November 30, 2025 (Advent)
Beulah UMC & Oak Grove UMC
Lord, thank you for this new season of Advent to help us wait patiently for the coming of Jesus into the world. When we are feeling anxious or even fearful about what the future holds, remind us of today’s first Advent candle that offers us the light of hope.
Your light of hope shines brightly through the Christmas lights that are already up in our neighborhoods. Your light of hope shines brightly through an encouraging word that someone shares with us at just the right time. Your light of hope shines brightly through a bible verse that sounded like it was meant just for us. Your light of hope shines brightly through this morning’s worship and the singing of hymns. And the good news of our faith is that your light of hope will only grow brighter as we draw closer to the birth of Christ.
We pray for those who are on our hearts and minds this morning who are in need of your light of hope as well as the people on our church’s prayer list. May this Advent Season be a time for all of us to experience your healing, guiding, protecting, comforting, and saving presence.
As the Apostle Paul reminded us in our first scripture reading this morning, lead us in this holy season to put on the armor of light, an armor that is able to overcome any darkness, an armor that helps us to wait patiently for our prayers to be answered, an armor that helps us to be the best versions of ourselves that we can possibly be, an armor that helps us to become more like you; holy, faithful, patient, hope-filled, and loving.
Come, thou long expected Jesus even as we pray that prayer that you taught us to say together…
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
