Good morning.
Today is Tuesday,
December 1st,
2020.
Oh Lord,
Let my soul rise up to meet you as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to God,
The three-in-one creator,
Redeemer,
And sustainer,
As it was in the beginning,
Is now,
And will be forever.
Amen.
Come let us bow down and worship.
Let us kneel before the Lord,
Our Maker.
Remind yourself that you are in God's presence.
Simply notice how God may be speaking to you today.
Let yourself dwell on any word or phrase that catches your attention,
And then let your heart respond to God in prayer.
Please repeat these words.
I will wait for you,
Lord,
My soul waits.
And in your word I place my trust.
Our reading today is from Psalm 80.
Shepherd of Israel,
Hear us.
You who lead Joseph like a flock,
You who are enthroned on the cherubim,
Shine out.
Shine out before Ephraim,
Benjamin,
And Manasseh.
Awaken your power and come to save us.
Oh God,
Return to us.
Let your face smile on us that we will be saved.
Let your hand rest upon the one at your right side,
The chosen one you raised up for yourself.
Then we'll never turn from you again.
Our life renewed,
We will invoke your name.
Oh Lord,
God of hosts,
Return to us.
Let your face smile on us and we will be saved.
Please repeat these words.
So I wait for you,
Lord,
My soul waits.
And in your word I place my trust.
Our prayer for this first Tuesday of Advent is a very short prayer written by Ann Weems titled Yesterday's Pain.
Some of us walk into Advent tethered to our unresolved yesterdays.
The pain still stabbing,
The hurt still throbbing.
It's not that we don't know better.
It's just that we can't stand up anymore by ourselves.
On the way to Bethlehem,
Will you give us a hand?
Some of us walk into Advent tethered to our unresolved yesterdays.
The pain still stabbing,
The hurt still throbbing.
It's not that we don't know better.
It's just that we can't stand up anymore by ourselves.
On the way to Bethlehem,
Will you give us a hand?
I invite you now in a moment of silence to hold someone's name before God.
Whoever the Spirit of God leads you to hold in this moment,
Simply hold before God.
Don't worry about diagnosing anyone's needs or telling God what to do.
Simply hold this person before the God of love.
We pray together in the name of Jesus who taught us to pray.
Our Father which art in heaven,
Eternal God,
Earth Maker,
Pain bearer,
Life giver,
Source of all that is and all that shall be,
Not only Father but Mother of us all.
May the hallowing of your name echo through the universe.
May the way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world.
May your heavenly will be done by all created beings.
May your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today,
Feed us.
And the hurts we absorb from one another,
Forgive us.
In times of temptation and test,
Strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure,
Spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil,
Free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,
Now and forever.
Amen.
And now my friends,
May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go with you wherever he may send you today.
May he guide you through the wilderness,
Protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
Go in peace.
