third sunday
of advent
16 december 2012
The Gathering
of the Community
Processional Hymn
‘O
Come, O Come, Emmanuel’ Common Praise #89 vv. 4, 5, 6, 7
Introductory Responses
Restore
us, O Lord God of hosts;
Show us the light of your
countenance, and we shall be saved.
Will
you not give us life again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
Show
us your mercy, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
Blessed
is your Beloved who comes in your name, O Lord!
Peace in heaven and glory in the
highest.
Lighting of the Advent
Wreath
The Wreath is lit. The following prayer of thanksgiving is said.
Blessed
are you, Sovereign God of all,
to
you be praise and glory for ever.
In
your tender compassion
the
dawn from on high is breaking upon us
to
dispel the lingering shadows of night.
As
we look for your coming among us this day,
open
our eyes to behold your presence
and
strengthen our hands to do your will,
that
the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be the Holy One of Israel,
Word of God incarnate,
Hymn of Praise
‘We
Bless you, God of Israel’ Common Praise #12 (sung to #96)
Collect
Let
us pray.
O
God of the exiles and the lost,
you promise restoration and wholeness
through the power of Jesus Christ.
Give us faith to live joyfully,
sustained by your promises
as we eagerly await the day
when they will be fulfilled
for all the world to see,
through the coming of your Son,
The
Proclamation of the Word
First Reading
Zephaniah
3.14-20
The Psalm
‘Surely
It Is God Who Saves Me’ Common Praise #361
Second Reading
Philippians
4.4-7
The Gradual Hymn
‘Wait
for the Lord, Whose Day Is Near’ Common Praise #94 (sung three times)
The Gospel
Luke
3.7-18
The Sermon
The Affirmation of Faith
Do
you believe and trust in God the Father,
source
of all being and life,
the
one for whom we exist?
We believe and trust in God the
Father.
Do
you believe and trust in God the Son,
who
took our human nature,
died
for us and rose again?
We believe and trust in God the Son.
Do
you believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit,
who
gives life to the people of God
and
makes Christ known in the world?
We believe and trust in God the Holy
Spirit.
This is our faith.
We believe and trust in one God,
the Holy One of Israel
from whom the Word is begotten
and the Spirit proceeds. Amen.[iii]
The Prayers of
the Community
Intercessions, Petitions
and Thanksgivings
Confession and
Absolution
We
pray to you for the forgiveness of our sins.
Have
mercy upon us, most merciful God;
in your compassion, forgive us our
sins,
known and unknown,
things done and left undone;
and so uphold us by your Spirit
that we may live and serve you in
newness of life,
to the honour and glory of your name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
May
the God of love and power
forgive
you and free you from your sins,
heal
and strengthen you by the Holy Spirit,
and
raise you to new life in Christ our Lord.
Amen.[iv]
The Exchange of the
Peace
May
the peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
The Holy
Communion
The Offertory Hymn
‘Lord,
Who Left the Highest Heaven’ Common Praise #581 vv. 1, 2, 3, 4 (sung
to #220)
Prayer over the Gifts
God
of joy and exultation,
you strengthen what is weak;
you enrich the poor
and give hope to those who live in
fear.
Receive all we offer you this day,
making us grateful for the good news
of salvation
and keeping us faithful in your
service
until the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ,
Thanksgiving at the
Table
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.
Blessed
are you, gracious God,
creator
of heaven and earth;
we
give you thanks and praise
through
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who
in the fullness of time came among us in our flesh,
and
opened to us the way of salvation.
Now
we watch for the day when he will come again
in
power and great triumph to judge this world,
that
we, without shame or fear,
may
rejoice to behold his appearing.
Therefore
we praise you,
joining
our voices with angels and archangels
and
with all the company of heaven,
who
for ever sing this hymn
to
proclaim the glory of your name.
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven 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 for 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 for ever. Amen.[vi]
The Lord’s Prayer
As
our Saviour taught us, let us pray,
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
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 for ever. Amen.
The Breaking of the
Bread
God
of promise,
you
prepare a banquet for us in your kingdom.
Happy are those who are called
to the supper of the Lamb.
The
gifts of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.
The Communion
Communion Hymn
‘Lo,
How a Rose E’er Blooming’ Common Praise #117
The Sending
Forth of the Community
Prayer after Communion
God
of hope,
you call us home from the exile of
selfish oppression
to the freedom of justice,
to the balm of healing,
to and the joy of sharing.
Make us strong to join you in your
holy work,
as friends of strangers and victims,
companions of those whom others shun,
and as the happiness of those whose
hearts are broken.
We make our prayer through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.[vii]
Glory
to God,
whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God from generation to
generation,
in the Church and in Christ Jesus,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Closing Hymn
'How Firm a Foundation' Common Praise #527
Dismissal
Go
forth to prepare the way of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Notes
Any
liturgical elements not noted below are taken from ‘The Holy Eucharist’ in The Book of Alternative Services, p. 185
ff.
[i] Common Worship: Daily Prayer (2000), 198.
[ii] Scripture Prayer
for Advent 3C in Revised Common
Lectionary Prayers (2002), 33.
[iii] Common Worship (2000), 144 alt.
[iv] Common Worship (2000), 135 alt.
[v] Intercessory
Prayer for Advent 3 in Revised Common
Lectionary Prayers (2002), 32 adapted by the Rev’d Dr R. G. Leggett.
[vi] ‘Thanksgiving at
the Table III’ from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 110 with the Eucharistic
Preface for ‘Advent’ from The Book of
Alternative Services (1985), 219.
[vii] Thematic Prayer
for Advent 3 in Revised Common Lectionary
Prayers (2002), 32 adapted by the Rev’d Dr R. G. Leggett.
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