Advent-2 (Yr B) December 10, 2023

 

 

PRELUDE                  “Comfort, comfort ye my people”                               Alfred Feder

 

OPENING HYMN          “There’s a voice in the wilderness crying”               Hymn #75

 

1  There’s a voice in the wilderness crying,

          a call from the ways untrod:

     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!

 

2  O Zion, that bringest good tidings,

          get thee up to the heights and sing!

     Proclaim to a desolate people

          the coming of their King.

     Like the flowers of the field they perish,

          like grass our works decay,

     the power and pomp of nations

          shall pass like a dream away;

 

3  but the word of our God endureth,

          the arm of the Lord is strong;

     he stands in the midst of nations,

          and he will right the wrong.

     He shall feed his flock like a shepherd,

          the lambs he’ll gently hold;

     to pastures of peace he’ll lead them,

          and bring them safe to his fold.

 

 

Celebrant     Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

People     And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever. 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

 

 

HYMN OF PRAISE                      “Glory to God”                               S278 Matthias

 

Glory to God in the highest,

and peace to his people on earth.

 

Lord God, heavenly King,

almighty God and Father,

we worship you, we give you thanks,

we praise you for your glory.

 

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the

            Father,

Lord God, Lamb of God,

you take away the sin of the world;

have mercy on us;

you are seated at the right hand of the Father;

receive our prayer.

 

For you alone are the Holy One,

you alone are the Lord,

you alone are the Most High,

     Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

 

 

Celebrant   The Lord be with you.

People   And also with you

 

Celebrant: Let us pray

Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and
prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake
our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

 

                    Please be seated for the lessons.

 

 

FIRST LESSON      Isaiah 40:1-11    A Reading from the Book of the prophet Isaiah

 

O Comfort, O comfort my people,
     says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
     and cry to her
that she has served her term,
     hat her penalty is paid,
that she has received from
     the LORD‘s hand
double for all her sins.

 

     A voice cries out:
“In the wilderness prepare the way
     of the LORD,
     make straight in the desert a
     highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
     and every mountain and hill
     be made low;
the uneven ground shall become
     level, and the rough places a
     plain.
Then the glory of the LORD shall
     be revealed, and all people
     shall see it together, for the
     mouth of the LORD has
     spoken.”

 

A voice says, “Cry out!”
     And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All people are grass,
     their constancy is like the flower
     of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
     when the breath of
     the LORD blows upon it;
     surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades;
     but the word of our God will
     stand for ever.
Get you up to a high mountain,
     O Zion, herald of good tidings;
lift up your voice with strength,
     O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,
     lift it up, do not fear;
say to the cities of Judah,
     “Here is your God!”
See, the Lord GOD comes with
     might, and his arm rules for him;
his reward is with him,
     and his recompense before him.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
     he will gather the lambs in
     his arms,
and carry them in his bosom,
     and gently lead the mother
     sheep.

 

 

The Word of the Lord            People:  Thanks be to God.

 

 

PSALM                 Psalm 85: 1-2, 8-13  

 

1 Hear, 1 You have been gracious to your land, O LORD, *
you have restored the good fortune of Jacob.
2 You have forgiven the iniquity of your people *
and blotted out all their sins.

 

8 I will listen to what the LORD God is saying, *
for he is speaking peace to his faithful people
and to those who turn their hearts to him.
9 Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, *
that his glory may dwell in our land.

 

10 Mercy and truth have met together; *
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall spring up from the earth, *
and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

 

12 The LORD will indeed grant prosperity, *
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him, *
and peace shall be a pathway for his feet.

 

 

Epistle         2 Peter 3: 8-15a          A Reading from the second letter of Peter

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand
years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his
promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to
perish, but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a
thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements
will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be
disclosed.

 

Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought
you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the
coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and
dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But, in accordance with his promise,
we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.
Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at
peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.

 

The Word of the Lord Response:   Thanks be to God.

 

 

GRADUAL         “Prepare the way, O Zion”                               Hymn #65

GOSPEL                        Mark 1:1-8

 

Deacon or Priest: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark

 

People:  Glory to you Lord Christ.

 

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

 

As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

 

“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,

     who will prepare your way;
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
     ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
     make his paths straight,’”

 

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance
for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside
and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him
in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair,
with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed,
“The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy
to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water;
but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

 

The Gospel of the Lord. Response:    Praise to you Lord Christ

 

 

SERMON                                                                                                               The Rev. Cricket Park

 

 

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

 

Our celebration continues with the Prayers of the People.  After every petition the People respond:   Lord, have mercy.

 

Deacon or other leader:  In peace, let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy”.

