The Fourth Sunday of Advent
18 December 2016
The Gathering of the
Community
Gathering Music
Announcement
Opening Hymn
‘Of Eternal Love Begotten’ Common
Praise #132 vv. 1, 2, 3
Introductory Responses
Blessed are you, Lord, the God of Israel,
you
have come to your people to set us free,
free to worship you without fear,
holy
and righteous before you,
all
the days of our life.
The Lighting of the Advent Wreath
The
Community sings ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’ Common Praise #89 (verse 4 and refrain). As the hymn is sung the appointed person
lights the Advent Wreath. After the
lighting of the Advent Wreath the Collect of the Day is said.
Let us pray.
Shepherd of Israel,
who by a dream guided your servant Joseph
to embrace your promise of salvation:
lead us in the way of grace and peace,
so that we may bear your promise into the world;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
The Proclamation of the Word
The First Reading
A reading from the prophet Isaiah (7.10-16).
7.10
Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz,
saying, 11 Ask a sign of the Lord
your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. 12 But Ahaz said, I will not ask,
and I will not put the Lord to the
test. 13 Then Isaiah said:
“Hear then, O house of David! Is it too
little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall
bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. 15 He shall eat curds and honey by
the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the child knows how
to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are
in dread will be deserted.”
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks
be to God.
The Psalm
Psalm
80.1-7, 17-19 (NRSV) with refrain from Songs for the
Holy One.
Refrain
(sung twice): O Holy One restore us. Reveal
your radiance so we can be freed.
1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel,
leading Joseph like a flock; *
shine
forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *
stir up your strength and come to
help us.
3 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show
the light of your countenance,
and
we shall be saved.
4 O Lord God of hosts, *
how long will you be angered despite
the prayers of your people?
Refrain: O Holy
One restore us. Reveal your radiance so
we can be freed.
5 You have fed them with the
bread of tears; *
you
have given them bowls of tears to drink.
6 You have made us the derision of our neighbours, *
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance,
and we shall be saved.
Refrain: O Holy
One restore us. Reveal your radiance so
we can be freed.
17 Let your hand be upon the one
at your side in honour, *
the
one you have made so strong for yourself.
18 And so will we never turn away from you; *
give us life, that we may call upon
your name.
19 Restore us, O Lord God of
hosts; *
show the light of your countenance,
and we shall be saved.
Refrain: O Holy
One restore us. Reveal your radiance so
we can be freed.
The Second Reading
A reading from the letter of Paul to the
Romans (1.1-7).
1.1
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the
gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets
in the holy scriptures, 3 the gospel concerning his Son, who was
descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be
Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from
the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received
grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles
for the sake of his name, 6 including yourselves who are called to
belong to Jesus Christ,
7 To all
God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks
be to God.
Hymn before the Gospel
‘Wait for the Lord, Whose Day Is Near’ Common
Praise #94 (sung twice)
The Gospel
The Lord be with you.
And
also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to Matthew (1.18-25).
Glory
to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
1.18
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to
Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the
Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband
Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace,
planned to dismiss her quietly. 20
But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him
in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as
your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are
to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill
what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 “Look, the virgin shall
conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God
is with us.” 24 When Joseph
awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as
his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had
borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise
to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Hymn after the Gospel
‘Wait for the Lord, Whose Day Is Near’ Common
Praise #94 (sung twice)
The Homily
The Affirmation of Faith
Sung to Common
Praise #284
We believe in God the Father,
God almighty, by whose plan
earth and heaven sprang to being,
all created things began.
We believe in Christ the Saviour,
Son of God in human frame,
virgin-born, the child of Mary
upon whom the Spirit came.
Christ, who on the cross forsaken,
like a lamb to slaughter led,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
he descended to the dead.
We believe in Jesus risen,
heaven’s king to rule and reign,
to the Father’s side ascended
till as judge he comes again.
We believe in God the Spirit;
in one Church, below, above:
saints of God in one communion,
one in holiness and love.
So by faith, our sins forgiven,
Christ our Saviour, Lord and friend,
we shall rise with him in glory
to the life that knows no end. [ii]
The Prayers of the Community
Intercessions, Petitions and Thanksgivings
The Exchange of the Peace
May the peace of the Lord be always with you.
And
also with you.
The Holy Communion
Offertory Hymn
‘Hail to the Lord’s Anointed’ Common
Praise #101
Prayer over the Gifts
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
Saviour and Lord. Amen. [iii]
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.
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 Saviour 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,
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.
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. [v]
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,
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
The Hymn after Communion
‘Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming’ Common
Praise #117
The Sending Forth of the
Community
Prayer after Communion
God for whom we wait,
in
this meal you give us a foretaste of that day
when
the hungry will be fed with good things.
Send
us forth to make known your deeds
and
to proclaim the greatness of your name,
through
Jesus Christ, our Saviour and 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
‘Of Eternal Love Begotten’ Common
Praise #132 vv. 4, 5, 6
Dismissal
Let us go forth in the name of Christ who is
coming.
Thanks
be to God.
[i] Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial
Use Collects for Years A, B & C and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and
after Communion’ (2016), 6.
[ii] Common Worship (2000), 146.
[iii] Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial Use Collects for
Years A, B & C and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion’
(2016), 158.
[iv] Common Praise #689.
[v] Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 110.
[vi] Common Praise #744.
[vii] Liturgy Task Force,
‘Trial Use Collects for Years A, B & C and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts
and after Communion’ (2016), 161.
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