COME, O PRINCE OF PEACE HOLY COMMUNION Fourth Sunday in Advent Exploring the promise of God for all Blessed are you among women Sunday, December 23, 2018 10:00 am Choral Eucharist The Holy Spirit gathers us in unity on the first day of the week. The Spirit and the font are the womb of our birth Cradle and cross are inextricably connected on the fourth Sunday of Advent. Between a lovely tribute to the little town of Bethlehem and the blessed virgin Mary s magnificent song of praise, the letter to the Hebrews reminds us in no uncertain terms that Christ s advent is for the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. It is the kind of tension in which the church always lives as when in the holy communion with high delight we proclaim the Lord s death. PRELUDE Variations on Advent Carols GATHERING Powell, Held, Sedio, Manz The carillon calls the assembly to worship. At the sound of the bell the assembly stands to face the worship leaders at the back of the church. PRAYER UNDER ADVENT WREATH A Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. a Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven! A I will hear what the Lord God has to say a a voice that speaks for peace. A Peace for all faithful people a and those who turn to God. A God s help is near. a May God s glory dwell in our land. A Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. a Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven! P We praise you, O God, for this wheel of time that marks our days of preparation for Christ s advent. In this fourth week of waiting, open our eyes to your presence in the lowly ones of this earth. Enlighten us with your grace, that we may sing of your advent among us in the Word made flesh. Grant this through Christ our Lord, whose coming is certain and whose day draws near. a Amen. PROCESSIONAL HYMN (hymn) 257 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel stanzas 1, 2, 4 & 6-1 -
GREETING AND PRAYER OF THE DAY P From the One who was, and who is, and who is to come: Grace and peace be with you all. a And also with you. 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. a Amen. The presider continues with words of welcome. WORD God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching, and song. The prophet Micah, having pronounced judgment upon Judah, speaks of a future shepherd-king who, like David, will come from the small town of Bethlehem. (Ephrathah refers to the area around Bethlehem.) This king will restore Israel and bring peace. New Testament writers understood this passage to be referring to Jesus. CHILDREN S WORD Children are invited to gather under the advent wreath; parents are welcome to come with their children. READING From Bethlehem comes a ruler Micah 5:2-5a 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; 5 and he shall be the one of peace. a Word of God, come down to us. Thanks be to God. PSALM Let your face shine upon us, and we shall be saved. (80:1-7) Psalm 80:1-7 L Refrain a Refrain a Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; shine forth, you that are enthroned up- on the cherubim. In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your strength and come to help us. Refrain - 2 -
a a Restore us, O God; let your face shine upon us, and we shall be saved. O Lord God of hosts, how long will your anger fume when your people pray? Refrain You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have given them bowls of tears to drink. You have made us the derision of our neighbors, and our enemies laugh us to scorn. Refrain SECOND READING I have come to do your will Hebrews 10:5-10 The author of Hebrews uses the image of religious sacrifice to convey the significance of Christ s coming. Through obedient acceptance of God s will, Christ allows his own body to become the greatest sacrifice of all, one through which we are made a holy people. 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. Word of God, come down to us. a Thanks be to God. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Luke 1:38 The assembly stands and welcomes the gospel, singing: L Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word. The assembly repeats the ALLELUIA. GOSPEL Luke 1:39-55 Blessed are you among women/my soul magnifies the Lord The holy gospel according to Luke. a Glory to you, O Lord. We are presented with Elizabeth, John s mother, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, two women filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. In Elizabeth s inspired greeting and Mary s song of praise we hear of a saving God who remembers, scatters, lifts up, and fulfills all things. 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 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. - 3 -
46 And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever. The gospel of the Lord. a Praise to you, O Christ. SERMON silence for reflection follows the sermon HYMN OF THE DAY (hymn) 251 My Soul Proclaims Your Greatness APOSTLES CREED A In hope and faith we await the Lord: a I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Prayer requests may be recorded in the book of prayer concerns in the great room prayer niche. PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION Each petition concludes: Come Lord Jesus, a hear our prayer. - 4 -
MEAL PEACE P The peace of Christ be with you always. a And also with you. The assembly is invited to share God s peace with one another. God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ. GATHERING OF GIFTS The offering is gathered for the mission of the church, including the care of those in need. During this time, the table is set. After the offering is gathered, bread, wine, money, and other gifts are brought forward. The assembly stands as the procession reaches the chancel. Variations on Savior of the Nations, Come Offertory Prayer A Let us pray together. a We proclaim your greatness, O Lord. You have filled us with good things. Now remember your promise of mercy. Feed us with your love, that our lives may reveal your light; in Jesus name we pray. Amen. The assisting minister pours out the wine. GREAT THANKSGIVING P The Lord be with you. a And also with you. P Lift up your hearts. a We lift them to the Lord. P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. a It is right to give our thanks and praise. P we praise your name and join their unending hymn: Buxtehude, Bach The presider continues with the Great Thanksgiving, concluding: Lord s Prayer (1975) a Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. - 5 -
