The Second Sunday of Advent
December 7th, 2025
You are welcome to print this liturgy at home and bring it with you on Sunday.
The Sentence of the Day
‘Heaven and earth will pass away,’ says the Lord, ‘but my words will not pass away.’ (Mark 13:31)
The Gathering of the People
In the name of God: Creator, Redeemer and Giver of life.
Amen.
Grace to you and peace from God our Creator, the love at our beginning and without end, in our midst and with us.
God is with us, here we find new life.
Let us give thanks for the coming of God’s reign of justice and love.
Jesus Christ is good news for the poor, release for the captives, recovery of sight for the blind and liberty for those who are oppressed.
The Confession
Happy are those whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned. I will confess my sins to the Lord, I will not conceal my wrongdoings.
Silence is kept.
God forgives and heals us.
We need your healing, merciful God: give us true repentance. Some sins are plain to us; some escape us, some we cannot face. Forgive us; set us free to hear your word to us; set us free to serve you.
The Absolution
God forgives you. Forgive others; Forgive yourself.
Silence is kept.
Through Christ, God has put away your sin: approach your God in peace.
Processional
Still, Still, Still (Instrumental)
The Collect of the Day
From FWM Proposed Collects (2004)
God of justice, clear our lives of hatred and despair and sow in us seeds of joy and peace; so that shoots of hope may spring forth in us as we await the coming of the Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, 7 now and for ever. Amen.
The First Lesson Isaiah 11:1-10
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see
or decide by what his ears hear,
but with righteousness he shall judge for the poor
and decide with equity for the oppressed of the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist
and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
The wolf shall live with the lamb;
the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
the calf and the lion will feed together,
and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze;
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
They will not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 72
Give the king your justice, O *God,
and your righteousness to a king's *son.
May he judge your people with *righteousness,
and your poor with *justice.
May the mountains yield pros*perity
for the people, and the hills, in *righteousness.
May he defend the cause of the poor of the *people,
give deliverance to the needy, and crush the *oppressor.
May he live while the sun en*dures,
and as long as the moon, throughout all gener*ations.
May he be like rain that falls on the mown *grass,
like showers that water the *earth.
In his days may righteousness *flourish
and peace a*bound,
until the moon is no *more.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of *Israel,
who alone does wondrous *things.
Blessed be his glorious name for*ever;
may his glory fill the whole *earth.
Amen and A*men.
Glory be to the Father, and to the *Son,
and to the Holy *Spirit.
As it was in the be*ginning,
is now, and ever shall be, world without end. A*men.
The Second Lesson Romans 15:4-13
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the ancestors and that the gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
“Therefore I will confess you among the gentiles
and sing praises to your name”;
and again he says,
“Rejoice, O gentiles, with his people”;
and again,
“Praise the Lord, all you gentiles,
and let all the peoples praise him”;
and again Isaiah says,
“The root of Jesse shall come,
the one who rises to rule the gentiles;
in him the gentiles shall hope.”
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Instrumental)
The Gospel Reading Matthew 3:1-12
+ This is the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Matthew.
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,
“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’ ”
Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore, bear fruit worthy of repentance, and do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I, and I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Gospel Acclamation
Homily Rev. Danny Bryant
A Creed from the United Church of Canada
We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
The Prayers of the People
adapted from the Church of Scotland
In the promise which is everywhere about us
Hold us, God.
In the longing for a new world and new living
Cradle us, God.
In the need to see Advent’s revelation in our world
Direct us, God.
In the silence of memories that haunt us
Comfort us, God.
In the hunger for justice that aches in us
Feed us, God.
In the yearning for love in each of our days
Reassure us, God.
In the setting out of truth in our political world
Aid us, God.
In the call for peace in our weary world
Hear us, God.
In the search for healing in our broken world
Find us, God.
In the gathering round the table
Gather with us, God.
In the breaking of bread and spilling of wine
Share with us, God.
In the community of faith
Reveal yourself, God.
And now we pray for ourselves and for others:
You may add your own prayers, silently or aloud.
In the name of Christ we pray:
Amen.
The Peace
The peace of God be with you all.
In God’s justice is our peace.
Song of Preparation
In the Bleak Midwinter (Instrumental)
Presentation Hymn
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise him all creatures here below
Praise him above, ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen
About Communion
On the night Jesus washed his disciples feet and promised to overcome the troubles of this world, he gave his friends a meal to remember their belonging to him and to one another. Friends of Jesus have continued to celebrate this communion meal since that night, and this table is open to all who desire the belonging and peace of Christ.
Gluten free wafers and grape juice are available if you have those health needs. An usher will invite you to approach the kneelers to receive the meal. If for any reason you’re not prepared to join us, you’re welcome to remain in your seat. If coming to the front is physically difficult for you, please let an usher know and the elements will be brought to you. If you’d like to come up and simply receive a blessing, you can put your arms across your chest and a prayer of peace will be prayed over you.
