The third Sunday in Advent often has a focus on Joy. Because it is closest to the longest night (December 21) of the year, and the start of the Great Antiphons (December 17), there are many opportunities for worship this week. For additional creative resources, visit Advent Unwrapped.
Worship Ideas
- Advent Bible Study: Nothing Says Advent Like the End of the World (33.99 KB) (Word): An inter-generational bible study that can be done in a coffee shop, a dorm room, around a kitchen table, or in worship.
- Advent Calls to Worship, and a Letter to Mary (24.6 KB) (Word): Some of the “best loved” material of earlier Advent/Christmas/Epiphany issues of Gathering.
- Advent Candle Lighting Liturgy Lifts Up Mission and Service Projects (26.02 KB) (Word): Liturgies for Advent and White Gift Sunday that incorporate and Mission & Service story.
- Advent Candle Lighting: Bold Discipleship (91.69 KB) (Word): Candle-lighting liturgy that dares us to dream boldly.
- Advent Communion Liturgy (68.56 KB) (Word): All who seek to be nourished and sustained are welcome here.
- Advent Unwrapped 2024 Blue Christmas or Longest Night Service (49.17 KB) (Word): A new Blue Christmas service by Rev. Dr. Lisa Waites.
- Body Prayers (2.31 MB) (PDF): An Advent Unwrapped “action prayer” for each week of the Advent/Christmas season.
- Candle-Lighting Liturgy (26.57 KB) (Word): An invitation to consider our world that God so loves beyond the familiar and engage with the non-familiar.
- Family Prayers and Blessings (221.67 KB) (PDF): An Advent Unwrapped resource of traditional prayers and creative blessings.
- Gathering Lectionary for Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, December 1, 2024-March 2, 2025 (99.18 KB) (Word): Includes suggested readings, hymns, worship sparks, children's time ideas, sermon starters, etc.
- Hanging the Greens (39.92 KB) (Word): An Advent Unwrapped service to prepare church buildings and sanctuaries to be symbols of preparing ourselves for the birth and rebirth of Jesus.
- Hidden Gift Sunday (41.61 KB) (Word): A service that reflects the trials of 2020 while focusing on the spiritual gift of Joy.
- Hidden in Plain Sight: White Gift Sunday (78.24 KB) (Word): An opportunity for people of all ages to contribute.
- In the Rich Dark of Winter: An Advent Communion Service (235.68 KB) (PDF): Using expansive scriptural imagery, the theme of this Advent Unwrapped service is anticipating God’s fulfilled promise of the renewal of all things.
- Intercultural Hymn Festival for Advent (219.55 KB) (PDF): These songs with accompanying commentary can be combined with seasonal prayers and scripture readings to create an Advent hymn festival. Please credit Bruce Harding for this resource and the music arrangements.
- Loss, Healing, and Hope: A "Blue Christmas" Service (75.87 KB) (Word): Gather in honesty about grief, hear the consolation of God’s presence and love, and depart with the joy that comes from memory and a sense of shared peace.
- O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (269.67 KB) (PDF): A one-rehearsal Advent Unwrapped pageant with the message "God is with us! We are not alone."
Music
- Advent Prayer Song (SAB) (Nancy Chegus) (61.83 KB) (PDF): Short SAB piece (a cappella, optional piano) suitable for worship during Advent. Please credit the composer.
- Alleluia (SATB) (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) (418.48 KB) (PDF): Short SATB piece (a cappella, optional piano) suitable for worship during Advent or other times during the worship year. Please credit Words/Music: Pat Mayberry; Arrangement: David Kai and report to One License / Licensing.
- As the Wind Blows (SA Anthem) (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) (2.55 MB) (PDF): “As the wind blows, as the seed grows, lifts its harvest to the sun…” Please credit Words/Music: Pat Mayberry; Arrangement: David Kai and report to One License / Licensing.
- Candle Burning (SATB Anthem) (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) (3.58 MB) (PDF): “We each are born with a candle burning. This is the flame that lights the way.” Please credit Words/Music: Pat Mayberry; Arrangement: David Kai and report to One License / Licensing.
- Scripture Music for Advent (239.47 KB) (PDF): Words and music to accompany scripture during Advent.
- Service Music for Advent (329.68 KB) (PDF): Words and music for Advent services composed by Lisa Waites.
- Sing Now Gloria (Unison) (Terry Macham) (85.52 KB) (PDF): Unison song suitable for worship during Advent. Lead sheet with melody, lyrics, and chord symbols. Text in English and Latin. Please credit the composer.
- We Light This Candle (SATB) (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) (2 MB) (PDF): A piece for use during candle lighting for the four weeks of Advent. Please credit Words/Music: Pat Mayberry; Arrangement: David Kai and report to One License / Licensing.
- When You Go from This Place (SSA / SAT) (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) (297.13 KB) (PDF): Short SAA (or SAT) piece with piano accompaniment suitable as a benediction during Advent or other times during the worship year. Please credit Words/Music: Pat Mayberry; Arrangement: David Kai and report to One License / Licensing.
Related Material
- 2021 KAIROS Palestine Christmas Alert (1.37 MB) (PDF): A glimpse on Palestinians' life inside and outside Palestine and the unity in struggle, resistance, and hope.
- Buy Less Shopping Guide (108.17 KB) (PDF): An Advent Unwrapped shopping guide for all ages for a Buy Less Christmas.
- Moderator's Advent Message 2023: In her Advent message, Moderator Carmen Lansdowne reminds us that the Christmas miracle is a story of hope, bravery, and the willingness to have faith in God.
- Moderator's Advent Message 2023: Transcript (36.41 KB) (Word): Transcript of Moderator Carmen Lansdowne's Advent 2023 video message.
- The Good News of Joy to the World (226.11 KB) (PDF): A five-session Advent Unwrapped Bible study on the Gospel of Luke by the Rev. Dr. Peggy Mulambya-Kabonde of The United Church of Zambia.
- The Good News Story (392.39 KB) (PDF): Four Advent Unwrapped Sunday school session outlines.
- Watching and Waiting: A Daily Vigil Based on the O Antiphons (628.25 KB) (PDF): Follow the ancient tradition of praying the “O Antiphons,” familiar from the carol “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” using this Advent Unwrapped resource. You can set aside nightly family prayer time for the last week of Advent or adapt this ritual in another way.
Worship Blog
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