All who come seeking Jesus are invited to receive these gifts of God. Communion at this service is served standing. Please follow the directions of the ushers to a communion station. Grape juice and gluten-free bread are available upon request. The benefits of the sacrament are fully present in either the bread or the wine, should health reasons prevent you from receiving one of them. Children are welcome to receive communion or a blessing. Prayer at the chancel kneelers during communion is always welcomed. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen. Breaking of the Bread and Invitation to Communion Communion Lamb of God Organ Motet on Veni Emmanuel silence for reflection concludes the Communion Prayer after Communion A Let us pray. God for whom we wait, you come to us in the broken bread and the cup we share. Make us ready always to welcome Christ into our lives, and send us forth to be your people in the world, announcing your coming among us in Jesus Christ our Lord. a Amen. John Hebden Schaffner God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world. SENDING BLESSING OF SABBATICAL JOUNEY Pastor Melissa Pohlman BLESSING P May Christ, the Sun of righteousness, shine upon you and scatter the darkness from your path. Almighty God, Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever a Amen. - 6 -
SENDING HYMN (hymn) 244 Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers stanzas 1 & 4 The postlude is based on an Advent tune from the Andernach Gesangbuch (1608) DISMISSAL Please face the processional cross for the dismissal. A Go in peace. Prepare the way. a Thanks be to God. Following worship coffee is served in the great room. The carillon sends the assembly into mission. POSTLUDE In dulci jubilo J. S. Bach Brief sanctuary tours will be offered after this service. Meet a docent at the pulpit. Portions of the liturgy are from Sundays and Seasons.com 2018 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress liturgies license #26515. SERVING TODAY Pastor Stephanie Friesen Pastor D. Foy Christopherson Ron Fiscus Barb Hoernemann Rick Johnston Deacon Mark Sedio Jane Lien Lois Wolff Pastor Peter Nycklemoe, Pastor Melissa Pohlman Mark Kieffer, Marc Wilson Bob Tufford, Varney Kiazolu Pat Forse Muriel & Jerry Olsen, Eunice Dietrich presiding preaching assisting minister reader crucifer cantor/organist associate cantor liturgical soloist communion ministers sound operators lead ushers for December docent hosts & greeters The poinsettia garden in the sanctuary is a gift from donors who chose to honor and remember loved ones during our Christmas worship. A list of donors and those they honor and remember is found in the Spirit. Poinsettias were delivered to our homebound members and friends earlier in the Advent season. At the close of the Christmas Day service, you are invited to extend the reach of this wonderful ministry by selecting a plant from the chancel and delivering it to a friend or neighbor who would enjoy receiving one. To God be the glory! If you wish to donate flowers contact Judy Korogi 10 days in advance at 612-788-1288. This service is being streamed live on the internet at www.centralmpls.org. Large print service folders, assisted listening devices, and access seating are available to aid your participation in worship. Please inquire with an usher. - 7 -
WELCOME TO CENTRAL Everyone is welcome. As a community of the people of God, the members of Central Lutheran Church are called to welcome all people regardless of age, economic status, ethnic background, gender, physical or mental ability, race or sexual orientation. We affirm that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male or female (Galatians 3:28). Christ has made us one. Guests are welcome. We are pleased you are worshiping with us today. We invite guests to complete the Welcome to Central card found in the pew racks and leave it with an usher or place it in the offering plate. If you would like more information about Central, please contact us at 612-870-4416, or email info@centralmpls.org. JOIN US for Christmas Worship Monday, December 24 3:00 pm Twilight Service of Blessing and Carols Carols on the carillon following the service 10:30 pm Candlelight Holy Communion Carols on the carillon and brass in the great room before the service Tuesday, December 25 10:00 am Contemplative Holy Communion with Carols Carols on the carillon before the service Saturday, December 29 5:00 pm Holy Communion Sunday, December 30 10:00 am Holy Communion Children are welcome at all services. Worship bulletins for children and activity bags are available at Sanctuary entrances. A nursery may be found near the welcome desk. Nursery staff are provided Sunday mornings. Welcome to the Lord s Table. All who come seeking Jesus are welcome at Holy Communion. Please follow the guidance of the ushers and instructions in the order of service. During communion, ministers will bring bread and wine to persons in designated access seating areas. Communion may be received in one kind (only bread or only wine) from any station if wheat bread or alcohol presents a health concern. Gluten-free breads and alcohol-free wine are available by request at most liturgies from most communion stations. Welcome to the Holy Baptism. All who come seeking Jesus are welcome to receive Holy Baptism. Please visit with any worship leader, staff member, hospitality volunteer, contact the church office, or complete an information card, indicating that you wish to be baptized. A pastor will contact you. Friends of Central Stay connected. Across the country and beyond there are many people who have a soft spot in their heart for Central Lutheran Church people who feel a connection both to the history and the ongoing mission of this congregation. If you re one of them, we invite you to join a network of Friends of Central. Pick up a brochure or visit our website for more information or to join. Electronic Giving Opportunities: Online at www.centralmpls.org click on Give Today; or text 73256, enter code word centralmpls (lower case), and a numerical amount. Press send and fill in the details. All contributions from members and guests will appear in a contribution statement. Wi-Fi is available as Central Lutheran (password guestclc). If you give electronically, use the green pew card to drop in the offering plate instead of an envelope. Central Lutheran is supported by givers like you. Questions? Contact the church office at 612-870-4416. - 8 -