WAKE UP WAITING HEARTS!

  1. Wake Hearts- Prophet Candle
  2. Anticipating Hearts- Bethlehem Candle
  3. Kindling Hearts- Shepherd’s Candle
  4. Enthusiastic Hearts- Angels Candle

 

 

TRI-COUNTY LUTHERAN PARISH

Berea, Grace, Gloria Dei, and St. Mark’s Lutheran Churches

“Taking Christ’s Love to the Parish”

Worship Leader: Pastor Sarah Cordray

PMA Wayne Fraass        Lay Leader, Sharon Paulsen

Youth Ministry- Nick Cordray AIM

December 11, 2011

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

INTRODUCTION

"Rejoice always," begins the reading from First Thessalonians. Isaiah and the psalmist make clear that God is turning our mourning into laughter and shouts of joy. "All God's children got a robe," go the words of the spiritual. It is not so much a stately, formal, pressed outfit as it is a set of party clothes, clothes that make us feel happy just to put on. We receive that robe in baptism, and in worship we gather for a foretaste of God's party.

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

 

GATHERING                                                              

CALL TO WORSHIP   “Surely the Presence”                              Inside the cover of the ELW

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS                                                                        Page 94-95 ELW

Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God, who shapes the whole creation, who comes with might and mercy, who fills the hungry with good things. Amen.

Let us approach the throne of grace with repentant hearts.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Faithful God, we confess that we have been unfaithful to you. Like dry leaves and withered grass, our lives are blown about by our sins and the powers of evil around us. Restore us, O God; let the light of your face shine on us, and we shall be saved. Amen.

God is patient, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. In the name of + Jesus Christ, I bring you this good news: You are free from all that imprisons you; your sins are forgiven; God heals your broken hearts. Live in peace and harmony as you wait for the day of God. Amen.

GATHERING HYMN            “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”                    # 257 vs. 1, 2 ELW 

Candle Lighters:         Berea: Josh, Jenny, Isabelle and Ethan Reichman                                                                  Grace: Mandi and Ryan Jablonski

                                    Gloria Dei: Toad and April Misegadis

                                    Misty, Faith and Grace Michaelman

                                    Catie, Callie, and Corbin Bondegard                                       

                                       St. Mark’s: Marilyn and Art Erb, Cassidy and Chloe Judd

Lighting of Advent Candles  

Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth. Let the earth hear, and all that fills it.

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom. 

They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. 

Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

This is the Lord for whom we wait; let us be glad and rejoice in the salvation of God

As we light this candle, the Shepherds’ candle, our hearts are kindling with joy!  When the shepherds were told to go and find the Christ child in the manger, their hearts were kindling with joy as they anticipated meeting their savior.  Wake up waiting hearts            !  Your heart is kindling as we shout with the shepherds, “Let us Go!”

HYMN:                   “Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn”           # 242 vs. 1, 4 ELW

*GREETING

Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the promised gifts of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. And also with you.

*PRAYER OF THE DAY

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

Let us pray.  O Lord our God, you break into our world with messages of comfort, peace, and joy. Renew our strength as we wait for your coming. Shine your light for those who live in darkness. Establish your peace throughout the earth. Prepare our hearts for the birth of your Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior of us all. Amen.

 

 

THE WORD

FIRST READING: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; 2to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; 3to provide for those who mourn in Zion —  to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, to display his glory. 4They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. 8For I the LORD love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing;  I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.9Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the LORD has blessed. 10I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.

PSALM: Psalm 126

1When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, then were we like those who dream.

2Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy.

Then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them."

3The LORD has done great things for us, and we are glad indeed.

4Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the watercourses of the Negeb. 

5Those who sowed with tears will reap with songs of joy.

6Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, will come again with joy,

shouldering their sheaves.  

SECOND READING: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

16Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not despise the words of prophets, 21but test everything; hold fast to what is good; 22abstain from every form of evil. 23May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

Here ends the readings. Thanks be to God!

*GOSPEL ACCLAMATION:            “Alleluia”                                                           Page 188 ELW

*GOSPEL: The Holy Gospel of  John 1:6-8, 19-28                                Glory to you, O Lord!

6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 19This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" 20He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." 21And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." 22Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" 23He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,'" as the prophet Isaiah said. 24Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25They asked him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" 26John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, 27the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." 28This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing. The gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ!

LET THE CHILDREN COME

SERMON

HYMN OF THE DAY              St. Mark’s- #239 ELW                                              # 815 ELW

*NICENE CREED                                                                                         Page 104 ELW

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH                                                        Response: Here my prayer.

SHARING OF THE PEACE

OFFERING

Special Offertory Music at Berea                                                                           Bell Choir

OFFERTORY PRAYER

God of abundance, we bring before you the precious fruits of your creation, and with them our very lives. Teach us patience and hope as we care for all those in need until the coming of your Son, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

*GREAT THANKSGIVING

The Lord be with you.  And also with you.  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, our duty and our joy…we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Refrain to “Angels We Have Heard on High”- Gloria in excelsis, Deo; Gloria in excelsis, Deo.

WORDS OF INSTITUTION                                                                          Page 110 ELW

*LORD’S PRAYER    (Sung at Berea)                                                                  Page 191 ELW

COMMUNION                                                                                                        Page 146 ELW

DISTRIBUTION

All are invited to partake of Holy Communion.  If you desire to partake, please extend your hands to receive the bread and then the cup.

*PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

BENEDICTION

Take time, in the busyness of this season, for quiet reflection-  For light of God’s love is discernible everywhere.

We will let ourselves be surprised by wonder, and set aside time to offer quiet thanks.

The good news of Advent is this: Christ is coming.  Christ is always coming.

We will welcome Christ into our hearts.  We will let ourselves be guided by his ministry.  We will go forth from this place in hope.

SENDING HYMN:                    “Shine, Jesus, Shine”                                                     # 671 ELW

*DISMISSAL RESPONSE:                                                                           Thanks be to God!

Readings and Psalm for December 18, 2011

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16,   Psalm 1:47-55,   Romans 16:25-27,   Luke 1:26-38