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Please join the worship by following the liturgy (program) in this bulletin. We encourage you to use the time before worship to pray and invite the presence of the Holy Spirit to keep you centered and focused on what God may be saying to you. After worship, we invite you to pray for God’s strength to help you face and meet the demands of the world from this moment and in the days to come.
Prelude
| The Bidding Prayer |
Holy God, in Jesus Christ your love took on flesh and walked among us. Through his teachings, his life, his death, and his resurrection, we witnessed divine love in action — love that heals and redeems, restores and saves, reconciles and renews. As your disciples, we are called to follow you in the way of love. Grant us courage and faith, Lord, to embody your love for the world, to all people, at all times, in all places and circumstances. We pray this in the name of Love Incarnate. Amen.
Source: Homiletics Online
(https://www.homileticsonline.com/subscriber/worship_resources_list.asp?item_type_id=218&imageField3=)
| The Processional Hymn | Come, thou long expected Jesus | H-66 |
The Lighting of the Advent Wreath
The Celebrant greets the people with these words:
Celebrant Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Celebrant On this First Sunday of Advent, we encourage you to prepare for the coming of Jesus the Christ by saying “yes” to God’s call to birth new life into the world—a call that is both powerful and gentle, a call that will, if fully embraced, grow beyond our imaginations, spilling out of ourselves and into our family, friends, community, and the whole world. In so doing, we strive to walk in love as Jesus does.
Please join in singing verse 1 of O Come, O Come Emmanuel, as we light the first blue candle on our Advent wreath.
| O Come, O Come, Emmanuel | H-56 |
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!
Presider Together, let us pray:
Advent Prayer
God of the prophets, into the dark places of life you send your messengers to prepare for the coming of your Son. In every age, your word has called your people from death to life, and from darkness into light. In our own day, you have raised up voices who call us to turn and mend our ways. Open our hearts to your good news, help us to repent, and make us ready to welcome the Christ, in whose name we do pray. Amen.
| The Opening Acclamation | BCP, p.355 |
Celebrant Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
| The Celebrant continues | BCP, p.355 |
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. Amen.
| Kyrie Eleison | L-239 |
Leader Kyrie
People Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison
Leader Christe
People Christe eleison, Christe eleison
Leader Kyrie
People Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison
The Collect of the Day
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Lessons
| The First Lesson | Jeremiah 33:14-16 |
Reader A reading from the Prophet Jeremiah.
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
| The Psalm 25:1-9 | Ad te, Domine, levavi | BCP, p.614 |
1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;
my God, I put my trust in you; *
let me not be humiliated,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
2 Let none who look to you be put to shame; *
let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.
3 Show me your ways, O Lord, *
and teach me your paths.
4 Lead me in your truth and teach me, *
for you are the God of my salvation;
in you have I trusted all the day long.
5 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love, *
for they are from everlasting.
6 Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; *
remember me according to your love
and for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.
7 Gracious and upright is the Lord; *
therefore he teaches sinners in his way.
8 He guides the humble in doing right *
and teaches his way to the lowly.
9 All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness *
to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
| The Second Lesson | 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 |
Reader A reading from Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians.
How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.
Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
| The Sequence Hymn | Lo! He comes, with clouds descending | H-58 |
| The Gospel | Luke 21:25-36 |
Please stand as you are able.
Gospeller The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said, “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Gospeller The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon The Rev. Valerie J. Mayo
We will maintain a brief silence to allow for reflection.
| The Nicene Creed | [Please stand as you are able] | BCP, p. 358 |
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.
The Prayers of the People
Celebrant
Kindred in Christ, may God strengthen our hearts in holiness. Trusting in God, let us pray, “O come, O come, Emmanuel; be our hope and our salvation.”
Leader
God our hope, increase in us love for one another that we may abound in your love. Keep your Church on the path of love and faithfulness.
O come, O come, Emmanuel;
Be our hope and our salvation.
God our hope, usher in your reign of justice and righteousness. May all the world know your peace and safety.
O come, O come, Emmanuel;
Be our hope and our salvation.
God our hope, you place signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars. Give us the eyes to see you, the wisdom to prepare for you, and the faith to trust in you.
O come, O come, Emmanuel;
Be our hope and our salvation.
God our hope, under your reign divisions are overcome, unity restored: bring the people of this region—from city, village, and town—together in a spirit of love and respect.
O come, O come, Emmanuel;
Be our hope and our salvation.
God our hope, remember your compassion and love. Heal and restore the sick and the suffering, the anxious and the grieving, especially:
David, Lauriette, O. Ray, Lafayette, Margaret, Darryl, Dennis, Jr., William, The St. Augustine’s University Community, Elijah, Marissa, Margo, Charles, Ethel, Brian, Terrence, Bill, Carolyn, Tyna, Dennis, Marjorie, Ama, Dorothy, Lawrence, Murphy, Derek, Walter, Vivian, Danita, Lionell, Vincent, Howard, Sydney, Carol, Robert, Beverly, Harmon, Allen, Damon, and Pam.
O come, O come, Emmanuel;
Be our hope and our salvation.
God our hope, keep us blameless before you that we may meet the coming of our Lord Jesus with joy. May we, and all who have died, rise to life immortal with all your saints.
O come, O come, Emmanuel;
Be our hope and our salvation.
For whom or what else shall we pray today?
[The congregation may offer their petitions in the silence of their hearts or aloud.]
