Prelude GATHERING Candlelighting Hymn Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn Page 242 vs. 1 1) Awake! Awake, and greet the new morn, for angels herald its dawning. Sing out your joy, for soon he is born, behold! the Child of our longing. Come as a baby weak and poor, to bring all hearts together, he opens wide the heav'nly door and lives now inside us forever. Lighting of the Advent Wreath Candlelighting Hymn Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn Page 242 vs. 2 2) To us, to all in sorrow and fear, Emmanuel comes a-singing, his humble song is quiet and near, yet fills the earth with its ringing; music to heal the broken soul and hymns of loving kindness, the thunder of his anthems roll to shatter all hatred and blindness. Confession and Forgiveness Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God, who shapes the whole creation, who comes with might and mercy, who fills the hungry with good things. Let us approach the throne of grace with repentant hearts. Faithful God, we confess that we have been unfaithful to you. Like dry leaves and withered grass, our lives are blown about by our sins and the powers of evil around us. Restore us, O God; let the light of your face shine on us, and we shall be saved. God is patient, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. In the name of + Jesus Christ, I bring you this good news: You are free from all that imprisons you; your sins are forgiven; God heals your broken hearts. Live in peace and harmony as you wait for the day of God. Gathering Hymn Prepare the Royal Highway Hymn No. 264 Greeting The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you.
(2) Kyrie Page 184 Kyrie Elaison means Lord have Mercy Prayer of the Day (Together) Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming strengthen us to serve you with purified lives; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Teaching Moment Children s Sermon WORD First Lesson Isaiah 40:1 11 Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries out: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." 6 A voice says, "Cry out!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever. 9 Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, "Here is your God!" 10 See, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep. (After the reading:) The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Psalm 85:1 2, 8 13 (Responsively, Lector and People) 1 LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin. Selah
(3) 8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts. 9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. 10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. 11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. 12 The LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps. Second Lesson 2 Peter 3:8 15a 8 But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. 11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? 13 But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. 14 Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. (After the reading:) The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Alleluia Page 142 Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia. Alleluia, alleluia.alleluia.alleluia, alleluia.
(4) Holy Gospel Mark 1:1 8 (Spoken after the announcement) Glory to you, O Lord. The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; 3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'" 4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." (Spoken after the reading) Praise to you, O Christ. Sermon Pastor David L. Echelbarger Hymn of the Day Comfort, Comfort Now My People Hymn No. 256 Nicene Creed (Together) 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. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He 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.
(5) Prayers of Intercession With longing and hopeful expectation, let us pray for the church, the world, and all those in need. (After each petition:) Lord, in your mercy.hear our prayer. Receive our prayers, faithful God, as we watch and wait for your coming among us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Peace The peace of the Lord be with you always. And also with you. MEAL Choir Anthem A Time for Advent Stewart Harris Offering Prayer (Together) 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. Great Thanksgiving Page 190 Eucharistic Prayer Holy God, the Beginning and the End..Through him, all glory and honor is yours, Almighty Father, with the Holy Spirit, in your holy Church, both now and forever. Lord s Prayer Page 190 (Traditional - Right Column) Invitation Come to Christ, who comes to us in this holy supper. All are welcome. Distribution We invite all baptized Christians and visitors of all denominations, even the youngest, to the table of the Lord. Children who desire a blessing rather than receiving the bread and the wine should stand with folded hands to indicate their preference. Please follow the ushers directions to one of several communion stations in the sanctuary. If you need to have the sacrament brought to your pew, please inform an usher. Receive the wine or indicate a preference for grape juice by asking the server or pointing to the center of the tray. Lamb of God Page 191 Distribution Hymns Hark, the Glad Sound Hymn No. 239 Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers Hymn No. 244
Blessing The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace. (6) Prayer after Communion (Together) Lord God, we give you thanks that you have fed us even now with the banquet that is yet to come. Keep us alert for signs of your presence in the world around us. Send us as healing oil and sheltering comfort to those in need, and make us bold in testifying to the light of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. SENDING Benediction God most high, God with us, God poured out on us, Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. Sending Hymn All Earth is Hopeful Hymn No. 266 Dismissal... Remember the poor. Go in peace. Serve the Lord. Thanks be to God. Postlude John called people to repent, to clear the decks, to completely reorder their lives so that nothing would get in the way of the Lord's coming. The reading from Isaiah gives the context for this radical call: the assurance of forgiveness that encourages us to repent; the promise that the coming one will be gentle with the little ones. Isaiah calls us all to be heralds with John, to lift up our voices fearlessly and say, "See, your God is coming!" We say it to one another in worship, in order to say it with our lives in a world in need of justice and peace. Sunday, December 7, 2014 Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, died around 397 While a governor of northern Italy, Ambrose was elected bishop of Milan on the same day he was baptized. He was a famous preacher, a writer of hymns we still sing today, and helped lead St. Augustine to faith.