Third Sunday of Advent 13 December 2015

Transcription

1 Third Sunday of Advent 13 December 2015 ST. MARK S LUTHERAN CHURCH 1900 ST. PAUL STREET BALTIMORE, MD Phone: Fax: On the web at: stmarksbaltimore.org A Reconciling in Christ Congregation Staff Pastor Rev. Dale W. Dusman Cantor James Harp Administrator Stephen E. Kohler Sexton Jeffry Spangler Deacons Connie Lisch, Sue Romanic MISSION STATEMENT The Mission of St. Mark s Church is to embrace diversity, practice hospitality, and make known Christ s presence in Word and Deed. All worshipers are invited and welcomed to receive the Body and Blood of Our Lord in the sacrament of Holy Eucharist. For those who wish to receive the wine from an individual glass, trays to receive spent glasses are located at the head of the side aisles. PARTICIPATING IN TODAY S LITURGY: Presider Assisting Minister Chalicist Crucifer Lector Prayer Petitioner Greeter Tellers Rev. Dale W. Dusman Deacon Sue Romanic Teri Bennett Louise Ricketts Barbara Hanson Woodland Pomeroy Caroline Bahr Barbara Hanson, JoanHoyle Copies of our Prayer List may be found on the Flower Table in the narthex. Please remember these people in your prayers throughout the week.

2 Third Sunday of Advent 13 December 2015 THE HYMN VOLUNTARY from MESSIAH, Rejoice Greatly RACHEL BLAUSTEIN, SOPRANO G. F. Handel Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, thy King cometh unto thee. He is the righteous Saviour, and shall speak peace to the heathen. -The Assembly will please stand- CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS P. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. P. God of all mercy and consolation, come to the help of your people, turning us from our sin to live for you alone. Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that we may confess our sin, receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. P. Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another. Gracious God: C. have mercy on us. We confess that we have turned from you and given ourselves into the power of sin. We are truly sorry and humbly repent. In your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things we have done and things we have failed to do. Turn us again to you, and uphold us by your Spirit, so that we may live and serve you in newness of life through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. P. God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin, and made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved. In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. Almighty God strengthen you with power through the Holy Spirit, that Christ may live in your hearts through faith.

3 GREETING P. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. C. And also with you. LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLE P. Holy are You, God of the brokenhearted and oppressed. You promised to send Your chosen one who gives a garland instead of ashes to those who mourn; who brings down the powerful and lifts the lowly. As we light these candles, open our lips to testify to the true Light coming into the world who enlightens everyone. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the desert. C. Reveal Your truth to us, and fill our mouths with shouts of joy that declare the great things You have done for us. Amen. KYRIE PRAYER OF THE DAY P. Let us pray.: Stir up the wills of your faithful people, Lord God, and open our ears to the preaching of John, that, rejoicing in your salvation, we may bring forth the fruits of repentance; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

4 FIRST READING: Zephaniah 3: The Assembly will please sit- The prophet Zephaniah s message is mostly one of judgment for sin. This reading, however, which comes from the conclusion of the book, prophesies joy for Judah and Jerusalem. Judgment has led to repentance, and God s salvation is at hand. 14 Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! 15 The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. 16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. 17 The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing 18 as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. 19 I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. 20 At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the LORD. Lector: Assembly: PSALM: Isaiah 12:2-6 The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. 2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the LORD GOD is my strength and my might, and has become my salvation. 3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the LORD, call on God s name; make known the deeds of the LORD among the nations; proclaim that this name is exalted. 5 Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth. 6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. SECOND READING: Philippians 4:4-7 Despite being in prison, Paul is remarkably upbeat as he writes this letter. Here, he urges his friends in Philippi to trust God with all their worries and concerns, with the hope they will experience God s joy and peace. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be

5 made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Lector: Assembly: The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. 18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. -The Assembly will please stand- GOSPEL ACCLAMATION EXCITA DOMINE A. The gospel of the Lord. C. Praise to you, O Christ. Alleluia! O Lord, rouse up Your might, O Lord, come to our aid. Alleluia! GOSPEL: Luke 3:7-18 A. The holy gospel according to Luke. C. Glory to you, O Lord. John the Baptist heralds the mighty one who is coming. John teaches that preparation for God s reign is not a matter of identity but of bearing fruits of merciful justice, radical generosity, and vocational integrity. 7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our ancestor ; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 10 And the crowds asked him, What then should we do? 11 In reply he said to them, Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise. 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, Teacher, what should we do? 13 He said to them, Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you. 14 Soldiers also asked him, And we, what should we do? He said to them, Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages. 15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I SERMON THE HYMN -The Assembly will please sit- -The Assembly will please stand-

6 and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. CREED PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION Petition Response: Have mercy, O God. We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures; he ascended into heaven PEACE -The Assembly will please sit- ANNOUNCEMENTS & OFFERING SENTENCE ANTHEM Comfort Ye, My People Henry Hall LESLIE PROCTER, MEZZO SOPRANO; JOHN NOH, TENOR; AARON THACKER, BASS-BARITONE Comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her iniquity is pardoned. For she hath received of the Lord s hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. And the voice said, cry. What shall I cry? All flesh is as grass and the goodliness therefore is as a flower of the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: But the word of our God shall stand fast forevermore. O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the mountains, lift up thy voice with strength, O Jerusalem: and say unto the cities of Judah, behold your God! -The Assembly will please stand-