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The Prayer to End Gun Violence
God of Justice, help us, your church, find our voice. Turn us from the worship of power. Give us courage to confront our false gods and to protest the needless deaths caused by gun violence. Help us rise above our dread that nothing can be done and grant us the conviction to advocate for change. For your dream of a world where children are safe and all of us live together without fear, Loving God, make us instruments of your peace. Amen.
The Concluding Collect
Celebrant
God of abundance, who has planted us in this congregation and sustains us day by day, grow us in your grace, that we may become more fully the people you have called us to be; that we may flourish by your faith in us; and that we may accomplish your will with the gifts you have given us through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen.
| The Confession | BCP, p.360 |
Celebrant Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Celebrant and People
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.
| The Absolution | BCP, p.360 |
Celebrant
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.
| The Exchange of the Peace | BCP, p.360 |
Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Let us share the peace with one another and our guests.
The Celebrant and People may greet one another in the name of the Lord.
| The Words of Welcome | St. Titus’Vestry Member |
The December Birthdays and Anniversaries Celebration
All worshippers whose birthdays or anniversaries occur in December please come forward to the altar at this time.
Celebrant Let us pray.
Gracious God, we thank you for all your children born in December, including Mawethu Ncaca. Arthur Anderson, Gregory Mims, Danielle Davis, LuAnn Edmonds-Harris, Mikayla Holland, Tiaree Little, Travis Miller, Preston Edwards, Marian Johnson-Thompson, Willette Crews, Valerie Quiett, Dawson Edwards, Cynthia Campbell Height, Dwight Peebles, Carolyn White, Jamin Valentine, Brenda Harewood, Tracey Jones, Rheaye Willis, Vaughn Patrick, Candace Evans, Araba Afenyi-Annan, Gloria Drew, Diana Bishop, Clifton Horton, Danita Parker, Jyles Ruff, Vickie Miller, Marrielle Myers, Dana Peebles, Tanique Rashad, Deen Freelon, Pierce Freelon, Emile Thompson, and Tracey Jones.
Watch over your children, O Lord, as their days increase; bless and guide them wherever they may be. Strengthen them when they stand; comfort them when discouraged or sorrowful; and raise them up if they fall. Grant them a clear vision of the ministry to which you are calling them that they may be guided in the continued use of your gifts. In their hearts may your peace which surpasses understanding abide all the days of their lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
As we celebrate the wedding anniversary of LisaNoelle and Mawethu Ncaca, Marian and Charles Thompson, Lisa and Brian Wilks, Danita and Lionell Parker, and Marcia and Ronnie Beam, together let us pray:
Most Gracious God, we pray that you continue to strengthen the bond between your daughters and sons. May their love for each other continue to grow and may they be always there for each other in times of joy and sorrow. Help them to always communicate with love and respect, and may their marriages be a reflection of your love for them. Amen.
| The Holy Communion | BCP, pp.367-369 |
The Offertory
| The Offertory Sentence | BCP, p.376 |
Ascribe to the Lord the honor due his Name; bring offerings and come into his courts. (Psalm 96:8)
| The Offertory Hymn | O come, O come, Emmanuel | H-56, verses 2-4 |
The Great Thanksgiving (standing) BCP, Eucharistic Prayer B
Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Lift up your hearts.
People We lift them to the Lord.
Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Celebrant
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:
| The Sanctus [Spoken at 8:30 a.m.] Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. | [Sung at 10:30 a.m.] LEVAS II #255 |
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
and 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,
Celebrant and People
We remember his death,
We proclaim his resurrection,
We await his coming in glory;
Celebrant
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 [_________ and] 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.
| The Lord’s Prayer | [Spoken at 8:30 a.m.] [Sung at 10:30 a.m.] | LEVAS II #264 |
The Celebrant says
As our Savior Christ has taught us we are bold to say (sing):
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.
| The Breaking of the Bread | BCP, p.364 |
Celebrant Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
| The Fraction Anthem | Lamb of God | LEVAS II #270 |
Celebrant
The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.
A Prayer for Spiritual Communion
In union, O Lord, with your faithful people at every altar of your Church, where the Holy Eucharist is now being celebrated, I desire to offer to you praise and thanksgiving. I remember your death, Lord Christ; I proclaim your resurrection; I await your coming in glory. Since I cannot receive you today in the Sacrament of your Body and Blood, I beseech you to come spiritually into my heart. Cleanse and strengthen me with your grace, Lord Jesus, and let me never be separated from you. May I live in you, and you in me, in this life and in the life to come. Amen.
The Administration of Communion
At the time of communion, you are invited to come forward and receive the bread and wine. The priest will place a wafer in your hand. You may then receive wine either by direct consumption from a chalice (Common Cup), or you may give the wafer to the Eucharistic minister who will dip the wafer in the wine and place the wafer on your tongue. You may also still come forward to receive a blessing. Simply cross your arms over your chest before the priest for the blessing. After receiving communion or a blessing, you may return to your seat.
The Bread and cup are given to the communicants with these words:
The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven. Amen.
The Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation. Amen.
Celebrant All are welcome to the Lord’s table. Won’t you come?
| The Communion Hymns | Come, thy fount of every blessing | H-686 |
| We Come to your Feast | by Michael Joncas |
| The Post-Communion Prayer | BCP, p.366 |
Celebrant Let us pray.
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.
Community Announcements
| The Corporate Blessing | BCP p.339 |
Celebrant
May the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you and scatter the darkness from before your path; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
| The Recessional Hymn | Hail to the Lord’s anointed | H-616 |
| The Choral Benediction | The Lord Bless You/Sevenfold Amen | A-636 |
The Dismissal
Celebrant Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
St. Titus' Episcopal Church 