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Gathering Hymn: St. Martin's in the Fields, "Lo, He Comes on Clouds Descending"
The service continues with these sentences of Scripture
or click here for prayers for the Lighting of the Advent Wreath at home.
In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Isaiah 40:3
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
Isaiah 40:5
The Confession
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept.
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.
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.
Prayer of acceptance of God's forgiveness
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.
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The Invitatory
Lord, open our lips. And our mouths shall proclaim your praise. 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.
Jubilate Psalm 100
Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands;
serve the Lord with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.
Know this: The Lord himself is God;
he himself has made us, and we are his;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and call upon his Name.
For the Lord is good;
his mercy is everlasting;
and his faithfulness endures from age to age.
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The Lessons
Click here for this Sunday's complete lectionary readings.
Isaiah 2:1-5
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come
the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.
Many peoples shall come and say,
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
O house of Jacob,
come, let us walk
in the light of the Lord!
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Psalm 122
Laetatus sum
1 I was glad when they said to me, *
"Let us go to the house of the Lord."
2 Now our feet are standing *
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is built as a city *
that is at unity with itself;
4 To which the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord, *
the assembly of Israel,
to praise the Name of the Lord.
5 For there are the thrones of judgment, *
the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: *
"May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls *
and quietness within your towers.
8 For my brethren and companions' sake, *
I pray for your prosperity.
9 Because of the house of the Lord our God, *
I will seek to do you good."
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Sequence Hymn: Koine, "Savior of the Nations Come"
Matthew 24:36-44
Jesus said to the disciples, “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”
Click to listen to Joani's homily "Impatience!
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The 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 descended to the dead.
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 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 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,
for ever and ever. Amen.
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Prayers of Intercession
Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
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In this season of watching and waiting, let us pray for all people and places that yearn for God’s presence.
God of presence and peace, awaken your church around the globe to the coming of Christ. Open our hearts to see Christ’s image in the faces of all whom we meet. We pray especially for our partnerships with St. Croix in Leogane, Haiti and the Kwi family from Cameroon. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
God of mighty redwoods and microscopic plants, be a healing balm to our wounded planet. May we nurture what you have lovingly created. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
God of equity and compassion, imbue bodies of government at every level with the will to serve the common good of this nation’s people: regardless of race, religion, party, gender, or ethnicity. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
God of comfort and care, be present with those who watch and wait. Come to all who await your healing of body, mind, and soul. We pray especially for Pat, John Michael, Lisa, Amy, Fred, the Debbink family, Austin, Edward, Diane, Tony, Pat, Nancy, Jeff, Chris, Zachary, Miriam, Jane, Michael, David, Hunter, Cindy, Brach, Audrey, Kaitlin, Sue, Julie, Mark, Mary Anne, Elizabeth, Shannon, John, Lori, and Suzanne. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
As we gather this Sabbath, we are united by the anguish we feel over the destruction of lives in the LGBTQ+ community at Club Q, as well as, in Colorado Springs at the Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia. We cry out and grieve as did Job: Grieving for a lost sense of safety in this world. Grieving for homes and memories lost. Grieving for souls extinguished before their time. Penetrate hardened hearts filled with hate; eradicate the evils wrought by prejudice and bigotry; foster healing and mutual understanding; and bring to justice all those responsible. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
God of companionship and community, we give thanks for the communion of saints who now sing in your celestial choir. Bestow upon us confidence in your coming kingdom. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
God of new life, you come among us in the places we least expect. Receive these prayers and those of our hearts, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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Offertory Hymn: Mary Chapin Carpenter, "Thanksgiving Song"
Collect of the Day
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Collect for Mission
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.
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The Offertory
Let us with gladness present the offerings and oblations of our life and labor to the Lord. Amen.
Click here for e-giving, to support Emmanuel's many ministries.
The General Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
Concluding Prayer
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine; Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3: 20, 21
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We Are Here for You
Emmanuel Church is a community of faith which seeks to nurture and support individuals and families in every stage of life and circumstances. If you or a member of your family needs pastoral care please reach out to
Chuck or Joani via email.
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Emmanuel Episcopal Church | 1608 Russell Road | Alexandria, VA | | | | |
