ADVENT 1 at St Mary’s 29/11/2020

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.

Lighting of the Candle

Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, God of our ancestors: to you be praise and glory for ever.

You called the patriarchs to live by the light of faith and to journey in the hope of your promised fulfilment.

May we be obedient to your call and be ready and watchful to receive your Christ, a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for you are our light and our salvation.

Blessed be God for ever.

God of Abraham and Sarah, and all the patriarchs of old, you are our Father too.

Your love is revealed to us in Jesus Christ,

Son of God and Son of David. Help us in preparing to celebrate his birth to make our hearts ready for your Holy Spirit to make his home among us. We ask this through Jesus Christ, the light who is coming into the world.

Amen.

Lord Jesus, light of the world, born in David’s city of Bethlehem, born like him to be a king: be born in our hearts at Christmas, be King of our lives today.

Amen.

People of God: awake!  The day is coming soon when you shall see God face to face. Remember the ways and the works of God. God calls you out of darkness to walk in the light of his coming. You are God’s children.

Lord, make us one as we walk with Christ today and for ever. Amen.

Hymn  

On Jordan’s Bank    (527)

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

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility; that on the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Amen

First Reading     

 Isaiah 64.1-9

Psalm 80.1-7, 16-18

Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim. In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your strength and come to help us.

Show the light of your countenance and we shall be saved.

Restore us, O God of hosts; show the light of your countenance and we shall be saved. O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angered despite the prayers of your people?

Show the light of your countenance and we shall be saved.

You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have given them bowls of tears to drink. You have made us the derision of our neighbours, and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

Show the light of your countenance and we shall be saved.

Restore us, O God of hosts; show the light of your countenance and we shall be saved.   Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, the son of man you have made so strong for yourself.   And so will we never turn away from you; give us life, that we may call upon your name.

Show the light of your countenance and we shall be saved.

Second Reading  

1 Corinthians 1.3-9

 Hymn

Lo, he comes with cloud descending (405)

The Gospel

                                           Please stand

Listen to the Gospel of Christ according to Saint Matthew

Glory to you, O Lord

Mark 13.24-37

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   

O Thou who camest from above

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

Wait For the Lord

 The Sending Out

Give thanks to the Lord for he is gracious.

His love is everlasting.

God our deliverer, awaken our hearts to prepare the way for the advent of your Son; that, with minds purified by the grace of his coming, we may serve you faithfully all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

The Lord be with you.

And also, with you.

Final Hymn 

Hills of the North rejoice

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.