Sunday at CEC

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Sunday, December 22, 2024
The fourth Sunday of Advent
9:00 & 11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite Two

Service from the Book of Common Prayer (BCP)  Congregational participation in bold

Opening Prayer, all seated

Gathering Music, remain seated

“The angel Gabriel from heaven came” Hymn 265

The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;
“all hail,” said he, “thou lowly maiden Mary,
most highly favored lady,” Gloria!

“For know a blessed mother thou shalt be,
all generations laud and honor thee,
thy son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold,
most highly favored lady,” Gloria!

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,
“To me be as it pleaseth God,” she said,
“my soul shall laud and magnify his holy Name.”
Most highly favored lady, Gloria!

Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ, was born
in Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn,
and Christian folk throughout the world will ever say––
“Most highly favored lady,” Gloria! 

Welcome & Announcements, all seated

Please take a moment of silence to prepare your heart and mind for worship after the announcements are concluded.

Opening Hymn, all standing

“Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!” Hymn 438

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word;
in God my Savior shall my heart rejoice.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age the same;
his holy Name the Lord, the Mighty One.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.

Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children’s children and for evermore!

Penitential Order, remain standing

Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins; BCP 351
His mercy endures forever. Amen

Jesus said, “The first commandment is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”   Mark 12:29 31

Confession, all kneeling or sitting

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

A moment of brief silence is kept as we prepare for confession.

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

God’s Absolution is pronounced

Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

“Kyrie,”   remain kneeling or sitting arr. Josh Benninger1

Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy upon us, O Christ, have mercy.
Lord, prepare us for your return, for your promised reign of peace.
Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy.

Collect of the Day BCP 211

The Lord be with you.  And also with you.  Let us pray. 

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Lessons BCP 357

Micah 5:2-5a

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Psalm 80:1-7 BCP 702

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?
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 neighbors, *
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.

Hebrews 10:5-10

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Gospel Hymn, all standing

“Come, thou long-expected Jesus” Hymn 66: 1-2

Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee.

Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art:
dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Luke. Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Luke 1:39-55

The Gospel of the Lord.  Praise to you, Lord Christ.

“Come, thou long-expected Jesus” Hymn 66: 3

Born thy people to deliver, born a child, and yet a king,
born to reign in us for ever, now thy gracious kingdom bring.

Sermon John Badders
After the sermon, brief silence is kept for meditation on God’s Holy Word.

The 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: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. 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. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He 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 the People, all kneeling or seated

With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord.

O come Emmanuel and enkindle the fire of your presence in the Church, so that those near and far will “know we are your disciples by our love” (John 13:35).
Come quickly, Lord Christ, our Emmanuel, and make us whole.

O come thou Wisdom from on high, and enlighten this country’s leaders with your guidance, so that we will “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God” (Micah 6:8).  
Come quickly, Lord Christ, our Emmanuel, and make us whole.

O come thou Lord of might and mend the fractures in our world where there is famine, warfare, disease, and exploited children, so that they “will be swept up in a mighty flood of your justice and a torrent of your righteousness” (Amos 5:24).
Come quickly, Lord Christ, our Emmanuel, and make us whole.

O come thou Key of David and transform our streets and neighborhoods into havens of your presence, because “you give light and peace to those who sit in darkness and suffer in the shadow of death’ (Luke 1:79).
Come quickly, Lord Christ, our Emmanuel, and make us whole.

O come thou Dayspring on high, and touch those we love who are sick, injured, lonely, or bereft, for “you only have to say the word and they shall be healed” (Matthew 8:8).  
Come quickly, Lord Christ, our Emmanuel, and make us whole.

O come thou Desire of nations and receive those who have died into your eternal embrace, for we know “whether we live or die, we are yours” (Romans 14:8).
Come quickly, Lord Christ, our Emmanuel, and make us whole.

O come Emmanuel and open our hearts to celebrate your incarnation with unbounded joy, because “all those who receive you and believe in your Name will be called children of God” (John 1:12).
Come quickly, Lord Christ, our Emmanuel, and make us whole.

Holy and gracious God, in the Anglican Cycle of Prayer we pray for the Church of the Province of Uganda; in the Diocese of West Texas Cycle of Prayer we give thanks for Church of the Messiah, St. Stephen’s, Wimberly, and St. Stephen’s, San Antonio; in the Christ Church Cycle of Prayer we pray for the Care Notes ministry. 

The Officiant concludes with the following prayer: 

Almighty God, by your Holy Spirit you have made us one with your saints in heaven and on earth: Grant that in our earthly pilgrimage we may always be supported by this fellowship of love and prayer, and know ourselves to be surrounded by their witness to your power and mercy. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, in whom all our intercessions are acceptable through the Spirit, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.  

The peace of the Lord be always with you. And also with you.

Offertory Sentence

Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and make good your vows to the Most High.   Psalm 50:14 

Offertory Anthem, all seated

“Behold” David Kauffman

Presentation of gifts, all standing 

“O come, O come, Emmanuel” Hymn 56: 1 

O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel!

The Great Thanksgiving BCP 367

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 him thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

Because you sent your beloved Son to redeem us from sin and death, and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life; that when he shall come again in power and great triumph to judge the world, we may without shame or fear 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” S-130

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full, full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest

The Celebrant continues 

We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.

On the night before he died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you nd for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

Therefore, according to his command, O Father,
We remember his death, We proclaim his resurrection, We await his coming in glory;

The Celebrant continues

And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.

We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation.

By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
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, for ever and ever. Amen.

“Jesus, Lamb of God” Hymn S-164

Jesus, Lamb of God: have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins: have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer, redeemer of the world:
give us your peace, give us your peace.

Communion Music

“Let us break bread together on our knees” Hymn 325

Let us break bread together on our knees;
let us break bread together on our knees;
when I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.

Let us drink wine together on our knees;
let us drink wine together on our knees;
when I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.

Let us praise God together on our knees;
let us praise God together on our knees;
when I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.

After Communion, the Celebrant says
Let us pray.

Closing prayers BCP 366

Almighty and everliving God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Advent Blessing Book of Occasional Services

May Almighty God, by whose providence our Savior Christ came among us in great humility, sanctify you with the light of his blessing and set you free from all sin. Amen. 

May he whose second Coming in power and great glory we await, make you steadfast in faith, joyful in hope, and constant in love. Amen. 

May you, who rejoice in the first Advent of our Redeemer, at his second Advent be rewarded with unending life. Amen. 

And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you for ever. Amen.

Closing Hymn

“O Zion, haste, thy mission high fulfilling” Hymn 539: 1, 4

O Zion, haste, thy mission high fulfilling,
to tell to all the world that God is Light;
that he who made all nations is not willing
one soul should fail to know his love and might.

Publish glad tidings: tidings of peace,
tidings of Jesus, redemption and release.

He comes again! O Zion, ere thou meet him,
make known to every heart his saving grace;
let none whom he hath ransomed fail to greet him,
through thy neglect, unfit to see his face.

Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.   Thanks be to God. 

Hymns from Hymnal 1982, Lift Every Voice and Sing (LEVAS) II and Wonder, Love and Praise (WLP) are reprinted under OneLicense.net. A-709130.  1 CCLI Song # 7233957 © Beehive Songs | Getty Music Publishing