1. Advent Week 1 Prayer Service

2. Introduction & Welcome
Presider: We begin our Life Night tonight by opening in an Advent Prayer service. As always we stand begin with the sign of our faith. All respond: make the sign of the cross. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

3. Opening Prayer
Presider: Let us pray…. Presider to read prayer & light first Advent candle. All respond: Amen.

4. Gospel Reading
Presider: Please be seated as we listen to the Word of God. Gospel reading. Reader: A reading from the Gospel of Matthew (24: 37-44) All respond: Glory to you, O Lord. The Gospel is proclaimed. Reader: The Gospel of the Lord. All respond: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

5. Reflection
There will be a moment of silent reflection followed by a reflection from Life Teen’s “Advent Companion”.

6. Advent Litany From the Sisters of the Church
Presider: Let us join together in this Advent Litany our response is ``Come to our longing O God of Eternal Joy``. All respond: Come to our longing O God of Eternal Joy.

7. Reader: God our Creator, You have created us in your image and have placed within us a longing so great that we hardly dare own it Give us the courage to dare to hunger for you with our whole being so that in hungering for you, we live for you loving you in our every breath, thought and action. All Respond: Come to our longing O God of Eternal Joy.

8. Reader: O Christ You are the immense longing of God a longing which calls and embarrasses us in its vulnerability and entirety, a longing that delights and terrifies us. Come, come and confront our poor love with the humility and recklessness of your self giving so that we may abandon all that binds us and anoint you with the fearless surrender of our lives. All Respond: Come to our longing O God of Eternal Joy.

9. Reader: O Holy life giving Spirit You are the joy of Heaven that longs to fill us, The might of God that longs to empower us The brokenness of God that longs to restore us Come, come to our fears and our reluctance our apathy and our cowardice For you can bring life to the deserts of our hearts You can bring song to the darkest night
All Respond: Come to our longing O God of Eternal Joy.

10. Closing Prayer
Presider: Let us Pray Lord God, you continually call …..We conclude by asking your intercession as we pray together the Our Father. All respond: Our Father, who art in Heaven…etc. Presider: Let us go in the peace of Christ. All respond: Thanks be to God.