(All our songs this morning are from Singing the Faith (StF) numbers will be given where available)
Welcome to our Sunday Service, today shared on paper across our circuit and with the congregation at Calverley Community Methodist Church and led by Dr Paul Coleman our Circuit Student Presbyter.
Click on the blue links to follow them for bible readings and associated links
Sunday Before Advent: Waiting in Hope
You may wish to light a single candle as you read the call to worship
Call to worship
The night is far gone; the day is near.
We wait for the coming of Christ, the light of the world.
Come, Lord Jesus, come soon.
Song – StF 706 – Longing for light we wait in darkness
Prayers of confession
God of hope, we confess that we do not always live in your light.
We ignore your call, turn from your ways, and fail to watch for your coming.
Forgive us, and help us to walk in your light this Advent.
Amen
Reading
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
Reading
“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.
Reflection
Advent begins not with carols or angels, but with wakefulness. It begins with attention, with watchfulness, with a readiness of heart and mind to notice God’s presence breaking into our world. We might expect Advent to start with celebrations, festive music, or familiar stories, but instead we are invited into a different posture: alertness. Jesus’ words in Matthew remind us that no one knows the day or the hour of his coming, not even the Son. The call is simple, yet demanding: keep awake.
This is not a call driven by fear or anxiety, but by longing, a deep awareness that God’s future is already drawing near, even when the world seems dark, chaotic, or uncertain. To keep awake is to live attentively, to notice the signs of God at work around us, and to allow hope to shape our lives. It is an invitation to live in tension between what is and what will be, to hold in one hand the reality of the world’s brokenness and in the other the promise of God’s transforming light.
Isaiah’s vision gives shape to that longing. He imagines a world transformed, where nations stream to the mountain of the Lord, seeking wisdom and guidance, laying down their weapons, and learning God’s ways. People walk in the light of God, and swords are turned into ploughshares. It is a breathtaking picture of peace and transformation, a vision of the world as God intends it to be: just, reconciled, and filled with light. A vision that reminds us that God’s hope is not abstract or distant, but deeply practical, calling humanity into lives of justice, mercy, and care for one another.
To keep awake, then, is not passive waiting; it is active participation. Each act of peace, each moment of faithfulness, each choice for light over darkness, becomes a small Advent, a way of living as though Isaiah’s vision is already true. Every prayer, every gesture of kindness, every step toward justice carries within it the hope of Christ’s coming. Even in ordinary life, in our homes, workplaces, schools, and streets, the light of God can shine through acts of patience, forgiveness, and courage. Waiting, in this sense, is not empty; it is a discipline that shapes our character and attunes us to God’s presence.
As we enter into Advent, we hold these readings together: the promise of a world made whole, and the invitation to stay alert and hopeful. We wait, not idly, but as people who walk in the light, listening for God’s voice, seeking God’s ways, and trusting that the dawn will come. In the meantime, our hearts and our actions can bear witness to the coming kingdom, shining as beacons of hope in the world.
Advent calls us to patience and expectation, to reflection and action, to watchfulness and joy. It is a season that invites us to step out of our routines, notice the needs around us, and participate in the ongoing work of God’s kingdom. As we light the first candle of Advent, let it remind us that even the smallest light dispels darkness.
Song – StF 175 – Light of the world
Jesus, Light of the world,
you step into our darkness and open our eyes to see your glory.
We thank you for the hope of your coming
and for your presence among us now.
Teach us to walk in your light,
to notice your nearness in ordinary days,
and to offer our lives in worship and love.
Amen.
Intercessions
God of hope, we bring before you the needs of the world, trusting in your coming kingdom.
For the world:
We pray for peace among nations, that swords may be turned into ploughshares, and people may walk in the light of justice and mercy.
For your Church:
We pray that your people may stay awake to your call, living faithfully and sharing the hope of Christ with all they meet.
For those in need:
We pray for those living in darkness, fear, or despair — for the lonely, the sick, and the oppressed. Shine your light into their lives and bring comfort and hope.
For our homes and communities:
We pray that we may be instruments of your peace and love, watching for your coming and walking in your ways.
Closing:
God of hope, hear our prayers.
Strengthen us to live as people of light, ready and joyful in expectation of your coming.
Amen.
You may wish to say or read the Lord’s prayer.
As we close our time of worship, we carry the joyful hope of Christ’s coming into the week ahead.
Like the mountains shining in God’s light, we wait with eager hearts and open hands.
Song – StF 188 – There’s a light upon the mountains
As you go into the week you may want to ask yourself these questions:
- How am I keeping awake to God’s presence in the world this Advent?
- Where can I bring God’s peace and light into the world around me?
- What small step can I take this week to live in hope and expectation?
If you would like to give me feedback on this worship at home sheet to be included in my Queen’s portfolio that would be much appreciated. Please share any feedback through the circuit office.
