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
Heinrich Scheidemann, a prominent composer in Northern Germany during the Baroque era, wrote nine organ settings of the Magnificat–one in each church mode (scale) and two in the eighth mode. Each of these settings contain four verses, which were intended to be played in alternation with verses sung by the choir. The verses you will hear in today’s prelude and postlude come from his Magnificat setting in the first mode, Dorian. The prelude, which is the 2nd verse of this setting, is in the form of a chorale fantasia. This means that each phrase of the chant melody is treated in a distinct way with varying textures and moods.
The Fourth Sunday of Advent Holy Eucharist Rite II
The service begins on page 355 of the red Book of Common Prayer.
The Word of God Prelude
Magnificat Primi Toni, 2nd Verse
Heinrich Scheidemann Welcome
Entering Procession (standing, sung by all)
“O come, O come, Emmanuel” Veni, veni, emmanuel Hymn 56, v. 1-5
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The Opening Acclamation & Collect for Purity (standing)
Celebrant Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. People And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen. Celebrant 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.
Trisagion (standing, sung by all 3 times) Archangelsky Hymn S 102
Children ages three through eight are invited to proceed to children’s chapel by exiting through the east doors at the back of the nave; they will return to the nave following the Peaee.
The Collect of the Day (standing)
Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Celebrant 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 (seated)
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
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Hymn continues on the next page
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 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.”
Lector The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God.
The Psalm 80:1-7 (seated, chanted by the choir) Plainsong
Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; * shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, * stir up your strength and come to help us.
Restore us, O God of hosts; * show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
O LORD God of hosts, * how long will you be angered despite the prayers of your people?
You have fed them with the bread of tears; * you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
You have made us the derision of our neighbors, * and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
Restore us, O God of hosts; * show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Sequence Hymn (standing, sung by all)
“The King shall come” St. Stephen Hymn 73, v. 1&2
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The Gospel Matthew 1:18-25 (standing)
Gospeler The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
People 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 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.
Gospeler The Gospel of the Lord. People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
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The Sermon (seated)
The Nicene Creed (standing)
All 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 Reverend Mary Lessmann
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Prayers of the People: Form II (standing)
Celebrant Let us pray for the Church and for the world.
Lector I ask your prayers for God’s people throughout the world; for Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury; for Michael, our Presiding Bishop; for George, our Bishop ; [___}, for this gathering; and for all ministers and people. Pray for the Church.
In the course of the silence after each bidding, the People offer their own prayers, either silently or aloud.
Lector I ask your prayers for peace; for goodwill among nations; and for the well-being of all people. Pray for justice and peace.
Lector I ask your prayers for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the oppressed, and those in prison. [___], pray for those in any need or trouble.
Lector I ask your prayers for all who seek God, or a deeper knowledge of him. Pray that they may find and be found by him.
Lector I ask your prayers for the departed [especially _____]. Pray for those who have died.
Lector Praise God for those in every generation in whom Christ has been honored. Pray that we may have grace to glorify Christ in our own day.
Celebrant Hasten, O Father, the coming of your kingdom; and grant that we your servants, who now live by faith, may with joy behold your Son at his coming in glorious majesty; even Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.
Confession of Sin and Absolution (kneeling)
Celebrant Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
All 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
Parish Prayers of the People
Kathryn Anschutz, Dixey Arterburn, Barbara Hart Bell, Tom & Margaret Bell, Katsy Boyd, Len Bourland, Suzanne Buhrer, Scott Calhoun, Frances Campbell, Rachel & Aaron Cathey, Randy Davis, David DeKnock, Richard DeKnock, Carol Dotson, Rosalee Fillion, Nancy Gottsacker, Michael Gratkowski, Laura Graves, Jody Guenther, Stephanie Hagen, Don Harp, Melissa Harrison, Caroline Hattemer, Amy Heller, Josh Hight, Carla Jones, Bea Kappes, Joan Booker Kerr, Gayle Kesinger, Nancy Kimbell, Jeff Kunzler, John Kyle, Jean Lattimore, Darlene Lueking, Vicki Sparks McCarty, Harrison Marcus, Barbara Mata, Caroline Morelock, Heather Nemec, Haley Odlozil, Susanne Osborne, Charles Peeler, Alex Powell, Lupita Rangel, Paul Risenhoover, Dorinda Scobee, Mike Smith, Callan Spence, Janet Stafford, Diana Teagarden, Byrd Teague, Judy Tucker, Valerie Guenther Unger, Juli Valley, Maria DeJesus Vela, Mary VonDohlen, Jack Day Watson III, Tony Wilks, Mary Wolf, Catherine Carr Worley
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Victoria was a 16th-century Roman Catholic priest who wrote only sacred choral music. Spanish by birth and spending much of his adult life in Rome, his compositional style happily marries the smoother Italian style with the spicier Spanish style.
