Second Mid-week Advent Service Dec 12, 2018

The Service in PDF format is at: 12-12-2018 Mid-Week Advent Service

or the service is as follows:

Mid-Week Advent Service

12/12/2018

Pre-Lude Music

Welcome

Procession

Leader: Jesus Christ, you are the light of the world;

All: the light no darkness can over-come;

Leader: Stay with us now, for it is evening,

All: and the day is almost over.

Leader: Let your light scatter the darkness,

All: and shine within your people here.

Evening Hymn

All:

Joyous light of heavenly glory, loving glow of God’s own face, you who sing creation’s story, shine on every land and race. Now as evening falls around us we shall raise our songs to you, God of daybreak, God of shadows, come and light our hearts anew.
In the stars that grace the darkness, in the blazing sun of dawn, in the light of peace and wisdom, we can hear your quiet song. Love that fills the night with wonder, love that warms the weary soul, Love that bursts all chains asunder, set us free and make us whole.
You who made the heaven’s splendor, every dancing star of night, make us shine with gentle justice, let us each reflect your light. Mighty God of all creation, gentle Christ who lights our way, Loving Spirit of salvation, lead us on to endless day.

Evening Thanksgiving

Leader: May God be with you all,

All: and also with you;

Leader: Let us sing our thanks to God,

All: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Leader: Blessed are you, Creator of the universe – from old you have led your people by night and day. May the light of your Christ make our darkness bright, for your Word and your presence are the light of our pathways, and you are the light and life of all creation.

All: Amen

Psalmody, Readings and Canticles

Psalm 141

All: Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.

Group One: O God, I call to you, * come to me now; O hear my voice when I call to you, Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you. Keep watch within me, God; deep in my heart may the light of your love be burning bright. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you. All praise to the God of all Creator of life; all praise ge to Christ and the Spirit of love. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.

* At this point Group two starts

(Silence for meditation)

Leader: May our prayers come before you, O God, as incense, and may your presence surround and fill us, so that in union with all creation, we might sing your praise and your love in our lives.

All: Amen.

Readings

Reading: Genesis 22:1-14

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.

Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”

Reading: Matthew 1: 1

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Hymn: “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”

1 Come, thou long-expected Jesus,
Born to set thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us;
Let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth thou art,
Dear desire of ev’ry nation,
Joy of ev’ry longing heart.

2 Born thy people to deliver,
Born a child, and yet a king;
Born to reign in us forever,
Now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By thine all-sufficient merit
Raise us to thy glorious throne.

Message “Jesus is the Son of Abraham”

The Annunciation

Luke 1: 26-28, 30-32, 38

Leader: An angel went from God to a town called Nazareth to a woman whose name was Mary. The angel said to her, “Rejoice, O highly favored, for God is with you. You shall bear a child, and his name sall be Jesus, the Chosen One of God Most High.” And Mary said, “I am the servant of my God, I live to do your will.”

(Immediately to “The Magnificat”)

The Magnificat

Luke 1: 46-55

My soul proclaims your greatness O God, and my spirit rejoices in servant here, and blessed be all my life though. Great and mighty are you. O Holy One, strong in your kindness evermore. How you favor the weak and lowly one, humbling the proud of heart.
You have cast the mighty down from their thrones, and uplifted the humble of wondrous things, and left the wealthy no part. Great and mighty are you, O Faithful One, strong is your justice strong your love. As you promised to Sarah and Abraham, Kindness forever more.
My soul proclaims your greatness O God, and my spirit rejoices in servant here, and blessed be all my life though.

Litany and Prayers

All: (Hum first round then sing) God of mercy, Hold us in love,

Leader: In peace, in Peace, we pray to you: