Blessed are you, holy and living One.
You come to your people and set them free. Amen.
Let us pray together.
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: 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 Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Lighting of the Advent Wreath
First Candle—Candle of Hope
Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord
Thanks be to God.
Today is the First Sunday of Advent, in which we recall the hope we have in Christ. God told Abraham that through him all the nations of the world would be blessed, because he trusted and put his hope in God. The Old Testament spoke of the coming of Christ, of how a Saviour would be born, a king in the line of King David. He would rule the world wisely and bless all the nations. We too believe in God's promise to send Jesus again to this world to establish his kingdom upon the earth.
Light the First Candle here if you have an Advent Wreath. If not, any candle will do.
Hope is like a light shining in a dark place. As we look at the light of this candle we celebrate the hope we have in Jesus Christ.
Let us pray:
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 and to place our hope in you. Help us today and every day to worship you, to hear your word, and to do your will by sharing your hope with others. We ask it in the name of the one who was born in Bethlehem.
The Collect
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Old Testament Isaiah 64:1-9
O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,
so that the mountains would quake at your presence —
as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil —
to make your name known to your adversaries,
so that the nations might tremble at your presence!
When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
From ages past no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who works for those who wait for him.
You meet those who gladly do right,
those who remember you in your ways.
But you were angry, and we sinned;
because you hid yourself we transgressed.
We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
There is no one who calls on your name,
or attempts to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.
Yet, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord,
and do not remember iniquity forever.
Now consider, we are all your people.
Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18 Qui regis Israel
1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; *
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *
stir up your strength and come to help us.
3 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
4 O Lord God of hosts, *
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears; *
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
6 You have made us the derision of our neighbors, *
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
16 Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, *
the son of man you have made so strong for yourself.
17 And so will we never turn away from you; *
give us life, that we may call upon your Name.
18 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
The Epistle 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind — just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you — so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Gospel Mark 13:24-37
Jesus said, “In those days, after that suffering,
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from heaven,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”
The Sermon Fr. Nelson Gaetz
Well, here we go again. This Sunday is the First Sunday in Advent. We start the church year all over again. We are preparing to tell the Jesus story again, from his Birth through his Ascension. It’s going to take half a year to do that. Our seasonal beginning this year is not like any I have ever experienced. It’s usually a frenzied time of year, cram packed full of shopping, decorating, parties and travel. I am usually just getting back from my annual trip to Florida to spend Thanksgiving with my daughter and her family with at least a few days spent at Disney. Not this year. COVID-19 has clamped down on so much of this. I have not heard even one song about the joys of the season and the wonder of Baby Jesus. And that is a good thing. Because Christmas is NOT primarily about the birth of the Baby Jesus, silent night and candles. Advent (Coming) looks ahead not just to Bethlehem but way beyond to his Second Coming in power and glory. Perhaps this somewhat slower-paced year is a gift helping us to slow down, making space for restraint and reflection in hopeful contemplation of God’s in-breaking into the world and our lives.
Try this: This year has brought into sharp relief how fragile life is. We have come to know how out of control life and society can be. So, with Isaiah in the first lesson we cry out “Oh that you would tear open the heavens and come down!” Today, Isaiah might say: “OK God, show up and do something about the mess we are in.”
So, Mark’s Gospel reading for this Sunday comes echoing through the ages pointing us to where and how God has and does do something. It is a kind of “time stamp” or road map for us to follow to find God at work.
► Evening—When Jesus gathers with his disciples
► Midnight—When he was arrested.
► Cockcrow—When he was betrayed.
► Dawn—When he was sentenced to death.
And, finally, Mark uses that Old Testament image at the time of Jesus’ death – When the curtain in the temple is TORN apart.
Yes, in Advent, Mark wants us to look ahead to where God was really, truly among us unveiling his greatest work. Religious authorities mocked it. Bystanders dismissed it. Even his disciples missed it. Yet, in that small and broken figure of Jesus on the cross, God was at work, rending to pieces all that would divide us from God, closing the gap between what we deserve and what God wants to give us, promising to be with us and for us in all things. For all eternity.
So where does that leave us as we prepare for Christmas but also look beyond to living in the world, our world where nothing is too small, no issue too unimportant, no life to insignificant for God to be present, active and redeeming there?
Finally, I have been giving homework in my sermons lately. Let me ask you this week:
► What small gesture might you offer that signifies to someone else that you trust the God you know in Jesus to be with us?
► What small sacrifice might you make to protect others from hunger or loneliness or the
virus?
Listen in those small places God is whispering: “I am Emmanuel. I am God with you.”
Amen.
THE NICENE CREED
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Brief silence
To You, O Lord, we lift up our souls and in You we put our trust. Do not let us be ashamed of our hope but come quickly. Sustain us by Your Holy Spirit, that we may have joy at the advent of Christ, our Savior. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Lord, enrich Your saints in every way as we enter another Church Year. Encourage the preachers of Your Word and all who hear, that the testimony about Christ may be confirmed again among us. Give boldness and faithfulness to Michael and DeDe, our Bishops, and Nelson, our Rector, and all who serve your church. As You have called us into the fellowship of Your Son, so sustain us as we wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, preserve and bless all Christian households, that husbands and wives would live in love and service to each other, that fathers and mothers would diligently bring up their children in Your fear, and that children would honor their parents and be well equipped for service to their neighbors in this life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, be with the governing authorities and enable them to preserve peace and order in our nation. Increase a spirit of unity and cooperation among the people of our land and the nations of the world. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Compassionate Lord, behold in mercy all who are in any danger, trouble, sickness or need. Hear our prayers for the sick and suffering especially those we name now. Give health to our world and bring the pandemic to an end. Comfort all who mourn and sustain them with a confident hope in the resurrection. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Into Your hands, Father, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Confession of Sin
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
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 neighbors 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.
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in life. Amen.
So now we pray with confidence to the Father the words our Lord Jesus taught us:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by the 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,
for ever and ever. Amen.
The Closing Blessing
May God almighty bless and keep us, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
We go now in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Amen.