Extended Advent

RCL
Matthew 25:31-46
Psalm 95:1-7a
Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
Ephesians 1:15-23

Preparing for One another, Prophecy of God’s Coming

Call to Worship (Based on Ezekiel 34:11-6)
God promises to seek us out, and gather us together
Even as we seek Jesus, Jesus seeks us
We are preparing for Christ, Christ is preparing for us
Come let us seek the face of God together

Call to Confession: God is even now preparing the table for our feast. Let us lay down our yokes, bags and heavy burdens, so that we might be better able to recognize Christ’s presences among us.

Prayer of Confession: God we confess that we are so anxious to see you that sometimes we are unable to see the needs in front of us. We forget that you are the Good Shepherd who longs to care and feed all of your sheep. We forget that your mother Mary proclaimed your birth with cries of justice and the hope of filling the earth with good things to eat. Teach us to celebrate your arrival with generosity and thanksgiving as an ongoing practicum throughout our lives we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: We are the people of God’s pasture and the sheep of God’s hand–today we have heard God’s voice and are forgiven, let us proclaim the good news to one another: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen.

Prayer of the Day/Collect: Let us come into God’s presence with Thanksgiving, ready to see the face of Jesus in the least of these, the hungry, the poor, the impisoned, the immigrant and the thirsty. And then God, help us, empower us and energize us to be your arms and hands, and to go into the world to help all those in need we pray. Remind us that we are doing this in your name, and that every time we demonstrate belatedness, we see the face of Jesus, in your name we pray. Amen.

Candle of Thanksgiving/Preparation:

We light this candle in anticipation
We gather this candle for all the people are going to be fed this week
we light this candle in thanksgiving for good things to eat, clothing, and water
We light this candle in anticipation of the day everyone gets what they need and the world will be at peace
God we are awaiting you
Jesus help us to prepare the way