The Third Sunday of Advent December 11, 2022 11 a.m.
We welcome you to Christ Church Cathedral. Since 1839, this Christian community has gathered for worship. To learn more about the ministries we share in this place, you are invited to fill in one of the welcome cards found in the pew rack. The Cathedral is equipped with a hearing loop for assisted listening via telecoil.
The Holy Eucharist: Rite One
The Very Rev. Gary Jones, Interim Dean
Celebrant
Welcome to Christ Church Cathedral! Masks are available at all welcome tables, and the south transept (to the right) usually has room for those desiring physical distancing. We are glad you are here!
The Liturgy is found in The Book of Common Prayer (BCP). Hymns and service music (S) are in The Hymnal 1982.
Opening Voluntary Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Chorale Prelude on Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659
Choral Introit Tone VII V. Rejoice ye in the Lord, and again I say, rejoice ye; let your moderation be known unto all men, the Lord is at hand: R. Be careful for nothing, nor troubled; but in all things by prayer and supplication, with Thanksgiving; let your requests be made known unto God.
Hymn 76 Winchester New
The Word of God
Celebrant Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. BCP page 323 People And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
The Collect for Purity and the Summary page 323
Trisagion S 102
Alexander Archangelsky (1846–1924)
The Trisagion is sung three times, first by the cantor and then twice by the congregation and choir.
The Collect of the Day
Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And with thy spirit. Celebrant Let us pray. Stir up thy power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let thy bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be honor and glory, world without end. Amen.
The First Reading Isaiah 35:1–10
Reader The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 146:4 -9 Simplified Anglican chant
Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their / help! * whose hope is in the L ORD their / God; Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is / in them; * who keeps his promise for / ever; Who gives justice to those who are op / pressed, * and food to those who / hunger.
The L ORD sets the prisoners free;
The L ORD opens the eyes of the / blind; * the L ORD lifts up those who are bowed / down;
The L ORD loves the righteous;
The L ORD cares for the / stranger; * he sustains the orphan and widow, but frustrates the way of the / wicked.
The L ORD shall reign for / ever, * your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. Halle / lujah!
The Second Reading James 5:7–10 Hymn 75 Ascension Alleluia Tone II
V. Alleluia. The spirit of the Lord is upon me; R. He has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor. Alleluia.
The Holy Gospel Matthew 11:2–11
Deacon The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. People Glory be to thee, O Lord.
After the Gospel reading, the Deacon says
The Gospel of the Lord. People Praise be to thee, O Christ.
The Sermon
The Rev. Becky Zartman, Canon Missioner for Evangelism and Formation
The Nicene Creed page 326
The Prayers of the People Form II, page 385
The General Confession page 331
The Peace
Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you. People And with thy spirit.
The People greet one another in the name of the Lord, after which the people are seated for brief announcements.
The Holy Communion
Offerings of alms and bread and wine are received.
At the Offertory
Anthem Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)
My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me and holy is his Name. And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations. He hath showed strength with his arm he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away. He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, for ever.
Melanie Miller, soprano
The Great Thanksgiving
Sursum Corda S 112
Eucharistic Prayer II, page 340
Sanctus and Benedictus S 114 Healey Willan (1880-1968)
The Eucharistic Prayer continues page 341
Fraction Anthem Alleluia. Christ our Passover … Agnus Dei S 158
Healey Willan
The Prayer of Humble Access page 337
We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy. Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.
The sacrament of Holy Communion has been precious to Christians for 2,000 years. It is a way in which many sense the reality of God’s forgiveness, our union with God and each other, and the eternal life to which we belong. Please know that you do not have to be an Episcopalian to receive Communion. To receive, you may kneel or stand at the altar rail. Receive the Bread in the palm of your hand and the Wine either by drinking from the cup or by intinction, touching the Bread to the Wine. Gluten-free Bread is available; simply ask at the altar rail. If you need Communion brought to you in the pew, please tell an usher.
At the Administration
Anthem Elizabeth Poston (1905-1987)
The tree of life my soul hath seen, Laden with fruit, and always green: The trees of nature fruitless be Compared with Christ, the apple tree. His beauty doth all things excel; By faith I know, but ne’er can tell The glory which I now can see In Jesus Christ, the apple tree.
For happiness I long have sought, And pleasure dearly I have bought: I missed of all; but now I see ’Tis found in Christ, the apple tree.
I’m weary with my former toil, Here I will sit and rest awhile: Under the shadow I will be, Of Jesus Christ, the apple tree.
This fruit doth make my soul to thrive, It keeps my dying faith alive; Which makes my soul in haste to be With Jesus Christ, the apple tree.
—Anon. American text from “Divine Hymns or Spiritual Songs” compiled by Joshua Smith (1760-1795)
Prayer after Communion page 339
The Blessing Hymn 616 Es flog ein kleins Waldvögelein
The Dismissal
Deacon Let us bless the Lord. People Thanks be to God.
Closing Voluntary Fugue on the Magnificat, BWV 733
Johann Sebastian Bach
Readings this Week from the Revised Common Lectionary
The Old Testament Isaiah 35:1–10
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.” Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God’s people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Epistle James 5:7–10
Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
The Gospel Matthew 11:2–11
When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
The Book of Remembrance
This week we remember Nell Walker Jeffers.
The Beauty of Flowers
The flowers on the Cathedral Altar are given to celebrate the Advent needlepoint hangings to the glory of God in loving memory of Geraldine Campbell Naschke and her beloved husband John Hess Naschke by their three daughters Kathy Stites, Nancy Simonds, and Gerrie Bielefeld. The flowers on the Cathedral Altar are given to the glory of God in loving memory of Anne Randolph Bledsoe and in thanksgiving for Nancy Staub Wareing by their children.
