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A Sample Worship Service Liturgy for the Christmas Season
An Order of Service for Advent
Sunday morning worship is a vital part of the Christian life, and having a thoughtfully composed, theologically sound order of service is a significant way that pastors and worship leaders can contribute to this. The Sing! Hymnal was designed to provide both hymns and liturgical readings specifically curated for church services. This liturgy has been designed from the entries of the Sing! Hymnal for an Advent worship service, while also utilizing the website, singhymnal.com, for ease of access where more about each hymn, the lyrics, and digital downloads can be found.
Call to Worship:
Sing! Hymnal entry #736: We Join Our Voices (with optional call and response)
We join our voices with Mary’s and pray,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.”
We join our voices with Zechariah’s and pray,
“[God] has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us.”
We join our voices with the multitude of the heavenly host and pray,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
A compilation of the Lukan canticles: Luke 1:46–47, 50, 68–71; 2:14
Hymn:
Sing! Hymnal entry #742: In the Fullness of Time
First Advent Reading:
Jeremiah 33:14–16
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’”
Hymn:
Sing! Hymnal entry #9: O Worship the King
Confession of Sin:
Sing! Hymnal entry #95: Like Lost Sheep
Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed
from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much of the
devices and desires of our hearts. We have offended against thy
holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to
have done, and we have done those things which we ought not
to have done, and there is no health in us.
But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us miserable offenders.
Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults; restore thou
them that are penitent, according to thy promises declared unto
mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful
Father, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous,
and sober life, to the glory of thy holy name. Amen.
Book of Common Prayer (1552)
Assurance of Pardon:
Sing! Hymnal entry #743: Galatians 4:4–5
When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son,
born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were
under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Hymn:
Sing! Hymnal entry #715: O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Prayer, Scripture Reading, Homily
Communion Song:
Sing! Hymnal entry #601: Christ Is Mine Forevermore
Closing Hymn:
Sing! Hymnal entry #772: Good Christian Men Rejoice
Benediction:
Sing Hymnal entry #774: Let Your Peace Dwell in Our Hearts
Lord Jesus,
you are the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.
Without you, if we possess everything,
we really have nothing;
and with you, even if we possess nothing,
we really have everything.
We joyfully submit to your plans, bow the knee to your rule,
rely on your tender care, and let your peace dwell in our hearts.
Alistair Begg (b. 1952)
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