As we edge toward many a graduation, I thought you might appreciate some graduation prayers.
Here is an invocation and benediction that I will be offering this year:
Invocation
Holy Divine One, whom we know by many names,
Today we gather to celebrate the accomplishments of the outgoing class of 2026. We honor the years of work that have gone into reaching this mark and give thanks for the family, teachers, friends, coaches, mentors, and staff that have supported them on their way. As we watch them each receive their diplomas and move their tassels from the right to the left, we ask that you bless each one of them. May they know their own belovedness and potential. Let us with glad hearts recognize and praise these accomplished young adults on this auspicious day of graduation. AMEN
Benediction
As our time concludes here today, and each of you graduates head out onto new adventures, receive this blessing:
May the culmination of your time at [insert school name] be not the end of your [school name] story, but the grounding from which you will continue to develop and grow.
May the ideas and ideals that you’ve learned here provide you with the foundational tools that you need for tomorrow.
May you continue to thrive and grow, recognizing evermore your role and responsibilities in an interdependent world.
May you each be brave enough to imagine and live into a world where all have what they need and where all care for each other and the world itself.
May God bless you and keep you.
Go with the blessing of God upon you, now and forevermore.
Here is what I offered last year:
Invocation
God of the heavens and the earth and all there within and without, We gather here on this day to celebrate the lives of these students who are graduating today. As we hear of their accomplishments and watch them receive their diplomas, we ask you to bless them. Bless them as they begin their journey into an even wider world. Bless their family and friends who have supported them along this journey. Bless this place and this day. May your Holy Spirit be a gentle prescence throughout this ceremony this morning. AMEN
Benediction
As we go from this place and you, newly graduated, begin to explore the next chapter of your life, May you remember your time here at [school name] and in [town name] fondly. May it give you the strength and fortitude to stand up for what is right and good. May it offer you the wisdom to lean in with curiosity and the ingenuity and creativity to build bridges of connection. May you live into the character that you developed here always looking out for and standing up for those who are in need. Go with the blessings of God upon you and be the change you hope to see in the world. Peace be with you. God bless.
And here is what I offered in my first year here. This was one of my very first acts in my newest setting:
Invocation
Holy God, who is known by many names, as we gather here to celebrate the accomplishments of these students, we ask for your blessings. May our time together be rich with meaning. May we listen intently with open ears and open hearts that we might notice stories of courage, perseverance, creativity and kindness. May we recognize each individual and also the community which has surrounded and supported them. Through our time together today, may we be filled with hope for the future and be inspired to go back into the world bringing with us all the goodness we witness and partake in today. AMEN
Benediction
As we end our time together today, I ask for God’s blessing upon all the students, their families and friends, the teachers and staff of Brewster Academy, and the wider supporting community of this institution.
May the grace of the Holy One be upon you all.
May the Spirit lead you out into the world and encourage you to be bold.
May you not shrink back from the enormity of the troubles of this world
but instead be empowered to know that you are just what the world needs in this time.
May you be courageous and creative in developing your dreams.
May you be kind and compassionate in all of your interactions.
May you find mentors who will continue to press you in your pursuits and others who will share in your passions.
May you continue to learn and create, daring to share your full self with this world,
and may the world receive your gifts with joy and appreciation.
Go with God’s blessings creating love, peace and justice wherever you go.
And may we all trust that the world will be better place because you all are in it. AMEN
Traveling mercies upon you all.
One thing that I found helpful in writing these was reviewing the school’s website to search out their mission and vision for their students and looking for other values that the school held up as important.
NOTE: All rights are reserved for these prayers. Permission is given for use in educational or religious setting with citation.
This year we held both a Blue Christmas and a Longest night service. The congregation was at first confused by the two services, but came to understand that the Blue Christmas Service were for people that were grieving in some way – perhaps because of a death, perhaps because of a new diagnosis, perhaps due to other reasons. The Longest night was more about the seasonal change.
Both of these services while appreciated are not usually well attended, so it was a gift to share these services with our ecumenical Episcopal partners.
Below is the gathered liturgy and a picture of the stations that we put together in lieu of a sermon.
