THE ORDER OF WORSHIP

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December 9 , 2018 PRELUDE “O Holy Night” by Adolphe Adam
Second Sunday of Advent
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Holy Communion (ELW 5) All may stand and make the sign of the cross, the sign with which we are
marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.

INTRODUCTION In the name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Advent is a time to prepare. John the baptizer’s voice in the wilderness Amen.
heralds the coming Lord Jesus as forerunner of the Lord of hosts. As we
share the Good News of the coming King we prepare the way for his Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from
arrival and assist all flesh in capturing a vision of the “salvation of God.” whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the
inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily
CHILDREN are always welcome to our Worship Service. Rainbow bags and magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
a cry room are available. A staffed nursery is also available if needed. An Amen.
usher will gladly provide you with assistance.
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
As a worship courtesy, we ask that you please turn off or set to vibrate all But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins
cellular telephones and pagers during the worship service. and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We ask that all present today please fill out the Attendance and Communion Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
registration card found in your bulletin and place it in the offering plate so
that we may record your presence with us. Please kneel, silence is kept for reflection.

Most merciful God,

we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We
have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have
PRAYER UPON ENTERING THE PEW 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. For the
Thank you, almighty God, that through John the Baptist and all the Holy sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us,
prophets you prepared the way for Christ Jesus to enter the world in the and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways,
flesh. Now let your Holy Spirit prepare us to receive Jesus as he comes to to the glory of your holy name.
us through the Word proclaimed and in His Holy Supper. Prepare us Amen.
through these gifts to proclaim to all people that Jesus in near. Move us to
lift up those who are low, to humble the mighty, and to straighten all that is In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high has shined
crooked. May Christ's will be done on earth and in my life as in heaven. upon us. Jesus Christ has come to be born among us and to die for us, all to
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! reconcile us to God. In Christ’s name and for his sake I declare to you: God
forgives you all your sins. Almighty God grant unto us the grace and
comfort of the Holy Spirit, true repentance, and time for the amendment of
life.
Amen.
 The congregation stands to face the cross as it processes in.

PROCESSIONAL HYMN:
On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry (ELW 249)

GREETING

Behold, now is the acceptable time. Now is the day of salvation. 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.

KYRIE

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his
coming give to all the people of the world knowledge of your salvation;
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Please be seated.

CHILDRENS’ MESSAGE AND LIGHTING THE ADVENT WREATH

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe. John the Baptist
calls all people to prepare the Lord’s way for the kingdom of heaven is
near. Bless us as we light the candles on this wreath. Baptize us with the
fire of your Spirit, that we may be a light shining in the darkness
welcoming others as Christ has welcomed us, for he is our light and our
salvation. Blessed be God forever.
Amen.
VERSE Come Now, O Prince of Peace (ELW 247, vv. 1 & 2) PSALMODY
Luke 1:68-79 Paraphrase: Blessed Be the God of Israel (ELW 250)

FIRST READING: Malachi 3:1-4

The Lord announces a covenant with Israel. A messenger like Malachi (his SECOND READING: Philippians 1:3-11
name means “my messenger”) shall prepare the way for the coming of the The apostle Paul was the pastor of many new churches. He writes in this
Lord by purifying and refining God’s people, as silver and gold are refined. letter about his joy to be in partnership with the Christians of Philippi.
1 Listen to how tender-hearted Paul, sometimes a stern preacher, is with his
See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the
friends as he encourages them to grow in love and knowledge.
Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of
3
the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the LORD of I thank my God every time I remember you, 4constantly praying with joy
hosts. 2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when in every one of my prayers for all of you, 5because of your sharing in the
he appears? gospel from the first day until now. 6I am confident of this, that the one
For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; 3he will sit as a who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day
refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and of Jesus Christ. 7It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because
refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both
righteousness. 4Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8For
to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years. God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ
Jesus. 9And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more
The word of the Lord. with knowledge and full insight 10to help you to determine what is best, so
Thanks be to God. that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11having produced
the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory Isaiah,
and praise of God. “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
The word of the Lord make his paths straight.
5
Thanks be to God! Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
Please stand for the reading of the gospel. and the rough ways made smooth;
6
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION AND VERSE
The gospel of the Lord!
Praise to you, O Christ!

Please be seated.

