November 27, 2015: The First Sunday of Advent at 10:30am

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1 November 27, 2015: The First Sunday of Advent at 10:30am Welcome! Wherever you are on your journey of faith, there is a place for you at Holy Communion. Prelude Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645 J. S. Bach Gathering Song Lighting of the Advent Wreath The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray. 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 inmortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

2 Opening Hymn: please stand Helmsley Hymnal 57 Advent Bidding Prayer Dear People of God: In the season of Advent, it is our responsibility and joy to prepare ourselves to hear once more 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. But first, let us pray for the needs of his whole world, for peace and justice on earth, for the unity and mission of the Church for which he died, and especially for his Church in our country and in this city of St. Louis. And because he particularly loves them, let us remember in his name the poor and helpless, the cold, the hungry and the oppressed, the sick and those who mourn, the lonely and unloved, the aged and little children, as well as all those who do not know and love the Lord Jesus Christ. Finally, let us remember before God his pure and lowly Mother, and that whole multitude which no one can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom, in Jesus, we are one for evermore. Amen. 1st Lesson Please be seated Isaiah 2:1-5 The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days to come the mountain of the Lord s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. 2

3 Psalm 122 All sing the refrain where indicated. I was glad when they said to me, * "Let us go to the house of the Lord." Now our feet are standing * within your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built as a city * that is at unity with itself; Refrain. To which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, * the assembly of Israel, to praise the Name of the Lord. For there are the thrones of judgment, * the thrones of the house of David. Refrain. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: * "May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls * and quietness within your towers. For my brethren and companions' sake, * I pray for your prosperity. Because of the house of the Lord our God, * I will seek to do you good." Refrain. 2nd Lesson Romans 13:11-14 You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God. Sequence Hymn: Please stand Veni, Veni, Emmanuel Hymnal 56, v

4 The Holy Gospel please stand Matthew 24:36-44 The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. Glory to you, Lord Christ. Jesus said to the disciples, But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. The Gospel of our Lord. Praise to you, Lord Christ. Sequence Hymn: Please stand Veni, Veni, Emmanuel Hymnal 56, v. 3 The Sermon Please be seated at the invitation of the Preacher. The Rev. Marc Smith The Nicene Creed Please stand 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: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. 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 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. 4

5 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. The Confession please stand or kneel Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor. Silence. Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Celebrant Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The Peace please stand The peace of Christ be always with you. And also with you. Welcome and Announcements please be seated Blessing of Advent Altar Cloth, Stole and Chasuble O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness: You are clothed with majesty and splendor. God of grace and majesty, we bring before you this Advent altar cloth, stole and chasuble woven with the many threads of our faith and stitched with love through the inspiration of your Spirit. As the hues of blue bring calm even in this season of frenzied preparation, may the silver light our path to Bethlehem. And, as we offer these gifts to your glory, may you bless them for our use, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness: You are clothed with majesty and splendor. 5

6 Offertory Anthem: Wake, awake, for night is flying! Philipp Nicolai Wake, awake, for night is flying! The watchmen on the heights are crying: Awake, Jerusalem, arise! Midnight hears the welcome voices and at the thrilling cry rejoices, Come forth, ye virgins, night is past! The Bridegroom comes, awake! Your lamps with gladness take! Alleluia! And for his marriage feast prepare, for ye must go and meet him there! Zion hears the watchmen singing; And all her heart with joy is springing; she wakes, she rises from her gloom. for her Lord comes down all-glorious, the strong in grace, the truth victorious! Her Star is risen, her Light is come! Ah, come, thou blessed One, God's own beloved Son! Alleluia! We follow till the halls we see where Thou has bid us sup with thee. Now let all the heavens adore Thee, And saints and angels sing before Thee with harp and cymbal's clearest tone. of one pearl, each shining portal, where we are with the choir immortal of angels round thy dazzling throne. Nor eye hath seen, nor ear hath yet attained to hear what there is ours, but we rejoice and sing to Thee our hymn of joy eternally. Presentation of the Offering Please stand Con ditor alme siderum Hymn 60, v. 1-2 A Prayer for Stewardship Celebrant and People: Gracious and everlasting God, the giver of all good gifts, you have blessed us and our parish abundantly. Grant us the hope to dream and the courage to live into our possibilities. Make us faithful stewards, both for the provision of our necessities and for the relief of those who are in need. Bless the efforts of our Annual Giving this year to extend the work of spiritual renewal in our church and community of faith. Through Jesus Christ, who gave all of himself, we offer this prayer. Amen. The Great Thanksgiving Book of Common Prayer - Prayer B, p. 367 The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We life them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give God thanks and praise. 6

7 The presider offers our thanks to God for the grace and mercy made available to us in Christ. In response all sing: Sanctus please stand Hymn S125 The presider gives thanks to God for Christ s redeeming work, and remembers Jesus last supper with his disciples. The people are invited to respond to the words: Therefore, according to his command, O Father: We remember his death, We proclaim his resurrection, We await his coming in glory; The presider concludes with prayer for the Holy Spirit to sanctify the bread and wine, and the gathered congregation. The Eucharistic prayer concludes with a plea for the coming of the Reign of God. By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. The Great Amen 7

8 The 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, for ever and ever. Amen. The Breaking of the Bread Alleluia. Christ our Passover is Sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia Administration of the Sacrament You are invited to receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Gluten Free wafers are available, on request, from the minister. On the left (West) side of the altar rail, the chalice is filled with white grape juice, as a sign of welcome for those who choose not to consume wine. On the right (East) side of the altar rail, the chalice is traditional red wine. Please feel free to cross the aisle for your preferred chalice. Additional instructions about how to receive Eucharist or a blessing are available on the red cards hanging on the ends of the pew racks. Hymns During Communion: Nyack Hymnal 318 Soon and Very Soon LEVAS 14 Post Communion Prayer please kneel or stand Book of Common Prayer, p.365 Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen. The Blessing May Almighty God, by whose providence our Savior Christ came among us in great humility, sanctify you with the light of his blessing and set you free from all sin; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you for ever. Amen. 8

9 Concluding Hymn: standing Merton Hymnal 59 The Dismissal: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God. Postlude Postlude on Veni, Emmanuel Robert J. Powell Worship Leaders Celebrant & Preacher The Rev. Marc Smith Intercessor Mary Haggerty Lectors Bill Scoopmire, Melissa Harris Crucifer & Chalice Joe Adams Chalice Meg Goldstein Acolytes Edie Zerazion, Maya Zerazion Ushers/Greeters Bob Niedringhaus & Ron Bullock Altar Guild Edna Allen, Esther Ezenwa Lord, hear our prayer Please keep the following people in your prayers: Betty Adams Jim Krieg Caye Sarber Ruth Burroughs Ernie Last The Setman Family Gayle Danielson Elise Madison Alma Shuler Richard Diemer Bryan Miller Marylen Stansberry Sara Green Kristi Mochow Jerry Taylor Nathan & Ali Harmon Chris Nawrocki Eduardo Teming Bobby Jones Thomas Nostrant Eleanor Thomas Doris Jones Beckie Orsack Joanna Ward David Kehl Jane Popham Levon Zakarian To request prayers for a family member or yourself, or remove a name from the list, contact the parish office at

10 LITURGICAL CHANGES DURING ADVENT AT HOLY COMMUNION 1) Blue frontal color and matching vestments: The altar is covered with a blue frontal, and the clergy wear blue vestments. Blue is an ancient liturgical color that symbolizes preparation and Mary, Jesus mother. 2) Greens on the altar instead of flowers. In keeping with the mood of expectation and reflection that we observe during Advent, we refrain from the use of flower arrangements in the church and simplify with greens only. 3) Lighting of the Advent Wreath: The Lighting of the Advent Wreath: The Celebrant reads ancient prayers that signify our longing for Christ s coming, and the coming of God s reign as we light an additional candle each week during Advent. 4) Advent Bidding Prayer instead of Prayers of the People. We bring our prayers for the church and the whole earth to the beginning of the service, instead of praying the Prayers of the People in the middle. This prayer is adapted from the service of Lessons and Carols for Advent. 5) The Psalm: The choir will sing the psalm in simple Anglican chant. 6) Eucharistic Prayer B. We are accustomed to many Eucharistic Prayers at Holy Communion. With words like For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. Prayer B, found on page 367 of the Book of Common Prayer, emphasizes our hope for Jesus coming. 10

11 Announcements Join us for coffee hour in Mitchell Parish Hall after this service. Advent Soup Supper and Prayer Wednesdays in Advent (Dec. 7, 14, 21) at 6:30pm Starting December 7 and each following Wednesday of Advent, you are invited to step away from the busy holiday pace for a shared meal and some quiet prayer time. We ll gather at 6:30pm for a simple soup supper and then spend time exploring different prayer traditions. If you are willing to arrive early on one of the evenings to prepare dinner with a team of other parishioners, please contact Kara Cummins-Ludwig at cummins.kara@gmail.com. HARK, ADVENT REVELRY next Sunday, Dec. 4, 5:00-8:00pm Mark your calendar and come enjoy an evening of music and fun at our 2 nd annual Advent Party. We ll gather in Mitchell Parish Hall with members of our Choir to sing carols and enjoy dessert, light hors d oeuvres and seasonal beverages. There will be a prize for ugliest sweater. Bring your favorite cookies to share for the cookie potluck. We ll also be receiving hats, gloves and socks for those in need and distributed through the Trinity Food Ministry. All are welcome; invite a friend! Parish Guild Christmas Bazaar next Sunday The Parish Guild will host a mini-christmas Bazaar of hand-made Christmas gifts and decorations on December 4, following both services and again that evening at the Advent Party (5-8pm). Stop by the Lounge and get some holiday cheer! Proceeds will benefit the ministries supported by the Parish Guild. Calling all Angels, Shepherds and Friendly Beasts! Sign up for the Christmas Pageant! (Christmas Eve, 5:00pm ) Do you have a grandchild, child, or a friend s child in your life who might like to help us tell the story of Christmas? All children and youth are invited to participate in this year s Christmas Pageant during the 5:00pm service on Christmas Eve. The rehearsal will be Saturday, December 17, from 10:00am 12:00pm. To help us plan, please sign up on the table in the lounge or online at For more information, please contact this year s Pageant Director, Markie Jo Crismon at youth@holycommunion.net Christmas Flowers and Greens Help adorn our church for Christmas and honor or remember a loved one by giving to our Holiday Flowers fund. All gifts, great and small, are appreciated! Give online at use a special envelope in the pew rack or mail a check to the parish office noted Holiday Flowers. Please provide given names and indicate whether your dedication is in honor of or a memorial. The dedications will be printed in a bulletin insert at our Christmas services. While there is no deadline for giving, the deadline to submit dedications is 12:00 noon on December 21 for printing purposes. 11

12 Two Christmas Giving Opportunities: Trinity Food Pantry & Episcopal City Mission Hat, Glove and Socks drive for Trinity Food Ministry: We are collecting warm hats, socks and gloves for the guests at Trinity Food Ministry we serve each third Sunday. Please deposit new or gently used items to the bins marked in the entryway before December 17. Episcopal City Mission: ECM believes the children in detention should know the magic of the holiday season. With your help, ECM makes sure all children in detention have at least one gift to unwrap. The list of items include gift cards to Target, Walmart, Amazon, and Old Navy so ECM can purchase gifts specifically for each child (size, gender, quantity, etc.); as well as games, DVD s and other items. A complete list is on the table in the Lounge. Please bring all items to Holy Communion by December 8. Gift cards may be placed in the alms basin and other items in the basket in the entryway. Sunday School (9:15am) Sunday School for children and youth ages pre-k thru teens begins at 9:15, and students rejoin their parents at 10:25. Please sign-up on the sheet in the Lounge if you or someone in your family plans to participate this year. Visit our website at for more details, or contact Amanda Diemer at (636) or amanda.kd23@gmail.com with questions. Adult Forum Dec. 4 & 18 (9:15am) Adult Forum next Sunday and Dec. 18 will be led by our Priest Associate, the Rev. Marc Smith, and will be titled, "Handel's Messiah: Theology of the Advent Narrative." (Find the upcoming schedule on our website Sunday Morning Breakfast (9:00 9:30am) Special thanks to Bob Niedringhaus and Ron Bullock for hosting this morning s breakfast. Suggested donations are gratefully received ($2/person $5/family), but visitors and newcomers are welcome as our guests. Sign-up in the Lounge to host/cook. Contact David Motherwell for info (dmothe5626@aol.com). Holy Communion Supper Club HC Supper Club is off to a great start! In October, three parishioners hosted dinner in their homes for a total of 25 people. By all accounts it was a wonderful event. Everyone enjoyed the opportunity to share a meal together outside of Church and to get to know one another a little bit better. Our next Supper Club weekend is January 21-22, If you signed up at the ministry fair, you are still on the list and can expect an invitation in January. If you didn t get a chance to sign up but are interested, please Mary Haggerty at haggertymary79@gmail.com. There is plenty of room. Bon Appétit! 12

