At-Home Family Worship for the 3rd Sunday of Advent

Every other week we are offering a simple family service for children and families to follow together at home. We hope this can act as another spiritual formation resource for families during this time we cannot meet in-person for worship.

1. Gather Together

Gather around your advent wreath as a household. Your advent wreath can be as simple or elaborate as you want. All that is needed is four candles (traditionally three purple or blue and one pink) set in a ring.

Invite one person to read the following introduction and to lead the opening prayer.

Prayer Leader: Advent is a season of expectation: a time when we prepare our hearts and spirits for the birth of Jesus. Each week in Advent, we light another candle in our wreath. As it becomes brighter and brighter, it helps us remember that Jesus brings the light and love of God into the world.

Light the first and second blue or purple candles, then light the pink candle.

Jesus is coming! We light the third candle, which represents joy.

All: God, give us joy! Amen. 

2. Opening Prayer

Prayer leader: The Lord be with You
All: And also with you.
Prayer leader: Let us pray.

Living God, fill us with joy and wonder in all your creation.
Help us to keep our hearts and hands open to others.
Amen.

3. Reading

Read the following passage from John 1:6-8,19-28 together:

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’” as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

4. Reflection

Watch this short reflection on the reading from Seminarian & Postulant for Holy Orders, Daniela Lee!

5. Music

Listen to this lovely Advent hymn, O Come Divine Messiah. See the lyrics below if you would like to try to sing along.

1 O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.

Refrain:
Dear Savior, haste! Come, come to earth.
Dispel the night and show your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, Divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.

2. O Christ, who nations sigh for,
Whom priest and prophet long foretold,
Come, break the captive's fetters,
Redeem the long lost fold. [Refrain]

6. Closing Prayers

Take a moment to pause. Invite a member of the household to be the prayer leader to lead these or similar prayers:

Prayer leader: Let’s pray together silently or out loud. First, let’s say thank you to God for the good things in our lives. Are there specific things you’d like to say thank you for? (Give time for others to share out loud or silently.) For all these things, let’s say together: Thank you so much, Lord!

All: Thank you so much, Lord!

Prayer leader: Now, let’s pray for the people or animals who are sick or need help. We also pray for the things that worry us. Are there specific people, animals, or worries you’d like to pray for? (Give time for others to share out loud or silently.) Let us say: Please God, help us!

All: Please God, help us!

Prayer leader: Repeat after me

All: Dear God,
Thank you for this time together
Stay with us
This week and always. 
Help us to be like Jesus. 
Amen.

These family services are inspired by and adapted from the Family Worship: Home Edition services at Trinity Wall Street in New York City.