GATHERING SONG “Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn” #242
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God, our life, our mercy, our might. Amen.
As we await the day of the Lord, let us confess our sin.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Great and Holy One,
in this time of waning daylight, we confess the shadows of sin in our lives.
We rely on our own efforts to make our lives secure.
Yet you, O Lord, are the potter, and we are the clay.
Come to restore us in your image, remake us into your people,
and rebuild what sin has broken, that we and the whole creation may rejoice. Amen.
Fear not, people of God: the Almighty has done great things for us. God casts away our sin from us and makes of us a new creation. In + Jesus Christ, God comes to set you free. Take heart in the tender compassion of our God. Amen.
LIGHTING OF THE THIRD ADVENT CANDLE
CANDLE LIGHTING LITANY and PRAYER
Jesus Christ is the light of the world. The light no darkness can overcome.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe.
Your prophets spoke of a day when the desert would blossom and waters would break forth in the wilderness. Bless us as we light the candles on this wreath. Strengthen our hearts as we prepare for the coming of the Lord. May he give water to all who thirst, for he is our light and our salvation. Blessed be God forever. Amen.
ADVENT HYMN “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” #257
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: 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.
Psalm 80: 1-7
Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock;
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh,
stir up your strength and come to help us.
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?
You have fed them with the bread of tears;
You have made us the derision of our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine upon us, and we shall be saved.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
THE GOSPEL FOR THE DAY: Luke 1:39-56
The holy gospel according to Saint Luke. Glory to you, O Lord.
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.”
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.”
And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON “Blessed” Pastor Phil Wold
HYMN OF THE DAY “Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers” #244
NICENE CREED
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,
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.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
THE PEACE IS SHARED
The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you.
OFFERING AND OFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray. God of all creation, all you have made is good, and your love endures forever. You bring forth bread from the earth and fruit from the vine. Nourish us with these gifts, that we might be for the world signs of your gracious presence in Jesus Christ our 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 “O Come, All Ye Faithful” #283
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Welcome the stranger. Thanks be to God.
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