First Sunday in Advent:

Resources for the service:

• a star with a tail
• strips of coloured cloth 
• traditional Advent decorations
• a purple cloth
• recorded noises

In preparation:

• This is the first of a series of four liturgies prepared to celebrate Advent, focusing on the idea of peace. Advent means preparing the way for the arrival of the Prince of Peace. This first service deals with the situation of violence prevailing in our world. Therefore the service starts unexpectedly with a situation of violence, and the layout of the worship area and the form of the service are not what people would have expected for this season.
• The layout should not include any traditional Advent decorations.
• Strips of coloured cloth should be provided for each participant, for them to be blindfolded while the introduction is being read. Alternatively, participants could be asked simply to close their eyes and be given a ribbon. Later, those same strips of cloth or ribbons will be used to form a symbolic star with its tail forming the colours of the rainbow. 
• We suggest that the Bible be wrapped in a purple cloth, which is the liturgical colour for Advent, and placed on a table at the front. The Bible will be uncovered when the gospel is read.
• A recording should be made of sounds indicating distress, such as car horns, screams, weapons, voices reading news chaotically, children crying, voices of people all speaking at once.
• Psalm 62 is to be read with the words jumbled so as to create a sense of confusion.

Footnote:

Latin American Psalm for Peace, adapted from "Ver la realidad, oír la esperanza", Bishops' Consultative Group for Latin America and the Caribbean, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1993.

GATHERING

Latin American Psalm

The feet of the people of the world today tread the asphalt of the city's violent streets,
but the hearts of the humble are stronger than cannons and bombs.

Peace for human beings will not come from outside,
neither will it be built by means of nuclear weapons,
nor will it come by agreements between governments.

Peace is present in the heart of the universe
and everything is moving towards peace.

It will come as a new dawn to this abused and weary world.
It will come from the simple, the humble and the poor of the earth.
It will be announced by the voices of children,
and the stirring music of the young.

(Prelude: recorded sounds indicating distress)

Psalm 62 

(to be read with words jumbled so as to create a sense of confusion)

v. 1 Salvation for my God comes soul him waits from in silence.

v. 2 Shaken he be alone is never my shall rock I and fortress my salvation.

v. 5 Him for God from alone is hope in for my silence.

v. 10 Them put on heart confidence no your confidence extortion in on and robbery set hopes vain riches if set increase.

v. 12 Work and their steadfast to according love belongs all to to repay you o you Lord.

Silence

The Child of Peace is coming to be born.
But into what sort of a world are we welcoming him?
We have made this world a violent world.
Today we confess, before the Lord,
how we have contributed to this situation,
as individuals, as a community of faith, and as a society.

• Song: El mundo pide paz (All people long for peace)

(While it is being sung, participants, as they feel ready, start uncovering their eyes or are asked to open their eyes. Once they have done so, they are invited to share, in only one word, how they felt at being blindfolded or having their eyes closed at the beginning of the service. After a while they are invited to share in a prayer of confession.)

Litany of confession: From the darkness of violence into the light of your peace

Here I am, Lord, laying my life before you,
confessing my faults, whispering my sins to you.
Because I do not accept the peace you give me and I cherish violent thoughts:
Voice 1: I find it difficult to forgive others.
Voice 2: If I am offended, I offend in return.
Voice 3: Sharing is a word that does not exist in my vocabulary.
Voice 4: I sow weeds instead of good seeds.
Voice 5: I fold my arms, but I know that I could use my hands to build justice.
Today, I pray, be merciful to me.
Give me strength and courage
to walk from the darkness of violence into the light of your peace.

Here we are, Lord, laying our lives before you,
confessing our faults, whispering our sins to you.
Because we do not understand the peace you offer us, and we build up structures of violence:
Voice 1: We accept social and political systems that oppress the weakest.
Voice 2: We respond to violence with more violence.
Voice 3: We find it hard to commit ourselves to changing this distressing situation.
Voice 4: We promote violence as a form of entertainment.
Voice 5: We remain silent in face of injustice.
Today, we pray, be merciful to our society.
Give us strength and courage
to walk from the darkness of violence into the light of your peace.

Here we are, Lord, as churches, laying our lives before you,
confessing our faults, whispering our sins to you.
Because we do not practice the peace you offer us:
Voice 1: We use your Word to justify attitudes that produce violence.
Voice 2: We misuse the power of the church.
Voice 3: We do not accept diversity and we exclude others.
Voice 4: We keep the oppressed at a distance and receive oppressors with open arms.
Voice 5: As Christians, we claim to have the absolute truth.
Today, we pray, be merciful to the Church.
Give us strength and courage
to walk from the darkness of violence into the light of your peace.
Amen.

Assurance of forgiveness

• Song: En Cristo hay nueva vida (In Christ there is new living)

(As it is sung, the items to decorate the worship area are brought in by a group of children. Churches are invited to use their traditional Advent decorations. Also, a place is prepared for the star that will be a symbol of peace.)

• Song: Aleluya entre tu pueblo (Alleluia all you saints)

(During the singing the Bible is uncovered.)

Gospel reading

Mathew 5: 38-48
You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy." But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Sermon: "You have heard that it was said"

(You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
Do not resist an evildoer, share your belongings, do more than what is asked, share without expecting anything in return
Because God makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous)

• Song: Venga tu reino (Your kingdom come)

Offering

DISMISSAL

(As a symbol of peace, participants exchange the coloured strips of cloth or ribbons with one another, wishing one another peace. The action can be accompanied with appropriate words, such as:
May the peace of the Lord take you from sadness to happiness, from pain to comfort, from oppression to freedom, from illness to health, from unemployment to work, from offence to forgiveness… Afterwards each participant will place their strip of cloth or ribbon on the tail of the star. While this is being done, a well known song is played on the theme of "Seeking the star".)

Blessing

And now, people of the church, we go,
encouraged by the presence of the Lord,
inspired by God's Word,
strengthened by the lives of our brothers and sisters,
visualizing signs of peace.

You are invited, during the coming week, to look at the world around you and identify some such signs of peace.
Amen.

• Song: Gloria en lo alto a Dios (Glory be to God on high)