The Virtual Service for December 6, 2020
Worship for the 2nd Sunday of Advent
Introduction of the Day
John calls people to repent, to clear the decks, to completely reorder their lives so that nothing gets in the way of the Lord’s coming. The reading from Isaiah gives the context for this radical call: the assurance of forgiveness that encourages us to repent; the promise that the coming one will be gentle with the little ones. Isaiah calls us all to be heralds with John, to lift up our voices fearlessly and say, “See, your God is coming!” We say it to one another in worship, in order to say it with our lives in a world in need of justice and peace.
Let the King of Glory Come
Michael Joncas
Performed and arranged by Robert Prester and Adriana Samargia
Lift up, you gates, lift up your arches: Let the King of glory come!
Lift up your hearts and sing, you people: Let the King of glory come!
Who is the King of glory? Our God, holy and strong!
Who is the Lord of majesty? Our God, mighty and strong!
Lift up, you gates, lift up your arches: Let the King of glory come!
Lift up your hearts and sing, you people: Let the King of glory come!
Come, O come, Emmanuel; Come and dwell with us!
Come, O come, you Lord of might; Banish death and fear!
Lift up, you gates, lift up your arches: Let the King of glory come!
Lift up your hearts and sing, you people: Let the King of glory come!
Let the King of glory come!
LIGHTING THE ADVENT WREATH
O come, O come, O Lord of might,
as to your tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times you gave the law
in cloud, and majesty, and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
We praise you, O God, for this circle of light
that marks our days of preparation for Christ’s advent.
As we light the candles on this wreath,
kindle within us the fire of your Spirit,
that we may be light shining in the darkness.
Enlighten us with your grace,
that we may welcome others as you have welcomed us.
Grant this through Christ our Lord,
whose coming is certain and whose day draws near.
Amen.
O come, O Branch of Jesse, free
your own from Satan's tyranny;
from depths of hell your people save,
and give them vict'ry o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
GREETING
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.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray. Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming strengthen us to serve you with purified lives; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
WORD
THE READING
Isaiah 40:1-11
A reading from Isaiah.
In grand, flowing, poetic lines, the prophet announces that the exile of God’s people in Babylon is over. God will deliver Israel and will care for her as a shepherd cares for the sheep. This word can be trusted, because the only enduring reality in life is the word of God.
1Comfort, O comfort my people,
says your God.
2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that she has served her term,
that her penalty is paid,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.
3A voice cries out:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
6A voice says, “Cry out!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All people are grass,
their constancy is like the flower of the field.
7The grass withers, the flower fades,
when the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
surely the people are grass.
8The grass withers, the flower fades;
but the word of our God will stand forever.
9Get you up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good tidings;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,
lift it up, do not fear;
say to the cities of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
10See, the Lord God comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
11He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms,
and carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead the mother sheep.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL
Mark 1:1-8
The holy gospel according to Mark.
Glory to you, O Lord.
1The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way;
3the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’ ”
4John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON
The Beginning!
Pastor Carlson
HYMN OF THE DAY
Comfort, Comfort, O My People
Johann Olearius
Performed and arranged by Robert Prester & Adriana Samrgia
Comfort, comfort, O my people,
Speak of peace, now says our God;
Comfort those who sit in darkness,
Mourning ’neath their sorrows’ load.
Speak unto Jerusalem
Of the peace that waits for them;
Tell of all the sins I cover,
And that warfare now is over.
Hark, the voice of one who’s crying
In the desert far and near,
Bidding all to full repentance
Since the kingdom is now here.
O that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way;
Let the valleys rise to meet him
And the hills bow down to greet him.
O make straight what long was crooked,
Make the rougher places plain;
Let your hearts be true and humble,
As befits his holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord
Now o’er earth is shed abroad;
And all flesh shall see the token
That his word is never broken.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
God of power and might, tear open the heavens and come quickly to this weary world. Hear our prayers for everyone in need.
A brief silence.
The response to “Lord in your mercy” is “hear our prayer.”
The prayers conclude:
Draw near to us, O God, and receive our prayers for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
OFFERING
ANTHEM
An Advent Acclamation
French Melody; arr. Nordmeyer
Chris and Christopher Simcox
OFFERING PRAYER
Generous God,
you have created all that is,
and you provide for us in every season.
Bless all that we offer,
that through these gifts the world will receive your blessing.
In the name of Jesus, Emmanuel, we pray.
Amen.
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,
forever and ever.
Amen.
SENDING
BLESSING
The Creator of the stars bless your Advent waiting,
the long-expected Savior fill you with love,
the unexpected Spirit guide your journey,
☩ now and forever.
Amen.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Prepare the way of the Lord.
Thanks be to God
SENDING SONG
The King Shall Come (ELW 260)
Performed and arranged by Robert Prester and Adriana Samargia
The King shall come when morning dawns
and light triumphant breaks,
when beauty gilds the eastern hills
and life to joy awakes.
Not as of old a little child,
to bear and fight and die,
but crowned with glory like the sun
that lights the morning sky.
Oh, brighter than the rising morn
when Christ, victorious, rose
and left the lonesome place of death,
despite the rage of foes.
Oh, brighter than that glorious morn
shall dawn upon our race
the day when Christ in splendor comes,
and we shall see his face.
The King shall come when morning dawns
and light and beauty brings.
Hail, Christ the Lord! Your people pray:
come quickly, King of kings.
Postlude
From sundaysandseasons.com.
Copyright © 2020 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Postlude
_____
From sundaysandseasons.com.
Copyright © 2020 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.