 

For the holy Church of God, that it may be filled with truth and love, and be found
without fault at the day of your coming, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For Michael our Presiding Bishop, for Kristin our Bishop-Elect, for all bishops and other
ministers, and for all the holy people of God, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For all who fear God and believe in you, Lord Christ, that our divisions may cease,
and that all may be one as you and the Father are one, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For the mission of the Church, that in faithful witness it may preach the Gospel to the
ends of the earth, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For those who do not yet believe, and for those who have lost their faith, that they
may receive the light of the Gospel, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For the peace of the world, that a spirit of respect and forbearance may grow among
nations and peoples, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For those in positions of public trust, especially Joseph our President and Michael our
Governor, that they may serve justice, and promote the dignity and freedom of every
person, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For all who live and work in this community, especially volunteers and staff of Neighborhood
Bridges, Hope 4 Riverside, CARE House, and the St. Paul’s Food Pantry, we pray to you O Lord.

 

For a blessing on all human labor, and for the right use of the riches of creation, that
the world may be freed from poverty, famine, and disaster, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For the poor, the persecuted, the sick, and all who suffer; for refugees, prisoners, and
all who are in danger; that they may be relieved and protected, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For this congregation, that we may be delivered from hardness of heart, and show
forth your glory in all that we do, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For our enemies and those who wish us harm, and for all whom we have injured or
offended, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

For all who have commended themselves to our prayers; for our families, friends, and
neighbors; that being freed from anxiety, they may live in joy, peace, and health, we
pray to you, O Lord.

 

For those on our hearts this day (especially ______________), we pray to you O Lord.

 

For all who have died in the communion of your Church, and those whose faith is
known to you alone, that, with all the saints, they may have rest in that place where
there is no pain or grief, but life eternal, we pray to you, O Lord.

 

Rejoicing in the fellowship of Mark and all the saints, let us commend ourselves, and
one another, and all our life to Christ our God.
To you, O Lord our God.

 

Silence            The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect, or the following Doxology.

 

For yours is the majesty, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; yours is the kingdom and the
power and the glory, now and for ever. Amen.

 

THE CONFESSION

Deacon/Celebrant:   Let us then 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 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.  

 

THE ABSOLUTION

 

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

Celebrant:     The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

Response:      And also with you.

 

Please greet one another with a sign of peace.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

 

OFFERTORY/ANTHEM                 “Comfort, comfort ye my people”                David N. Johnson

 

PRESENTATION OF GIFTS

 

At this time the ushers will bring up the offering of money and any pantry items. As they do this, please stand and sing the following:

 

Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise God all creatures here below;

Praise God above ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

 

 

THE HOLY COMMUNION                   Prayer B

 

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.

 

The Celebrant continues, with the congregation joining in the words in bold type.

 

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

 

Through Jesus Christ our Lord; who on the first day of the week overcame death and
the grave, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life12

 

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:

 

SANCTUS                                                                                                                     HYMN S128

 

All: 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.

 

 

Then the Celebrant continues

 

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.”

 

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,

 

Celebrant and People

 

We remember his death,
We proclaim his resurrection,
We await his coming in glory;

 

The Celebrant continues:

 

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 Mark 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.

As our Savior Christ has taught us, we now pray,

 

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.  Amen 

 

THE FRACTION/THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD

 

Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us. 

Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us. 

Jesus, redeemer, redeemer of the world,

give us your peace, give us your peace.

 

 

INVITATION TO COMMUNION:

 

Celebrant: Behold who you are. May you become one with the One you receive.

 

Everyone is welcome to come forward for communion or a blessing. You may receive the bread and the wine, or the bread or the wine. If you prefer a blessing only, please cross your hands over your chest as a signal to the priest.

 

 

COMMUNION HYMN             “Shepherd of souls refresh and bless”                     HYMN #343

 

1 Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless
your chosen pilgrim flock
with manna in the wilderness,
with water from the rock.

 

2 We would not live by bread alone,
but by your word of grace,
in strength of which we travel on
to our abiding place.

 

3 Be known to us in breaking bread,
but do not then depart;
Savior, abide with us, and spread
your table in our heart.

 

4 Lord, sup with us in love divine,
your body and your blood,
that living bread, that heavenly wine,
be our immortal food.

 

 

POST COMMUNION PRAYER

Celebrant:  Let us pray.

People:
Almighty and everliving God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal kingdom.

 

And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever.  Amen.

 

 

THE BLESSING

 

May the peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in
the knowledge and love of God, and of God’s son, Jesus Christ our Lord. And the
Blessing of God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit, be with you now and remain with you always.
Amen.

 

 

RECESSIONAL HYMN          “On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry”                  Hymn #76

 

1  On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry

   announces that the Lord is nigh;

   awake and hearken, for he brings

   glad tidings of the King of kings.

 

 

2  Then cleansed be every breast from sin;

   make straight the way for God within,

   and let each heart prepare a home

   where such a mighty guest may come.

 

 

3  For thou art our salvation, Lord,

   our refuge, and our great reward;

   without thy grace we waste away

   like flowers that wither and decay.

 

 

4  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.

 

 

5  All praise, eternal Son, to thee,

   whose advent doth thy people free;

   whom with the Father we ador

   and Holy Spirit evermore.

