FOURTH SUNDAY of ADVENT 23 December 2018 ST. MARK S LUTHERAN CHURCH 1900 ST. PAUL STREET BALTIMORE, MD 21218 Phone: 410.752.5804 On the web at: stmarksbaltimore.org Follow us on Facebook A Reconciling in Christ Congregation Staff Pastor Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Donnella II Administrator Stephen E. Kohler Cantor James Harp Deacons Clifford Andersson, Connie Lisch, Sexton Jeffry Spangler 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 baptized worshipers are invited and welcomed to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord in the sacrament of Holy Communion. The wine may be received by common cup or by intinction. Communion will be distributed from in front of the font. Please approach by way of the center aisle and return to your pew by the side aisles. PARTICIPATING IN TODAY S LITURGY: Presider Assisting Minister Chalicist Crucifer Lector Prayer Petitioner Greeters Tellers Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Donnella II Deacon Sue Romanic Audrey Huka Louise Ricketts Oliver Walston-Lavdas Alex Walston-Lavdas Caroline Bahr & Emily Bergstresser Joan Hoyle, Audrey Huka Copies of our Prayer List may be found on the table in the narthex. Please take a copy and remember those persons listed in your prayers throughout the coming week.
23 December 2018 Fourth Sunday of Advent VOLUNTARY Alexandre Guilmant Ave Maria Offertoire pour la fête de la Ste. Vierge ANNOUNCEMENTS -The Assembly will please stand- CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS P. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. C. Amen. P Let us come before God in confession. To you, O God, C. we lift up our souls. You know us through and through; we confess our sins to you. Remember not our sins; remember us with your steadfast love. Show us your ways; teach us your paths; and lead us in justice and truth, for the sake of your goodness in Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. P. Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. C. Amen. œ œ œ THE HYMN vss. 1-2: All, vs 3: Men, vs 4: All, vs. 5: Choir, vs. 6: Women, vss. 7-8: All 1 O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Refrain Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel. 2 O come, O Wisdom from on high, embracing all things far and nigh: in strength and beauty come and stay; teach us your will and guide our way. Refrain 3 O come, O come, O Lord of might, as to your tribes on Sinai's height in ancient times you gave the law in cloud, and majesty, and awe. Refrain 4 O come, O Branch of Jesse, free your own from Satan's tyranny; from depths of hell your people save, and give them vict'ry o'er the grave. Refrain 5 O come, O Key of David, come, and open wide our heav'nly home; make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery. Refrain 6 O come, O Dayspring, come and cheer; O Sun of justice, now draw near. Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death's dark shadow put to flight. Refrain
7 O come, O King of nations, come, O Cornerstone that binds in one: refresh the hearts that long for you; restore the broken, make us new. Refrain 8 O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Refrain Text: Psalteriolum Cantionum Catholicarum, Köln, 1710; tr. composite Text sts. 2, 6, 7 1997 Augsburg Fortress. 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 steadfast love and faithfulness. You promised to make a covenant with your chosen ones, and to establish the throne of Your servant David forever. As we light these candles, open our hearts to the mystery of the Incarnation revealed to Your servant Mary, and plant Your word in us that it may grow and prosper. Show us Your favor, O Rock of our salvation. C. Reveal Your love to us, and strengthen us for service in Your name. Amen. PRAYER OF THE DAY P. Let us pray: Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. With your abundant grace and might, free us from the sin that binds us, that we may receive you in joy and serve you always, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C. Amen. -The Assembly will please sit- FIRST READING: Micah 5:2-5a 2 But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. 3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. 4 And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; 5a and he shall be the one of peace. Lector: Assembly: The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. PSALM: Luke 1:46b-55 LBW(Green Book), p. 147
SECOND READING: Hebrews 10:5-10 5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; 6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. 7 Then I said, See, God, I have come to do your will, O God (in the scroll of the book it is written of me). 8 When he said above, You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, See, I have come to do your will. He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. 10 And it is by God s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord. The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. SERMON THE HYMN -The Assembly will please sit- -The Assembly will please stand- Lector: Assembly: The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION -The Assembly will please stand- VENI DOMINE Alleluia! Come, Lord! Do not delay. Forgive the sins of Your people. Alleluia! GOSPEL: Luke 1:39-45 [46-55] The holy gospel according to Luke. Glory to you, O Lord. 39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord
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 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: Lord, have mercy. 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. PEACE OFFERING SENTENCE ANTHEM -The Assembly will please sit- Mary s Magnificat Rebecca Wood, Soprano Andrew Carter Softly a light is stealing, sweetly a maiden sings, ever wakeful, ever wistful, watching faithfully, thankfully, tenderly her King of kings. My soul doth magnify
the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour. Mary, her song to Jesus softly, serenely sings; I will love you, I will serve you, may my lullaby glorify, magnify my King of kings. Lullaby, lullaby. PREFACE HOLY, HOLY, HOLY OFFERTORY VERSE -The Assembly will please stand- CHOIR Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Hail, hail. 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 Lord. Amen. DIALOGUE -The Assembly may kneel, or stand, or sit- THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE MYSTERY OF FAITH
CONCLUSION OF THE THANKSGIVING 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. DISTRIBUTION OF COMMUNION The Sacrament will be distributed from in front of the font. INVITATION TO COMMUNION P. These are the gifts of God for the people of God. C. Holy Things for a Holy People. THE HYMN Please stand at the final verse. LAMB OF GOD -The Assembly will please sit- Please refer to the following page.
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 Lord. C. Amen. BLESSING P. Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. C. Amen. THE HYMN Please refer to the following page. DISMISSAL A. Go in peace. Remember the poor. C. Thanks be to God. From sundaysandseasons.com. Copyright 2018 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
THIS WEEK AT ST. MARK S: Today 23 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: Charles Smith Monday 24 December Christmas Eve 4:30 PM Estonian Christmas Service 7:30 PM Holy Eucharist for Christmas 9:00 PM Reception Tuesday 25 December The Nativity of Our Lord 9:30 AM The Holy Eucharist for Christmas Day Wednesday 26 December The Church Office will be closed. Sunday 30 December First Sunday of Christmas 10:00 AM Adult Class 11:00 AM The Holy Eucharist 12:15 PM Fellowship Hour: Andrew Colletta œ œ œ from Sunday, 16 December: Attendance: 45 Offering: $6236
ANNOUNCEMENTS: We welcome our visitors this morning we are very happy to have you worship with us. Please fill out a Visitor s Slip (in the pew) and return it in the offering plate. We would like to stay in touch with you. And, if you are able, please join us for Fellowship in Lehr Hall. You may follow us on Facebook, or visit us on our website at stmarksbaltimore.org. Many thanks to all who helped decorate our church and social hall for the festival of Christmas. Your help ensured the beauty of our celebrations! Congratulations to our Cookie Baking Team! What a successful event! While we may not have made a ton of money, 93+ dozen cookies were baked and all participating had a really good time. Thanks to Becky and Jane for organizing this event! Christmas Eve it is not too late to sign up to bring in a favorite buffet food item to fill out our table tomorrow night following the liturgy. There is a signup sheet on the lectern in the main hallway. Thanks! Christmas Liturgies in case you ve missed the announcement previously, we will celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord at 7:30 PM on Christmas Eve, 12/24; and at 9:30 AM on Christmas Day, 12/25. The church office will be closed on Wednesday, 12/26.