CALL TO WORSHIP
Church, today we light the fourth candle of the Advent season which is the candle of love.
John 1:14 declares “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us” which assures us that God has entered into human history through the incarnation of the Son. The season of Advent, a season of waiting, is designed to cultivate our awareness of God’s actions—past, present, and future. In Advent we heighten our anticipation for the ultimate fulfillment of all Old Testament promises, when the wolf will lie down with the lamb, death will be swallowed up, and every tear will be wiped away. In this way Advent highlights for us the larger story of God’s redemptive plan. Though Christ has come, not all things have reached completion. While we remember Israel’s waiting and hoping and we give thanks for Christ’s birth, we also eagerly anticipate His second coming at the end of time.
As we await our coming King, we read these words together:
O King of the nations, and their desire,
the cornerstone making both one:
Come and save the human race,
which you fashioned from clay.
Come, Lord Jesus

CALL TO CONFESSION
As we continue in our time together, we are going to pause to turn our eyes and hearts to Jesus by remembering his sacrifice on the cross, through the holy sacrament of Communion.
To prepare ourselves, we will spend a few moments in silent confession. We do this each week because we are all sinful people. We are sinners by human nature, and we are sinners by the daily choices we make. Because we are sinful, it is good for us to take time so we can be honest about our sin. Our time of confession provides this opportunity. Each week during Advent we have focused our confession on a specific theme. Today we focus on Love.

CONFESSION
Each week during Advent, we have focused our confession on a specific theme. Today we focus on Love.
Will you hear this prayer of confession as I pray it over you?
Lord Christ,
we confess our willingness to be loved
but also our reluctance to love.
We confess our readiness to accept your forgiving love
but also our refusal to forgive.
We confess our eagerness to grasp your offer of redeeming love 
but also our resistance to follow you without question.
In this Advent time, forgive us our failure
to respond as we should.
Come to us anew, and by your grace, 
assist us to receive you with joy, as the shepherds;
with gratitude, as Simeon;
with obedience, as Mary;
with love, as you have loved us.
Even so: come, Lord Jesus. 
Amen.