Sunday 5 December 2021 | 2nd Sunday in Advent

Preparation candle HERALDED MESSAGE Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty saviour, born of the house of his servant David. COLLECT God of timeless grace, you fill us with joyful expectation: make us ready for the message that prepares the way so that with uprightness of heart and holy joy we may eagerly await the kingdom of your Son, Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen READING from Baruch 5: 1-9 Jerusalem, take off the clothes you have worn in your mourning and distress, and put on the eternal splendour of God's glory. 2 Put around you the cloak of God's righteousness. Place on your head the crown of the glory of the Eternal God. 3 God will show your splendour to every nation on earth. 4 Forever he will say to you: Your security comes from your righteousness, and your splendour from your devotion to me. READING from Philippians 1: 3-11 6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God's grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. THE GOSPEL according to Luke 3: 1-6 3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; PRAYER for COVID Lord of the ages, Covid still lingers on. We are protocol-focused and still grieving the losses of our beloveds. Some still resist the vaccine and variants continue to appear through mutation. Thank you for journeying with us with your healing presence and companionship, drawing us into compassionate community. Save us from our arrogance, so that we will soon be free from the oppression of this virus. Amen • We pray for victims and survivors of Gender based Violence. We link hands with each other as a sign of our solidarity with all who are affected by gender-based violence. We reach out our hands as a sign of our unity with all who campaign for justice across the world. We stretch up our hands as a sign of our prayers for an end to all forms of violence and abuse. BENEDICTION Go now and prepare the way for the Lord. Share in the gospel of God’s grace; Proclaim salvation and the forgiveness of sins; Make straight paths for justice and mercy. And the blessing of God, Creator, Redeemer, Life-giving Comforter, be with you always. Amen COMMISSIONING/SENDING Go in peace with courage, to love and serve the Lord. In the name of Christ. Amen.