SERMON Pastor Charles Peterson

Please stand and sing:

Verse: Prepare the way | of the Lord.*
All flesh shall see the salva- | tion of God. (Luke 3:4, 6) HYMN OF THE DAY Prepare the Royal Highway (ELW 264)

GOSPEL: Luke 3:1-6 CREED

As the Gospel is announced, worshippers are invited to trace a cross upon As they recite the creed, worshippers are invited to bow beginning with the
their forehead, then over their lips, and then over their hearts, silently words “born of the virgin Mary,” until the words “he descended to the
praying, “May the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ be ever on my mind, on dead.”
my lips, and in my heart.”
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
The holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Luke
Glory to you, O Lord! I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived
by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius
John the Baptist is a herald of the saving Lord, whose way is prepared by Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
“repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” As we hear the careful record of On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at
human leaders, we sense the spectrum of political and religious authority the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and
that will be challenged by this coming Lord. the dead.
1
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of
was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life
Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of everlasting. Amen.
Abilene, 2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of
God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3He went into all the
region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the
forgiveness of sins, 4as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION OFFERTORY HYMN: Create in Me a Clean Heart (ELW 188)

As we anticipate the fullness of the presence of Christ, we join with the

church throughout the world, praying for all who are in need.

Please sit or kneel as you are able.

Each petition ends with:

let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.

Merciful God, hear the prayers of your people, those spoken aloud and
those known only to you, and grant us peace through Jesus Christ, our
coming Savior.
Amen.

Please stand and greet one another in the peace of the risen Christ.

PEACE

The peace of Christ be with you always.

And also with you.

Please be seated.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANTHEM AT THE OFFERING Freu dich sehr

(Comfort, Comfort, Now My People) Johann Olearius/arr. Ferguson

Please stand and sing:

OFFERING PRAYER

God of abundance, you have entrusted us with the precious fruits of your
creation. We return a portion of them to you in thanksgiving, a sign that all
we have, and all we are, and all that there is belongs to you. Give us
patience, hope, and joy in being as good to all people and to your world as
you have been to us, until the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior
and Lord.
Amen.
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
DIALOGUE Worshippers are invited to bow with the consecration of the Lord’s body
and blood, each time the words “Do this for the remembrance of me,” are
spoken.

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 in 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
PREFACE
drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY
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 INVITATION TO COMMUNION
your Word take flesh in us. Awaken your people. Fill us with your light.
Bring the gift of peace on earth. The coming of the Lord Jesus is a consuming fire. All who desire their old
Come, Holy Spirit. life to pass away and to live a new life in Christ, come with joy to the feast.

All praise and glory are yours, Holy God through our Lord Jesus Christ, the Please be seated.
Holy One of Israel, the Word of God incarnate, the Power of the Most
High. Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all Lutherans believe, teach and confess that we receive the true Body and
honor and glory are yours, almighty Father, now and forever. Blood of Christ in Holy Communion. If you desire to pick up the cross and
Amen. live in Christ, we hope you will receive with us. Even if you do not feel
prepared to receive the sacrament today we hope you will join us at the
LORD'S PRAYER table. Simply hold your hands over your heart and the pastor will give you
a blessing. Pastor will be glad to discuss Holy Communion and Holy
Lord Jesus Christ, for whom all creation waits, remember us in your Baptism with you!
kingdom, and teach us to pray:
COMMUNION

The body of Christ, given for you.

The blood of Christ, shed for you.
Amen.

LAMB OF GOD
HYMN DURING DISTRIBUTION: What Feast of Love (ELW 487) BLESSING

The God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony

with one another,
in accordance with Christ Jesus. Amen.

The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you
may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The God of all grace: Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and
forever. Amen.

SENDING SONG: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus (ELW 254)

DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Bring good news to the poor.
Thanks be to God!

POSTLUDE A mínuít fut faít un réveíl Jean-François Dandrieu

The flowers on the altar are given to the glory of God and in honor of the
birthday celebration of my daughter, Vanessa D. Rebollar.

Presented by Mayda Vazquez

Please stand. UPCOMING COMMEMORATIONS

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION Lucy, martyr, died 304

Thursday, December 13, 2018
Lord God, we give you thanks that you have fed us even now with the Lucy was a young Christian of Sicily who was martyred during the
banquet that is yet to come. Keep us alert for signs of your presence in the persecutions under Emperor Diocletian. Her celebration became
world around us. Send us as healing oil and sheltering comfort to those in particularly important in Sweden and Norway, perhaps because the feast of
need, and make us bold in testifying to the light of Jesus Christ, our Savior Lucia (whose name means "light") originally fell on the shortest day of the
and Lord. year.
Amen.
John of the Cross, renewer of the church, died 1591
Friday, December 14, 2018
John was a member of the Carmelite monastic order, and worked to reform
it. His writings reflect a deep interest in mystical thought and meditation.