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AdventAlmighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light,now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in thelast days, when He shall come again, to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to life immortal; throughhim who liveth and reigneth with thee and they Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.Eternal God, who has given us the church and its holy days for our preparation and inspiration; may these daysof Advent help keep us focused on whose birthday we celebrate at Christmas time, the fact that our presence ismore important than our presents, and that we can help bring peace and good will to all. Amen.13 (J.B.)O God, for whose deliverance people had been praying for centuries, we pause in this Advent season to thankyou for the enlightenment and answer to their prayers that came to our spiritual forebears in and through the lifeof Jesus. For he indeed revealed in his life and teachings your love and amazing grace, your will and ways, andshowed humankind how to love you by loving others as well as ourselves. May the spirit of this wonderfulcounselor be evident in our lives during these days before Christmas. Amen.13 (J. B.)Creator God, who comes to us again and again through the marvels of nature, in the person of Jesus, through thevoice of conscience, and through your Spirit that dwells within us: make us receptive during these days ofAdvent to your still, small voice that calls us from childishness to childlikeness, from fear to faith, from greed togenerosity, and from a life that is self-centered to one that is centered in you, the ground of our being. For wewant our lives to reflect the spirit of the one whose birth soon will be celebrated! Amen.13 (J. B.)Loving and faithful God, who loves us even when we are unloving and unlovable and who does not forsake useven when we turn our backs on you; we gather to worship and praise you for this Advent season. May themeaning and message of Christmas on which we focus in these days of preparation inspire us to be more lovingand faithful both to you and others. Thank you, O God, for the birth and life of the one in whom we see yourlove and faithfulness incarnated, even Jesus, the Christ. Amen.13 (J. B.)Ever-coming yet ever-present God, we gather to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. For weneed your help in preventing the pace, parties, and presents of this season from crowding out the true purpose ofChristmas in our lives - the rebirth of the Christ’s spirit which is hope, peace, and joy. Amen.13 (J. B.)Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! Once again, Lord God, we approachthe birthday of your clarion Child, your Suffering Servant, your messenger Christ. Once again we make a placefor him, however cluttered it may be with the pieces of our broken dreams, with unfinished resolves andfrag-ments of love. Once again the bed we lay for him is as poor as any manger. But, Father of us all, we praythat he will come among us nonetheless, that his goodness will take hold in our hearts, his grace infect our wills,and his glory once more capture our imaginations. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna inthe highest! Amen.1O Lord, the watchmen of ten thousand times ten thousand cities, publish to the winter night the news of thycoming. Even so, we praise thee, Word of light to our darkness, Word of peace to our warfare, Word of love toour fear. Let carols sing, let prayers adore, let the whole earth rejoice and declare thee. Thou art fire and garland.Thou art the good Shepherd and the true King. With angels and archangels we adore thee, world without end.Amen.1Lord of the Advent, holy Invader, time’s Comforter, O blessed Trinity: in thee all that ever was and is and shallbe is made for shining. So do we praise thee for thy rage toward order before the universe was formed; so do werejoice in the brightness of thy rising against all evil days; so do we praise thy coming in tirelessness to capturetime by love. In this dark century make us thy watchmen to proclaim thy light, set us as servants to prepare atable before thee, and in our human wilderness move us to clear a highway for our God. Amen.11

Lord, thy season comes, thy fire, thy shout across our lonely night, and we are not ready. Alas, we are in awinter of fears; we are cold toward the stranger; we crowd toward emptiness. Caught up in the safe andmediocre, we avoid the vision; we miss the burning; we are deaf to the songs. We are ashamed. Now in thisAdvent we cry thy mercy and beseech thee that in us, once more, thy weather might browse and blow. Yeacome, and grant us thy salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.1Lord, there is winter in us and grievous loneliness and dark that does not go away. Our souls ache, ourunder-standing blurs, our sins increase; and in this season of thy coming we learn again how we have made awaste-land of the human heart and engaged in labors that do not satisfy. Come now, O Beloved, to ourwilderness. Make in us the crooked paths straight and the rough places plain, and let your major voice thatspeaks comfort to our despair speak in us also the word of hope whereby we can enter our days with trust andthe hours of our deaths with spacious expectation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.1Blessed Lord, in this season of thy coming the darkness in us deepens awaiting thy light, the evil in us tremblesexpecting thy mercy, the knowledge in us falters hearing thy truth. O we have sinned against innocence,forgotten human sorrow, denied pity, excused our-selves from love, and shunned holiness. Assail us by thebright blows of thy grace and make us teachable, that we may learn again the peace that comes on earth topeople of goodwill; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.1O Lord, in this alien time, this out-of-season century, this age absurd and wonderful and lost, we cry thy namewhose name we cannot cry. O thou who art always coming, come! And give our voices praise and our eyes thymystery. Let us taste thee in all our winter loneliness, and let us hear thee as a shout against our long despair till touched by grace our griefs become our joys. Teach us to run with shepherds and to kneel with kings.Amen.1Come, Holy One, who hastens us now with cumber-some shepherds unto Bethlehem, come and abide in us thatwe learn again the things that make for our peace. Give us that listening which hears thy compassion movingthrough all human loneliness, and in the midst of the high music turn us towards the anguish of others. In thesnowfall air, in the anxious dark, keep us open to neighbor and stranger, to angels and kings; and make us allready for Christ’s morning over Herod’s earth. Amen.1Teach us, Lord God, how to wait faithfully and actively for the time of your coming. As we hear thecelebra-tions sung through the ages, remind us that the tidings of great joy are being sung to our age as well, ifwe will but hear them and heed them. Prepare us to receive Christ when he comes to us as the innocent, as thejobless who has no place in our system, as the villager crucified by our weapons, as the stranger turned awayfrom our friendship. Wherever he comes, in whatever guise, help us, Lord God, to know him, and knowing himto make a place for him in our hearts and in our lives. We pray in his own name and power. Amen.1Gracious Lord Jesus Christ, our host at every celebra-tion of thy birth among us: do thou preside over our ritesof joy during the holy days of Christmas. Purify our every desire; make all our giving an act of love and not aduty only; be present at our tables to teach us love for our loved ones; restrain us with the remem-brance ofthose in the world whose need is as boundless as our abundance; and give us a holy joy in keeping this feast. Sobe our host and help us to celebrate thy coming in Bethlehem by being ready to receive thy coming in glory.Amen.1(First Sunday) Almighty God, who is from everlasting to everlasting, we worship you this day. In this too-busyseason of the year, we step aside from the hurried and hectic pace of our lives to focus on what is trulyimportant; we gather before you to seek your presence, to ask your forgiveness of our sins, and to intercede forothers. We praise you for the fruitful earth, for the liberty we enjoy to worship and work, for family and friendswho make our lives more complete. Yet we know, divine Father, that a full and complete life comes onlythrough relationship with you through Christ our Lord. In this season of Advent — as we recall the Incarnation2

and as we look forward to Christ’s second coming as King and Lord of history — help us to open our hearts thatChrist might come anew and afresh into our lives. May Advent truly happen within our hearts this day, as wepray in Jesus’ name. Amen.6(Second Sunday) Heavenly Father, creator and preserver of all, we gather before you in humility and gratitude.We praise you without ceasing, for you have forgiven our sin and made us your children, joint heirs with Christ.In this Advent season, we pray that you would prepare us anew and afresh for Christ’s arrival. Too often wehave allowed our attention to be turned away, our priorities to be disrupted; we have focused our energies onthat which is secondary and temporary. Draw us again, O Lord, to Bethlehem; bring us anew, O Lord, toCalvary. Create within us a spirit of expectancy and openness to the Christ child; give us hearts of commitmentand faithfulness toward the risen Christ. Prepare us to meet our Savior with new vitality, new courage, and newobedience. And even as you prepare our hearts to host Christ, prepare us to be dynamic witnesses to his goodnews, for we ask it in his name. Amen.6(Third Sunday) Almighty God, our creator and our redeemer, we praise your glory; we rejoice in yourloving-kindness. Surely you are our salvation; apart from you there is no hope in this life or the next. Enable usin this Christmas season to be