This is the cycle of litanies we used with Anglican prayer beads at last Friday’s Advent Sabbath time at St Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Elyria, Ohio. Try punctuating them with hymns or Taize songs, or five to ten minutes of silence.

 An Advent prayer cycle

I

 Cross: Our King and Saviour now draws near: Come let us adore him.

 Invitatory: Lord hear our prayer, and let our cry come to you.

 Weeks: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

 Days: Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.

 Closing invitatory: (Collect for Advent 1): Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

 Cross: Thanks be to God.

 II

 Cross: Our King and Saviour now draws near: Come let us adore him.

 Invitatory: Lord hear our prayer, and let our cry come to you.

 Weeks: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

 Days: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

 Closing invitatory: (Advent 2): Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 Cross: Thanks be to God.

 III

Cross: Our King and Saviour now draws near: Come let us adore him.

Invitatory: Lord hear our prayer, and let our cry come to you.

Weeks: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Days: O come, o come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel.

Closing invitatory: The Lord’s Prayer

Cross: Let us bless the Lord: Thanks be to God.