O Come, Let Us Worship!

Advent 2

Prepare the Way of the Lord!

 

Scriptures

Advent 2

Baruch 5.1-9

Luke 1.68-79

Philippians 1.3-11

Luke 3.1-6

 

As we gather, we recognize that we live, work and play in the traditional lands of the Cowichan Tribes and Coast Salish People.  We continue to commit ourselves to the work of reconciliation and relationship-building with our First Nations neighbours.  

 

Welcome.

Call to Worship  

Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. All flesh shall see the salvation of God. Luke 3.4, 6

O come, let us worship.  

 

Almighty God,

to you all hearts are open, all desires known,

and from you no secrets are hidden.

Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,

that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

 

Opening Hymn:

On Jordan’s Bank, the Baptist’s Cry

Public Domain  

 

On Jordan’s bank, the Baptist’s cry

announces that the Lord is nigh;

awake and harken, for he brings

glad tidings of the King of kings.  

 

Then cleansed be every breast from sin;

make straight the way for God within.

Prepare we in our hearts a home,

where such a mighty guest may come.  

 

For thou are our salvation, Lord,

our refuge, and our great reward;

without thy grace we waste away,

like flowers that wither and decay.  

 

To heal the sick stretch out thine hand,

and bid the fallen sinner stand;

shine forth, and let thy light restore

earth’s own true loveliness once more.  

 

All praise eternal Son, to thee

whose advent doth thy people free,

whom with the Father we adore

and Holy Ghost for ever more. 

 

Advent Wreath  Prayer— Peace  

Heavenly Father,

You are the God who gives peace.

This second week of Advent causes us to remember that, because of Jesus, we can experience a Christmas free from turmoil and chaos. Regardless of our circumstances or our situations, you offer us peace that passes understanding.  

That first Christmas, when you sent your Son, you sent the one who is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Even the angels cried out, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” The angels knew your purpose. They knew the gifts of hope, peace, joy, and love that Christmas held. They recognized that the fullness of God was wrapped in the tiny flesh of an infant, as you humbled yourself and dwelt among us.

Emmanuel. God with us as the baby Jesus.  

Father, in this second week of Advent, keep us in perfect peace as our mind stays on the truth of your powerful love. Thank you for your mighty, sovereign hand. Help us to trust fully in you and rest in the peace that you offer.

It’s in the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.  

 

All: (sung to tune Away in a Manger)          

A candle is burning, a candle of Peace          

A candle to signal that conflict must cease          

For Jesus is coming to show us the way;          

A message of Peace humbly laid in the hay. 

 

Trisagion

(said)                     

Holy God,                     

holy and mighty,                     

holy immortal one,                     

have m mercy upon us.  

 

Collect of the Day  

Almighty God,

who sent your servant, John the Baptist,  to prepare your people to welcome the Messiah; inspire us, the ministers and stewards of your truth, to turn our disobedient hearts to you, that when the Christ shall come again to be our judge, we may stand with confidence before his glory; who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 

The Proclamation of the Word

1st Reading: Baruch 5.1-9  

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.    

 

Canticle – 19a      The Song of Zechariah   Luke 1.68–79  

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.  

He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour, * born of the house of his servant David.   

Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us.  

He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant.  

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.  

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.  

In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.  

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever.  Amen    

 

2nd Reading:  Philippians 1: 3-11  

The word of the Lord.  

Thanks be to God. 

 

Gradual Hymn:

There’s a Voice in the Wilderness Crying

Public Domain  

There’s a voice in the wilderness crying, a call from the ways un-trod:

prepare in the desert a highway, a highway for our God!

The valleys shall be exalted, the lofty hills brought low;

make straight all the crooked places where the Lord our God may go!  

 

O Zion, give voice to good tidings, ascend to the heights and sing!

Proclaim to a desolate people the coming of their King.

The works of pride all perish, like flowers they shall decay;

the power and pomp of nations shall pass like a dream away.  

 

But your word, O God, is faithful, your arm, O Lord, is strong;

you stand in the midst of nations, and you will right the wrong.

You will feed your flock like a shepherd, and fold the lambs to your breast;

in pastures of peace, you’ll lead them, and give to the weary rest.  

 

There’s a voice in the wilderness crying, a call from the ways un-trod:

Prepare in the desert a highway, a highway for our God!

The valleys shall be exalted, the lofty hills brought low;

make straight all the crooked places where the Lord our God may go!  

 

The Lord be with you.

And also, with you.  

The Good News of Jesus according To: Luke 3: 1-6  

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.  

The Gospel of Christ,

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.    

 

Sermon:  The Venerable Brian Evans

 

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be ever acceptable to you, O Lord.  Amen.  

PRAISE

The scene opens today with an announcement which is like an invitation. This comes following the first week in Advent, when the focus is more on repentance. This comes with a focus on PEACE.          

