The Fourth Sunday in Advent

Order of Worship

Collect

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,
Text: trans. John M. Neale; Tune: “French Processional,”  “Veni Emmanuel”

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

Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain

O come, strong Branch of Jesse, free
your own from Satan’s tyranny.
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o'er the grave. Refrain

O Come, blest Dayspring, come and cheer,
our spirits by your advent here.
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
and death’s dark shadows put flight. Refrain

O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe the way that leads on high
and close the path to misery. Refrain

Apostolic 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.

Kyrie

In peace, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord. Amen.

Prayer of the Day

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16

Psalm 89:1-5, 19-29 (responses are the even-numbered, bold verses)

¹Your love, O Lord, forever will I sing;
  from age to age my mouth will proclaim your faithfulness.

²For I am persuaded that your love is established forever;
  you have set your faithfulness firmly in the heavens.

³“I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
  I have sworn an oath to David my servant:

⁴‘I will establish your line forever,
  and preserve your throne for all generations.’”

⁵The heavens bear witness to your wonders, O Lord,
  and to your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones;

¹⁹You spoke once in a vision and said to your faithful people:
  “I have set the crown upon a warrior and have exalted one chosen out of the people.

²⁰I have found David my servant;
  with my holy oil have I anointed him.

²¹My hand will hold him fast
  and my arm will make him strong.

²²No enemy shall deceive him,
  nor any wicked man bring him down.

²³I will crush his foes before him
  and strike down those who hate him.”

²⁴My faithfulness and love shall be with him,
  and he shall be victorious through my name.

²⁵I shall make his dominion extend
  from the Great Sea to the River.

²⁶He will say to me, ‘You are my Father,
  my God, and the rock of my salvation.’

²⁷I will make him my firstborn
  and higher than the kings of the earth.

²⁸I will keep my love for him forever,
  and my covenant will stand firm for him.

²⁹I will establish his line forever
  and his throne as the days of heaven.”

Romans 16:25-27

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon: “The King of the Endless Now”

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

Offertory Prayer

Merciful Father, we offer with joy and thanksgiving what you have first given us—our selves, our time, and our possessions, signs of your gracious love. Receive them for the sake of him who offered himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

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, forever and ever. Amen

Blessing