Advent Service of Psalms and Singing
Advent Service of Psalms and
Singing
Prelude
Meditation Thoughts
Advent is both a beginning and an end, an alpha and omega of the church’s
year of grace. Too often considered merely a season of preparation for the
annual commemoration of Christ’s birth, this rich and many-layered
season is actually designed to prepare us for the glorious possibilities
of God’s kingdom on earth. It is a season of longing expectation: “Come,
Lord Jesus.”
Welcome
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*Hymn: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
*Invocation
*Response
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HS 211 |
The First Lesson
Psalm 122:1–2, 6–9
Spoken Response
Lift your eyes, Jerusalem, and see the power of your ruler. Look to a
Savior who will break your bonds.
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Sung Response: “Song of Zechariah”
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SP
5 |
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The Second Lesson
Psalm 80:4–7
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Sung Response:
“Come, Thou Long-expected Jesus”
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HS
201 |
The Third Lesson
Psalm 25:1, 4–7, 16–18
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Sung Response: “I Need Thee Every Hour”
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HS
129 |
The Fourth Lesson
Psalm 72:18–19
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Sung Response: “Blest Be Thou, O God of Israel”
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HS 24 |
The Fifth Lesson
Psalm 85:1–7
Prayer of Confession
Lord, When Did We See You?
I was hungry and starving
and you were full;
Thirsty
and you were watering your garden;
With no road to follow, and without hope,
and you called the police
and were happy that they took me prisoner;
Barefoot and with ragged clothing,
and you were saying: “I have nothing to wear,
tomorrow I will buy something new.”
Sick
and you asked, “Is it infectious?”
Prisoner,
and you said: “That is where all those of your class should be.”
[pause]
Lord, have mercy!
—author unknown, accessed at www.ottawainnercityministries.ca
Psalm 85:8–13
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Sung Response: “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High”
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NS 33 |
The Sixth Lesson
Psalm 146
Sung Choral Prayer: “Prayer of the Children,” Kurt Bestor, arr. Andrea S. Klouse (The Pinnacle Group/Warner Bros., CH96165)
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OR Sung Response: “Now Sing to Our God”
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NS 40 |
The Seventh Lesson
Psalm 126:5–6
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Sung Choral Response:
“Joy in the Morning,” Natalie
Sleeth (Hope Publishing, 1977)
OR
Sung Response: “I Will Sing, I Will Sing”
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NS 19
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The Eighth Lesson
Psalm 89:1–5, 13–16
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Hymn: “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing”
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HS 252 |
Parting Words
We always live in Advent. We are always waiting for the Messiah to come.
The Messiah has come but is not yet fully manifest. The Messiah is not fully
manifest in each of our lives, not fully manifest in humankind as a whole;
just as Christ was born according to the flesh in Bethlehem of Judah, so
must he be born according to the Spirit in each of our souls.
*Parting Blessing
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*Parting Hymn: “Joy to the World!”
*Postlude
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HS 258 |
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