ALL: Merciful God, In this season of rejoicing, we come to you weary and grieving In this season of feasting, we hunger for healing and relief In this season of light, our hearts are veiled in sorrow and shadow Will this season ever end?
“Yes.” We hear your, “Yes.”
Those who are weary will find rest Those who mourn will be comforted Those who hunger will be filled The Light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness will not overcome it.
HYMN: Holy Darkness UpperRoom Worshipbook #407
Lighting the Christmas Candle – Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Strike a match and light the white candle
PB–We welcome you O Christ, Light of the World.
In the midst of our suffering, help us to worship you in spirit and in truth.
PD: Let us light the rest of our wreath to remind us that God brings us light even when and especially when we are sitting in darkness . . . .
Advent Wreath Liturgy: Blue Christmas — written by Rick Marshall in Blue Christmas: A Service of Remembrance for the Time of Advent and Christmas. Posted on the Process and Faith website. http://processandfaith.org/resources/liturgy/blue-christmas
A Liturgy of Remembering: Blue Christmas
FCCW: The first candle we light is to remember those whom we have loved and lost. We pause to remember their name, their face, their voice, the memory that binds them to us in this season.
(Pause while the first candle is lit)
All: May God’s eternal love surround them.
AS: The second candle we light is to redeem the pain of loss, the loss of someone who was very important to us, part of our lives, part of our own selves. We pause to gather up the pain of the past and offer it to God, asking that from God’s hands we receive the gift of peace.
(Pause while the second candle is lit)
ALL: Refresh, restore, renew us O God, and lead us into your future.
FCCW : The third candle we light is to remember ourselves this Christmas time. We pause and remember these past weeks and months, the disbelief, the anger, the down times, the poignancy of reminiscing, the hugs and handshakes of family and friends, all those who stood with us. We give thanks for all the support we have known.
(Pause while the third candle is lit)
All: Let us remember that dawn defeats darkness, life overcomes death.
AS: The fourth candle is lit to remember our faith and the gift of hope which the Christmas story offers to us. We remember that God, who shares our life, promises us a place and time of no more pain and suffering.
(Pause while the fourth candle is lit)
Let us remember the One who shows the way,Who brings the truth and who bears the light.
PB- Let us hear from our holy scripture both fear and comfort, both sadness and hope. Open your heart and hear:
Scripture Reading: Psalm 121 –
Our Psalter Reading tonight is Psalm number 121. May you hear with your heart these words:
I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming inqq from this time on and forevermore.
Here ends our reading. May God add to our understanding.
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10 –
Our second reading tonight comes from the book of Isaiah chapter 11 verses 1 through 10. May God’s words be a balm to our heart.
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see or decide by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge for the poor and decide with equity for the oppressed of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
The wolf shall live with the lamb; the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the lion will feed together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
Reflection: Set up 4 stations
HOPE – Creating a stage for hope – even if your not ready for hope – receive candle
PEACE – Healing station with oil
LOVE – Images / icons of Mary (Bill doing this station)
JOY – written – Where have you found joy in the past? Take seeds of joy / Amaryllis bulb
Canticle of Light and Darkness UMHymnal #205 adapted music by Richard Proulx
Response: “You are the light of the world; be light in our darkness, O Christ.”
Response:
PB: We look for light but find darkness,for brightness, but walk in gloom.We grope like those who know not where they are going;we stumble at noon as in the twilight.
Response
PS : If I say, “Let only darkness cover me, And the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you, the night is bright as the day, For darkness is as light with you.
Response
PB: Blessed be your name, O God, for ever.You reveal deep and mysterious things; you are light and in you is no darkness.Our darkness is passing away and already the true light is shining.
Response
Affirmation of Faith for Christmas –
Adapted from the Poem First Coming by Madeleine L’engle
Dawn : Christians, what do you believe?
All Voices:
God did not wait till the world was ready, till nations were at peace. God came when the Heavens were unsteady and prisoners cried out for release. God did not wait for the perfect time. God came when the need was deep and great. God dined with sinners in all their grime, turned water into wine. God did not wait till hearts were pure. In joy God came to a tarnished world of sin and doubt. To a world like ours, of anguished shame, God came and God’s Light would not go out. God came to a world which did not mesh; to heal its tangles, shield its scorn. In the mystery of the Word made Flesh, the Maker of the stars was born. We cannot wait till the world is sane to raise our songs with joyful voice, For to share our grief, to touch our pain, God came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!