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 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.
The Peace (standing)
Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you. People And also with you.
Announcements (please be seated)
The Holy Communion
Offertory Anthem (sung by the Saint Michael Staff Singers)
Alma redemptoris mater Tomás Luis de Victoria
Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti surgere qui curat populo: Tu quae genuisti, natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem: Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere
Loving Mother of the Redeemer, who remains the accessible Gateway of Heaven, and Star of the Sea, Give aid to a falling people that strives to rise;
O Thou who begot thy holy Creator, while all nature marveled, Virgin before and after receiving that Hail from the mouth of Gabriel, have mercy on our sins.
- Hermannus Contractus
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Presentation Hymn (standing, sung by all)
“O Thou who camest from above”
Conditor alme siderum
O n t h e m e a n a l t a r - o f my h e a r t !
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer A (standing)
Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Celebrant Lift up your hearts. People We lift them to the Lord. Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. People 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. 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:
All baptized persons of any age regardless of their denomination and tradition are welcome to share in the banquet of the Lord’s Supper.
Here a Proper Preface is sung or said on all Sundays, and on other occasions as appointed.
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O T h o u wh o c a m e s t - f r o m a b ove -
T h e fir e c e l e s - t i a l - t o i m pa r t , -
K i n d l e - a fla m e o f s a c r e d - l ove
& bbb & bbb & bbb &
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
bbb
At the following words concerning the bread, the Celebrant is to hold it, or lay a hand upon it; and at the words concerning the cup, to hold or place a hand upon the cup and any other vessel containing wine to be consecrated.
Please kneel as you are able Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.
He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.
On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, 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.”
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 we proclaim the mystery of faith:
All Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
Hymn S 129
Sanctus and Benedictus (standing, sung by all) Robert Powell
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We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts.
Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.
All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: 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,
All 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, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Anthem Ambrosian Chant Hymn S 152
Cantor
People
Celebrant 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.
Fraction
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Please come forward to the Communion rail at the direction of our ushers. Stand or kneel at the rail as you are able, and receive the wafer in the palm of your outstretched hands. If you desire a gluten-free wafer, clasp your hands in front of you with your palms down. Receive the wine by drinking from the chalice as it is offered to you, or by retaining the wafer, to dip lightly into the chalice for yourself. If you are not receiving, you may cross your arms over your chest and receive a blessing. If you are unable to physically come to the rail, please indicate to an usher that you would like to receive Communion at your seat.
Communion Hymn (sung by all)
“The angel Gabriel from heaven came” Gabriel’s message Hymn 265
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Communion Hymn (sung by all)
“To the Name of our salvation” Grafton Hymn 249
The Post-Communion Prayer (kneeling, spoken by all)
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.
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Hymn permission used by Rite Song, a one-time use reprint license for congregational use.
The foregoing text of the worship service contained in this order of worship is taken from the Book of Common Prayer 1979. The Book of Common Prayer alone is of authority in the worship of the Episcopal Church. This program is provided for convenience of use on this occasion.
The third verse of Scheidemann’s Magnificat
Primi Toni is strictly contrapuntal and demonstrates his mastery of a traditional style of organ composition. It is a relatively austere style, though there are some unexpected harmonic shifts. Listen for the stately character of this music, and pay attention in particular to the imitation between various voices as then enter and leave the texture.
The Blessing (kneeling)
The Dismissal (standing)
Minister Let us bless the Lord. People Thanks be to God.
Departing Procession (standing, sung by all)
“Lo! He comes with clouds descending” Helmsley Hymn 57
Postlude Magnificat Primi Toni, 3rd Verse Heinrich Scheidemann
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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.
