Advent 4 -- Candlelighting -- Year C [PDF]

Advent Candle Lighting Service
Fourth Sunday of Advent

Hymn             O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, verse 6                                  TNCH  116                       

Leader  One:    Who listens to the voices of the poor?
                        Who shares strength with the powerless?
                        Who surprises with forgiveness, and makes all things new?            

People:            Our Hope is fragile as an infant.

Leader Two:     We call out in our longing:

People:            Where is your Power, O God?
                        Where is the Love that transforms our world?

 Leader One:     We remind ourselves of Mary's ancient song:
                        Sing out my soul,
                        Sing of the holiness of God
                        Who has delighted in a woman,
                        Lifted up the poor,
                        Satisfied the hungry,
                        Given voice to the silent
                        Grounded the oppressor
                        Blessed the full-bellied with emptiness
                        And with the gift of tears
                        those who have never wept
                        Who has desired the darkness of the womb
                        and inhabited our flesh
                        Sing of the longing of God,
                        Sing out, my soul!

                                                From Luke 1: 39-55, paraphrased by Janet Morley in All Desires Known © 1994

Leader Two:     Let us light this fourth candle of Advent, a candle of Love.
                        In its light, let us think about our world,
                        about wherever our God is longing to be born
                        in peace, in joy, in freedom and in wholeness. 
                        In a few words, let’s share those places with each other.

People:            Share briefly

Leader One:     Let this candle of Advent Love shine in our hearts all week
                        and remind us to be midwives to Christ's birth
                        in our work for justice, our practice of peace,
                        our offering of forgiveness.

Song                          The Universe is Bending                      Sing! Prayer and Praise 88

                                    The Universe is bending,
                                    Stretching long and stretching out,
                                    Embracing all our struggles with
                                    Gentle arms of Hope.

                                    The Universe is bending,
                                    Stretching long and stretching out
                                    And it’s leading toward Joy and Peace
                                    By the Clear Light of Love.

Words: Jeremy McLeod © 2006. All rights reserved.  Used by permission.   

Sing Out My Soul! Advent Four Candlelighting Service was written by the Rev. Susan A. Blain, Minister for Worship, Liturgy and Spiritual Formation, LCM.
Copyright 2009 Local Church Ministries, Congregational Vitality and Discipleship Ministry Team, United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44115-1100.  Permission granted to reproduce or adapt this material for use in services of worship or church education.  All publishing rights reserved.