Almighty God,
Give us grace to cast away the works of darknessI am encouraging parishioners and friends to be evangelical in their zeal to circulate this far and wide to their friends via their preferred social media option and by word of mouth.
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.
On this first Sunday we light the first candle as we remember those who prepared the way and told the story of the comning of the kingsdom and of the coming of Jesus.
The First Sunday is also called the candle of Hope, Advent is a time of hope as we look towards the light that will shine in the darkness.
In our prayers let us remember all those who told us about Jesus, what it meant to them and what their hopes were for us. Let us give thanks for the hope that we now have in the vaccine and the hope that many in retail and hospitality are feeling with the easing of the restrictions. Let us pray that they will have a good season and that all of us will keep safe.
Let us remember the Groves family in their loss at this sad time.
We give thanks for those whose lives have inspired us and whose memories fill us with love and praise. Amen
Hymn.
