Our Advent 1

I was pleased by the service at church yesterday: new year's day for the church calendar

Hymns were great, including O Come O Come Emanuel.

I read the Bible passage for the service: Matthew 11:16-30.

The sermon on that passage was a knockout. It is here if you want to hear it.

If only we had had a call to worship, a benediction and a tad more prayer.

My candidates for call to worship:

Romans 13:11-14
¹¹ And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. ¹² The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. ¹⁴ Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

and for benediction:

1 Thess 5:23-24
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

And at least one structured prayer. Perhaps the confession (from AAPB)

Merciful God,
our maker and our judge,
we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed:
we have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves;
we repent, and are sorry for all our sins.
Father, forgive us.
Strengthen us to love and obey you in newness of life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen