4 Advent '24

ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING

The Mighty One has done great things! Holy is God's Name! The Light of the World is coming.

With Mary, our spirits rejoice in God our Savior.

[Here relight the first three candles]

God's mercy endures from generation to generation for those who are in awe of God.

The proud, the rich, the mighty have been scattered.

The lowly are lifted up, and the hungry are satisfied.

We see the light of God shining over the land.

We light a fourth candle in anticipation of the wondrous birth.

[Here light the fourth candle.]

O God, open our hearts that your love may have a place to dwell.

Amen. Come Lord Jesus.

GATHERING SONG “All Earth Is Hopeful” #266

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

In the tempting wilderness of the world, we become lost in sin, self-centeredness, and despair.

Come to us and forgive us, Lord.

In the noisy wilderness of the world, we fail to hear your call to be and act as your people.

Come to us and refine us, Lord.

In the confusing wilderness of the world, we lose our way and wander away from you.

Come to us and guide us, Lord.

In the empty wilderness of the world, we reach for things which do not satisfy.

Come to us and fill us, Lord.

The tender mercy of our God sends the rising sun to us from heaven, to shine on us

who live in darkness and in the shadow of death. In God's grace, through Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. May the Spirit strengthen you and guide your feet into the path of peace.

Amen.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

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. Amen.

FIRST READING: 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.

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.

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;

and he shall be the one of peace.

Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL Luke 1:26-45

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

GOSPEL RESPONSE Luke 1:46-55

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly;

he has filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

TRINITY CHOIR - Rise Up!

A New Light A-Comin'

by Lloyd Larson & Pamela Martin; Orchestrated by Michael Lawrence

O Come, Little Children

Rise Up! A New Light A-Comin'

The Promise

Manger Songs

Led By a Star

Children

SERMON "Saint Mary" Pastor Phil Wold

HYMN OF THE DAY “The Magnificat”

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

THE SIGN OF PEACE IS SHARED

The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you.

THE OFFERING AND OFFERING PRAYER

Let us pray. Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts: our selves, our time, and our possessions. Use us, and what we have gathered, in feeding the world with your love, through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

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,

forever and ever. AMEN

BLESSING

SENDING SONG “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” #270

SENDING

Go in peace. Live the gospel. Thanks be to God.

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. All rights reserved.