01. Year B - First Sunday in Advent

Top Previous Next

VERSION: 9 April 2002

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT, YEAR B

In 2002: 1 Dec

In 2005: 27 Nov

In 2008: 30 Nov

In 2011: 27 Nov

In 2014: 30 Nov

- - -

Note: For explanations and suggestions on the various resources provided, see the documents 'General notes and resources' and 'Advent season' in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

LITURGY

SENTENCE

See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder for suggestions on using a Sentence.

God is faithful;

by him we were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Cor 1:9 NRSV alt)

OR

Be on watch, be alert,

for you do not know when the time will come. (Mark 13:33 TEV)

OR, use the standard Advent Sentence in the document 'Advent season', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

OR, use one of the general Sentences in the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

PRAYER OF THE DAY (COLLECT)

Traditional

Stir up your power, O Lord, and come,

that by your protection

we may be rescued

from the threatening dangers of our sins,

and saved by your mighty deliverance;

for you live and reign

with the Father and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, modernised traditional

Stir up your power, Lord, and come.

Protect us,

so that we may be rescued

from the threatening dangers of our sins,

and saved by your deliverance.

For you live and reign

with the Father and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, alternative

(Let us pray for the presence of Christ. [silence])

Cleanse our consciences, Lord,

and enlighten our hearts,

through the daily presence of your Son Jesus Christ.

Make us ready

when he comes again in glory

to be our judge.

For he lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, new

(Let us pray that we remain alert for the coming of the Lord. [silence])

Jesus, Son of God,

you have promised to return

at a time that no one knows.

Keep us watchful in prayer

and strong in faith

as we wait for you to come.

For you live and reign

with the Father and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

FIRST READING

Isaiah 64:1-9 Open the heavens and come down!

PSALM

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

Antiphon:

Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.

SECOND READING

1 Corinthians 1:3-9 As you wait for Christ's return

ALLELUIA VERSE (Mark 13:31 NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia.

(Jesus said:) Heaven and earth will pass away,

but my words will not pass away.

Alleluia.

GOSPEL

Mark 13:24-37 No one knows the day or the hour

(Begin: 'Jesus said to Peter, James, John, and Andrew:')

PRAYER AFTER THE GOSPEL

This is the gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for promising to return.

Help us always to keep watching

and to be awake and ready.

Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER

Lord, help us always to remember

that Christ has promised to return.

Keep us faithful to him,

doing the work you have given us to do,

until he comes to take us to himself.

Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Call to prayer

Our Lord Jesus Christ commands us to keep alert and pray. Let us come to our heavenly Father in prayer, confident that he will hear the prayers we offer in Jesus' name.

The regular response, OR:

Lord, hear us,

as we pray to you.

Suggested intercessions

Concluding prayer

Lord God, we do not know the day or the hour that your Son will come with great power and glory. Keep us always awake and alert, awaiting our Saviour with joyful expectation. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

SEASONAL PREFACE

It is indeed right and good,

Lord God, holy Father,

that we should at all times and in all places

give thanks to you,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

You fulfilled your promise to comfort your people

by sending Jesus the Redeemer,

and to make all things new through him

when he comes to judge the world

and set it right.

And so, with angels and archangels,

and with all the company of heaven,

we adore and praise your glorious name:

COMMUNION INVITATION

Blessed are those who have been invited

to the wedding feast of the Lamb.

(Thanks be to God.)

Come, everything is ready.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

For an Advent post-communion prayer, see the document 'Advent season', under 'Prayer after communion', in the 'General and seasonal' folder. Alternatively, use the third prayer of the day (as given above) at this point. It may be modified as follows.

Cleanse our consciences, Lord,

and enlighten our hearts,

through the gift of the body and blood

of your Son Jesus Christ.

Make us ready

when he comes again in glory

to be our judge.

For he lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

SEASONAL BLESSING

This seasonal blessing is used together with (ie before) the usual blessing in the order of service.

Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, shine on you and make you ready to meet him when he comes in glory . . .

DISMISSAL

Go in peace, waiting with confidence for our Lord's return.

Thanks be to God. OR In the name of Christ. Amen.

HYMNS AND SONGS

FOR THE READINGS

Please note:        * =        Modernised version available

      G3, G4 . . . =        Guitar chords available in the Music Package 3, 4 . . .

