15 Dec BULLETIN – SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2024
WELCOME to MESSIAH & ST. PETER LUTHERAN CHURCHES
The Reverend Nancy Brody, Pastor
Greta Wright, Organist
Sunday, December 15, 2024
Third Sunday of Advent
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRELUDE
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLE
Holy are you, God of the brokenhearted and oppressed; your chosen one offers a garland instead of ashes to whoever mourns; your chosen one brings down the powerful and lifts up the lowly. As we light these candles, choose us to help light up the world. Enlighten and restore us, O Lord.
Reveal your truth to us and fill us with shouts of joy so that we may declare what great things you have already done. Amen. Light three candles.
RESPONSIVE READING
For those we love who are far from us; we pray, O Lord,
Stir up our wills and come.
For all who suffer or are grieving; we pray, O Lord,
Stir up our wills and come.
For those who are traveling and those preparing for change; we pray, O Lord,
Stir up our wills and come.
For those troubled or untouched by the joy of this season; we pray, O Lord,
Stir up our wills and come.
For the hurting and those who feel ignored; we pray, O Lord,
Stir up our wills and come.
BRIEF ORDER OF CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Blessed be the holy Trinity, [☩] one God, who is alive and ever present in our world, reviving and restoring creation. Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and one another. Silence is kept for reflection.
God of mercy, we confess that we continually seek to satisfy ourselves, to derive pleasure, power and authority in ways that compromise others. We cling to what’s familiar and remain stuck in patterns of thought or behavior.
In Christ the Lord, our Savior, we are given the chance to start over and do better. Through the power of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit [☩] and by their compassion and mercy shown toward us, receive whatever grace and forgiveness you need.
Amen.
BELL CHOIR SELECTIONS: GROUP ONE
The Danish Star Carol
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Stir up the wills of the faithful and open our ears to the preaching of John, so that we may bring forth fruits of repentance through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, as one God, now and forever. Amen.
FIRST READING ZEPHANIAH 3:14-20
Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord.
RESPONSIVE SCRIPTURE READING ISAIAH 12:2-6
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid,
for the Lord God is my strength and my might, and has become my salvation.
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the Lord, call on God’s name; make known the deeds of the Lord among the nations; proclaim that this name is exalted.
Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
let this be known in all the earth.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
SECOND READING PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
GOSPEL LUKE 3:7-18
John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin 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. Even 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.” And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.” As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
The Gospel of the Lord.
SERMON
BELL CHOIR SELECTIONS: GROUP TWO
Huron Carol
Canon
PROFESSION of FAITH Apostles’ Creed
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 decended 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.
PRAYERS of INTERCESSION
As we prepare to receive God into our hearts again, we pray for all people and places longing to experience God’s presence. A brief silence.
God who reforms, fill your church with people of courage who focus on your will being done on earth as it is in heaven. Empower us to take risks that bear fruit. Raise up leaders to fill vacancies. Surely God is our strength and salvation; we will trust and not be afraid.
God who creates, you hold in balance diverse ecosystems. Encourage efforts to protect wild lands from devastation. Care for animals and people in the path of destructive fires, storms, and other disasters of natural and/or human origin. Surely God is our strength and salvation; we will trust and not be afraid.
God who leads, this world cries out for true justice. Guide legislatures, judges, and lawyers to act in love and seek restoration. Increase the desire to advocate for all confronted by discrimination or oppression. Surely God is our strength and salvation; we will trust and not be afraid.
God who embraces, help us notice people who are hurting or sick (especially those on our prayer list.) Show your compassion and remember suffering people with steadfast love and tender mercy. Surely God is our strength and salvation; we will trust and not be afraid.
God who abides, you dwell among the people of our two congregations. Deepen relationships between us and help us appreciate the diverse talents and gifts present among us as a present sent by you. Surely you are our strength and salvation; we will trust in you and not be afraid.
God who consoles, we thank you for the time we have had with loved ones who have died. Comfort us with the promise of everlasting life in you. Surely God is our strength and salvation; we will trust and not be afraid even while we long for reunion.
Great in our midst is the Holy One. With joy we give thanks, call on God’s name and draw grace from the wells of salvation. Lord, we sing praises for all that you have done. May the glory of your deeds be known in all the earth as we shout aloud and sing for joy by saying, Alleluia and Amen.
Alleluia and Amen.
EXCHANGE OF PEACE
OFFERING
OFFERATORY
🎶Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with your free Spirit.
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 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.
BENEDICTION
BELL CHOIR SELECTION
Joy to The World
DISMISSAL Page 74
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.