01B*
A Call to Worship
Advent 1B
Psalm 80: 1-7, 17-19

Glorious God, your splendour is beyond
our experience and our understanding;
Yet we come, to offer you our worship and praise.
O God, you are mighty in power and blessing.

Compassionate God, your loving care is beyond
our experience and our understanding;
Yet we come, to offer you our worship and praise.
O God, whose tenderness is beyond any measuring.

Radiant God, the light of your glory is beyond
our experience and our understanding;
Yet we come to praise and bless your holy name,
O God, as you offer us your blessing and saving grace. Amen.

Prayers of Lament and Petition
Advent 1B
Psalm 80: 1-7, 17-19

Holy God, open our eyes and our ears again to the truth
of your presence with us, as we have lost the sense of
your near presence with us. Our doubts and our fears are like
an ash cloud blocking the vision and sounds of your holiness.
Restore us, Holy God, to the vision of your holiness
and the sounds of your joy, that always give us new hope.

Shepherding God, open our minds again to the knowledge
and understanding of your presence with us. That ash cloud
is also blocking out the Tender Shepherd’s presence, and
we have lost our sense of belonging and purpose in life.
We need your guiding hand to lead us into the right paths of life,
as we travel on our journey towards our home in you.
Restore us, Shepherding God, to the security of your
loving presence and the tenderness of your touch.

Radiant God, open our hearts and inner beings again to the
light of your joy and love offered so very generously to us.
The darkness and gloom of that cloud is also blocking out
the radiance of God’s light and love, that longs to burst
forth within us to enliven and enrich us. May the light that
shines from the radiance of God’s face warm our hearts,
so that we can reflect the warmth of your love to others.
Restore us, Glorious God, to the light of your radiant
presence, so we can reflect your light to others in the
darkness and gloom of people’s separation from God. Amen.

A Personal Meditation
Advent 1B
Psalm 80: 1-7, 17-19

Great Shepherd of the sheep, I come to you as one
member of a flock that has lost its way home! We have
followed false trails that have led us from the path you
want us to follow. I must accept my share of the blame
for the way your flock has wandered, because I did not
raise my voice when someone’s voice needed to be heard.

Creative pause: I did not raise my voice in alarm.


Almighty God of power, I was one of the weaklings that
did not have the strength or the courage to show another
way of life or love, to that foolish way we have been travelling.

Creative pause: I did not have the courage to act!


Radiant God, I was one of the ones who clung to the
shadows of fear and doubt; who preferred to hide from
the brightness of your glory, because it showed up my
lack of trust and the secret bitterness I nurtured. I preferred
to drown in my tears of self-pity, and to indulge in my
over-sensitive hurt feelings because some people did not
like me, or would not listen to my much-vaunted wisdom!

Creative pause: I wallowed in tears when my much-vaunted wisdom was ignored.


Please listen to my little voice, Generous God, as I finally
speak out as a member of this wayward flock. Turn your radiant
face towards all of us again, I pray, that together we may find our way
back to you, and the security of your holiness and compassion.

Creative pause: Generous God, please listen to my little voice.


Acknowledgements:
Unless stated otherwise, all Bible readings and extracts used in these weekly Prayers and Meditations are from
‘The New Revised Standard Version’ Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council
of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 *The additional weekly numbering is from the Revised COCU Indexing Scheme
COCU = ('Consultation on Church Union'); as it offers an easy sequential numbering
for the Revised Common Lectionary for the Church Calendar.

If any part of these Prayers and/or Meditations is used in shared worship, please provide
the following acknowledgement:
© 2011 Joan Stott – ‘The Timeless Psalms’ RCL Psalms Year B. Used with permission.

jstott@netspace.net.au

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