Announcements
Confession and Forgiveness
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
alive in the world,
reviving creation,
arriving soon.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God
and of one another.
Silence is kept for reflection.
God of mercy,
we confess that we have sinned.
We trust earthly powers and human authority alone.
We grow fearful. We cling to false comforts.
God of might,
we confess that we have sinned.
We have turned away from our neighbors.
We have trusted false promises.
God in our midst,
we confess that we have sinned.
We plead: come to us.
Bring your mercy to birth in us.
A righteous branch springs forth:
it is Christ the Lord, our Savior,
in whom we have forgiveness, life, and mercy.
By the power of the Holy Spirit,
receive the grace and forgiveness of God
through ☩ Christ Jesus,
whose day draws near.
Amen.
Opening Hymn
ELW 263 - Savior of the Nations, Come (vs. 1, 2, 4)
Greeting
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
Prayer of the Day
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.
Lighting of the Advent Wreath
ELW 240 - Light One Candle to Watch for Messiah (vs. 4)
First Reading: Micah 5:2-5a
2 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.
3 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.
4 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;
5a and he shall be the one of peace.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm Luke 1:46b-55
You, Lord, have lifted up the lowly. (Lk. 1:52)
46b My soul proclaims the greatness | of the Lord,
47 my spirit rejoices in | God my Savior,
48 for you, Lord, have looked with favor on your | lowly servant.
From this day all generations will | call me blessed:
49 you, the Almighty, have done great | things for me
and holy | is your name.
50 You have mercy on | those who fear you,
from generation to | generation. R
51 You have shown strength | with your arm
and scattered the proud in | their conceit,
52 casting down the mighty | from their thrones
and lifting | up the lowly.
53 You have filled the hungry | with good things
and sent the rich | away empty.
54 You have come to the aid of your | servant Israel,
to remember the prom- | ise of mercy,
55 the promise made | to our forebears,
to Abraham and his chil- | dren forever. R
Second Reading: Hebrews 10:5-10
5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body you have prepared for me;
6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘See, God, I have come to do your will, O God’
(in the scroll of the book it is written of me).”
8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “See, I have come to do your will.” He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. 10 And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
ELW Setting 8
Gospel: Luke 1:39-45
This is the holy gospel according to Luke the 1st chapter.
Glory to you, O Lord.
39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon
Hymn of the Day
ELW 257 - O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (vs. 1 & 2)
Prayers of Intercession
As we prepare for Emmanuel, God-with-us, let us pray for all people and places that long for God’s presence.
A brief silence.
God our uniter, increase communication and cooperation in our relationships with those of other traditions and religions. Root your church in the radical message of your incarnation, and enable us to pursue your justice in the world. Lord, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.
God our creator, we praise you for the beauty that surrounds us. Awaken in us a renewed sense of care for the wildlife in our communities (local preserves, parks, or sanctuaries may be named). Form us into faithful stewards of what you have made. Lord, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.
God our sovereign, Mary proclaims a new way of life that lifts up the lowly and fills the hungry with good things. Nurture in local governments and municipalities a desire to care for all who are overlooked and ignored. Lord, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.
God our beacon, as the northern hemisphere begins its slow turn toward more daylight, remind us that even in the deepest nights, you are there. Comfort the lonely and bereaved. Hold closely the frightened, anxious, depressed, and ill (especially). Lord, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.
God our guide, shepherd the leadership of this congregation. Bless the council and staff in discerning future ministry and open their hearts to the voices of the community. Lord, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.
God our life, you remember the promises you have made to your people. In gratitude for those who have died (especially), we praise you for your faithfulness throughout history. Lord, in your mercy,
receive our prayer.
Savior of the nations, come, and receive these prayers and the pleas of our hearts, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
The Passing of Peace
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
And also with you.
Anthem
Walk in Light (Karen Marrolli)
Offertory Hymn
ELW 294 - In the Bleak Midwinter (vs. 3)
Offertory Prayer
Creator God,
you made the whole world,
even the farthest stars,
and you draw near to feed us.
We praise you for these gifts of bread and wine.
Strengthen us with this food
that we may live in expectation
for the advent of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Great Thanksgiving
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 Savior Jesus Christ. Fulfilling the
promise of the resurrection, you pour out the fire of your Spirit,
uniting in one body people of every nation and tongue.
And so, with Mary Magdalene and Peter and all the witnesses of
the resurrection, with earth and sea and all their creatures, and
with angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, we praise
your name and join their unending hymn:
ELW Setting 8
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow’r and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory, full of your glory.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Thanksgiving at the Table
Holy God, our Bread of life, our Table, and our Food, you created
a world in which all might be satisfied by your abundance.
You dined with Abraham and Sarah, promising them life, and fed
your people Israel with manna from heaven. You sent your Son to
eat with sinners and to become food for the world.
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.
Remembering, therefore, his life given for us and his rising from
the grave, we await his coming again to share with us the
everlasting feast.
By your Spirit nurture and sustain us with this meal: strengthen
us to serve all in hunger and want, and by this bread and cup
make of us the body of your Son.
Through him all glory and honor is yours, Almighty Father,
with the Holy Spirit, in your holy Church, both now and forever.Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Lord remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray:
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hollowed by 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.
God feeds us with tender mercy.
Come to the table.
Lamb of God
ELW Setting 8
Communion Hymns
ELW 265 - The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came
ELW 266 - All Earth is Hopeful
ELW 483 - Here is Bread
The Table Blessing
Behold, God is making all things new.
Take your place in the new creation.
Post Communion
ELW 250 - Blessed Be the God of Israel (vs. 3)
Prayer After Communion
Generous God,
we thank you for the gift of life,
for the bread of salvation.
We thank you for coming among us,
for leading us into peace.
We thank you for showering us with mercy,
for sending us into the world.
Come, Lord Jesus, and go with us
as we feed the hungry in your name.
Amen.
Blessing
God of endings and beginnings,
God in the darkness and the light,
God, our hope for the journey,
☩ bless and keep you now and forever.
Amen.
Sending Hymn
ELW 723 - Canticle of the Turning (vs. 1 & 2)
Dismissal
Go in peace. Prepare the way for Emmanuel.
Thanks be to God.
Photo by Erika Giraud on Unsplash
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