The Second Sunday of Advent

December 4th, 2016

Holy Communion (ELW 5)

THE ORDER OF WORSHIP

PRELUDE

Paraphrase on Ave Verum Corpus

Mozart/Liszt

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

All may stand and make the sign of the cross, the sign with which we are
marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.
In the name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

INTRODUCTION
At the heart of our Advent preparation stands John the Baptist, who calls
us to repent and make a new beginning. As the darkness increases we turn
toward the light of Christs coming. For Christians he is the root of Jesse,
the righteous judge who welcomes all, especially the poor and meek of the
earth. We wait with hope for that day when the wolf will dwell with the
lamb, and there will be no more hurt or destruction. From the Lords table
we are sent in the spirit of John the Baptist to proclaim that in Christ the
kingdom of God has come near.
CHILDREN are always welcome to our Worship Service. Rainbow bags
and a cry room are available. A staffed nursery is also available if needed.
An usher will gladly provide you with assistance.
As a worship courtesy, we ask that you please turn off or set to vibrate
all cellular telephones and pagers during the worship service.
We ask that all present today please fill out the Attendance and Communion
registration card found in your bulletin and place it in the offering plate so
that we may record your presence with us.
PRAYER UPON ENTERING THE PEW
Almighty God, by our baptism into the death and resurrection of your Son,
Jesus Christ, you turn us from the old life of sin. Grant that we who are
reborn to new life in him may live in righteousness and holiness all our
days, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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. Amen.
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.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Please kneel, silence is kept for reflection.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we are captive 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.
In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high has shined
upon us. Jesus Christ has come to be born among us and to die for us, all to
reconcile us to God. In Christs name and for his sake I declare to you: God
forgives you all your sins. Almighty God grant unto us the grace and
comfort of the Holy Spirit, true repentance, and time for the amendment of
life. Amen.
CHILDRENS MESSAGE

CONGREGATIONAL SONG:
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, vv. 1, 3, & 4

KYRIE
(ELW 257)

LIGHTING THE ADVENT WREATH

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe. John the Baptist
calls all people to prepare the Lords way for the kingdom of heaven is
near. Bless us as we light the candles on this wreath. Baptize us with the
fire of your Spirit, that we may be a light shining in the darkness
welcoming others as Christ has welcomed us, for he is our light and our
salvation. Blessed be God forever. Amen.
PROCESSIONAL HYMN:
On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry

(ELW 249)

GREETING
Behold, now is the acceptable time. Now is the day of salvation. The grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy
Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.

and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

8The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adders den.
9They will not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain;
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.
PRAYER OF THE DAY

10On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the
nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his
coming nurture our growth as people of repentance and peace; through
Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Please be seated.
FIRST READING:

PSALM:

Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19

Refrain:

Isaiah 11:1-10

1A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
2The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
3His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide by what his ears hear;
4but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
5Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,
and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
6The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
and a little child shall lead them.
7The cow and the bear shall graze,
their young shall lie down together;

Tone:

Give the king your jus- | tice, O God,

and your righteousness to | the kings son;
2
that he may rule your | people righteously
and the | poor with justice;
3
that the mountains may bring prosperity | to the people,
and the | hills, in righteousness.
4
Let him defend the needy a- | mong the people,
rescue the poor, and crush | the oppressor. R
5

May he live as long as the sun and | moon endure,

from one generation | to another.

Let him come down like rain upon | the mown field,
like showers that wa- | ter the earth.
7
In his time may the | righteous flourish;
and let there be an abundance of peace till the moon shall | be no more.
18
Blessed are you, LORD God, the | God of Israel;
you alone do | wondrous deeds!
19
And blessed be your glorious | name forever,
and may all the earth be filled with your glory. A- | men. Amen. R

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION AND VERSE

SECOND READING: Romans 15:4-13

4

Whatever 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;
10
and again he says,
Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people;
11
and again,
Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and let all the peoples praise him;
12
and again Isaiah says,
The root of Jesse shall come,
the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;
in him the Gentiles shall hope.
13
May 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.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Please stand for the reading of the gospel.

Verse:

Prepare the way | of the Lord.*

All flesh shall see the salva- | tion of God. (Luke 3:4, 6)

GOSPEL: Matthew 3:1-12

The holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Matthew
Glory to you, O Lord!
1

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea,

proclaiming, 2Repent, 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.
4
Now John wore clothing of camels 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.
11I 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.

The gospel of the Lord!

Praise to you, O Christ!

And also with you.

