may become humble road-signs
to a quality of justice and peace
that only you can give.
All this we ask through Christ our Lord. AMEN

Blessing

May the God of power open our hearts to welcome Jesus. AMEN.

May God remove all that hinders us from receiving him with joy. AMEN.

May we hasten the coming of the day of God. AMEN.

And may God bless you,
+ the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

Dismissal

Option A
All through the coming week
let us do our part in preparing the way of the Lord.

Option B
Go forth in peace to prepare the way of the Lord.