ADVENT 2 at St Mary’s 6/12/2020
Introduction
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Grace and peace be with you
And keep you in the love of Christ.
Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, just and true: to you be praise and glory for ever.
Of old you spoke by the mouth of your prophets, but in our days you speak through your Son, whom you have appointed the heir of all things. Grant us, your people, to walk in his light, that we may be found ready and watching when he comes again in glory and judgement; for you are our light and our salvation.
Blessed be God for ever.
God our Father, you spoke to the prophets of old of a Saviour who would bring peace.
You helped them to spread the joyful message of his coming kingdom.
Help us, as we prepare to celebrate his birth, to share with those around us the good news of your power and love.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, the light who is coming into the world.
Amen.
Lord Jesus, light of the world, the prophets said you would
bring peace and save your people in trouble.
Give peace in our hearts at Christmas and show all the world God’s love.
Amen.
People of God: be glad!
Your God delights in you, giving you joy for sadness and turning the dark to light.
Be strong in hope therefore; for your God comes to save. You are God’s children.
Lord, make us one as we walk with Christ today and forever. Amen.
Hymn
O come O come Emmanuel (480)
Confession
A voice cries out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’ So let us listen, and turn to the Lord in penitence and faith.
Lord Jesus, you came to gather the nations into the peace of your kingdom: Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
You come in word and sacrament to strengthen us in holiness: Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
You will come in glory with salvation for your people: Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord God, we praise you for sending light into this world.
We confess that we live as though the light had never defeated darkness.
We confess that we ignore the Saviour you sent to be among us and to live in us.
We’ve kept the birth of your Son confined to the Christmas season and do not yearn for his coming each moment in our waiting hearts.
Absolution
May the Father forgive you for not opening your eyes to Jesus.
May the Son prepare you for His return.
May the Spirit help you to rejoice in the light,
So that His grace can illuminate
The darkened places of your hearts. Amen.
Collect
Father in heaven, who sent your Son to redeem the world and will send him again to be our judge: give us grace so to imitate him in the humility and purity of his first coming that, when he comes again, we may be ready to greet him with joyful love and firm faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen
First Reading
Isaiah 40.1-11
Psalm 85.1-2, 8-13
You have been gracious to your land, O Lord, you have restored the good fortune of Jacob. You have forgiven the iniquity of your people and blotted out all their sins.
Show us your mercy, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.
I will listen to what the Lord God is saying, for he is speaking peace to his faithful people and to those who turn their hearts to him.
Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
Show us your mercy, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.
Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring up from the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
Show us your mercy, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.
The Lord will indeed grant prosperity, and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness shall go before him, and peace shall be a pathway for his feet.
Show us your mercy, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.
Second Reading
2 Peter 3. 8-15
Hymn (527)
On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
The Gospel
Please stand
Listen to the Gospel of Christ according to Saint Matthew
Glory to you, O Lord
Mark 1. 1-8
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ
The Sermon
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.
Prayers
The Peace
(please stand)
May the God of peace make you completely holy, ready for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
.
And also, with you.
Let us share with one another a sign of God’s peace.
Hymn
Longing for Light
Eucharistic Prayer 3
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right and good to give you thanks and praise, almighty God and everlasting Father, through Jesus Christ your Son.
For when he humbled himself to come among us in human flesh, he fulfilled the plan you formed before the foundation of the world to open for us the way of salvation. Confident that your promise will be fulfilled, we now watch for the day when Christ our Lord will come again in glory.
And so we join our voices with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven to proclaim your glory forever praising you and saying:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Hear us, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.
Through him accept our sacrifice of praise, and grant that, by the power of your Spirit,
these gifts of bread and wine may be for us his body and his blood; who in the same night that he was betrayed took bread and gave you thanks; he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying,
Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.
In the same way, after supper, he took the cup and gave you thanks; he gave it to them, saying,
Drink from this, all of you; for this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come in glory.
Therefore, Father, remembering the saving death and resurrection of your Son, we offer to you in thanksgiving this bread and this cup, your gifts to us, and we thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you.
Send your Holy Spirit upon all of us who share this bread and this cup.
Strengthen our faith, make us one and welcome us and all your people into the glorious kingdom of your Son.
Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honour and glory are yours,
Almighty Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Let us pray with confidence to the Father:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever.
Amen.
The Communion
We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many, we are one body
for we all share in one bread.
.
Jesus, Lamb of God: have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins: have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the world: give us your peace.
God’s holy gifts for God’s holy people.
Jesus Christ is holy,
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God, the Father.
Communion song
Kindle a flame
The Sending Out
Give thanks to the Lord for he is gracious.
His love is everlasting.
Lord, here you have nourished us with the food of life; through our sharing in this holy sacrament teach us to judge wisely earthly things and to yearn for things heavenly. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Lord be with you.
And also, with you.
Final Hymn
Lo, He comes (405)
The Blessing
Christ the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you, scatter the darkness from before your path, and make you ready to meet him when he comes in glory;
and the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be with you now and evermore.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
