1 ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH “An Inclusive and Progressive Community of Faith” The Holy Eucharist 20 December 2020 Fourth Sunday of Advent Announcements & Welcome We remember and honor the indigenous people of this continent particularly the Suquamish and Coast Salish nations whose land we now occupy. Once this was their home and it was taken from them. We give thanks for them and express gratitude for their witness on how to live honorable and humble lives. May we always remember that the earth does not belong to us, we belong to the earth, and that we are all relatives in this life. Help us to learn from our past mistakes and thus be instruments of justice and peace for all people in today’s world. Gather Hymnal #395: “O Come, O Come Emanuel” (verses 1,5,6,7)
Transcript
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ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
“An Inclusive and Progressive Community of Faith”
The Holy Eucharist
20 December 2020
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Announcements & Welcome We remember and honor the indigenous people of this continent particularly the Suquamish and Coast Salish nations whose land we now occupy. Once this was their home and it was taken from them. We give thanks for them and express gratitude for their witness on how to live honorable and humble lives. May we always remember that the earth does not belong to us, we belong to the earth, and that we are all relatives in this life. Help us to learn from our past mistakes and thus be instruments of justice and peace for all people in today’s world.
Gather Hymnal #395: “O Come, O Come Emanuel” (verses 1,5,6,7)
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Celebrant Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. People And Blessed be God’s Kingdom, now and forever. Amen.
Spoken
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God's people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us, you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Celebrant The Lord be with you. And also with you. Celebrant Let us pray together.
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Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 When the king was settled in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, "See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent." Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that you have in mind; for the LORD is with you."
But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the LORD: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?" Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure
forever before me; your throne shall be established forever.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people. Thanks be to God.
Canticle 15
The Song of Mary Magnificat
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.
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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 forever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Romans 16:25-27 Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith-- to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people. Thanks be to God.
The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke 1:26-38 Glory to you, Lord Christ.
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for
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you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Sermon: The Reverend Carla Robinson
Affirmation of Faith
As Children of God, we affirm: That God, who is Love, created all and called it good, that God is present with all of creation, and that in darkness and in light, God is faithful, therefore, we too, seek to be faithful.
That Jesus came to show us Love with a human face, that he taught justice and reconciliation and suffered on our behalf, and that through his faithful example, he embodies hope; therefore we, too, seek to be people of justice, reconciliation and hope.
That the Holy Spirit guides and accompanies us, that this same Spirit offers wisdom and discernment, and that, when we are open, the Spirit can always find a way; therefore, we seek to be people filled with God’s Spirit: discerning, loving and transforming our worlds. Amen.
The Prayers of the People (from Intercessions for the Christian People)
Let us pray our Vision Statement together:
• O God, help us to be progressive Christians in an open, inclusive and affirming community of faith.
• O Jesus, guide us in providing a safe harbor for everyone on their spiritual journey.
• O Holy Spirit be with us in our endeavors to bring God’s presence into our world in need.
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Rejoicing with Mary that the word comes among us, let us offer to God our prayers, saying: Lord, hear our prayer.
May we find in Mary, the servant of the Lord, the model of our heart’s willing surrender to God’s call. For this let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
May we discover in true spiritual virginity the richness of what God alone can do to make Christ come alive in Mary, in us, and in all the world. For this let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
May the God of mystery who dwells in unapproachable light draw us more and more deeply into the path of divine wisdom beyond all human expectation. For this let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
May our assembly of disciples be a womb and a place for the shaping of Christ by God’s power, so that we may give birth to Christ from the womb of our community for the world. For this let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
May our deepest hearts find strength in the gift of blessed hope that what God has begun to do in our world and in all our persons by Christ’s saving work will be brought to its fullness by our Savior. For this let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
May we remember before God all who are in any need and who cry for the presence of God, especially those who are sick or who have died with the virus. For this let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
Let us pray our President Elect Biden and his team. We pray for our for bishops, all clergy, deacons, and all who minister in the church, especially Michael our Presiding Bishop, Greg our Bishop, Kathleen our rector, and Navy Chaplain David, For this let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for our community, especially parishioners Rick & Julie Schumann de Garland, Tom & Gini Gobeske, Alice Gray, Margie Hall, and Carol Harrison. We also pray for Bishop Rickel and his staff, St. Stephen, Oak Harbor, Christ Church, Anacortes, and Church of The Holy Family, Raineh, Israel. For this let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
Call us to yourself, O God, as you called Mary, that we may be formed into a dwelling of holiness, giving life to all the peoples of the world through Mary’s son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession of Sin
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
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.
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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.
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 Peace The peace of the Lord be always with you. And also with you.
Musical Offering: Gather Hymnal #421: “Savior of the Nations, Come”
(As you are listening this is a good time to do your giving online.)
The Great Thanksgiving: from Eucharistic Prayers Celebrant The Lord be with you.
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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 God thanks and praise.
Celebrant: Life-giving and breath-taking God, we delight to give you thanks and praise, because nothing is impossible with you.
You were with Abraham in the promise of a people and with Jacob in the promise of a land and with David in the promise of a house to dwell in. As Israel had been your place to abide, so the blessed Virgin Mary became the temple in which the Holy Spirit made your Son Jesus Christ flesh among us. Just as Elizabeth brought forth the wonders of your mercy, so we look to you to bring out of the barrenness of our lives the wondrous fruits of your grace. As our sin took your Son to the cross, yet from the tomb you raised him in the glory of resurrection. And so with Gabriel and all the angels and the whole company of earth and heaven, we magnify your name.
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.
The Celebrant continues: Holy God, you dwelt in ark and temple, and in the fullness of time you became incarnate in the presence of Jesus Christ among us. In him you promise to come among us whenever two or three are gathered and to be made known in the breaking of the bread. Send down your Holy Spirit that your church may be dependent on you like your Son’s tiny body in Mary’s womb. Send that same Spirit upon this bread and this cup, that they may be for us the body and blood of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; who, at supper with his disciples, took bread, gave you thanks, broke the bread, and gave it to them, saying, “Take, eat: this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
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After supper he took the cup. Again he gave you thanks, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Drink this, all of you: this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for all for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Great is the mystery of faith.
Christ has died Christ is risen Christ will come again.
Glorious God, look with favor on the lowliness of your servants; show mercy on those who fear you. Where your children have grown proud, scatter them in the imagination of their hearts; where your people are hungry, fill them with good things. Where the powerful are bent on oppression, bring them down from their thrones; where the rich have no mercy, send them empty away. For in Christ, you, the mighty, came down from your seat and became humble, that in him the meek might inherit the earth. Reshape your people in the image of Mary, that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in love and joy and peace, until that day when sorrow and tears are no more, and you are all in all, ever on God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray,
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father in heaven hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread
The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept. Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!
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Hymn “The Magnificat” Luke 1:46-55
Prayer after Communion: My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
The Blessing
Recessional Hymn: Gather Hymnal #777: “Here I Am Lord”
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The Great Beginning Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit. Thanks be to God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
