The Collect

Almighty Father, whose will is to restore all things in your beloved Son, the King of all: govern the hearts and minds of those in authority, and bring the families of the nations, divided and torn apart by the ravages of sin, to be subject to his just and gentle rule; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

¶ The Liturgy of the Word

First Reading: Wisdom of Solomon 6.12-16

Wisdom is radiant and unfading, and she is easily discerned by those who love her,  and is found by those who seek her.  She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her.  One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty, for she will be found sitting at the gate.  To fix one’s thought on her is perfect understanding,  and one who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care, because she goes about seeking those worthy of her,  and she graciously appears to them in their paths,  and meets them in every thought.

Psalm:  Wisdom of Solomon 6.17-20

The beginning of wisdom is the most sincere desire for instruction, and concern for instruction is love of her, and love of her is the keeping of her laws, and giving heed to her laws is assurance of immortality, and immortality brings one near to God; so the desire for wisdom leads to a kingdom.

Second Reading:  1 Thessalonians 4.13-18

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 25.1-13

Jesus spoke this parable to the disciples: ‘The kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise replied, “No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.’

Prayers of Intercession

{Prayers offered by Visual Liturgy}

We pray for the coming of God’s kingdom.

You sent your Son to bring good news to the poor, sight to the blind, freedom to captives and salvation to your people: anoint us with your Spirit; rouse us to work in his name.
Father, by your Spirit bring in your kingdom.

Send us to bring help to the poor and freedom to the oppressed.
Father, by your Spirit bring in your kingdom.

Send us to tell the world the good news of your healing love.
Father, by your Spirit bring in your kingdom.

Send us to those who mourn, to bring joy and gladness instead of grief.
Father, by your Spirit bring in your kingdom.

Send us to proclaim that the time is here for you to save your people.
Father, by your Spirit bring in your kingdom.

Lord of the Church, hear our prayer, and make us one in mind and heart to serve you in Christ our Lord. Amen.

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For those living in England, these intercessions are unlikely to be used at a public service as today is celebrated as Remembrance Sunday and of course Tuesday 11 November 2014 is the centenary of the armistice.

The RSCM manages to link the two events:

Of those who have died in war, no doubt some were ready to die and some were not. Those who signed up to fight knew what this might entail, but not when the moment would come. Civilians might have recognised a risk, but little suspected that it would befall them. Jesus teaches his followers to be ready for his coming at a time they will not know. Like soldiers signing up for service, he exhorts them to be ready at all times.

But for those who might like to pray privately based on the pre-Advent lectionary, and for those who do not live in a place where the armistice is commemorated today, I offer the following:

Loving God, as the rising sun chases away the night, so you have scattered the power of death in the rising of Jesus Christ, and you bring us all blessings in him.

¶The Church of Christ

Lord, we are reminded that before we can prepare to welcome the Christ-child, we need to draw on all that is past in the history of our Church, gather it into the spaciousness of hearts that are converted to your love and service, and use that as the source of energy that drives us towards the future. * We give ourselves to you, that we may work for your praise and glory.

 Lord, help us constantly to renew your Church and our faith so that it may speak to a new generation: in your mercy, hear our prayer

¶Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

Lord, you are our defence and shield, a very present help in our trouble. We are surrounded in this world by conflicts beyond our understanding which threaten our very existence. Help those who wield weapons to attack those they live amongst to find it in their hearts to beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks and to seek peaceful means of achieving their political aims.

 Lord, help us constantly to renew your Church and our faith so that it may speak to a new generation: in your mercy, hear our prayer

¶The local community

Lord, we pray for our friends and all that we share. Come to our community and heal our divisions. Reveal your love, we pray, as you  increase our faith in you and each other. Strengthen our fellowship through your presence, and guide our actions by the power of your Spirit.

  Lord, help us constantly to renew your Church and our faith so that it may speak to a new generation: in your mercy, hear our prayer

¶Those who suffer

Lord of ultimate power and unfailing love, comfort all those who mourn today. Be to them a rock of deliverance and a strong tower. Give them hope in their sorrow, even in the midnight of their distress. Give them assurance of new and greater life, and give them new purpose and resolve to continue in the great work you have given us.

 Lord, help us constantly to renew your Church and our faith so that it may speak to a new generation: in your mercy, hear our prayer

¶The communion of saints

Merciful God, gracious and benevolent, through your Son you invite all the world to a meal of mercy. Grant that we may always be ready for your call and bring us with all your saints into your life of justice and joy

 Lord, help us constantly to renew your Church and our faith so that it may speak to a new generation: in your mercy, hear our prayer

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Copyright acknowledgement (where not already indicated above): Some material included in this service is copyright: © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA Post Communion (3rd before Advent) © CBFCE 1980; Archbishops’ Council 1999 / Church of the Province of Southern Africa Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops’ Council 2000 Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops’ Council 2002

*Based on a passage from Henri Nouwen’s  ‘All is Grace’, Weavings, December 1992 quoted in Jane Williams’ book on the lectionary for year A.