FROM THE RECTOR FORMATION & SPECIAL EVENTS
Welcome! I’m very glad you’ve joined us for worship today. Please take a moment to fill out the welcome card, either physically or digitally, that can be found on the opposite page of in the pew back in front of you. Our Welcome Team members are in the hallways today to help you with anything you need.
Today is the fourth and final Sunday of Advent. We continue our sermon series “Beyond the Signs,” as well as looking ahead to Christmas. I hope you’ll join us tonight for Christmas Lessons and Carols at 4 p.m., and plan ahead for Christmas Eve and Day with the schedule of service in this bulletin.
As we prepare to worship together, I invite you to take a moment and center yourself on God’s presence. Worshiping, learning, and giving together help us grow closer to who God created us to be, and you’re part of that work. May God bless you today and every day, and I hope to see you again very soon!
4 p.m. in the Church
Tonight!
CHRISTMAS LESSONS & CAROLS
As we prepare for Christmas and the birth of Christ, join us for this beloved service, featuring seven lessons along with carols sung by our Saint Michael Choristers and Saint Michael Choir.
Saintmichael.org/ChristmasLC
10 AM 4 PM
Adult Formation
The Journey: Walking the Road to Bethlehem
The Rev. Canon René Somodevilla Saint Michael Chapel
Youth Formation Middle School 6th – 7th Grade • Green Room
High School Orange Room
8:30 AM
Other Events St. Mary’s Guild Bake Sale South Entrance • 8:30–11:30 a.m.
Christmas Lessons & Carols Church Childcare (3 & under) is available from 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. in rooms 13–16.
For a full listing of fall offerings and upcoming events, please visit saintmichael.org/fall22
e Advent Lessons & Carols service was a hit! Join us for the next two Lessons & Carols in the series!
January 22 — New Service!
EPIPHANY LESSONS & CAROLS
A special evening of music and lesson readings: the Contemporary and Traditional music departments will perform selections of Epiphany hymns and original arrangements to observe the Light of the World given to all.
Saintmichael.org/EpiphanyLC
SAINT MICHAEL & ALL ANGELS EPISCOPAL CHURCH
HOLY EUCHARIST: RITE II
11:00 A.M. December 18, 2022
WELCOME SONG O COME O COME EMMANUEL
O come, O come, Emmanuel And ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satanʼs tyranny From depths of hell Thy people save And give them victory over the grave Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel
O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer Our spirits by Thine advent here Disperse the gloomy clouds of night And deaths dark shadows put to flight Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel
O come, Thou Key of David, come And open wide our heavenly home
Make safe the way that leads on high And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel
OPENING ACCLAMATION
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
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.
COLLECT OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray.
Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
THE LESSON ISAIAH 7:10-16
Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test. Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before
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the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.”
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
SONG EVERLASTING GOD
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord
Our God You reign forever Our Hope our strong Deliv'rer
You are the everlasting God The everlasting God You do not faint You won't grow weary You're the defender of the weak You comfort those in need You lift us up on wings like eagles
THE GOSPEL MATTHEW 1:18-25
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do
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not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Christ.
SERMON
THE REV. DR. CHRISTOPHER D. GIRATA
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
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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.
Prayers of the People: Form VI
In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.
For all people in their daily life and work;
For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who are alone.
For this community, the nation, and the world;
For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.
For the just and proper use of your creation;
For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.
For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble; For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.
For the peace and unity of the Church of God;
For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.
For Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury; Michael, Our Presiding Bishop; George, our Bishop; our parish clergy and their families; and for all bishops and other ministers;
For all who serve God in his Church.
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For the special needs and concerns of this congregation. Hear us Lord; For your mercy is great.
We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life. We will exalt you, O God our King; And praise your Name for ever and ever.
We pray for all who have died, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom. Lord, let your loving kindness be upon them; Who put there trust in you.
CONCLUDING COLLECT
Almighty and eternal God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth: Mercifully accept the prayers of your people, and strengthen us to do your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
CONFESSION
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 you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
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THE PEACE
The Peace of the Lord be always with you. And also with you.
OFFERTORY SENTENCE
Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God.
OFFERTORY SONG PSALM 80
Hear O shepherd of Israel leading Joseph like a flock, shine forth you enthroned upon high In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh come to help us
By Your strength, by Your strength Restore us, O God of Hosts
How long Lord will You be angered despite the prayers of Your chosen ones? Tears have been our bread and wine and our enemies mock us to scorn
By Your strength, by Your strength Restore us, O God of Hosts
Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand
The Son of Man made strong for Yourself From You we’ll never turn away Give us life that we may call upon Your Name
Show the light of Your face and we shall be saved Show the light of Your face and we shall be saved
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By Your strength, by Your strength Restore us, O God of Hosts
COMMUNION RITE II PRAYER B
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 him thanks and praise. It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
[ Here the Celebrant includes a proper preface ]
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn 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.
We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
On the night before he died for us, 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 for the remembrance of me.”
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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 for the remembrance of me.”
Therefore, according to his command, O Father, 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, O 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 may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with [ and] all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation.
By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.
“And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,”
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 who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom,
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and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia
The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.
COMMUNION SONG REJOICE, ALL YOU
Rejoice, all you who have seen God’s light. No dread, dark cloud shall defeat your sight, For Christ has shown Himself to you In cleanest line and brightest hue. Yes, Christ has shown himself to you.
In darkest gloom of Adam’s fall, When sin had stolen sight from all, There was no flash of radiance, No sign of God’s good providence. But one day in a conquered land Beneath King Herod’s heavy hand The unborn Light took fleshly clothes, and barren Isr’el bore a rose
Rejoice, all you who have seen God’s light. No dread, dark cloud shall defeat your sight, For Christ has shown Himself to you In cleanest line and brightest hue. Yes, Christ has shown himself to you.
So there came forth from David’s town A brighter claimant for his crown’ There was no longer need for throne,
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For brilliant light replaced the stone! And so in heaven’s courts today The Babe who in a manger lay In all His Risen Glory shows The Light from which all true light flows.
Rejoice, all you who have seen God’s light. No dread, dark cloud shall defeat your sight, For Christ has shown Himself to you In cleanest line and brightest hue. Yes, Christ has shown himself to you.
POST COMMUNION PRAYER
Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE BLESSING
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
CLOSING CHORUS CHORUS OF REJOICE, ALL YOU
Rejoice, all you who have seen God’s light. No dread, dark cloud shall defeat your sight, For Christ has shown Himself to you In cleanest line and brightest hue. Yes, Christ has shown himself to you.
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DISMISSAL
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God.
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 5
5:30 PM Worship in the Church
6:30 PM Burning of the Greens in the Garden Cloister
Join us for the Feast of Epiphany, a service in which we celebrate the revelation of Jesus as the King of the Jews to the nations. The service begins in the church and concludes with the annual burning of the greens followed by hot chocolate and s’mores.
SAINTMICHAEL.ORG/EPIPHANY
Grocery bags with the Advent calendar are available at church entrances. Please return your bag of food to the South entrance the first week of January.
For more information, contact Christi Morrow at cmorrow@saintmichael.org.