 

 

DISMISSAL

 

The congregation is dismissed by the deacon or the priest.

People    Thanks be to God.

 

POSTLUDE                             “On Jordan’s Bank”                                  David Lasky

 

 

        Please join us for coffee in the Fellowship Room of the Community Building.

 

 

————————————-

 

 

Welcome to St. Mark’s! During the service, please assume the postures of prayer and
devotion as best suits your ability. If you are able, please stand for the Gospel, singing
hymns, and the prayers. Kneeling and sitting are also appropriate for the prayers of
the people and the Eucharistic prayers. Remember, the posture of your heart is more
important to God than the position of your body.

 

 

Altar M inisters for December 10, 2023
Altar Guild for December: Mary-Anna Welch, Stephanie Welch, Janet Reuter
Organist: Donna Larsen Vocalists: St. Mark’s Choir
Acolyte: Gabe Walch
Lay Readers: Carol Williamson and Jackie Hoskinson
Chalice Bearers: Carol Williamson and Judy Rudd
Tech Table: TJ Walch
Ushers: Carol Williamson and Jim Rudd
Counters: Carol Nancarrow and Janet Reuter
Open/Close: Nancarrow/Reuter
Coffee Hour: Joy Brown and Sandy Bultman
Sanctuary Candle given in honor of Jameson Weber’s 2nd birthday by Katherine and
Mike Wagner

 

 

Ministers for December 17, 2023
Altar Guild for December: Mary-Anna Welch, Stephanie Welch, Janet Reuter
Organist: Donna Larsen Vocalists: St. Mark’s Choir
Acolyte: Jackie Hoskinson
Lay Readers: Gary Welch and Gabe Walch
Chalice Bearers: Elizabeth Wagner-Weber and Carol Williamson
Tech Table: Dave Reuter
Ushers: Dave Reuter and Carol Williamson
Counters: Dave Reuter and Gary Welch
Open/Close: TBA
Coffee Hour: Jackie and Jim Hoskinson
Flowers given in honor of family members with December birthdays by Mike and
Katherine Wagner

 

 

Calendar items:
December—Neighborhood Bridges “Stuff the Care Closet Month”

December 10—Advent II
December 17—Advent III
December 24—Advent IV, 10:30am; Christmas Eve, 5:00pm
December 24—Food Pantry collection day
December 31—Christmas II

 

Neighborhood Bridges helps meet basic needs of lower income students in our community. Their Care Closet is running low on some specific supplies. We have a mini-Closet with the Care closets most urgent needs represented as cutouts – you can take one as a reminder to throw an extra item in your shopping cart or there are rough dollar estimates listed on the back. Contact Meg Hull Ortiz at

                     bookmeg.hull@gmail.com with any questions.

Also, NB requests hats, gloves, underwear and socks for ages 5 to adult. These must be new items. There are pieces of paper with specific family needs, if that is more your style. Thank you for your generosity during this holiday season.

 

Upcoming Events

 

Adult Forum: The Revelation to John
Beginning December 3rd and continuing through Epiphany: The Revelation to John.
The final book of the Bible is 24 chapters of some very creative prose and symbolism.
It can’t be read, marked, or inwardly digested in a few weeks. A syllabus will be available
next week. Please join us for this wild ride of a Bible Study.

 

UDOLLI -Winter 2024 Session
UDOLLI, the University of Dayton’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, provides a wide
variety of enrichment opportunities for those who are “50 years old or better.”
Complete information on UDOLLI is available at… https://udayton.edu/continuing_education/senior_programs/udolli/index.php.

Among the topics addressed in the more than 70 seminars that will be offered in the Winter 2024 Session (January 16-February 26) are: Art and Photography; Current Events; Film and Theater; Health, Wellness, and Exercise; History and Social Sciences; Music; Psychology; Religion and Philosophy; Science; and Travel, Sports, and Leisure.  The complete Winter Program Catalog is available at:

https://udayton.edu/continuing_education/senior_programs/udolli/2023205-catalogudolli-2024-winter-final.pdf.

 

Among the new seminars offered is “In the Beginning: An Exploration of the Book of
Genesis,” led by Mike (The Rev. Michael) Kreutzer. A description of this offering can
be found on page 14 of the Catalog. Online Registration begins on Monday, December 4.

 

Thank you to all who have made a
pledge to support the ministries of St.
Mark’s in 2024. We are very close to
our fundraising goal. If you have not
made a pledge yet, please do so. Every
pledge counts!
Throughout the year, consider putting
an extra dollar or two (or more) in the
plate to help us make up this deficit.
Thank you for supporting St. Mark’s.

 

 

REHEARSAL TODAY FOR
Bethlehemian Rhapsody
After church….grab a quick snack and come back to the
sanctuary to get a puppet and do a run-through or two. We’ll
also rehearse after church on December 24th in the morning.

 

 

St. Mark’s is a parish in the Diocese of Southern Ohio, which is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.