Worship 12/4/22

Worship Service
Sunday, December 4, 2022, at 10 a.m.

WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS

INVOCATION

Lay Reader:   In the name of the Father and of the † Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People:  Amen.

 CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

Lay Reader:   Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom 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 Jesus Christ our Lord.

People:   Amen.

Lay Reader:  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 (Silence for reflection and self-examination)

Lay Reader:     Most merciful God,

People:   We confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. 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. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

 Lay Reader:   Almighty God, in his mercy, has given his Son to die for us and, for his sake, forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the Church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

People:   Amen.

GREETING

Lay Reader:   The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

People:    And also with you.

OPENING HYMN       Rejoice,Rejoice, Belivers  vs 1,2,4   

KYRIE – Chancel Choir

HYMN OF PRAISE – Chancel Choir

LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLE

Prayer of the Day

Lay Reader:   The Lord be with you.

People:        And also with you.

Lay Reader:    Let us pray. . .O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without you nothing is strong, nothing is holy. Embrace us with your mercy, that with you as our ruler and guide, we may live through what is temporary without losing what is eternal, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

People:   Amen.

CHILDREN’S CHURCH DISMISSAL

FIRST LESSON    Romans 15:4-13

Lay Leader:  ⁴Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. ⁵May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, ⁶so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. ⁸For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, ⁹and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name”; ¹⁰and again he says, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people”; ¹¹and again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him”; ¹²and again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope.” ¹³May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Lay Reader:   The word of the Lord.

People:      Thanks be to God.

VERSE – Chancel Choir

GOSPEL LESSON      Matthew 3:1-12

Pastor:          The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the twenty-first chapter.

People:        Glory to you, O Lord.

¹In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ²“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” ³This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ ”

⁴Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, ⁶and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Bear fruit worthy of repentance. ⁹Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ¹⁰Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

¹¹“I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹²His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Pastor:     The Gospel of the Lord

People:  Praise to you, O Christ.

THE MESSAGE              Pastor Dan Cloeter

HYMN OF THE DAY       Hark, the Glad Sound

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

Lay Reader: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Each prayer petition will end with –
Pastor: Lord in your mercy

People: Hear our prayer.

PEACE

Pastor:   The peace of the Lord be with you always.

People:         And also with you.

CHANCEL CHOIR    O Come, O Come, Emmanuel 

OFFERTORY PRAYER
Lay Reader: Let us pray. Merciful Father,
People: We offer with joy and thanksgiving what you have first given us—ourselves, 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.  

DIALOGUE
Pastor:   The Lord be with you.
People:    And also with you.

Pastor:   Lift up your hearts.
People:    We lift them to the Lord.

Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

PREFACE

Pastor: It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everliving God. But chiefly we are bound to praise you for the glorious resurrection of our Lord; for he is the true Passover Lamb who gave himself to take away our sin, who by his death has destroyed death, and by his rising has brought us to eternal life. And so, with Mary Magdalene and Peter and all the witnesses of the resurrection, with earth and sea and all their creatures, and with angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

THANKSGIVING
Pastor:   Blessed are you, Lord of heaven and earth. In mercy for our fallen world you gave your only Son, that all those who believe in him should not perish, but have eternal life. We give thanks to you for the salvation you have prepared for us through Jesus Christ. Send now your Holy Spirit into our hearts, that we may receive our Lord with a living faith as he comes to us in his holy supper.
People:   Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

WORDS OF INSTITUTION
Pastor:   In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Pastor:   Lord, remember us in your kingdom, and teach us to pray:
People:  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.

COMMUNION DISTRIBUTION:  

At All Saints, we practice open communion. If you believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and have been baptized, you are invited to commune. Those not receiving the bread and wine are invited to come forward for a blessing. Grape juice is also available.  

POST-COMMUNION BLESSING
Pastor: The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
People: Amen.

POST-COMMUNION PRAYER

Lay Reader:   We give you thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us through the healing power of this gift of life; and we pray that in your mercy you would strengthen us, through this gift, in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
People:   Amen.

BLESSING
Pastor:  Almighty God, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.
People: Amen.

CLOSING HYMN    Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus 

 SENDING

Pastor: Go in peace. Serve the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God.

 

Prayer Requests