      GS =        Guitar chords in the Supplement to LH

First reading: Isaiah 64:1-9

LHS

AT

TIS

Second reading: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

LHS

AT

TIS

Gospel: Mark 13:24-37

LHS

AT

TIS

PSALM 80:1-7, 17-19

For musical settings of Psalm 80:1-7,17-19, see Music Packages 1, 4, and 7. See also TIS 42 O shepherd of Israel. Note that the hymns 'O come, O come Immanuel' (LH 2, TIS 265), 'The king of love my shepherd is' (LH 391*, TIS 145), and 'Saviour, like a shepherd lead us' (LH 604*), as well as the song 'Help, O Lord, the thrown away' (AT 272), are partly based on Psalm 80.

Here is a metrical paraphrase by David Sch¸tz of Psalm 80:1-7,17-19 which could be sung to the tune Nativity (LH 627 ,TIS 204) or Evan (LH 68ii). If reproducing this version, please put 'Words (c) David Sch¸tz' at the beginning or the end of the psalm.

Shepherd of Israel, hear us now;

you once were Joseph's guide.

Enthroned on cherubim, shine forth:

stir up your saving might.

Restore us once again, O God,

and show your smiling face.

O Lord of hosts, how long will you

be angry with our prayers?

You fill our cups with grief, and give

us bread of tears to eat.

Our neighbours laugh at us with scorn,

and smile at our defeat.

Restore us once again, O God,

and show your smiling face;

O God of power, O God of might,

show us your saving grace.

Give blessing to the one who sits

with you at your right hand;

and give strength to your chosen one,

the promised Son of Man.

Give us again your gift of life,

and we will praise your name.

Restore us, God, and let your face

shine on us once again.

NOTES ON THE READINGS

See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Notes on the readings', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

ISAIAH 64 :1-9: God's people had again departed from him through their own deliberate turning from him and his ways.  Isaiah here prays for them. If only the Lord would show his awesome presence through the cataclysms of nature as he had done for Israel long ago! But he won't, because the present Israel has hardened itself in its sin and become spiritually listless, and is therefore left only to sink lower into its transgression and iniquity. The final verses of this selection offer a beautiful placatory prayer that God would still change and mould them as his people.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:3-9: Even though he is going to have many severe words to say in this letter, St Paul's opening greeting to the Corinthians is greatly affirmatory and encouraging. It is always important that Christians realise and remember that it is solely God's grace which has first called them to faith, established the necessary knowledge to be saved, and then distributed marked gifts to serve his purposes in his kingdom. God for his part will faithfully continue to do this right up until the day of Jesus Christ as Christians continue in the testimony (the word) of Jesus Christ.

MARK 13:24-37: Once more the readings of Advent direct our attention to the end of all things in the return of our Lord. Jesus here refers to cataclysmic cosmic disturbances among the signs immediately prior to his coming. Other signs mentioned earlier in the same chapter give protracted warning that the end is impending. As nature's harbingers herald the coming summer, so believers should be reminded of the end. As only the Father knows in his deep counsels exactly when this will occur, believers need constantly to be spiritually awake and working.

VISUAL

VISUALS FOR THE READINGS

Pictures or visual symbols could be displayed on banners or the overhead screen during the readings.

One or more of the following could be used during the service:

DRAMA

'MEGA DRAMA'

See a drama for the day in Mega Drama resources (Openbook Publishers), originally included in these worship resources when they were released on disks.

DRAMATISING THE READINGS

The readings can be read by more than one person to make the dramatic meaning of the text clearer.

CHILDREN

TALKING WITH THE CHILDREN

The experience of waiting with longing could be talked about with the children.

'COME AND SEE JESUS'

The Come and See Jesus curriculum published by Openbook Publishers has a wealth of material and ideas that may be adapted for use in worship. Please note that a new edition of this material is now available for the Revised Common Lectionary.

This week's story is 'Waiting for Jesus (Mark 13:24-37)'. Material for this story may be found in

Revised RCL Edition, 1 Advent, year B (in 3rd Series A book)

(Note that it was not in the original edition)

OTHER MATERIAL

See the documents 'Advent readings and carols service' and 'Advent proclamation' in the 'Rites and services' folder.