CALL TO WORSHIP
Psalm 37

MUSIC
Curated by Curtis Muller
Behold by Phil Wickham
Who You Say I Am by Hillsong
Holy Forever by Chris Tomlin
O Come All Ye Faithful, arrangement by Jeremy Riddle

ADVENT CANDLE LITURGY
By Bobbi Salkeld

Today is the first Sunday of Advent and the beginning of a new church year.

While the word “advent” means arrival, we begin our journey in a season of waiting.

We are waiting for something new to capture our imagination in an old story.
We are waiting for an ounce of hope to shift the weight of our burdens.
We are waiting for the coming light of Christ to make a difference in our darkness.

It can be easy to think that our season of waiting demonstrates God’s distance, but all the waiting does not. In great humility, God arrives.

Keep watch and pray.

Today we light the first candle of Advent: the candle of Hope.

Let us pray.

God of all who wait,
give us your hopeful word for our souls this Advent.
We know your preference for quiet spaces, rare humility, and glad surprise.
Approach us with hope in our waiting as you affirm the blessedness of our humanity.
Amen.