Liturgy for the First Week of Advent: Hope
Opening Prayer (Advent – Hope)
Gracious God,
In this season of shadows and longing, we turn our hearts to you.
As we light the first candle of Advent, we wait in hope—trusting in your promises, watching for your light.
Give us courage to hope in what we do not yet see, and faith to follow where you are leading.
In the name of the coming Christ, we pray. Amen.
Call to Worship
Leader: The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill my promise.
People: We wait with hope, for the One who brings light into the darkness.
Leader: The Lord is our righteousness—faithful in every season.
People: Come, let us worship the God of hope and promise!
(Adapted from Jeremiah 33:14–16)
Call to Confession
In the quiet of this Advent season, we confess that our hope sometimes falters.
We grow weary in waiting, doubtful in the dark.
Yet God meets us here with mercy, not judgment.
Let us come honestly before the God who keeps promises.
Prayer of Confession
God of hope and renewal,
We confess that we do not always live as people of hope.
We forget your faithfulness, we grow impatient, and we place our trust in things that cannot save.
Forgive us, O Lord.
Restore in us the joy of your salvation and anchor us again in the sure promise of Christ’s coming.
Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
“If You, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.” (Psalm 130:3-5)
Friends, in Christ we are forgiven. Our hope is not in ourselves, but in the mercy of God.
Thanks be to God!
Scripture Passages for Advent Week 1 – Hope
Here are several Bible passages that focus on the theme of hope and are commonly used on the first Sunday of Advent:
Isaiah 64:1–9 – A longing for God to “tear open the heavens and come down.”
Psalm 80:1–7, 17–19 – “Restore us, O God; let Your face shine, that we may be saved.”
1 Corinthians 1:3–9 – “God is faithful; by Him you were called into the fellowship of His Son.”
Mark 13:24–37 – “Keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come.”
Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing…”