Please be seated.
Please be seated.
ANNOUNCEMENTS

SERMON Pastor Charles Peterson

ANTHEM AT THE OFFERING

Comfort, Comfort

arr. Ferguson

Please stand and sing:

Please stand and sing:
HYMN OF THE DAY: Prepare the Royal Highway (ELW 264)
OFFERTORY HYMN: Create in Me a Clean Heart (ELW 188)

CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived
by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius
Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at
the right hand of the Father, and he will come 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 anticipate the fullness of the presence of Christ, we join with the
church throughout the world, praying for all who are in need.
Please sit or kneel as you are able.
Each petition ends with:
let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.
Merciful God, hear the prayers of your people, those spoken aloud and
those known only to you, and grant us peace through Jesus Christ, our
coming Savior. Amen.
PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always.

OFFERING PRAYER
God of abundance, you have entrusted us with the precious fruits of your
creation. We return a portion of them to you in thanksgiving, a sign that all
we have, and all we are, and all that there is belongs to you. Give us
patience, hope, and joy in being as good to all people and to your world as
you have been to us, until the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior
and Lord. Amen.
DIALOGUE

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
Holy One, the beginning and the end, the giver of lifeAgain, 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.
Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
With this bread and cup we remember your Word dwelling among us, full
of grace and truth. We remember our new birth in his death and
resurrection. We look with hope for his coming.
Come, Lord Jesus.

PREFACE
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY

Holy God, we long for your Spirit. Come among us. Bless this meal. May
your Word take flesh in us. Awaken your people. Fill us with your light.
Bring the gift of peace on earth.
Come, Holy Spirit.
All praise and glory are yours, Holy God through our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Holy One of Israel, the Word of God incarnate, the Power of the Most
High. Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all
honor and glory are yours, almighty Father, now and forever. Amen.

LORD'S PRAYER

COMMUNION

Lord Jesus Christ, for whom all creation waits, remember us in your
kingdom, and teach us to pray:

The body of Christ, given for you.

The blood of Christ, shed for you. Amen.
LAMB OF GOD

INVITATION TO COMMUNION
The coming of the Lord Jesus is a consuming fire. All who desire their old
life to pass away and to live a new life in Christ, come with joy to the feast.
Please be seated.
All baptized people are welcome to the table to receive Christs body and
blood. If you have not been baptized, you are also welcome to the table as
Gods guest; we are honored by your presence. We recognize the Body of
Christ as the community of the baptized, so if you would like to become
part of the Body of Christ, we encourage you to seek baptism. If you cant
or dont wish to receive today, we encourage you to hold your hands over
your chest for a blessing as you come forward.

HYMN DURING DISTRIBUTION:

Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding! (ELW 246)
SONG AFTER COMMUNION: Now, Lord

(ELW 201)

The God of all grace: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and
forever. Amen.
SENDING SONG Hark, the Glad Sound! (ELW 239)
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Bring good news to the poor.
Thanks be to God!
POSTLUDE Chorale Fantasy on Hark, the Glad Sound!
Wells

Please stand.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Lord God, we give you thanks that you have fed us even now with the
banquet that is yet to come. Keep us alert for signs of your presence in the
world around us. Send us as healing oil and sheltering comfort to those in
need, and make us bold in testifying to the light of Jesus Christ, our Savior
and Lord. Amen.
SENDING OF HOLY COMMUNION
O God of tender compassion, as you healed the sick and welcomed the
stranger, bless those who leave this assembly to share the gifts of this table
with our sisters and brothers who are sick/homebound/imprisoned. May
they be sustained by the love and prayers of this community, and by the
Bread of Life that satisfies all hunger, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
BLESSING
The God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony
with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus. Amen.
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. Amen.

The flowers on the altar are given to the Glory of God and in
honor of Communion Assistants, Greeters, Lectors, Cantors,
Worship Assistants, Altar Guild, Bread Bakers, Ushers,
Offering Assistants, Samaritans and ALL those that serve
Trinity Lutheran Church.
Presented by Dwight Garner and Rodney Davidson
COMMEMORATIONS FOR THE WEEK
John of Damascus, theologian and hymnwriter, died around 749
Sunday, December 04, 2016
A monk in an abbey near Jerusalem, John wrote many hymns as well as
theological works. One of his works, The Fount of Wisdom, remained
influential for centuries.
Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, died around 342
Tuesday, December 06, 2016
Little is known about Nicholas, except that he was a bishop in present-day
Turkey. According to legend, he was famous for his giving to the poor, and
so has become a symbol of anonymous gift-giving.
Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, died 397
Wednesday, December 07, 2016
While a governor of northern Italy, Ambrose was elected bishop of Milan
on the same day he was baptized. He was a famous preacher, a writer of
hymns we still sing today, and helped lead St. Augustine to faith.