THE LORD’S DAY

An Order for Worship

The Third Sunday of Advent

December 15, 2024

 

Minister                                                                    The Reverend Bruce Hedman

Organist                                                                                                Brenda Pike

The Preparation

Organ Prelude

Call to Worship (responsive)

The Great O’s of Advent

Pastor:  O Wisdom, that came out of the mouth of the Most High,

reaching from one end to another, firmly and gently ordering all things:  Come and teach us the way of understanding.

PEOPLE:  EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS.

Pastor:  O Adonai, Captain of the house of Israel, who did appear to

Moses in the flame of the burning bush, and gave him the law on Sinai:  Come and deliver us with thine outstretched arm.

PEOPLE:  EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS.

Pastor:  O Root of Jesse, who stands as an ensign of the people, before

whom kings shall shut their mouths, whom the nations shall seek:  Come and deliver us and tarry not.

PEOPLE:  EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS.

Pastor:  O Key of David, Scepter of the house of Israel, who opens and

no man  shuts, and who shuts and no man opens:  Come and bring forth out of the prison-house him that is bound.

PEOPLE:  EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS.

Pastor:  O Day-spring from on high, Brightness of Eternal Light, and

Sun of righteousness:  Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.

PEOPLE:  EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS.

Pastor:  O King of nations, thou for whom they long, the Cornerstone

that makes both one:  Come and save thy creatures whom thou didst fashion from the dust of the earth

PEOPLE:  EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS.

Pastor:  O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the Desire of all nations

and their Savior:  Come and save us, O Lord our God.

PEOPLE:  EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS.

*Pilgrim Hymnal No. 110                                                             Veni Emmanuel

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”

Prayer of Adoration and Lord’s Prayer (unison, using “debts”)

Prayer of Confession (unison):

MOST HOLY AND MERCIFUL FATHER, WE ACKNOWLEDGE AND CONFESS BEFORE THEE OUR SINFUL NATURE PRONE TO EVIL AND SLOTHFUL IN GOOD, AND ALL OUR SHORTCOMINGS AND OFFENSES.  BUT THOU, O LORD, HAVE MERCY UPON US, WHO ARE ASHAMED AND SORRY FOR ALL WHEREIN WE HAVE DISPLEASED THEE.  TEACH US TO HATE OUR ERRORS.  CLEANSE US FROM OUR SECRET FAULTS, AND FORGIVE OUR SINS, FOR THE SAKE OF THY DEAR SON.  AMEN.

Assurance of Pardon

Unison Reading              Selection 127           “The Benedictus”                 p.  545

*Gloria Patri

 

The Fellowship of  Prayer

Lighting the Third Advent Candle                                “The Shepherds’ Candle”

Greetings and Announcements

Call to Prayer

Pastoral Prayer and Silent Prayer

Organ Response

The Offertory

Offertory Sentences & The Collection

*Doxology and Prayer of Dedication

*Pilgrim Hymnal No. 107                                                                       Picardy

“Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”

 

The Proclamation of the Word

Collect of the Day

Old Testament Lesson                                                               Zephaniah 3:14-20

Epistle Lesson                                                                             Philippians 4: 4-7

Gospel Lesson                                                                                     Luke 3: 7-18

Sermon                                                                                               Rev. Hedman

“John the Baptist”

*The Apostles’ Creed                      Selection 51                                         p. 511

*Pilgrim Hymnal No. 116                                                                           Gloria

“Angels We Have Heard on High”

*Benediction

*Organ Postlude

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

TODAY we will take up our annual collection for retired clergy VETERANS OF THE CROSS.

Pray for our Service Personnel:

Rito Soricco, Lucas Santerre, Paul Slevinski, Michael Ryan McCabe

Prayer Concerns:  Joseph Blanchard

Charles Dingwell

John Hallbach

Jacob Cutler    Tracy Purvis