Advent 2 Lectionary Resources

Call To Worship -- Luke 1:68-79

Leader:  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for God sees us and loves us.
People:  He has raised up a savior to redeem us.
Leader:  May we serve and worship him, without fear, and in holiness and righteousness.
People:  So that he can bring light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death
All:  And guide our feet into the way of peace.

Collect -- Malachi 3:1-4
God of the refiner's fire, who transforms us from sinful creatures to whom we might become, cleanse us and change us so that we are able to reflect your light into a dark world, through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Prayer of preparation for the worship leader (to be used in meditation by worship leader prior to worship) -- Philippians 1:3-11

Creating, redeeming, sustaining God, prepare me to lead your worship in this place.  I bring you thanksgiving for the people who will gather in your sanctuary.  I thank you every time I remember them; they bring joy to my prayers.  I am confident in this -- that you, who began a good work in them, will bring it to completion in Jesus Christ.  Remind me of this assurance.  Help it to inhabit the work I do for you today, so that I may be a part of what you are doing through these people.

I pray they might hold me in their hearts, forgiving my mistakes, hearing your word through my incomplete and imperfect leadership.  Make it obvious to me and to them that we all share in your grace, in our freedoms and in our burdens. 

Create in me a clean heart, so that my love for them is obvious to them, and so that your love for them overflows through me.  May grace abound in them so that in Christ Jesus they may be pure and blameless and so that all of us today may produce a work for you that yields a harvest of righteousness and peace.

May our worship today echo in glory and praise of you, O God, and may it be pleasing in your sight.

In your son's name I pray, Amen.

Benediction -- Luke 3:1-6

Go forth from this place blessed by God and as one who prepares the way for the Lord.
Go forth from this place with the knowledge that God goes before you, filling every valley with God's grace.
Go forth from this place with the assurance that God will level your path, bringing the mountains low, making the paths straight and the rough ways smooth so that you can continue in your work in God's kingdom. 
Go forth from this place as a light for all people so that we will all see the salvation of God together.  Amen.