—
PB- So let us rejoice – not in the noisy bell clanging with strength across the mountains, but in a joy, deeper and more subtle.Not in a joy that claps its hands and runs forth and leaps, but in a joy that can exist with sadness, sorrow, and pain.
Receiving the Light
PD- Tonight we have talked a lot about light; and frankly sometimes it feels as if we have no light left to give. It feels as if there is not kindling to be lit, no fuel to give it life; but it is in those moments that we remember, we are not alone and we do not have to feel responsible to create the light. The light is already present in the world.
PD- When we are afraid that we have nothing left to give,We might simply look around and notice the light that already exists.We might allow ourselves to simply sit in its glow.We might remember the one who said, “I am the light of the world.”
PD- Welcome and receive the light tonight (i.e. don’t make them pass it – – -let us light each candle as we sing)
Hymn: Silent Night Red #138
Benediction:
PB: Go knowing God is with you.
PD: Go knowing God does not require jingle bells or a holly jolly Christmas.
PB: Go knowing that God is with you.
PB: Go knowing that you are loved and beloved just as you are.
PD: Go knowing that Christ is to be born again . . .
NOTE: Anyone who wishes a prayer or conversation after worship, please come forward after the postlude.
Based on the book Calling All Angels by Erin Wathen but can be used independent of the book.
Note: Each week has a person or people volunteer to light the candle.
Note: Each pillar above, when turned has the name of the week.
Lighting of the Advent Wreath – Advent One
Introduce yourself Share a time when God has offered you HOPE in your life.
One: Today we sing the song of Zechariah, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for God has looked favorably on God’s people and redeemed them. God has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of David. . .God has shown the mercy God promised our ancestors and remembered the holy covenant.”
Let us, as Zechariah, hold to HOPE this day. Let us bask in the words, “Do not be afraid!” Let us have the courage to wonder what we might do if we were not afraid.
Moment of silence Let us today light the candle of HOPE in our advent wreath and in our hearts.
Light the Hope candle
Let us sing together the 1st verse of our Advent song.
Recommended Hymn: Advent Song (Light the Advent Candle) The Faith We Sing #2090 vs 1
Lighting of the Advent Wreath – Advent 2
Introduction of the people / person lighting the wreath Share a time when you felt the PEACE of God.
One: Today we sing the song of Mary, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior . . .The mighty One has done great things . . .and holy is his name. . .He has scattered the proud . . ., and brought down the powerful from their thrones. [He] has lifted up the lowly and has filled the hungry with good things.”
Let us, as Mary did, imagine a world where all have as they need and where PEACE abides. Let us bask in the words, “Do not be afraid!” Let us have the audacity to join God in making peace real in the world.
Let us today light the candle of PEACE in our advent wreath and in our hearts.
Recommended Hymn: Advent Song (Light the Advent Candle) The Faith We Sing #2090 vs 1 & 2
Lighting of the Advent Wreath – Advent 3
Introduction of the people lighting the wreath. Share a time when you have felt extraordinary JOY.
One: Today we walk with Joseph into the unknown. We walk from clarity into mystery, from loneliness to JOY. “Look, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.”
Let us prepare to receive the JOY. Let us bask in the words, “Do not be afraid!’ Let us welcome mystery into our own lives and be ready to live into God’s possibilities.
Moment of Silence
Let us today light the candle of JOY in our advent wreath and in our hearts.
Light the candle
Recommended Hymn: Advent Song (Light the Advent Candle) The Faith We Sing #2090 vs 1, 2, & 3
Lighting of the Advent Wreath – Advent 4
Introduction of person / people lighting the wreath. Share a time when you have felt extraordinary LOVE.
One: Today we encounter angels with shepherds in their fields. We are met with amazement and awe. The angels once again declare, “Do not be afraid!” They say they are bringing good news of great joy for all people. Because a child is born, LOVE itself is taking on form and presence in this world.
And so they rushed to the stable where they encountered LOVE incarnate.
