First Sunday in Advent EXPECTATION

"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
"People, Look East"
"O Come, All Ye Faithful"

ACT OF PRAISE "Canticle of Light and Darkness" No.205

(Sing Response No.2)

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE:

O God, who has set a restlessness in our hearts, and made us all seekers after tha
t which we can never fully find; forbid us to be satisfied with what we make of life. Draw us from a base content, and set our eyes on far off goals. Keep us at tasks too hard for us, that we may be driven to thee for strength. Deliver us from fretfulness and self pity; make us sure of the goal we cannot see, and of the hidden good in the world. Open our eyes to simple beauty all around us, and our hearts to the loveliness others hide from us because we do not try enough to understand them. Save us from ourselves, and show us a vision of a world made new. May thy Spirit of peace and illumination so enlighten our minds that all life shall glow with new meaning and new purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ACT OF PRAISE "Magnificat"

HOPE

"Angels from the Realms of Glory"
"Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming"
"It Came upon a Midnight Clear"

*ACT OF PRAISE "Benedictus"

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE:

We Know, O Lord, that if we wait long enough you will bring all things to a happy conclusion. Keep alive our hope for your success. We therefore pray today for the grace of patience. Keep us from putting you on a time a schedule. Save us from complaint and irritability when mills of Providence grind slowly. Grant that we may not succumb to disbelief when you work as your Will demands. Strengthen us for the acceptance of your Will, and help us to find cause for joy in anything we must endure, knowing your will is good. Through Jesus the Christ, we pray. Amen.

JOY

Special Musical Program by Choir

PEACE

"Joy to the World"

"Angels We have Heard on High"

"Silent Night, Holy Night"

*THE PSALTER "Psalm 98"

(Response No.2)

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE:

O Holy God, even as in the days of old the world listened to the angels' song, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men," so may we tune our hearts to hear its message today. Truly the golden age comes to each of us when the peace of Christ rules our spirits. Help us as we toil along the climbing way, sometimes with painful steps bearing life's crushing loads, to look up, and believe in the coming of Christ. So shall the light of His countenance fill our hearts, and the way will not be so weary nor the burdens so heavy. And, as the angels of that first Christmas sang the Glory song to announce to the world the birth of the Saviour, grant that we may join the chorus to announce to the world that the Saviour has been born in us. Then help us to live in the after glow of such a glorious faith. Through Christ we pray. Amen.

"There's a Song in the Air" No. 249

"Hark the Herald Angels Sing" No. 240

"Sing we now of Christmas" No. 237

"O Little Town of Bethlehem" No. 230

METHODIST STUDENT DAY

"We Three Kings" No.254

"Go Tell it on the Mountain" No. 251

O Saviour of the world, wise men of old sought Thee at Thy birth to worship and offer gifts of homage and praise. Teach us, by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may know that the wise men of today are those who seek Thee and worship Thee. It is as easy to fall into the habit of thinking we know it all. "Why should we seek the counsel of God?" we often say to ourselves. Clear our understanding, O Lord, that we may see the great merit of giving up our own ways to follow after the living Christ. Then help us to walk in the way so clearly marked out for us by the Christ of Bethlehem's manger. Grant that we may do it today, or perhaps we may never do it at all. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.