Third week of Advent Celebration
M/C (slide 1): Welcome honoured guests, parents, students, staff and visitors to our Third Advent celebration. My name is ______I will be your MC for today’s celebration. Please join us in our opening Advent song.
(Slide 2) Sing Advent song to the tune of twinkle twinkle little star.
Reader 1 (Slide 3):
Please join us in our opening prayer
God our Father, we thank you for the joy of this third week of Advent. Open our hearts to praise
you now with all the angels and saints, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, your Son.
We make this prayer to you in his name.
Amen
M/C (slide 4):
The Story of Christ’s birth is a story of promise, hope and a revolutionary love. Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, of longing. Please listen as we read the Gospel.
Reader 2 (slide 4):
A reading from the Gospel of Luke
The crowds asked John the Baptist,
"What should we do?"
He said to them in reply,
"Whoever has two cloaks
should share with the person who has none.
And whoever has food should do likewise."
Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him,
"Teacher, what should we do?"
Reader 3 (slide 4)
He answered them,
"Stop collecting more than what is prescribed."
Soldiers also asked him,
"And what is it that we should do?"
He told them,
"Do not practice extortion,
do not falsely accuse anyone,
and be satisfied with your wages."
Reader 4 (slide 4)
Now the people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
"I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor
and to gather the wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
Exhorting them in many other ways,
he preached good news to the people.
M/C (slide 4)We now ask (chaplain) to come up and provide us with a reflection on the gospel.
Chaplain Speaks
M/C (slide 5):
Thank you (Chaplain)
Today we light three candles. The third candle on the Advent wreath is pink. Pink is the colour of Joy. It reminds us of the joy of meeting Jesus at Christmas. It also remembers the first in a long line of people who joyfully shared the good news of the Saviours birth.
Please join us in singing the Advent Candle song, while ______lights the candles.
Sing Advent Candle song 2
5 students come up
Reader 5 (slide 6)
We would like to close with some special intercessions and a closing prayer; the response to the intercession is Lord, hear our Prayer
That the leaders of our Church, especially Pope Francis, Bishop Gerard, and all clergy, convey God's plan of salvation through the coming his Son, Jesus, let us pray to the Lord.
- Lord Hear our Prayer
Reader 6 (slide 6):That the Church may await the Lord's coming with hope and courage, let us pray to the Lord.
- Lord Hear our Prayer
Reader 7 (slide 6):That those who have closed their minds to the Good News may return to the community of the faithful, let us pray to the Lord.
- Lord Hear our Prayer
Reader 8 (slide 6):
That those who trust in the Lord may not lose heart, but be renewed in faith, no matter what they suffer, let us pray to the Lord.
- Lord, hear our prayer
Reader 9 (slide 6): That, in our community, strangers, widows and those most in need may be supported by our generosity and care, let us pray to the Lord.
- Lord, hear our prayer
Reader 12 (slide 7):
Thank you for joining us in our Advent celebration, please join us know in our closing prayer and song.
God our Father,
we thank you for this time of joyful waiting.
May the hope and joy of this
season fill our hearts and make us living signs
of your love for a world
that hungers for your peace.
We make this prayer to you through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
(slide 8) Closing Song