So let us prepare to LOVE and BE LOVED. Let us bask in the words, “Do not be afraid!’ Let us prepare for our own encounters with God whenever and wherever they come.
Moment of Silence
Let us today light the candle of LOVE in our advent wreath and in our hearts.
Light Candle
Recommended Hymn: Advent Song (Light the Advent Candle) The Faith We Sing #2090 vs 1-4
Lighting of the Advent Wreath – Christmas Eve Family Service
Introduction of the people lighting the wreath. Share a time when you followed in the footsteps of Jesus or noticed God moving in your life
One: Today we stand on the precipice of wonder. Here we are met with Angel and shepherds, donkeys and kings. Here, we hear, “Do not be afraid!” And it is hard not to be afraid when the world can be so cruel and so cold. It is hard to believe when doors are shut and neighbors avert their eyes. It is hard to trust when we worry. And yet, it is here that you not only say, “Do not be afraid!” but also “I am with you. I am with you always. Let us celebrate the good news of a newborn king coming into the world Let us celebrate Christ the King coming this night to all. . So let us prepare to receive this child of grace. Let us bask in the words, “Do not be afraid!’ Let us sing and dance and make a joyful noise, the King of Kings is coming. The king of kings is born again tonight.
Let us today light the Christ candle in our advent wreath and in our hearts.
Recommended Hymn: Advent Candle Lighting – Light One Candle – Rainbow Songbook # 29 (Light each candle as we sing)
Lighting of the Advent Wreath on Christmas Night
Note: The entire service will be built around lighting the Advent Candles, readings, and hymns.
It takes faith beyond imagining to have come to hear this story if you are living things too difficult to be made sense of by an ancient memory of angels and wise men.
It takes faith beyond imagining to have come to hear this story when you know that it will be a greater miracle than any virgin birth for love to be born right now in our world.
The alleluias we sing today will not be to drown out the world’s truths that would deny them; but to pray they will hold us in their faith.
So we gather the bewildered, the broken hearted, the fragile and the hopeful the faithful and the faithless because all we have left when we stand in the world’s darkness is this longing for love to be born once again.
Invocation – Holy Spirit, alight on us. Refresh our souls. Revive our hearts. Let us open ourselves to your movement and be attentive to your wake. Embolden our faith this Christmas Eve night that we might dare to believe again in miracles. AMEN
Hymn: O Come all Ye Faithful TNCH # 135
Tonight we will light our Advent candle in an unfolding tale of the Christmas story. First Comes: Hope
First Reading – Isaiah 40:3-5
Our story begins long before the birth of Jesus, long before his conception, long before even Mary was born. Our story begins with a people pushed and pulled, occupied and exiled: a people needing hope in what felt like a hopeless time. These words reverberate throughout our holy scripture, coming first in the book of Isaiah chapter 40 verses 3 through 5 and later through the mouth of John the Baptist as he proclaims the coming of the Lord. Open your heart to hear the hope for the world. May we all work to make it so.
A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Let us light the candle of hope.
HYMN: The Baptist Shouts on Jordan’s Shore TNCH # 115
Second Reading: Our second candle will be lit for peace,
a peace that comes beyond all understanding, a peace that comes when you know that you are doing right, even if it is scary, even if you know others may not approve. This peace comes from the phrase that we have heard over and over from our Advent angels, “Be Not Afraid”. In our story tonight, there are two people who showed their bravery to stand where they knew they must, not because they thought it would make them popular, but because they knew they were needed. Let us hear the holy “Yes” that came from both Mary and from Joseph.
In Luke Chapter 1 verses 26-56, let us hear the story of Mary: In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant. Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name; indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has come to the aid of his child Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
HYMN: My Heart Sings Out With Joyful Praise TNCH # 106
Third READING:
And in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 1 verses 18-24, we hear of Joseph’s encounter with the Angel: Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife Let us Light the candle of Peace which gave Mary and Joseph the strength to make difficult choices
HYMN: Gentle Joseph, Joseph Dear TNCH # 105
Fourth Reading Our Third Candle is light with joy – –
not just with happiness but with a deep seeded joy that can not be taken from us: a joy of the promise of a child born to us, a joy that means life can be different, a joy that inspires visions of both peace and hope. Open your ears and hear the predictive passage of the shoot that shall come from the stump of Jesse as found in the book of Isaiah chapter 11 verses 1 through 10:
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see or decide by what his ears hear,
but with righteousness he shall judge for the poor and decide with equity for the oppressed of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
The wolf shall live with the lamb; the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the lion will feed together, and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
Let us Light the candle of Joy for a vision of the world that seems almost impossible and yet we long for it and know that with God all things are possible.