13 Dec. 3 Dec. 6 Dec. 7 Dec. 17 Dec. 18 Save these dates! Men s Prayer Group (8:00am) Pilgrimage (10am-2pm) Theology on Tap (6:30pm) Wednesday Book Group (11:00am) Guild Lunch & Service Project (12:30pm) FaithQuest (6:30pm) Greening of the Church (10:00am 12:00pm) Music Festival: Lessons and Carols in the Style of King s College Monday, Nov :00 am AA Meeting 6:00 pm Women s 12-step Group 7:00 pm Bel Canto Chorus Tuesday, Nov. 29 7:00 pm Financial Peace University Wednesday, Nov :10 pm Holy Eucharist 1:15 pm Staff Meeting 6:15 pm Vestry Meeting Thursday, Dec. 1 6:30 pm Overeaters Anonymous 7:30 pm AA Meeting This Week s Calendar: Friday, Dec. 2 5:30 pm Men s AA Group Saturday, Dec. 3 8:00 am Men s Prayer Group 9:30 am Open AA Group Sunday, Dec. 4 8:00 am Holy Eucharist 9:00 am Sunday Breakfast & Guild mini-bazaar 9:15 am Sunday School & Adult Forum 10:30 am Choral Holy Eucharist 5:00 pm Advent Party 6:30 pm Women s 12-step Group 7:00 pm AA Meeting 13

14 Daily Gospel for This Week: Nov. 28 Dec. 4 Monday: Luke 20:1-8 Thursday: Luke 20:27-40 Tuesday: Luke 20:9-18 Friday: Luke 20:41-21:4 Wednesday: Luke 20:19-26 Saturday: Luke 21:5-19 Readings for next Sunday, Dec. 4 The Second Sunday of Advent Isaiah 11:1-10 Romans 15:4-13 Matthew 3:1-12 Psalm 72:1-7,

15 Annual Giving Update Thank you to all who have already made a financial pledge for We are on track for a record year at Holy Communion. You can see from the figures below that both new pledgers and returning pledgers have been generous. If you have not yet made your pledge, please consider doing so soon. The vestry is preparing our 2017 budget in the coming weeks, and every pledge that comes in will help expand the ministry of Holy Communion. You can turn in your pledge card today in the offering plate, mail it back to the church, or pledge online at holycommunion.net/pledge (final) 2017 (to date) Total Pledges: 94 Total Pledged: $193,834 Total Pledges: 77 Total Pledged: $187,537 New pledges in 2017: 16 New Pledge Dollars: $32,080 (15% from people under 40) Historic Pledges Increase/Decrease : + $14,438 15

16 Welcome to The Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion, a welcoming and diverse community seeking to walk in the way of Jesus and to reveal Christ s reconciling love in our city, nation, and world. Children are especially welcome at Holy Communion, wiggles, noises, and all. There is a soft space at the back of the church, if your little one needs to play during the service. If you have any questions, feel free to ask a neighbor. Staff The Rev. Mike Angell, Rector mangell@holycommunion.net The Rev. Marc Smith, Priest Associate msmith@holycommunion.net Angela Breeher, Parish Administrator abreeher@holycommunion.net Mary Chapman, Director of Music mchapman@holycommunion.net Connor Scott, Organist cscott@holycommunion.net Jerome Harris, Sexton Vestry Scott Ferguson, Sr. Warden Susan Norris, Jr. Warden Brian Barnhart, Interim Treasurer Angela Burroughs-Kelly, Secretary Earl Bonds, Mary Haggerty, Burt Mayfield, Shirley Mensah, Rebecca Rugen, Mark Willingham