faithful witnesses of your love and grace. All around us are persons caught up inthe pushing and shoving, the anxiety and anger that seem so inconsistent with a season of peace; empower us tooffer a stronger and finer example, that we might reflect the love of Christ to a loveless world. In this seasonfilled with songs of love and joy, let us not forget that Christmas is a time of true happiness only as our lives aregiven to you in repentance and faith. May we come to know you more fully in these days, and may wedemonstrate that knowledge day by day as we live for Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.6(Fourth Sunday) Almighty God and everlasting Father, we have seen your light and have come to worship you.We have seen your light in the lives of Christian brothers and sisters, who have willingly sacrificed themselvesin response to your call. We have seen your light in the lives of those who have been transformed by your grace,whose lives have moved from hopelessness to hope, from anger to love, from sin to salvation. And we haveseen your light most perfectly displayed in your Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ — who stepped out ofheaven’s glories to share in our earthly experience; who taught a new way of life, characterized by love andforgiveness; who gave his own life for our true humanity. In these days of Christmas, help us to lay aside theseason’s tumult and frustration; help us to see Jesus only, and in the seeing may we be transformed by his holylight. For we pray in his most precious name. Amen.6We journey toward Bethlehem, O God, where you will reveal the glory of heaven and the hope of earth. May thelight of your glory brighten our path to the future, and may the brilliance of your hope beckon us to newbeginnings.6Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light,now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in thelast days, when He shall come again to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to life immortal; throughHim who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, now and ever. Amen.O God, Christmas will be here in days. This morning help us face the question of whether or not we will beready for Christmas. But help us consider the question not from the perspective of will our presents bepurchased, our cards and packages be mailed, our baking done. Rather, will we really be prepared? Will wehave rethought the deeper meaning Christmas? Will it dawn on us anew that Christmas means that you arealways with us; that in Jesus we find the human example of how we are meant to live; that the greatest gifts wecan give and receive are love, joy, peace, and hope? Only more days. But thank you, God, that we don’t haveto wait. We can begin living Christmas right now! Amen.13 (J. B.)Creator God, Source of all that we have and are, Sovereign of peace, Strength of our lives, Sustainer of theuniverse: in the humility of the shepherds and the expectancy of the Magi we prayerfully pause in your presence.3

We humbly bow before you because we recognize that life and light and love came down in a special way atChristmas. We are reminded during these December days that in the one who was born in Bethlehem we seehuman life as it is meant to be lived; we find light that pierces the gloom and enables us to cope with andovercome even the most difficult circumstances that come our way; and we are reminded that no matter who orwhat we are we are lovable and loved by you, our Creator, and thus we can love ourselves and others. And,Great and Gracious God, we are expectant today because we are aware that Christmas brings out the best inourselves and in others. We know that we enjoy life much more when we and others are more concerned to:give than to receive, forgive than to harbor grudges, love than to be indifferent, cheer than to chastise. We praythat Christmas for us will be not just a day but a spirit that we will keep alive throughout the year because wecontinually invite the Babe of Bethlehem to be born anew in and then to be expressed through our lives. Amen.13 (J. B.)Great, gracious, and giving God, whose gift of Jesus we celebrate during this season as we prepare for theanniversary of his birth; as the shepherds and Magi left their fields and homes to worship the Christ child, so wehave come to this sanctuary to worship you. We praise and thank you this day, O God, for the revelation of yourwill and ways for our lives that was bundled in the Babe of Bethlehem. For as he grew in wisdom and statureand in favor with you and others, people ever since have witnessed the incarnation of how you want us to live.How grateful we are for the human example of one: who loved you and himself enough so that he cold loveeven those whom he did not like, who resisted the temptations that he experienced, who shared his deepestfeelings and desires with you in prayer, who enjoyed the company of others because he knew that alone he wasincomplete, who forgave those who wronged him, who found