Advent Wreath Litanies — Year C (Gosden)

First Sunday of Advent

Keep awake! Be watchful!
The Son of Man is coming with power and great glory.
Hold your heads high,
for your salvation is near.

We light the first Advent candle, reminding us how God??s promised Messiah
will break into our time and space
to show us the way of salvation.
May we stay alert for his coming.

Light the candle.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Amen.

Second Sunday of Advent

Upon hearing the news that his son would be a prophet of the Most High
Zechariah broke into a song of praise.
??And you, child, will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
by the forgiveness of their sins.?�

Light the candle.

We light the second Advent candle as an act of praise
that by God??s mercy, the Messiah will come
to give light to those in darkness,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Amen.

Third Sunday of Advent

The prophet reminds us that we are to bear fruit worthy of repentance.
The Messiah is coming who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire
and all flesh shall see his glory.

We light the third Advent candle in preparation
for the coming of God??s Messiah.
We prepare by repenting of our sins,
and living lives devoted to loving God and serving our neighbor.

Light the candle.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Good news, God is filling the hungry with good things!
Good news, God is lifting up the lowly!
Good news, God is about do his mightiest work!
He will cause righteousness and praise
to spring forth from all nations.

We light the fourth Advent candle
remembering that God??s Promised One
comes to comfort all who are afflicted
and to afflict all who might be too comfortable.

Light the candle.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Amen.

Christmas Eve

Good news, you who are weary and heavy burdened!
Sing for great joy, you who are tired and shackled with pain!
For the Lord, our Redeemer, has come!

Light the Christ Candle.

We light the Christ candle as a sign to the world
that today, in the City of David, a Savior is born,
who is Christ the Lord.
We no longer have to fear the darkness
for our Light has come.
That light that enlightens all people
has broken into our world.
And the world will never be the same again.

Alleluia! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Amen.

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The Rev. Ben Gosden is an elder in the South Georgia Annual Conference and associate pastor of Mulberry United Methodist Church, Macon, Georgia. You are free to reproduce this resource for worship or educational use. Contact Ben directly at [email protected] for permission to adapt this resource or for any other uses.