The Lord’s Day Service of Worship
For Epiphany 2010
Church Year Day: First Sunday of Advent
†CALL TO WORSHIP & PROCESSIONAL (†The congregation standing)
The Lectionary Psalm of the Day (Matt. 29:19-20, Is. 40:3-4, )
Minister: Congregation of the Lord, Arise, shine; For your
light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.
Congregation: Let us ascend to the heavenly City in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit! Amen.
†Processional Hymn
(p. 227)
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Minister: The Lord be with you!
Congregation: And Also with you!
Minister: A voice cries in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord!
Congregation: Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low!
CONFESSION (The congregation
is invited to kneel through the Declaration of Absolution.)
Unison: Almighty and most merciful Father; We have erred and strayed from Your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against Your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent; According to Your promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O merciful Father, for His sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life; To the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
ABSOLUTION
Minister: Lift up your heads and hear the good news! I proclaim the Word of Jesus, “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.” (John 12:46) This same Jesus died for you, believe this and look to Him for forgiveness and life, believing this. . . Therefore, I declare that your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Congregation: Thanks be to God. Our sins are forgiven in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Minister: “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.” . . . Therefore, stand in His presence, knowing your acceptance in the Savior. “His glory will appear upon you.”
Congregation: “And nations will come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising. Amen.”
†Ascension Hymn (p. 219) Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
†Collect for First Sunday of Advent
Unison: Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy 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 quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.
THE LESSON - Isaiah 64:1-9
Reader: The Word of the Lord. Congregation: Thanks be to God.
PSALM (Psalm 40, p. 74)
THE EPISTLE -
1 Corinthians 1:3-9Reader: The Word of the Lord.
Congregation: Thanks be to God.
PSALM (Psalm 27, p. 50)
THE GOSPEL - Mark 13:24-37
Reader: The Gospel of Christ! Congregation: Praise be to You, O Christ!
†THE CREED
Unison: I believe in God, the Father almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen
†
Gloria Patri (p. 436)
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
SERMON
Romans (23): Living Sacrifices Dr. Gregg Strawbridge, PastorPASTORAL PRAYER
From the Benedictus of Zacharius
Minister: Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His
people . . . And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His
servant David.
Congregation: O Lord, remember your merciful promises to us.
Minister: To perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy
covenant, . . . the oath which He swore to our father Abraham.
Congregation: O Lord, remember your merciful promises to us.
Minister: To grant that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies . . .
might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the
days of our life.
Congregation: O Lord, remember your merciful promises to us.
Minister: Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on
high has visited us . . . To give light to those who sit in darkness and the
shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Congregation: O Lord, remember your merciful promises to us. Amen.
OFFERTORY We offer ourselves through tithes and offerings.
†
†PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
THE EUCHARIST*
The Sursum CordaMinister: Lift up your hearts.
Congregation: We lift them up unto the Lord.
Minister: Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.
Congregation: It is good and right so to do.
Minister: It is very
meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all
places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty, Everlasting God. [Preface for
the Church Year Season from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer]
[[Preface for Epiphany] THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord;
who, in substance of our mortal flesh, manifested forth his glory; that he might
bring us out of darkness into his own glorious light.
Therefore with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company of
heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious Name; evermore praising thee, and
saying,
Congregation: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy
glory: Glory be to thee, O Lord most High. Amen.
Words of Institution and Epiclesis
Minister: In the night in which He was betrayed, Jesus took bread and gave
thanks.
Let us pray. Blessed are you, Lord God, King of Creation who gives seed to the
sower and bread to the eater (Is. 55:11). Through your goodness we have received
this bread, which the earth has given and human hands have made, and through
Your surpassing mercy You have given us the bread of life. Blessed be God for
ever. Amen.
The Fraction of the Bread
THE Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, preserve your body and soul unto everlasting
life.
After the same manner also, after supper, Jesus took the cup, and gave thanks.
Let us pray. Blessed are you, Lord God, King of Creation who brings forth food
from the earth and wine which makes the heart of man glad (Psalm 104:14-15).
Through your goodness we have received this wine, fruit of the vine and work of
human hands, and through Your surpassing mercy You have given us the blood of
Your son. Blessed be God for ever. Amen.
The Pouring of the Wine
THE Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for you, preserve your body
and soul unto everlasting life.
Minister: The gifts of God for the people of God. [The
congregration is received at the rail for communion.]
Eucharist Psalms & Hymns - How Lovely Shines the Morning Star! (220), Lift Up Your Heads
(224), The First Noel (248),
()
Minister: Almighty God, You gave the true
bread that came down from heaven, even Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord: Grant
that we who have received this sacrament of His Body and Blood. May abide in
Him, and He is us, That we may be filled with the power of His endless life, And
serve Him with gladness and thanksgiving forever. Amen.
†BENEDICTION
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant, To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear. May these blessings of the Triune God be with you now and ever!
Congregation: Thanks be to God!
†RECESSIONAL HYMN Hymn (p. 240, verses 1 and 4) Joy to the World
Lord, bid Your
servant go in peace, Your word is now fulfilled.
These eyes have seen salvation’s dawn, This child so long foretold.
This is the Savior of the world, The Gentiles promised light.
God’s glory dwelling in our midst. The joy of Israel.
POSTLUDE
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ALL HYMNS AND PSALMS FROM THE CANTUS CHRISTI HYMNAL (unless otherwise designated).
All Saints’ Calendar
Men’s Study on First Timothy dates: December 13 & 27 at 7 am, Oregon Dairy
Women's Study on Revelation: December 6 & 20 (8 am).
Our annual Lessons and Carols service will be held on December 14 (4 pm) at First Reformed Church.
Redemptive Calendar & Liturgy - We recognize the historic Church calendar, interpreting and commemorating seasons and days in the light of the Scriptures. Advent season includes the four Sundays prior to Christmas. For more information on the Church Year, view our web site.
*The Lord’s Supper or Eucharist ("thanksgiving") is open to all baptized Christians not censured from the Table by formal church discipline.
Our service is based upon a Reformed reading of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer which is an American formulation of English Reformed liturgy. Hence our principles of liturgy are Biblical, Reformed, and Historical.
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For more information see www.allsaintspresbyterian.com or contact Dr. Gregg Strawbridge at (717) 682-7052 or via e-mail: wgs AT wordmp3.com