St. John’s Episcopal Church A place to discover connections with God and one another www.sjparish.net The Third Sunday of Advent HOLY EUCHARIST RITE II December 11, 2016 10:30 a.m. 2 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT An Advent Message from the Rector This is the season of Advent, a time of paradox. Advent is both beginnings and endings as we prepare to encounter the Mystery of God in our very midst. We are invited to enter into a time of quiet contemplation as we anticipate God breaking into human history in the shape of a tiny, fragile infant we will welcome as the Christ Child. At the same time we wait for the day of the Lord’s coming. In this in-between time, we wait with hope in the darkness of winter for the light of Christ to come into the world. Advent is the beginning of a new church year, with the focus on a particular gospel in our Sunday lectionary readings. This year, we will read from Matthew’s gospel. These four weeks of Advent are an opportunity to listen to that still small voice within, beckoning each one of us to stop and set some time apart from our busy holiday preparations to simply be with God. Time spent with the Holy One is to experience the greatest gift of all: God’s extravagant outpouring of love and mercy made manifest on Christmas morning. There is no greater gift. If you are with us for the first time, please make yourself comfortable, and stay for coffee following the service. We look forward to meeting you. If you would like to learn more about the church, please fill out a card (hanging in each pew), put it in the offering plate or hand it to an usher or member of the clergy, and we will be in touch. It is our custom to be silent before the service, so as you take some time to pray, please turn off all electronic devices. All you should need to participate in the service is found, here, in this bulletin and in the blue hymnal in the pew rack. Hearing assist devices are available as is nursery care. Please ask the ushers for assistance with these or with any other request. Again, welcome. (The photo on the front of the bulletin is by parishioner Ginny Kemp. © Virginia Kemp 2016) ORDER OF SERVICE THE ORGAN VOLUNTARY Savior of the nations, come Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) THE PROCESSIONAL HYMN 640 Watchman, tell us of the night ABERYSTWYTH All stand and sing. LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH The Emerick Family Reader #1 We light this candle as a symbol of the joy to be found in your kingdom on earth. Reader #2 For the Lord elevates the lowly, releases the captive, and brings sight to the blind. We rejoice in his justice and mercy, faithful to all generations. All Come, Lord Jesus, come! THE COLLECT FOR PURITY Celebrant Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. People And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen. Celebrant Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you 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 magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. People Amen. THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT 3 KYRIE ELEISON Music: Litany of the Saints, adapted by Richard Proulx, ©1991, GIA Publications, Inc. THE COLLECT OF THE DAY Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Celebrant Let us pray. Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. People Amen. THE WORD OF GOD THE FIRST LESSON Isaiah 35:1-10 All sit. he wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given T to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.” Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God's people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Reader The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God. 4 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT THE RESPONSE The Song of Mary The people say the responses in bold and sing the Antiphon as indicated. My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; * for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: * the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him * in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, * he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, * and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, * for he has remembered his promise of mercy, The promise he made to our fathers, * to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Antiphon THE EPISTLE James 5:7-10 e patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You B also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Reader The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God. THE SEQUENCE HYMN 324 Let all mortal flesh keep silence PICARDY All stand and sing. THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT 5 THE GOSPEL Matthew 11:2-11 Minister The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Matthew. All Glory to you, Lord Christ. hen John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered W them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Minister The Gospel of the Lord. All Praise to you, Lord Christ. THE SERMON The Rev. William Eakins The children will be led to the education wing for the Word Alive program and will return at the Peace. THE NICENE CREED All stand. e 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 W 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.