Welcome & Announcements

Prelude

Confession and Forgiveness:
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.
Blessed be God’s name forever! Amen.

Beloved, now is the time to wake from sleep. Let us confront our sins, and confess them to the one who is merciful and just.

Silence is kept for reflection.

God of new beginnings,
we confess that we have not welcomed your holy reign.  We have strayed from your paths.  We prepare for war instead of peace.  We dishonor one another and your creation.  Purify us with your refining fire and set us again on your way of love, that we may bear fruit worthy of repentance, and welcome your coming among us.  Amen.

People of God, a new thing is growing in our midst, a tender branch, a living sign. By water and the Spirit you are joined to this wonder. You have put on + Christ, and your sins have been washed away. Rejoice in the way of the Lord.
Amen.

Opening Hymn: ELW 264 “Prepare the Royal Highway”
Prepare the royal highway; The King of kings is near!
Let every hill and valley A level road appear!
Then greet the King of glory, Foretold in sacred story;

Hosanna to the Lord, For he fulfills God’s Word!

God’s people, see him coming: Your own eternal king!
Palm branches strew before him! Spread garments! Shout and sing!
God’s promise will not fail you! No more shall doubt assail you! 

Hosanna to the Lord, For he fulfills God’s Word!

Then fling the gates wide open To greet your promised king!
Your king, yet every nation Its tribute too may bring.
All lands will bow before him; Their voices join your singing:

Hosanna to the Lord, For he fulfills God’s Word!

His is no earthly kingdom; It comes from heaven above.
His rule is peace and freedom And justice, truth, and love.
So let your praise be sounding For kindness to abounding: 

Hosanna to the Lord, For he fulfills God’s Word!

Apostolic Greeting:
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.

O come, O Key of David, come, and open wide our heavenly home;
make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery. 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 
Shall come to you, O Israel.

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. 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel.

Prayer of the Day:
Let us pray.
Stir up the wills of all who look to you, Lord God, and strengthen our faith in your coming, that, transformed by grace, we may walk in your way; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

First Reading: 1 John 3:1-3
¹See what kind of love has our Maker given to us, that we should be called children of God; and we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know God. ²Beloved, now are we God’s children and it has not yet been revealed what we will be. We do know that when God is revealed, we shall be like God, for we shall see God just as God is. ³And everyone who has this hope in God purifies themselves, just as God is pure.

This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!

Lighting of the Advent Wreath:
Let us pray.
Praise to you, O God, who gives us courage to start again. You fasten righteousness around your waist and baptize with the Holy Spirit’s fire. Bless us as we mirror your mighty fire in these simple flames, and teach us to mirror your justice in the paths we prepare. We ask that peace abound, until none hurt or destroy over all the earth.
Amen.

Light three candles to watch for Messiah: let the light banish darkness.
Lift your heads and lift high the gateway for the King of glory.

Gospel Reading: Luke 1:46-56
This is the Holy Gospel according to Luke, the 1st chapter.
Glory to you, O Lord.

⁴⁶“My soul magnifies the Holy One, ⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, ⁴⁸for God has looked with favor on the lowliness of God’s own womb-slave. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; ⁴⁹for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is God’s name. ⁵⁰God’s loving-kindness is for those who fear God from generation to generation . ⁵¹God has shown the strength of God’s own arm; God has scattered the arrogant in the intent of their hearts. ⁵²God has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; ⁵³God has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. ⁵⁴God has helped God’s own child, Israel, a memorial to God’s mercy, ⁵⁵just as God said to our mothers and fathers, to [Hagar and] Sarah and Abraham, to their descendants forever.” ⁵⁶And Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months and then she returned to her home.

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

Children’s Message

Sermon

Hymn of the Day: ELW 251 “My Soul Proclaims Your Greatness”
My soul proclaims your greatness, Lord; I sing my Savior’s praise!
You looked upon my lowliness, and I am full of grace.
Now ev’ry land and ev’ry age this blessing shall proclaim—
great wonders you have done for me, and holy is your name.

To all who live in holy fear your mercy ever flows.
With mighty arm you dash the proud, their scheming hearts expose.
The ruthless you have cast aside, the lowly throned instead;
the hungry filled with all good things, the rich sent off unfed.

To Israel, your servant blest, your help is ever sure;
the promise to our parents made their children will secure.
Sing glory to the Holy One, give honor to the Word,
and praise the Pow’r of the Most High, one God, by all adored.

Apostle’s Creed:
Let us confess our faith using the Apostle’s Creed:
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.

