Dictionary

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Advent

Advent means ‘coming’ and is the special four-week period leading up to Christmas. It is a time to prepare for the celebration of Jesus’s birth but also for his coming in glory at the end of time.

Collect

A collect is a short prayer used in liturgy, for example towards the beginning of the Eucharist. It often reflects the themes of the particular season of the Church’s year. Its name comes from the idea that it ‘collects’ together the lessons of the service readings.

Holy Communion

At Holy Communion blessed bread and wine is shared, by which we receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The congregation gives thanks for Jesus’ life, his death and resurrection and his continuing presence. See also Eucharist.

Prayer

Prayer sustains our human relationship with God and may involve words (formal or informal) or be silent. Prayer can involve adoration (‘I love you’), confession (‘sorry’), thanksgiving and supplication (‘please’).

Home Publications Word of the Lord Year A The First Sunday of Advent

The First Sunday of Advent

Prayer for the week:

Holy God; We are accustomed to imagery which portrays darkness and night as symbols of sin and ignorance. But darkness holds no fear for those who live without sight, and at night-time you bless us with restorative sleep. Give us humility to learn from those who experience the world in different ways, and take away our fear of the unknown; for in love Jesus overcame the power of sin, and the darkness is no darkness with you. Amen.

Canon Carol Wardman

Collect:

Almighty God,
give us grace to cast away the works of darkness
and to put on the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life,
in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;
that on the last day,
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who is alive and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Sunday 1 December 2019

Principal Service:

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