The worshipers gather in silence.

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Welcome to our Advent service of Lessons and Carols. This service is an adaptation of the Advent Carol Service traditionally held at King s College, Cambridge, England.

1 Welcome to our Advent service of Lessons and Carols. This service is an adaptation of the Advent Carol Service traditionally held at King s College, Cambridge, England. Each of the lessons and the accompanying hymn stanzas are meant to point us ahead to the coming of the promised Savior of the nations. We prepare our hearts to welcome that Savior at Christmas when we celebrate the fulfillment of God s promise to rescue humankind from their sin. The worshipers gather in silence. GREETING M: Jesus Christ is the light of the world, C: the light no darkness can overcome. M: Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening, C: and the day is almost over. M: Be our light and scatter the darkness, C: and hear our evening hymn of praise. 1

EXHORTATION FOR THE SEASON OF ADVENT M: Dear people of God, in the season of Advent, it is our responsibility and joy to prepare ourselves to hear again the message of the angels, to go to Bethlehem

2 EXHORTATION FOR THE SEASON OF ADVENT M: Dear people of God, in the season of Advent, it is our responsibility and joy to prepare ourselves to hear again the message of the angels, to go to Bethlehem and see the Son of God lying in a manger. Let us hear and heed in Holy Scripture the story of God s loving purpose from the time of our rebellion against him until the glorious redemption brought to us by his holy child, Jesus, and let us look forward to the yearly remembrance of his birth with hymns and songs of praise. LESSONS AND CAROLS After each lesson, a candle is lit on the branch to symbolize the coming of the Light of the World through the Branch of Jesse. One candle stands lit as a reminder that Jesus is God from eternity. The Scripture lessons will be read by Deacon Schroeder and several of our church s lay leaders. FIRST LESSON Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. HYMN RESPONSE Christian worship #28 stanzas 1, 5, 6 Let the earth now praise the Lord, Who has truly kept his word And at last to us did send Christ, the sinner s help and friend. Crush for me the serpent s head That, set free from doubt and dread, I may cling to you in faith, Safely kept through life and death. And, when you shall come again As a glorious king to reign, I with joy may see your face, Freely ransomed by your grace. 2

3 SECOND LESSON Isaiah 40:6-11 Read by Stephen Molina Chairman of the Board of Elders 6 A voice says, Cry out. And I said, What shall I cry? All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. 7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever. 9 You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, Here is your God! 10 See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. 11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. HYMN RESPONSE Christian Worship #11 stanzas 1, 2 Comfort, comfort all my people; Speak of peace, so says our God. Comfort those who sit in darkness, Groaning from their sorrows load. Speak to all Jerusalem Of the peace that waits for them; Tell them that their sins I cover, That their warfare now is over. All their sins our God will pardon, Blotting out each dark misdeed; All that well deserve his anger He no more will see or heed. They have suffered man-y a day; Now their griefs have passed away. God will change their aching sadness Into ever-springing gladness. 3

THIRD LESSON Jeremiah 23:5, 6 5 The days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.

4 THIRD LESSON Jeremiah 23:5, 6 5 The days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness. HYMN RESPONSE Christian worship #47 stanzas 1, 4, 5 (All) Behold, a Branch is growing Of loveliest form and grace, As prophets sang, foreknowing; It springs from Jesse s race And bears one little flow r In midst of coldest winter, At deepest midnight hour. (Women) This flow r, so small and tender, With fragrance fills the air; His brightness ends the darkness that kept the earth in fear. True God and yet true man, He came to save his people From earth s dark night of sin. (All) O Savior, Child of Mary, Who felt our human woes, O Savior, King of glory, Who conquered all our foes, Bring us at last, we pray, To the bright courts of heaven And to the endless day. FOURTH LESSON Isaiah 7:14 The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. HYMN RESPONSE Christian worship #23 stanza 1 Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel! 4

FIFTH LESSON Micah 5:2-5 Read by Keith Werth Church Treasurer 2 3 4 5 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler

5 FIFTH LESSON Micah 5:2-5 Read by Keith Werth Church Treasurer But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace. HYMN RESPONSE Christian worship #65 stanzas 1, 4 O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie! Above thy deep And dreamless sleep The silent stars go by. Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting light. The hopes and fears Of all the years Are met in thee tonight. O holy Child of Bethlehem, Descend to us, we pray; Cast out our sin And enter in; Be born is us today. We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell; Oh, come to us, Abide with us, Our Lord Immanuel! 5

6 SIXTH LESSON Isaiah 11:1-5 Read by Paul Vasquez Elder and member of the School Board 11 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD 3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. 4 5 He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. HYMN RESPONSE Christian Worship #18 stanzas 1, 3 O Lord, how shall I meet you, How welcome you aright? Your people long to greet you, My Hope, my heart s Delight. O Jesus, let your Word be A lamp to light my way, To show me how to please you, To guide me ev ry day. Rejoice, then, you sad-hearted, Who sit in deepest gloom, Who mourn o er joys departed And tremble at your doom. Despair not; he is near you, He s standing at the door Who best can help and cheer you and bids you weep no more 6

SEVENTH LESSON Luke 1:26-38 Read by Dennis Filippini Chairman of the Board of Education 26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be

7 SEVENTH LESSON Luke 1:26-38 Read by Dennis Filippini Chairman of the Board of Education 26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you. 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end. 34 How will this be, Mary asked the angel, since I am a virgin? 35 The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God. 38 I am the Lord s servant, Mary answered. May it be to me as you have said. Then the angel left her. HYMN RESPONSE Christian Worship # 24 (All) The angel Gabriel from heaven came, His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame; All hail, said he to meek and lowly Mary, Most highly favored maiden. Gloria! (Men) I come from heav n to tell the Lord s decree: A blessed virgin mother you shall be. Your Son shall be Immanuel, by seers foretold, Most highly favored maiden. Gloria! (Women) Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head; To me be as it pleases God, she said. My soul shall praise and magnify his holy name. Most highly favored maiden, Gloria! (All) Of her Immanuel, the Christ, was born In Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn, And Christian folk throughout the world will ever say, Most highly favored maiden. Gloria! 7

8 EIGHTH LESSON AND MEDITATION John 3:28-30 Jesus as the Bridegroom 8 You yourselves can testify that I said, I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him. 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less. HYMN RESPONSE Christian Worship #16 stanzas 1, 4, 5 On Jordan s bank the Baptist s cry Announces that the Lord is nigh; Come, then, and listen, for he brings Good news about the King of kings. Stretch forth your hand, our health restore, And lift us up to fall no more. Oh, make your face on us to shine, And fill the world with love divine. All praise to you, eternal Son, Whose advent has our freedom won, Whom with the Father we adore And Holy Spirit evermore. 8

9 PRAYER M: O God, you make us glad with the expectation of the coming of your one and only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant that we, who with joy receive him as our Redeemer, may without fear behold him when he will come to be our judge, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. 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. BLESSING M: Go forth into the world in peace, be of good courage, hold fast to that which is good, render to no one evil for evil, strengthen the fainthearted, support the weak, help the afflicted, honor all people, love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. And the blessing of God Almighty the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be upon you and remain with you forever. C: Amen. HYMN RESPONSE O Come, O Come, Emmanuel stanza 6 O come, Thou Dayspring from on high, And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death s dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel! The worshipers may dismiss themselves quietly after a moment of silent prayer and meditation. 9

Service of Lessons and Carols

Service of Lessons and Carols OPENING RITE M: O Lord, open my lips, C: and my mouth shall declare your praise. M: Hasten to save me, O God. C: O Lord, come quickly to help me. M: Behold the King comes: