The wilderness is lonely, O God,
and your people are longing
to see you.
In anticipation,
we follow the path to Bethlehem,
listening to the prophets
and crying out for change.
Encircle your children with protection, we pray,
from those intent on harm,
from those armed with anger,
from those spewing hatred,
from those screaming lies,
from those seeking to destroy.
Embolden your prophets, we pray,
to speak truth to power,
to call for justice in the face of injustice,
to free those enslaved by greed,
to comfort the grieving,
to call us all to a new way of being.
As we journey toward Christmas,
open our hearts to receive
the light of your love
incarnate in your Son, Jesus,
humbly born of those whom we
would turn away.
Open our eyes to see Christ
in each person we meet
along the road,
remembering that each one
is traversing their own
wilderness
on the way to Bethlehem
as well. ​

​Prepare the way of the Lord!
Make his paths straight!
Bear fruit worthy of repentance
for God is able to raise up children of Abraham from stones!
The waters of baptism wash over us to cleanse us from sin,
but the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a baptism of fire.
Prepare the way of the Lord!



*photo credit: Karsten Wurth, unsplash dot com

​Where are you, O Lord?
We are busy making lives for ourselves,
eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
having children and growing old,
and we have forgotten to keep watch.
Is the time for your return near?
The wait for your reign has become
interminable,
and we are drunk with self-perceived power.
Humble our hearts, we pray,
and open our eyes to your presence in our midst.
Help us to hear your instruction
to worship you in spirit and in truth,
to love you with all our hearts and minds and souls
and strength,
to love our neighbor as ourselves,
to love our enemy,
to honor our parents,
to welcome the stranger
and care for the orphan
and widow,
to visit the imprisoned
and secure justice for the oppressed
and heal the sick,
and help us to follow
that we might not only be ready,
but might also help to usher in your rule
on earth as it is in heaven.

​Awaken!
You who have fallen asleep, awaken!
The time for watching
and preparing
is upon us:
Our Lord is coming!
Thanks be to God!

​Ruler of all,
your people long for the day
when mercy reigns,
when children everywhere learn peacemaking
instead of war,
when the redemption won for us
out of your great love
is lived in every moment
of our lives.
As citizens of the kingdom of Heaven,
we are ordained in baptism
to live out the call to serve you
with all our resources:
time, talents,
energy, intelligence, imagination,
and love ...
for the manifestation of the common good.
Teach us to be the people you have called us to be.
Lead us according to your faithful example
into faithfulness as well.
Stir in our hearts a desire
to welcome as we have been welcomed,
to nurture as we have been nurtured,
to challenge as we have been challenged,
to comfort as we have been comforted,
and to re-member as we have been re-membered
into the Body of Christ.
As we give thanks for your reign from the cross,
and celebrate your reign in our midst through the Holy Spirit,
we also look forward to your coming reign on earth
with hearts that are filled with hope.

Call to Confession
All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Let us confess our sin before God and seek God's mercy.
 
Prayer of Confession, Christ the King Sunday, Year C
 
Watch out! You said, O God.
Watch out!
You warned those who scattered your sheep
and drove them away.
You warned those who did not attend
to the needs of your lambs.
You warned us there would be consequences.
Still we have not heeded your warning.
Instead, we have sought to do exactly
what you warned us not to do,
we have divided ourselves: us against them;
We have constructed barriers to keep the other out.
We are not whom you have called us to be.
Forgive us, we pray.
Teach us to shepherd your people
with mercy and compassion.
Teach us to live the kind of justice
that creates a world where no one needs to fear
or dread harm,
Where your people live together in harmony
And safety,
And peace.
 
Assurance of God's Grace
God kept God’s promise to raise up a righteous descendant from David’s line, and he has become our Righteousness. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God!
Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us also forgive one another. The peace of Christ be with you.
Please extend the peace of Christ to all whom you encounter this day~