The Third sunday of Advent
14 December 2014
The Gathering of the Community
Introductory Responses
Arise, shine, our light is coming;
the glory of the
Lord is rising upon us.
Though night still covers the earth
and darkness covers
the nations,
over us will the Lord arise,
over us will the
glory of God appear.
Seasonal Processional Hymn
‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’
Common Praise #89 vv. 1, 6, 7
Collect
During the Collect
the Advent Wreath is lit.
Let us pray.
O God of Isaiah and John the Baptist,
through all such
faithful ones
you proclaim the
unfolding of future joy and renewed life.
Strengthen our
hearts to believe your advent promise
that we will walk
in the way of Christ,
whose coming is
certain and whose day draws near. Amen. [i]
The Proclamation of the Word
First Reading
A Reading from the Prophet Isaiah (61.1-4, 8-11).
The spirit of
the Lord God is upon me, because
the Lord has anointed me; he has
sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to
proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the
year of the Lord’s favour, and the
day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who
mourn in Zion — to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness
instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the
planting of the Lord, to display
his glory. They shall build up the
ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair
the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.
For I the Lord love justice, I hate robbery and
wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an
everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants
shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom
the Lord has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my
God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me
with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and
as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is
sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God
will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.
The Psalm
Psalm 126 with
refrain from Songs for the Holy One
Refrain (sung
twice): The
Holy One does wonderful things for us.
1 When
the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, *
then were we like
those who dream.
2 Then
was our mouth filled with laughter, *
and
our tongue with shouts of joy.
Then they said among the
nations, *
”The Lord has done
great things for them.”
Refrain: The Holy One does wonderful
things for us.
3 The
Lord has done great things for us, *
and we are glad
indeed.
4 Restore
our fortunes, O Lord, *
like the
watercourses of the Negev.
5 Those
who sowed with tears *
will reap with
songs of joy.
6 Those
who go out weeping, carrying the seed, *
will come again
with joy, shouldering their sheaves.
Refrain: The Holy One does wonderful
things for us.
The Second Reading
A Reading from Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians
(5.16-24).
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all
circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test
everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.
May the God of
peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be
kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will
do this.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.
The Gradual Hymn
‘Comfort, Comfort Ye My People’
Common Praise #106
The Gospel
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John
(1.6-8, 19-28).
Glory to you, Lord
Jesus Christ.
There was a
man sent from God, whose name was John. He
came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through
him. He himself was not the light, but
he came to testify to the light.
This is the
testimony given by John when the [Jewish authorities] sent priests and Levites
from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed and did not deny it, but
confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” And
they asked him, “What then? Are you
Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
He said, “I am
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the
Lord,’” as the prophet Isaiah said.
Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if
you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the
one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” This took place in Bethany across the Jordan
where John was baptizing.
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord
Jesus Christ.
The Homily
An Affirmation of Faith
We are called to proclaim the truth
and let us believe:
It is not true that this world
and its people are doomed to die and to be lost.
This is true: I have come that they may have life
in all its abundance.
It is not true that we must accept
inhumanity and discrimination, hunger
and poverty,
death and destruction.
This is true: The deaf hear, the dead are raised to life,
the poor are hearing the good news.
It is not true that violence and
hatred should have the last
word
and that war and destruction have
come to stay forever.
This is true: Death shall be no more,
neither shall there be mourning nor crying
nor pain any more.
It is not true that we are simply
victims
of the powers of evil who seek to
rule the world.
This is true: The Lord whom we seek
will suddenly come to the temple;
and the Lord is like a refining fire.
It is not true that our dreams of
liberation, of human dignity,
are not meant for this earth and for
this history.
This is true: It is already time for us to wake from sleep.
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
The Offertory Hymn
‘Hark, a Herald Voice Is Sounding’ Common
Praise #108
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.
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,
so 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. [iv]
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. [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,
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. [viii]
The gifts of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.
The Communion
Communion Hymn
‘Creator of the Stars of Night’ Common Praise #96
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. [ix]
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
‘When the King Shall Come Again’ Common
Praise #109
Dismissal
The Deacon sends the
People forth with an appropriate Dismissal.
[i]
Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial Use Collects for Advent 1 to the Baptism of Christ’
(Year B), 2.
[ii]
Alan Boesak as quoted by Janet Morley, ed., Bread
for Tomorrow: Prayers for the Church
Year (1992), 31.
[iii] Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 64
alt.
[iv] The Book or Alternative Services (1985),
219 alt.
[v] Common Praise
#722.
[vi] Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006),
110.
[vii] Common Praise
#744.
[viii]
The Book of Alternative Services
(1985), 212.
[ix] Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 65
alt.
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