The Great Thanksgiving
from the New Zealand Prayerbook
The Spirit of God be with you.
And also with you.
Lift your hearts to heaven
where Christ in glory reigns.
Let us give thanks to God.
It is right to offer thanks and praise.
It is right indeed to give you thanks most loving God, through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, the first born from the dead, the pioneer of our salvation, who is with us always, one of us, yet from the heart of God. For with your whole created universe, we praise you for your unfailing gift of life. We thank you that you make us human and stay with us even when we turn from you to sin.
God’s love is shown to us: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
In that love, dear God, righteous and strong to save, you came among us in Jesus Christ, our crucified and living Lord. You make all things new. In Christ’s suffering and cross you reveal your glory and reconcile all peoples to yourself, their true and living God. We give you thanks because Christ the Sun of Righteousness has dawned as our deliverance, and as your power to renew the world in love and justice.
In your mercy you are now our God. Through Christ you gather us, new-born in your Spirit, a people after your own heart. We entrust ourselves to you, for you alone do justice to all people, living and departed.
Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation.
Therefore with saints and martyrs, apostles and prophets, with all the redeemed, joyfully we praise you and say:
Holy, holy, holy: God of mercy, giver of life; earth and sea and sky and all that lives, declare your presence and your glory.
All glory to you, Giver of life sufficient and full for all creation. Accept our praises, living God, for Jesus Christ, the one perfect offering for the world, who on the night that he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said: Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you; do this to remember me.
After supper he took the cup; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them and said: Drink this, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for you, and for many, to forgive sin. Do this as often as you drink it to remember me.
Therefore, God of all creation, in the suffering and death of Jesus our redeemer, we meet you in your glory. We lift up the cup of salvation and call upon your name. Here and now, with this bread and wine, we celebrate your great acts of liberation, ever present and living in Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, who was and is and is to come.
Amen! Come Lord Jesus.
May Christ ascended in majesty be our new and living way, our access to you, Father, and source of all new life. In Christ we offer ourselves to do your will.
Empower our celebration with your Holy Spirit, feed us with your life, fire us with your love, confront us with your justice, and make us one in the body of Christ with all who share your gifts of love.
Through Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, with all who stand before you in earth and heaven, we worship you, Creator God. Amen.
As Christ teaches us, we pray:
The Lord’s Prayer
You are welcome to pray in any language.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Padre nuestro que estás en el cielo, santificado sea tu Nombre, venga tu reino, hágase tu voluntad, en la tierra como en el cielo. Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día. Perdona nuestras ofensas, como también nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden. No nos dejes caer en tentación y líbranos del mal. Porque tuyo es el reino, tuyo es el poder, y tuya es la gloria, ahora y por siempre. Amén.
The Breaking of the Bread
The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.
We being many are one body, for we all share in one bread.
The Invitation
Bread and wine; the gifts of God for the people of God.
May we who share these gifts be found in Christ and Christ in us.
Communion Music
Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming (Instrumental)
The Great Silence
When all have received communion, ministers and people keep silence for reflection.
Prayer After Communion
Let us pray.
We praise and thank you, Creator God, for you have not left us alone. Each year you come to us, Emmanuel, God with us in a manger. Each time you come to us in the broken bread and the cup we share. In time or out of time you will be revealed and we shall see you face to face. Give us courage, God our strength, to see your Christ in all who suffer, to be hands to the helpless, food for the hungry, and rescue for the oppressed. Amen.
The Blessing
The Recessional
Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting (David Hampton, Jean Sophia Pigott)
Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what thou art;
I am finding out the greatness of thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon thee, as thy beauty fills my soul,
For by thy transforming power, Thou hast made me whole.
Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what thou art;
I am finding out the greatness of thy loving heart.
O how great thy lovingkindness, vaster, broader than the sea!
O how marvelous thy goodness lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in thee, Beloved, know what wealth of grace is thine,
Know thy certainty of promise and have made it mine.
Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what thou art;
I am finding out the greatness of thy loving heart.
Simply trusting thee, Lord Jesus, I behold thee as thou art,
And thy love, so pure, so changeless, satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings, meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings: Thine is love indeed.
Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what thou art;
I am finding out the greatness of thy loving heart.
Ever lift thy face upon me as I work and wait for thee;
Resting 'neath thy smile, Lord Jesus, earth's dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father's glory, sunshine of my Father's face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting, fill me with thy grace.
Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what thou art;
I am finding out the greatness of thy loving heart.
The Dismissal
Grace be with you.
Thanks be to God.
Go in peace.
Amen. We go in the name of Christ.