Prayers of Intercession:
As we prepare for the fullness of Christ’s presence, let us pray for a world that yearns for new hope.

Prayers continue with each petition ending:

God, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

God of our longing, you know our deepest needs. By your Spirit, gather our prayers and join them with the prayers of all your children. In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.

Sharing of the Peace:
May the peace of the Lord be with you always.
And also with you.

Offering:
https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/468062

Offertory Hymn:
Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord,
and fill to the brim our cups of blessing.
Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown,
that we may be fed with the bread of life
Gather the hopes and dreams of all;
united them with the prayers we offer.
Grace our table with your presence,
and give us a foretaste of the feast to come.

Offering Prayer:
Let us pray.
Eternal God, you make the desert bloom and send springs of water to thirsty ground. Receive these simple gifts of bread, wine, and money, and make us messengers of your mercy and love for all in need of your healing and justice. We ask this through Christ our Savior.
Amen.

The Great Thanksgiving:
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through our Savior Jesus Christ. You comforted your people with the promise of the Redeemer, through whom you will also make all things new in the day when he comes to judge the world in righteousness. And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, Lord God of pow’r and might,
heav’n and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Holy One, the beginning and the end, the giver of life: Blessed are you for the birth of creation. Blessed are you in the darkness and in the light. Blessed are you for your promise to your people. Blessed are you in the prophets’ hopes and dreams. Blessed are you for Mary’s openness to your will. Blessed are you for your Son Jesus, the Word made flesh.

In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.

Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

With this bread and cup we remember your Word dwelling among us, full of grace and truth. We remember our new birth in his death and resurrection. We look with hope for his coming.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Holy God, we long for your Spirit. Come among us. Bless this meal. May your Word take flesh in us. Awaken your people. Fill us with your light. Bring the gift of peace on earth.
Come, Holy Spirit.

All praise and glory are yours, Holy One of Israel, Word of God incarnate, Power of the Most High, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Lord’s Prayer:
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us saying:
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.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; grant us peace, grant us peace.

Communion

Table Blessing:
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
Amen.

Post-Communion Canticle:
Thankful hearts and voices raise; tell everyone what God has done.
Let all who seek the Lord rejoice and bear Christ’s holy name.
Send us with your promises, O God, and lead us forth in joy with shouts of thanksgiving.  Alleluia

Post-Communion Prayer:
Let us pray.
Faithful God, in this meal you have remembered your mercy, bringing heaven and earth in the body and blood of Christ. As we wait for the day when all your promises will be fulfilled, sustain us and strengthen us by this holy mystery. Guide us toward your promised future, coming to birth in Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

Benediction:
God the eternal Word, who dwells with us in Jesus, and who holds us in the grace of the Holy Spirit, + bless you now and forever.
Amen.

Sending Hymn: ELW 248 “People Look East”
People, look east. The time is near 
Of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
Trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the guest, is on the way.

Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare,
One more seed is planted there:
Give up your strength the seed to nourish,
That in course the flower may flourish.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the rose, is on the way.

Birds, though you long have ceased to build,
Guard the nest that must be filled.
Even the hour when wings are frozen
God for fledging time has chosen.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the bird, is on the way.

Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim
One more light the bowl shall brim,
Shining beyond the frosty weather,
Bright as sun and moon together.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the star, is on the way.

Angels, announce with shouts of mirth
Christ who brings new life to earth.
Set every peak and valley humming
With the word, the Lord is coming.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Lord, is on the way.

Dismissal:
Go in peace. Christ is near!
Thanks be to God!

Postlude

 

Prayer Requests:
Betsy Thomas, Dale Strassner, Alec Brock, Dave Wall, Liz Smith and Baby Grace, family and friends of Matt Rosamilia, family and friends of Michael McCollum, Mark Rabuck, Ryan Hunter, Rusty, Shirley Russell, Russ Wynn, Viv Marsh, Gladys Fawcett,  Alice Snyder, Marie Tanner, Peg Swinehart, Martha Ketchem, Bob Keifer

 

In this season of Advent, our biblical translations come from the work of the Rev. Dr. Wil Gafney, professor of Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, TX. This season’s lectionary texts and translations can be found in Dr. Gafney’s work, A Woman’s Lectionary for the Whole Church: Year W, copyright 2021, Church Publishing in New York, NY.

Portions reprinted from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, copyright 2006.  Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress, license #SBL09796L. Music reprinted from the ELW, by permission of OneLicense, license #A712349.  Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission.