Liturgy Bits for NL315 – The Spirit of the Lord Is Upon Me

For more resources for this Sunday, please visit lectionary.wiki.

Prayer of the Day

During Advent 2024, Ascension is using the Advent candle lighting liturgy provided by Hope Publishing for Christ, Be Our Light (ELW 715), and our Prayer of the Day will be the prayer provided therein.

God of eternity, you called faithful people throughout the ages to behold your glory. We acknowledge you call us to the same awareness today. We confess at times our spiritual senses are stifled. Rekindle a new awareness of your everlasting glory. We stand in awe of your deeds and ask you to repeat them in our day. In Jesus’s name we pray.
Amen.

Prayers of the Church (traditional)

Ascension is using the prayers provided by Clergy Stuff in 2020-21, adapted and updated.

As we watch and wait for the Lord, we pray for the church, the world, and all of God’s creation.

A brief silence

More valuable than expensive clothes or symbols of status is the robe of righteousness with which you cover us. Teach us to treasure the gifts of your kingdom’s blessings more than the material things which we are tempted to pursue. God of hope,
hear our prayer.

Build up and restore ruined relationships and shattered connections with those from whom we feel distanced. Forgive our harmful words and actions and teach us to value love and compassion above the need to be right and to justify ourselves. God of hope,
hear our prayer.

Just as the earth brings forth shoots and a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, you will keep your promise to renew all of creation, even after all the damage it has suffered. Make us co-creators in your reconciling work, defenders of living things and the environment which supports them. God of hope,
hear our prayer.

Those who mourn will one day celebrate again. Heal all those struggling with grief, regret, sadness, or any sort of illness, especially those whom we name before you. We pray especially for those from our community who are receiving hospice care: **insert names here**. For what and for whom else do the people of God pray?
God of hope,
hear our prayer.

Our eyes await the fulfillment of all your promises, the answer to all our prayers: your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Prayers of the People (contemporary)

Influenced by the Prayers of the Church above, with thematic elements drawn from the Advent candle lighting liturgy as linked above.

Let us pray.

Watching and waiting for the Lord, we gather in prayer for the church, the world, and all those in need.

God of the church, we call on you to fill us with your powerful Spirit. May we be energized to embrace your glory and to tell all the world about your wondrous love.

God of the world, restore those relationships we have ignored, and strengthen our connections with others. Bring us back into a right relationship with those who have wronged us, even as we have wronged them.

God of those in need, renew the lives of all who hurt in body, mind, and spirit. Give them hope and courage as they face the days ahead. We pray especially for those from our community who are receiving hospice care: **insert names here**. For what and for whom else do the people of God pray?

God for whom we watch, wait, and hope, we lift all our prayers to you, trusting in the grace that you alone can give, through Jesus Christ our soon and coming King.
Amen.

Dismissal

Ascension’s dismissal each Sunday in Advent is drawn from the candle lighting theme of the day.

Go in peace. Watch for the Lord.
Thanks be to God!