7 THE HYMN Tune: HELMSLEY 1 Lo! He comes with clouds descending, Once for favored sinners slain; Thousand thousand saints attending, Swell the triumph of his train: Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! God appears on earth to reign. 2 Every eye shall now behold Him Robed in dreadful majesty; Those who set at naught to hold Him, Pierced and nailed Him to the tree, Deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing, Shall the true Messiah see. 3 The dear tokens of His passion Still His dazzling body bears; Cause of endless exaltation To His ransomed worshipers; With what rapture, with what rapture, with what rapture Gaze we on those glorious scars! PREFACE HOLY, HOLY, HOLY 4 Yea, Amen! Let all adore Thee, High on Thine eternal throne; Saviour, take the power and the glory, Claim the kingdom for Thine own; O come quickly, O come quickly, O come quickly! Thou shalt reign and Thou alone! OFFERING PRAYER A. Let us pray: C. God of abundance, we bring before you the precious fruits of your creation, and with them our very lives. Teach us patience and hope as we care for all those in need until the coming of your Son, our Savior and Lord. Amen. DIALOGUE -The Assembly may kneel or continue to stand- THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE

8 MYSTERY OF FAITH CONCLUSION OF THE THANKSGIVING INVITATION TO COMMUNION P. Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. C. Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia! P. When we eat this bread we share the Body of Christ; when we drink this cup we share the Blood of Christ. C. Reveal Yourself to us, O Lord, in the breaking of the bread, as once You revealed Yourself to Your disciples. P. The gifts of God for the people of God... LORD S PRAYER 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 and ever. Amen. LAMB OF GOD -The Assembly will please sit- DISTRIBUTION OF COMMUNION

9 THE HYMN The Assembly will stand at the final verse. PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION A. Let us pray: God for whom we wait, in this meal you give us a foretaste of that day when the hungry will be fed with good things. Send us forth to make known your deeds and to proclaim the greatness of your name, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. BLESSING P. Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. THE HYMN Please refer to the following page. DISMISSAL A. Go in peace. Remember the poor. C. Thanks be to God. Copyright 2015 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #SAS New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

10 This afternoon the Saint Cecilia Society will present Alexis Tantau and the Hot Club of Baltimore, in concert at 2 o clock PM. Alexis is not unknown to many of us here at St. Mark s and we look forward to this concert of songs from the jazz manouche (French gypsy jazz) tradition. A reception to greet Alexis and the Hot Club will follow the concert. Consider joining us this afternoon! Gifts to the Glory of God have been received for: Flowers in memory of my mother, Ano Miller, by Gene Miller. Bread, Wine, and Candles in memory of Alice Jane Hahn by Rev. Dale Dusman.

11 THIS WEEK AT ST. MARK S: Today 13 December Third Sunday of Advent 9:30 AM Choir Rehearsal 10:00 AM Adult Class 11:00 AM Holy Eucharist 12:15 PM Fellowship Hour: Pastor Dusman, Teri Bennett 6:00 PM Prime Timers of Baltimore Wednesday 16 December 10:00 AM Clergy Study Group 12 Noon Keen-Agers at the home of Pastor Dusman & Paul Walker Thursday 17 December 6:30 PM Holy Eucharist 7:15 PM Dinner Friday 18 December 10:00 AM Project PLASE Christmas Party Saturday 19 December 9:30 AM Decorating the Church for Christmas Sunday 20 December Fourth Sunday of Advent 9:30 AM Choir Rehearsal 10:00 AM Adult Class 11:00 AM Holy Eucharist 12:15 PM Fellowship Hour: Audrey Huka ANNOUNCEMENTS: We welcome all visitors this morning! We are grateful to have you worship with us, and take this opportunity to ask that you sign our Guest Book (in the narthex), and invite you to join us for Fellowship Hour. Visitors who would like more information about St. Mark s Church are urged to speak with Pastor Dusman, or you may check our website at stmarksbaltimore.org Pledges: As of last Sunday we received 12 pledges for 2016 totaling $43,248. Thank you to those who pledged, including several who increased their pledge from This represents a major step towards the giving projected in our 2016 budget approved at the congregational meeting last week. Additional pledges are always welcome. Cards may be placed in the designated basket in the narthex, in the collection plate, given to Paul Walker, or mailed to the Church. We are thankful for the ongoing generosity of St. Mark s members and friends regardless of whether they choose to make a pledge. We make our gifts of time, talent, and treasure in response to what God has first given us. Poinsettia/Greens forms are enclosed with this bulletin. Today is the deadline! Please fill out your form and return today and thank you for your ongoing generosity! Keen Agers will meet this Wednesday, 16 December, for a luncheon at the home of Pastor Dusman and Paul Walker, at 12 noon. Please join us, and make a reservation by calling the church office. Sign Up! A signup sheet is located on the lectern in the main hall for you to indicate what you might be willing to bring to our festive Christmas Eve reception following the liturgy on December 24 th! Give it some thought and let us know soon your contribution will help to say Welcome to our guests along with providing holiday gastronomic delight!