HYMN: O Come, O Come Emmanuel TNCH #116
Fifth Reading:
And what is this all for if not love, a love which is beyond all understanding. God did not need to come and take the form of child, surely not a child of lowly estate born to people not even in their own home and yet this is our story. This is the story we tell at this time of year. A story of a love so great that it was willing to come into this world and share a life with us. Hear now the telling of this birth from Luke chapter 2 verses 1-7
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room.
Let us Light the Candle of Love
which was born that night not to hoopla and triumphant praise, but it the quiet of stable, unknown to most of the world.
HYMN: O Little Town of Bethlehem TNCH #133
Sixth Reading: We cannot forget of course the first visitors that came those shepherds who were led by the angels so that they might see the promised one. Hear Luke 2
Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.
HYMN: It came Upon the Midnight Clear TNCH # 131
We have but one more candle to light, but before we do that, let us offer our prayers:
Prayer of Transformation (DMA)
On this night especially, O God, we recognize the distance between hope and reality. Help us to bridge that gap. Let us not just dream and talk of better ways, but let live in the way which your son taught us. Let us Love where it is challenging. Let us bring peace to places of unrest. Let us hope when it seems all is lost. And let us bring harmony to where there is dissonance.
Let us find joy in the simple things and be grateful for the many gifts we have. Let us be generous with all that we have and all that we are.
Let us be as Christ to the world. Honoring each person we meet and seeking for them as we ourselves would want.
Let us not limit this love to only this Advent and Christmas season, but may it shape each day of our lives and may it promote the vision to which you aspire of heaven on earth. We offer this prayer in word and in deed. AMEN
Prayers of the People
Lord, hear our prayers for the world. Enter our hearts and seek in this silence all that we hold within.
Silent reflection Lord, hear our prayer. AMEN
OFFERTORY
And now having prayed for the world, let us give to the world. Let us with open hand remember God’s gracious gift coming to us this night and let us imagine what it might look like if we all acted so generously. May we offer to God our thanks and praise. Offertory Anthem –
Doxology –
Prayer of Dedication
God, on this holy night receive not just our words but our actions. Receive these gifts that we have put forth as a small representation of our heart. May this giving be not an ending, but just a beginning of our willingness to add to the blessings that you flow into this world. May we, and all we have, honor you each day. May we work with you to bring hope, peace, love, joy, and justice into this world by joining in your economics of generosity and reciprocity. May your kin-dom reign now and forevermore. AMEN
And now we prepare to light the last candle: the Christ Candle
Reflection–
Lighting of the Christ Candle
We light the Christ Candle to remember the gift that was given to us of a child so long ago and who comes to us each year.
The thing about this candle is that it is not meant to be the only candle light. Instead, it is the candle which has ignited all the others and so I invite you to stand as we offer our last song, “Silent Night” and prepare to go out into the night in silence and in awe. Deacons will bring you the light and we invite you to pass the light one to another being mindful to tilt the unlit candle into the lit candle rather than the other way around. Let us sing . . . and be filled with the joy, peace, love, and hope of this night.
Spreading of the Light
HYMN: Silent Night TNCH #134
Silently go into the night!
Advent Wreath Lighting the Sunday after Christmas
So all this season, we’ve been lighting these candles. Today I thought perhaps we could do it together and remember.
Who remembers what each of these candles represent?
Who can tell me a little bit about hope? Light the hope candle
Who can tell me a little bit about love? Light the love candle
Who can tell me a little bit about joy? Light the joy candle
Who can tell me a little bit about peace? Light the Peace candle
Now we have one more. What does this last candle stand for? Why do we wait to light it?