 

As we shared in the lighting of the Advent Wreath today saying: “Heavenly Father, You are the God who gives peace. This second week of Advent causes us to remember that, because of Jesus, we can experience freedom from turmoil and chaos. Regardless of our circumstances or our situations, you offer us peace that passes understanding.”          

 

In advance of this we hear this promise from the Prophet Malachi: “I am sending a messenger to prepare the way. A messenger in whom you will delight ---- indeed he is coming.”          

 

This messenger will bring the communities, which for the most part are at odds, together.          

 

The response to this messenger comes to us in the Canticle today.  (Canticles are hymns of praise and usually are a reflection or response to the 1st Lesson.)          

 

Today is no exception. What do we hear in the response to this news of a messenger coming?

 

-         Thanksgiving – blessed be the God of Israel as he has looked favourably on the people.

 

-         Raised up a mighty Saviour.

 

-         A saviour who will save us from our enemies.

 

-         A kingdom of mercy. EXCEPT, this gift comes with a price or a responsibility:

 

-         Servanthood, servanthood filled with freedom.

 

-         Holiness, righteousness.

 

-         TO GIVE KNOWLEDGE OF SALAVATION.

 

-         TO BRING LIGHT INTO A WORLD OF DARKNESS. -                    

 

Over the past few days, our neighbours in their synagogues have just finished celebrating Hanukkah, the festival of bringing light into the darkness of the world. On Wednesday morning, I listened to a Rabbi explain this—meaning the responsibility of the people of God to be light in a dark world. Not unlike we do, with our Advent Wreath.          

 

This light is to remind us we are free to share the knowledge of salvation to the world, to give light to those who sit in darkness.          

 

AND, and here is the significant part – to do it in the sense of a team working together. There is a great story of a little girl rushing home from school in early December, complaining to her parents her disappointment—as she only had a very little part in the Christmas program at school.          

 

Her mother took off her watch, and showed her the front and asked what did she see – of course she saw a watch face – hands, numbers and movement.          

 

Then her mother turned the watch over, removing the back cover. Now, what did she see? Of course, gears and pins, and all the internal mechanisms which make the watch run. Then, she said to her daughter to look at the smallest gear. Then, she reminds her, if that little gear was missing the whole watch would stop working.          

 

So too, must the Christian community work together, under the leadership of Christ, to bring a message of peace to this otherwise troubled world.          

 

A community sharing in GRACE.          

 

Paul understands the importance of a community sharing and working together.          

 

Something like the men of this parish, making the Annual Wayne’s Christmas Cake. We work well together, partially because we have a strong leader in our midst who has calculated all the ingredients. Even the spirits are carefully adjudicated for each cake.!          

 

In lighting our Candle of Peace today, we are reminded in the liturgy, because of Jesus, we can experience freedom from turmoil and chaos.          

 

Once again, the Christmas cakes – when we come to the hall to make the cakes, we can dump everything together, and we will get a cake. The turmoil and chaos have been removed. There is no doubt, we will have a successful cake at the end of the day.          

 

The cakes! Yes, these cakes at Christmas are like a metaphor for our Gospel today. Even after three days, the “GOOD NEWS” of the cakes remained in the scent-filled air of spices in the church kitchen.          

 

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, you know the rest: Pontius Pilate, Judea, Herod and all the other characters –the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah.          

 

John answers the call – he goes throughout the land proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.           “The voice of one calling out in the wilderness”—John travels throughout the world proclaiming what is to come. ---- every valley shall be filled, every mountain made low, the crooked straight, and the rough roads, smooth.          

 

An interesting comment on life and the difference we make together, when we work together, when we worship together.          

 

At the same time, a challenge for the world.          

 

Not to be a downer, we often look and see from our vantage point a disturbed world—a similar view by God from a different point in time.          

 

A time in which the world was standing in the need of correction. The likes of which we hear about with the stock markets.          

 

A time to bring peace into the world.          

 

To bring a peace which is like the aroma from the kitchen, leading up to and including the Christmas turkey permeating the atmosphere.          

 

Often, we arrive home at Christmas to the aroma of peace in the air from the spices of Christmas-making.          

 

It is like another metaphor – seeing the salvation of God.          

 

At the same time, it is all the pieces working together, like all the spices are what makes the cake.           With reference to the Rabbi being interviewed, he was asked about the “electronic church” (my words). His response went something like this. “I think I’m going to start a TV worship show.”          

 

Then, he said as much as he understands the need at this moment, his hope is we will not simply become people of faith, who sit isolated on our chesterfields listening to canned church services. At some point, we need to be gathered together in one spot to worship together. He expressed his pleasure in Dr. Henry relaxing the protocols around religious worship, particular around this time of the year when so many faiths are celebrating major festivals. He said the seniors in our community requested this, if we are all vaccinated and wearing masks.          

 

When we come together, we are the people who are called to bring peace to the world today – straightening paths, smoothing out the road to eternal life.          

 

We are to be the modern-day Zechariahs, singing the song of good news looking favourably on the world, hearing the prophet’s call to turn our hearts to the God of peace. Thanks be to God. 

 

 

Thanks be to God.  Amen.   

The Apostles Creed:

Let us confess the faith of our baptism, as we say:  

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 Prayers of the People  

“Christ, our Justice, hear our prayer.” God’s mercy and justice accompany us through life. With a confident faith, let us pray.

Our response is: “Living God, hear us.”  

Through our faith in Christ, the Dawn of Justice, gather us into a community of praise and compassion service.

With Advent longing, we ask:

Loving God, hear us.  

 

Through the consoling love of the Spirit, remove from the sick and dying the robe of misery and mourning.

With Advent longing, we ask:

Loving God, hear us.  

 

Through the voices of prophets past and present, lead back to you those misled by the false promises of a drug and commercial culture.

With Advent longing, we ask:

Loving God, hear us.  

 

Through our commitment to gospel values at home, in schools, and in the work place, enable youth to choose lifestyles of blameless conduct.

With Advent longing, we ask:

Loving God, hear us.  

 

Through the wisdom of the Spirit, give our legislators the courage to pursue the requirements of justice for the most needy and vulnerable.

With Advent longing, we ask:

Loving God, hear us.  

 

Remembering that Christ is the faithful witness of God’s enduring love, may we be faithful witnesses of God’s compassion for the poor, sick, and needy of our time, and for those in our Parish:

Roy & Gail; John; Steve; Maureen; Michelle; Sheila & Family; Joseph; Derrick; & Mark, 

We ask:

Loving God, hear us. Amen.    

 

Confession and Absolution

Dear friends in Christ,

God is steadfast in love and infinite in mercy; God welcomes sinners and invites them to the table. Let us confess our sins, confident in God’s forgiveness.  

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 neighbours 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.  

 

Celebrant

Almighty God have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  

Amen. 

 

Distance-Sharing of The Peace  

The Celebration of the Eucharist.  

Offertory Hymn:

Blest Be the Tie That Binds

Public Domain  

 

Blest be the tie that binds

our hearts in Jesus’ love

the fellowship of Christian minds

is like to that above.  

 

Before God’s gracious throne

we pour our ardent prayers:

our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,

our comforts and our cares.  

 

We share each other’s woes,

each other’s burdens bear;

and often for each other flows

the sympathizing tear.  

 

When for a while we part,

this thought will soothe our pain;

that we shall still be joined in heart

and one day meet again.  

 

One glorious hope revives

our courage by the way,

while each in expectation lives

and longs to see the day.  

 

When from all toil and pain

and sin we shall be free,

and perfect love and frienship reign

though all eternity.  

 

Prayer over the Gifts

God our strength, we are nothing without you.

Receive all we offer you this day, as you sustain us with your mercy;

in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

 

Eucharistic Prayer #3    

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.  

 

Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth;

you are the source of light and life for all your creation, you made us in your own image, and call us to new life in Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Therefore, we praise you, joining our voices to proclaim the glory of your name

                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. 

 

On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, a death he freely accepted, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said,

“Take, eat: this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”  

After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.”  

Therefore, Father, according to his command,

 

we remember his death,

we proclaim his resurrection,

we await his coming in glory;   

 

and we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.  

We pray you, Gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts, that they may be the sacrament of the body of Christ and his blood of the new covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we, made acceptable in him, may be sanctified by the Holy Spirit.  

In the fullness of time, reconcile all things in Christ, and make them new, and bring us to that city of light where you dwell with all your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the had of the Church, and the author of our salvation;   by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory are yours, almighty Father, now and for ever.

Amen. 

 

The Lord’s Prayer  

As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,

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 that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.   For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.   Amen.  

 

The Breaking of the Bread

“I am the bread of life,” says the Lord.

“Whoever comes to me will never be hungry;

whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

 

Taste and see that the Lord is good;

happy are they who trust in him!    

The gifts of God for the People of God.  

 

Thanks be to God.

 

The Administration of Communion  

 

Communion Hymn:

Morning Has Broken

Copyright Protected.  Unable to post lyrics.  

 

Prayer After Communion

Faithful God,

we thank you for feeding us with this heavenly banquet. Help us always to hear the prophet’s call to turn our hearts to you; in the name of Jesus Christ, the Lord.

Amen

 

Glory to God,

whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever.  Amen.  

 

The Blessing

Announcements  

 

Closing Hymn:

People, Look East

Copyright Protected.  Unable to post lyrics.  

 

Dismissal  

Go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.

Thanks be to God.  Alleluia!   

 

The recording ends.