Joyce Borger

A Christmas call to worship from Psalm 97 for four readers

A Christmas call to worship from Psalm 96, Titus 2:11, 14, and Isaiah 9:6 for five readers and congregation, and it includes candle lighting.

[The text of Psalm 80:1–7, 17–19 NRSVUE is found in the brown font. The portion in bold could be read by the congregation with a leader reading the rest of the call to worship. Alternatively you could have a second reader read the psalm. This litany could be used as part of the opening of worship with or without the candle lighting. If used with the candle lighting, the first three candles should be lit before the service begins.]Call to WorshipOur God of love calls us to come and worship him, for “we love because he first loved us.”— 1 John 4:19 NRSVUEAnd God gave us a sign of that love. “Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son and shall name him Immanuel.”—Isaiah 7:14  NRSVUEAnd so we come to worship with our loveand because we are assured of God’s love for us. We also come with lament, aware of our need of salvation. The psalmist says, Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,    you who lead Joseph like a flock!You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth     before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.Stir up your might,    and come to save us!Restore us, O God;    let your face shine, that we may be saved.O Lord God of hosts,    how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?You have fed them with the bread of tears    and given them tears to drink in full measure.You make us the scorn of our neighbors;    our enemies laugh among themselves.Restore us, O God of hosts;    let your face shine, that we may be saved.Advent Candle LightingToday we light the candle of love.  As we await the coming of the Messiah, we do so as a people who journey for love, from darkness to light, towards justice and peace. We journey for love, for Christ loved us first and is coming to set the world a-right. [Lighting of the fourth Advent candle.]Sung Response“Lord, You Were Rich Beyond All Splendor” Houghtonor“Hope Is a Candle” (st. 1, 2, 4, 3) LeachPsalms in Worship: Advent and Christmas Psalms with Candle LightingAdvent 1—Psalm 122Advent 2—Psalm 72Advent 3—Psalm 146Christmas 1—Psalm 96Christmas 2—Psalm 97

[The first lines of the call to worship and the text from Psalm 146:5–10 NRSVUE are in regular font and could be read by the same person. The text in brown font is from Luke 1:46b–55 NRSVUE and should be read by a different reader, ideally a teenage girl. The final “Praise the Lord” in bold font can be spoken by both readers together, the congregation, or omitted. This litany could be used as part of the opening of worship with or without the candle lighting. If used with the candle lighting, the first and second candle should be lit before the service begins.]Call to WorshipGod calls us to come and worship with joy.Listen to these words from the psalmist and Mary, the mother of Jesus who proclaimed: “My soul magnifies the Lord,    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.    Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,for the Mighty One has done great things for me,    and holy is his name;Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,    whose hope is in the Lord their God,who made heaven and earth,    the sea, and all that is in them;who keeps faith forever;Indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him    from generation to generation.Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,    whose hope is in the Lord their God,    who executes justice for the oppressed;He has shown strength with his arm;    he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.He has brought down the powerful from their thrones    and lifted up the lowly;Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,   who gives food to the hungry.He has filled the hungry with good things    and sent the rich away empty.The Lord sets the prisoners free;    the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;    the Lord loves the righteous.The Lord watches over the strangers;    he upholds the orphan and the widow,    but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.He has come to the aid of his child Israel,    in remembrance of his mercy,according to the promise he made to our ancestors,    to Abraham and to his descendants forever.The Lord will reign forever,    your God, O Zion, for all generations.Praise the Lord!Praise the Lord! Advent Candle LightingToday we light the candle of joy.  As we await the coming of the Messiah, we do so as a people who journey with joy from darkness to light, towards justice and peace. We journey with joy, for Christ is coming to set the world a-right. [Lighting of the third Advent candle.]Sung Response“My Soul Cries Out with a Joyful Shout” Luke 1:46-55, Cooneyor“Hope Is a Candle” (st. 1–2, 4) LeachPsalms in Worship: Advent and Christmas Psalms with Candle LightingAdvent 1—Psalm 122Advent 2—Psalm 72Advent 4—Psalm 80Christmas 1—Psalm 96Christmas 2—Psalm 97

[The text in the brown font is from Psalm 72: 1–7, 18–19, NRSVUE and that, along with the regular font text, should be read by one voice while the congregation responds with the words of John the Baptist from Matthew 3 NRSVUE which appears in bold. This litany could be used as part of the opening of worship with or without the candle lighting. If used with the candle lighting, the first candle should be lit before the service begins.]Call to WorshipGod calls us to come and worshipthe King of peace. Prepare the way of the Lord;  make his paths straight. —Matthew 3:3Give the king your justice, O God,    and your righteousness to a king’s son.Prepare the way of the Lord;  make his paths straight. —Matthew 3:3May he judge your people with righteousness    and your poor with justice.May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,    and the hills, in righteousness.May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,     give deliverance to the needy,    and crush the oppressor.May he live while the sun endures    and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,    like showers that water the earth.Prepare the way of the Lord;    make his paths straight. —Matthew 3:3 In his days may righteousness flourish    and peace abound, until the moon is no more.Advent Candle LightingToday we light the candle of peace. As we await the coming of the Messiah, we do so as a people on a journey, from darkness to light, towards justice and peace. We journey with peace, for Christ is coming to set the world a-right.  [Lighting of the second Advent candle.]Sung Response“Hark, the Glad Sound! The Savior Comes” Doddridgeor“Hope Is a Candle” (st. 1–2) LeachPsalms in Worship: Advent Psalms with Candle LightingAdvent 1—Psalm 122Advent 3—Psalm 146Advent 4—Psalm 80Christmas 1—Psalm 96Christmas 2—Psalm 97

A Lord's Supper service written to accompany the "Grounded and Growing—Advent and Christmas" series, but it could be used as a stand alone service.

This litany on Psalm 122—with optional candle lighting—reflects our journey towards Christ, a pilgrimage from darkness to light. As we come closer to Christ our desire for justice and peace grows. This is why Christ came into this world. This is the Advent journey of hope.

This service is part of a larger Grounded and Growing series that began with Advent and Christmas. You can learn more about the Advent and Christmas series here.

In response to all the fear, insecurity, and chaos that fills our lives God says, “Be still, and now that I am God!”. Regardless of what it may look like from our vantage point, God is in control; Christ sits on the throne. No human can compare. This litany on Psalm 46 is interspersed with passages from the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C.

In the face of difficulties let us not lose heart; let us not grow weary of fighting for justice; let us not stop working to build God’s kingdom; let us not lose hope. It is hope that gives us the resilience we need, the strength to continue the work God has called us to do, and the joy to testify to God’s goodness. A great psalm to turn to as an act of resistance to the fear that may be growing around us is Psalm 98. This post includes the psalm adapted from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, and divided between a number of speakers as part of a conversation.