Did you know that Advent wreaths actually did not come into existence until about the 1830’s. Advent itself is not a Biblical mandate, but a way to teach about the coming of Christ. The candles can and sometimes do take on all sorts of different meanings, the most common today are the hope, love, peace and joy that we celebrate, but just as easily can be prophets, Mary and Joseph, shepherds, and angels or anything else we might want to put together that has meaning and purpose.
So I ask you, what does Advent and Christmas mean to you? What does the coming of the light mean in your heart?
Light the Christ Candle
And so for one last time this year, let us sing our Advent Song.
Hymn: Advent Song (Light the Advent Candle) The Faith We Sing #2090 whole song
Citation noted above.
TNCH – The New Century Hymnal
All rights reserved for that which is original. Permission granted for use in religious and educational settings with citation.
I have been asked to bless a gravestone. The funeral was almost a year ago now. The family would like the “service” to be relatively brief.
Here is what I will offer. I hope that it might help you if you are asked for such a liturgy yourself. I had a hard time coming by one online, so perhaps this may inspire you.
The opening and the benediction are original pieces with the prayers coming from AI after I fed the entirety of the memorial liturgy into it to create the blessing.
Blessing of a Gravestone
WELCOME AND PURPOSE We are here today to bless the headstone that marks the resting place of [Name]—wife, mother, grandmother, and friend.
We are here to again remember and give thanks for her life, and to honor the grief and the loss that still sits in our hearts as a result of her death.
We come knowing time goes on, and not wanting to forget her or let her be forgotten.
This is a day of marking this space and this place in her name. This is a day to remember the love that she imparted and the life that she lived.
Throughout history, stones have been a way to mark the final resting places of those we love. In fact, some say that the placing of rocks upon the graves of those we love marks a turning point in human evolution: a point where emotion and connection overtook utility.
Over time, simple acts to mark a grave were enhanced with more formal commemorative markers— meant not just for those who already knew the one who had died, but also to proclaim who they were to the world for all time.
One of the earliest burials in our sacred story comes from Genesis 35, where Jacob buries his wife Rachel and sets a stone to honor and remember her. The scripture says: “So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), and Jacob set up a pillar at her grave. It is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day.”
And so today, we bless this stone which has been set in honor of our beloved [Name].
PRAYER O God, We pray for your presence in this place, for your Spirit to rest upon this stone, and for your love to surround all who gather here.
Bless this marker, O Holy One, that it may stand as a witness to a life well-lived— a life of beauty, of kindness, of devotion, of gardens tended and homes made warm, of dogs rescued and meals prepared, of love poured out in quiet, steady ways.
Let this stone be a signpost of memory, a place where grief is honored and love is rekindled.
May it speak not only of death, but of the life that continues in those who remember, and in the communion of saints that surrounds us still.
MOMENT OF REMEMBRANCE Let us take a moment to be still— to remember [Name]’s laughter, her labor, her love. To recall the way she made a house a home, the way she moved through the world with purpose and grace, and the way her life continues to shape our own.
(Silence)
BLESSING OF THE STONE
Holy and Loving God, by your mighty power you gave us life, and in your love you have given us new life in Christ. We now bless this stone, set here in memory of [Name].
May it stand as a testimony to her life and legacy, a place of peace for those who mourn, and a reminder that nothing—not even death—can separate us from your love.
May all who pass by this place feel the warmth of her spirit, the strength of her devotion, and the beauty she cultivated in every corner of her life.
Benediction May this gravestone stand as a reminder to all of [Name]’s love and life, and may each of you be living stone, which also speaks of her to the world. In her honor,
may you go and live life to the fullest, enjoying nature, each other, and each day that you are blessed to continue to walk this earth. May her memory live through you and may it continue to be a blessing to you. Go with God’s blessing and peace. AMEN
NOTE: All Rights reserved as applicable. Permission given for use in an educational or religious setting.
The church I am serving has only a small silver bowl as their baptismal font, which regularly gets locked up following a baptism not to be seen again until the next baptism. For me, baptismal fonts are meant to be in view at all times. They are meant not just to baptize people, but also to constantly remind us of that baptism.
I love the story that I was told in seminary of the reformer Martin Luther often walking around saying, “I am baptized. I am baptized. I am baptized.” as a way to find his grounding and remembering his courage which was not just in him but beyond him.