meaning and purpose in life by being there forothers. Forgive us for the times and ways in which, during the past week, we failed to emulate the example ofJesus. Strengthen us and renew our resolve in the days to come to give birth to Jesus’ spirit, to be the hands andfeet and mouth and heart - the body of Christ - as in gratitude we offer you, O God, the gift of our lives.Amen.13 (J. B.)Chaplain: We gather this night to receive the Holy Child into our midst.Congregation: Open our hearts, Lord, and fill us with hope.Chaplain: We have often forgotten the true meaning of Christmas, allowing the focus of our eyes to drift towardgifts and decorations.Congregation: Remind us, Lord, of the true meaning of Christmas.Chaplain: Let peace and joy abound among us, drowning everyvestige of gloom and sorrow.Congregation: Begin a celebration within us, O Lord, that we may discover joy in this season.Chaplain: Let love and harmony dwell among us, washing away our selfishness, and binding us to one another.Congregation: We have not always lived according to your way, Lord. Make us children again this night that themagic of Christmas might begin in each of us a dance of trust which knows no end.UnisonUnison: Thus, in faith, we celebrate in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.**Almighty Father, since you sent Jesus to be our Savior, we know that you dearly love us. For this we give youthanks. Sometimes we act so selfishly, Father, and after we have done it we stop and ask ourselves why webehave that way. We are ashamed of our behavior and ask you to forgive us. May we want to see you and bewith you . May we want you so much that we see you in every human being around us. May we see you in somebecause they are strong in the faith. May we see you in others when they are weak in their need. Come to us,Lord Jesus, through our sisters. Come to us, Lord Jesus, through our brothers. Come to us, Lord Jesus, throughour own joy and sorrow; through our own pain and peace. Come to us, Lord Jesus, in any way you can. But, dohelp us to want you to come so much that we will continue to look for you with eager expectation. Come to usin the meeting of the need of (pray for special requests). Come to us in this Advent Season, dear Jesus. Amen.O Lord, how soon we forget the reason for the season which we so recently celebrated. We know that theAdvent of a new year does not erase all difficulties or old problems. Help us, however, to face life with newcourage, new enthusiasm, and new assurance. May we renew ourselves in the basics of our faith. Remind us that4

the property of newness runs through the whole economy of grace. May we face this new year with clear eyesand firm faith. May this new year be a new beginning - a beginning filled with order, meaning and purpose.Bless airmen and their families all over the world. Bless this food to our use and us to useful service. In thyname we pray. Amen.Advent candles may be lighted as the leader says:Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation: in the darkness and in the light. Blessed are you in this food and inour sharing. Blessed are you as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our savior, Jesus Christ.ALL: For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever.LEADER:: Come, Lord Jesus!ALL: Come quickly!quickly!9O Lord, during this season we thank you for the gift of Yourself. By Your presence we are humbled. We areblessed. For the gift of new births that add special meaning to this season, and for the privileges that are ours towitness to serve others in the spirit of divine love, we thank you. May we be more keenly aware of the manyopportunities that are ours to serve – to give extra care to relationships that are fragile, to remember the oftenforgotten, to hear the cries of the lonely and to take time to be with those we love. Be present in a special waywith those who in this season find depression, despair, and pain in the midst of their experiences of loss,loneliness or hopelessness. May they find again the gift of Your love and the fulfilled promise of Your peace.Be a protection for those who travel or may face danger during this season; be a presence to those who are awayfrom home and loved ones; and, go before us into the next year as our eternal Guide. Amen.5

All Saints DayO Lord our God, we rejoice in the communion of all thy saints, of prophets and apostles, of martyrs steadfastunder trial and ordinary men and women who were found. Enable us, we pray, to draw inspiration and couragefrom them, and in our own lives to praise thee for the eternal joy that is both theirs and ours. Amen.1O God of the living and God of the dead,

4. MEMORIAL/FUNERAL SERVICES Christian Memorial Service Death After A Long Illness Death Which is Sudden Death of a Chaplain Death of a Commander Death of a Parent Death of a President Death of a Spouse Death of a Young Child Death of an Elderly Person Death of a Stillborn DUI Death Anniversary Memorials/Funerals Pearl Harbor Day Prayer at .