Advent Sunday

Opening Prayer
Loving, faithful God,
As your people of old waited and watched for your coming in Jesus,
So we wait and watch for your coming today.
As we come before you now, waiting and watching,
Fill us with your light and love.
(If you have an Advent wreath at home, you may wish to light the first candle)

Build your Kingdom here
Build Your kingdom here
Let the darkness fear
Show Your mighty hand
Heal our streets and land
Set Your church on fire
Win this nation back
Change the atmosphere
Build Your kingdom here
We pray

Come set Your rule and reign
In our hearts again
Increase in us we pray
Unveil why we’re made
Come set our hearts ablaze with hope
Like wildfire in our very souls
Holy Spirit, come invade us now
We are Your Church
And we need Your power
In us

We seek Your kingdom first
We hunger and we thirst
Refuse to waste our lives
For You’re our joy and prize
To see the captive hearts released
The hurt, the sick, the poor at peace
We lay down our lives for Heaven’s cause
We are Your church
And we pray revive
This earth

Build Your kingdom here
Let the darkness fear
Show Your mighty hand
Heal our streets and land
Set Your church on fire
Win this nation back
Change the atmosphere
Build Your kingdom here
We pray

Unleash Your kingdom’s power
Reaching the near and far
No force of hell can stop
Your beauty changing hearts
You made us for much more than this
Awake the kingdom seed in us
Fill us with the strength and love of Christ
We are Your church
We are the hope
On earth

Build Your kingdom here
Let the darkness fear
Show Your mighty hand
Heal our streets and land
Set Your church on fire
Win this nation back
Change the atmosphere
Build Your kingdom here
We pray

Songwriters: Chris Llewellyn / Gareth Gilkeson / Will Herron

Prayer
Lord Jesus, as we begin this season of Advent we thank you for coming to earth to be the Saviour of the world. We thank you that today you still come among us by your Spirit and we look forward to that day when you return in person.

Lord we are very aware that so often we have not done the things that we should have done and done the things that we shouldn’t have done – we ask for your forgiveness and that you would change us and make us more like you. We don’t want to take your forgiveness without thought Lord, but we are so thankful that you forgive us so freely and graciously – thank you Lord.

We pray that you would continue to build your Kingdom here among us – these are such strange days Lord, and we are so aware of our need for your saving power and grace. We thank you that your power to save is still strong and mighty, that you are not locked down or restricted, and we pray that we might see you working in this area in us and in the hearts and lives of those around us. Please help us to play our part in that great work, and may we see your Kingdom come among us.
Amen.

Bible Readings: Ephesians 4:12-13 & Philippians 2:2

Take a moment of quiet to reflect on the message….

You were the Word at the beginning
One with God, the Lord Most High
Your hidden glory in creation
Now revealed in You our ChristWhat a beautiful name it is, what a beautiful name it is
The name of Jesus Christ, my King
What a beautiful name it is, nothing compares to this
What a beautiful name it is, the name of Jesus

You didn’t want heaven without us
So, Jesus, You brought heaven down
My sin was great, Your love was greater
What could separate us nowWhat a wonderful name it is, what a wonderful name it is
The name of Jesus Christ, my King
What a wonderful name it is, nothing compares to this
What a wonderful name it is, the name of Jesus
What a wonderful name it is, the name of Jesus

Death could not hold You, the veil tore before You
You silenced the boast of sin and grave
The heavens are roaring the praise of Your glory
For You are raised to life againYou have no rival, You have no equal
Now and forever, God, You reign
Yours is the Kingdom, Yours is the glory
Yours is the Name above all names

What a powerful name it is, what a powerful name it is
The name of Jesus Christ, my King
What a powerful name it is, nothing can stand against
What a powerful name it is, the name of Jesus

You have no rival, You have no equal
Now and forever, God, You reign
Yours is the Kingdom, Yours is the glory
Yours is the Name above all names
(The Name above all names)

Holy, holy, are You Lord, God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
‘Cause You are holy, holy, are You Lord, God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
You are holy

What a beautiful name it is, what a beautiful name it isWhat a beautiful name it is, what a beautiful name it is
The name of Jesus Christ, my King
What a beautiful name it is, nothing compares to this
What a beautiful name it is, the name of Jesus
What a beautiful name it is, the name of Jesus
What a beautiful name it is, the name of Jesus

Songwriters: Michael W. Smith / Ben Fielding / Brooke Ligertwood

Closing Prayer
Father, 
I thank you that we are a community together and I thank you that you created us for relationship with you and with others. May you be with us as we go into this advent season and help us to remain a unified church committed to each other by our faith in you. Father, bless us and our relationships we pray. 
Amen 

All  Hymns reproduced under CCLi 5573.