One of my mentors, Rev. Wendy Miller-Olapade, shared with me that each time she washes her hands, she is reminded of her baptism. She takes these simple and mundane times as sacred, and, long ago, she encouraged me to do the same.
Baptism is not an act for a single day, but an invitation into and an outward act symbolizing the beginning of living a faith filled life. Therefore, for this congregation, I have been on the hunt for baptismal font.
I finally found one that another congregation was re-homing as their congregation was dissolving. They sought new life for as much of their liturgical tools and furniture as possible. I had to arrange or transportation, but they were happy to find it a new home where it would be loved and used.
This week, we will bless it and welcome it into use in our congregation. Next Sunday, it will get to be used to welcome its first little one in our congregation into the life of Christ.
The challenge that I found was liturgy. I wanted to offer the font some official blessing into service, but I could not find much. So I offer you here what I created and think will work well in our context. I wanted the time of blessing to be significant, but not too long. I wanted to honor its past spiritual home just as we do with new members, and I wanted to include the kids in the blessing so it will be done during Chancel steps and they will join me in dotting it with some sacred oil.
Blessing of a Baptismal Font
Pastor: As we accept this baptismal font into our church as a tool to be used for one of our sacraments, let us take a moment to bless it:
For what is was,
For what it will be . . .
People: We welcome this font in our household of faith.
Pastor: For what it symbolizes,
For the hopes it contains,
People: We welcome this font into our household of faith.
Pastor: Holy God,
Pour down your Spirit upon this font.
May it hold your blessed waters.
May it feed your faithful people.
May it bless us with happy memories
and hold us fast to your hopes.
May it signify a continuation of the family of faith which extends far outside these walls in both space and time.
Each time we see it, may we feel the inner tug of all that has been promised in these waters, whether they were poured here or elsewhere or even if only in someone’s heart.
We honor the journey of this font as it found its way to us and give thanks for our sister church in South Acton, MA in the many ways she sought to lay seeds in the ground even as her own congregation was scattered with the wind and her singular congregation is no more.
We give thanks for their generous hearts that they gifted this font to our congregation that it might continue to serve You.
May this font bring many smiles and joyful moments to this church.
May it signify the tie that binds when in times of trouble.
We pray all of this in your name, O God. AMEN
Blessing with oil – We bless you and set you into service in the name of our creator, son, and holy spirit. AMEN
All rights reserved. Permission given for use and adaptation for religious and educational settings. May it inspire you to create your own.
“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” – Genesis 12:2-3
Can you imagine a world where we walked around consciously blessing one another and the world around us? Might this simple act deflate the tensions and anxiety that pervade our society. Could you imagine if we sought to find the holy chard (tikkun olam) that everyone and everything contained? or sought the holy fingerprint of the potter himself (Isaiah 64:8)?
What would it mean to begin to see the world as holy, to act as if it were, and to encourage it to be so? The act of blessings is an ancient practice that perhaps we should reinstitute. Doing so does not require an act of congress, nor a majority vote, it simply means that you and I make it so. Maybe, if we are lucky, the practice will grow.
Step one is simply to look with new eyes and see the beauty before us (Remember beauty is not always external; and beauty is not always what society names it to be.).
Step two is to name what you see or what you hope to see. If I were blessing my fireplace this morning, I might offer a blessing for the many days of warmth that it has brought to my house allowing me to be comfortable and to invite friends and family within. If I were blessing a person, I might offer a hope, “May this new year offer you opportunity and growth. May you find your footing, feel your strength, and be granted the courage to live fully into who you were meant to be.”
Step three is to share your blessing. You may say it quietly to God, say it aloud to the another person, or maybe take a moment to drop a note or a text to let them know that you are thinking about them. You might even post it on social media.
Blessings can also be done quietly within your heart as a prayer to God. I started to bless my feet in the morning after my mother passed away. She had thrown blood clots in her legs which subsequently caused an unhealing foot wound and caused the loss of several toes. My kids even were known to refer to her as Grandma Boo Boo Foot because, in their memory, she could never wear two shoes and usually need the assistance of a wheelchair. So now when my feet hit the floor I try to remember that even getting up in the morning and standing is not a blessing that everyone is afforded.
