Elements of Prayer Service

Presider: Marnie Merchant

Title: Advent Prayer Service- Week 1
Liturgical Season: Advent
Intended Audience: Grade K-6
Context: Celebrate the season of advent- a time for waiting.

Structure:
1. Introductory Rite
 Welcome and introduction – Principal
Today, we come together to pray as a school community in the spirit of Advent. Advent is a
time for waiting. We wait for the birth of Jesus, who came to show us God the Father’s love
and to free us from sin, so that we could be with him together forever. As we begin Advent,
we light one candle in the center of all the darkness in our lives and in the world. This candle
symbolizes our longing, our desire and our hope. Let us begin this celebration of joyful
waiting by singing Children of the Light.

- Opening Song: Children of the Light

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3LFyXg-P1w

- Leader: We begin our Advent prayer, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Spirit, Amen.

- Opening Prayer:

God of hope
be with us in our Advent journey
to the stable and beyond,
be with us in our meeting
and in our travelling together,
be with us in our worship
and our praying together,
be with us in our Advent journey
to the stable and beyond,
our God of hope.
All: Amen

- Light the first purple candle: God, we wait for the coming of your Son, Jesus, into our
hearts and our lives this Advent. Help us to always follow him as the light of the world.
Let this candle be a reminder today of your coming and the hope we carry with us
through this time.
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 - Song: O Come, O Come Emmanuel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCDvc4G7EgI

2. Scripture
NRSV
Psalm 25: 4-5; 8-9; 10, 14
Response: O Lord, we look for your coming.

Make known to me your ways, LORD; teach me your paths.

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior. For you I wait all the long day,
because of your goodness, LORD.

Response: O Lord, we look for your coming.

Good and upright is the LORD, who shows sinners the way,
Guides the humble rightly, and teaches the humble the way.
All the paths of the LORD are faithful love toward those who honor the covenant demands.

Response: O Lord, we look for your coming.

The counsel of the LORD belongs to the faithful; the covenant instructs them. My eyes are ever
upon the LORD, who frees my feet from the snare.
Relieve the troubles of my heart; bring me out of my distress.

Response: O Lord, we look for your coming.

Gospel:

Leader: Please stand. A reading from the Gospel of John (1:6-9).

God sent his messenger,

a man named John,
who came to tell people about the light,
so that all should hear the message and believe.
He himself was not the light;
he came to tell about the light.
This was the real light—
the light that comes into the world and shines on all people.

The Gospel of the Lord.

All: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ

Leader: Please be seated

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  Properly introduced: yes Properly concluded: yes

 Suitable pause for reflection: yes

 Appropriate response : yes

3. Other Readings, Litanies, Rituals

Reflection:

Let us remember that during this busy time of year, we need to stop and reflect on how the
Christ child entered the human community, a small, helpless child in a dark night, bringing light
that we long to experience again and again. We pause in silence now to reflect on how we can
open ourselves up to the light of Christ this Advent and on how we can bring that light to others .

Song: This Little Light of Mine

Prayers:

Leader: Let us pray. The response is: Come, Lord Jesus.

Response: Come, Lord Jesus.

1. Winter is coming, Lord Jesus. The sky is getting darker and the nights are getting colder.
We wait for you, Light of the World, to warm our hearts with your joy.

All: Come, Lord Jesus.

2. We ask you to bless our Advent wreath as we are preparing for your coming, that we
welcome you with open arms.

All: Come, Lord Jesus.

3. We ask you Lord, to help us share with those in need, and to bring peace and joy in our
lives as we wait for you.

All: Come, Lord Jesus.

Leader: Let us now pray in the words Jesus gave us. Our Father…

 Supports Scripture: yes

 Audience appropriate: yes

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4. Symbols (postures, objects, gestures, other actions)
 Supports Scripture : yes

 Audience appropriate: yes

 Focal point: yes

5. Music (instrumental, lyrical)

 Supports Scripture : yes
 Audience appropriate : yes
 As part of: Opening Rite : yes

Reflective time: yes

Concluding Rite : yes

6. Concluding Rite

Closing Prayer:

We give you thanks for the blessings of this holy Advent season. You are the source of life, of
hope, and of all good things. We look forward to the coming of the light of Christ at Christmas.
Help us to turn toward that light in our lives. We rejoice at the gift of your Son who taught us to
love in your name. May we be people of peace and justice all the days of our lives.
Your kingdom come and your will be done now and forever.
Amen.

Closing Song/Video: Waiting for Jesus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AySe5pZnwig

References:

Adapted From:
http://religiouseducation.rccdsb.edu.on.ca/wpcontent/uploads/sites/26/2010/06/AdventPrayer
Service.pdf

http://catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Advent-2010-Prayer-
Service-with-postures-added.pdf

http://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Advent.htm

https://www.tcdsb.org/News/othernews/Documents/AdventPrayerService10_0.pdf

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General Considerations:
1. Were participants appropriately engaged?
 Yes, I believe participants would be appropriately engaged with this service as there is
videos, technology to show the lyrics and many songs.. There is opportunity to sing as
well as have readers participate throughout out.

2. Did the order of service provide just what was essential to engage the participants?
 Yes, there order allowed the students to stay engaged.

3. Was a complete presider’s version made available?

 This would be a presider’s version of the prayer service, the readers would be given
their own copies to hold onto.

4. Should my colleagues be able to duplicate this prayer service with what they have been
given?
 Yes, this prayer service is able to be duplicated based on this copy as everything is
provided.

5.Was the language: inclusive; age appropriate?

 Yes, the prayer service was inclusive and appropriate for all staff and students in the
school.

6. What understanding of the Paschal Mystery was conveyed?

 In this service, the students look forward to the birth of Jesus at Christmas. We
celebrate advent- a time of waiting, where we light a candle symbolize our longing,
desire and our hope, in the celebration of the light of Christ.

7. Other comments:
 This prayer service is well put together, and allows for many students to participate
throughout. It encourages participation from the audience in the many songs. The
videos of the songs are from current artists making them more up beat and engaging
for the students.