ABlessing for Feet
I wiggle them awake
and say, “Thank you!”
I touch them to the ground
and say, “Thank you!”
I press my weight upon them
and say, “Thank you!”
“Thank you little toes
and feet
and ankles.
Thank you phalanges
and metatarsals
and navicular bone.
Thank you to my muscles
and my tendons
and all the nerves
that go into each step I take.
Thank you God for my feet.
Bless them as they carry me through my day.
AMEN
NOTE: All rights are reserved for this blessing or anything published on this page. Permission is given for usage in religious or educational settings with citation.
If you would like to read some more blessings including two of my own, check out Ruth Burgess’ book from Wild Goose Publications, Blessed Be God:
Balthazar is by tradition the name of one of the Magi that visited Jesus when he was born (The Bible does not actually tell us their names names or even how many their actually was of them.). In our church, Balthazar has been quite busy over the past several weeks. He has been out on an epic adventure. It was anyone’s guess if he would manage to return in a timely fashion for our Epiphany celebration (Even I was not 100% sure).
On the first Sunday of Advent, we set him out on his journey by handing him to one of the children during chancel steps. Since then he has been traveling from family to family. As each person received him, they signed the card and then passed him along to someone else. Each signature was like a passport stamp for all the different households that Balthazar traveled through to make it to the Nativity.
The card was used not only to record Balthazar’s travels, but also to offer the instructions about returning Balthazar. He is supposed to return to church on the Sunday closest to Epiphany (January 6th). This year, that meant yesterday, the 5th of January. Sure enough and miracle of miracles, he did return this past Sunday. All the Magi, both the beautiful ceramic set and their Playmobil counterparts, arrived on time to bestow their gifts to Jesus. This is clearly going to be a new tradition. The kids were thrilled to be a part of the telling of the Christmas story. The return of Balthazar to the Nativity set ranked up there with the placing of baby Jesus in the manger at the 5pm Christmas Eve worship service.
I am very thankful that my colleague, Pastor Karen Fournier, for sharing this idea with me. New ideas are but one of the many blessings that a pastor can gain by fostering strong collegial bonds. And now I offer this idea to you. I can’t wait to hear about all of Balthazar’s travels.
but in the Christian calendar New Year was a month ago at the beginning of Advent. That doesn’t make this time unimportant though, as this is still a time of noticing change and being thoughtful about what comes next.
We, as Christians, are still well entrenched in the Christmas season and are moving toward Epiphany which is celebrated on January 6th. As we look toward the story of the Magi (Matthew 2:1-12) and consider our own pathways to the nativity and away from it, it is a good time for reflection and a good time to set intentions for the next year.
Some churches, like the one that I pastor, this Sunday will pass out star words.
This was one of the words I pulled a few years ago.Last year, as I had three different worship services that I used this process with, I ended up three words which ironically spelled STaR: Shimmer, Tolerance, and Restraint.
These words are not meant to be talismans or crystal balls. They are not predictions of the future. They are meant to help lead you forward through the year through reflection, consideration, and discernment.
One of the best lines in the Epiphany story is “And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.” (Matthew 2:12) This sentence speaks not only to what the Magi did, but also asks us to consider where we are going and how we will get there.
May we be mindful about our ways in this “new year” as our way affects other’s ways; and all of our ways together affect the world and its future.
Here is a liturgy that I used to pass out the star words:
Dedication of Stars Pastor: In this time as we celebrate the light of Christ coming into the world and yet our world seems darker than ever, we lean on our faith to see us through. At the beginning of worship, you were given a star. I invite you to hold that star in your hand.
In your hands you hold a gift from God. A message just for you. Take a moment to reflect on how this word might unfold new truths for you in the coming year.
Silent Reflection
Pastor: In the coming year, use this word, as the Magi used the star as a guide in the sky. May it inspire you to bravely travel wherever God leads. May you see God working in you and those around you. And may you be transformed as you faithfully discover God’s will in your life. Remembering always that you are a part of the Good news that God has planned for the world.
Congregation: We accept our stars and promise to listen for all God may reveal to us through our star word. AMEN
Wandering and Wondering 
