PRELUDE “Savior to the nations come” J.S. Bach
OPENING HYMN “Savior of the nations, come” Hymn #54
1 Savior of the nations, come!
Virgin’s Son, make here your home.
Marvel now, both heaven and earth,
that the Lord chose such a birth.
2 Wondrous birth! Oh, wondrous child
of the Virgin undefiled!
Mighty God and Mary’s son,
eager now his race to run!
3 Thus on earth the Word appears,
gracing his created spheres;
hence to death and hell descends,
then the heavenly throne ascends.
4 Come, O Father’s saving Son,
who o’er sin the victory won.
Boundless shall your kingdom be;
grant that we its glories see.
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
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.
Please be seated for the lessons.
FIRST LESSON 2 Samuel 7: 1-11, 16 A Reading from the Second Book of Samuel
The When the king was settled in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all
his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, “See now, I am living
in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.” Nathan said to the king,
“Go, do all that you have in mind; for the LORD is with you.”
But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David:
Thus says the LORD: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not
lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day,
but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about
among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of
Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not
built me a house of cedar?” Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus
says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be
prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have
cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the
name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and
will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and
evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges
over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover
the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. Your house and your
kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever.
The Word of the Lord People: Thanks be to God.
PSALM The Song of Mary (Canticle 15; Luke 1:46-55) Please read it in unison.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Epistle Romans 16:25-27 A Reading from the letter of Peter to the Romans
Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the procla-
mation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept
secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is
made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to
bring about the obedience of faith– to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to
whom be the glory forever! Amen.
The Word of the Lord Response: Thanks be to God.
GRADUAL “The angel Gabriel from heaven came” Hymn #265
1 The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;
“All hail,” said he, “thou lowly maiden Mary,
most highly favored lady,” Gloria!
2 “For know a blessèd Mother thou shalt be,
all generations laud and honor thee,
thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold,
most highly favored lady,” Gloria!
3 Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,
“To me be as it pleaseth God,” she said,
“my soul shall laud and magnify his holy Name.”
Most highly favored lady, Gloria!
4 Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ, was born
in Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn,
and Christian folk throughout the world will ever say—
“Most highly favored lady,” Gloria!
GOSPEL Luke 1:26-38
Deacon or Priest: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John
People: Glory to you Lord Christ.
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called
Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of
David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored
one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and
pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be
afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your
womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be
called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of
his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom
there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a
virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power
of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy;
he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has
also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.
For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the
servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed
from her.
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 “Come, thou long expected Jesus” G. Winston Cas
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.
Because you sent your beloved Son to redeem us from sin and death, and to make us
heirs in him of everlasting life; that when he shall come again in power and great triumph
to judge the world, we may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing.
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 “Come thou long expected Jesus” HYMN #66
1 Come, thou long-expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
2 Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art:
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.
3 Born thy people to deliver,
born a child, and yet a king,
born to reign in us for ever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
4 By thine own eternal Spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all-sufficient merit
raise us to thy glorious throne.
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 “O come, O come, Emmanuel” Hymn #86 vv. 1-4
1. O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
[Refrain]
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
2. O come, Thou Wisdom from on high
And order all things, far and nigh
To us the path of knowledge show
And cause us in her ways to go
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
3. O come, O come, Thou Lord of might
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height
In ancient times didst give the law
In cloud, and majesty and awe
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
4. O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny
From depths of hell Thy people save
And give them victory o’er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
DISMISSAL
The congregation is dismissed by the deacon or the priest.
People Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE “Fantasy on a French carol” Cesar Franck
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.
Ministers for December 24, 2023 AM-Advent IV
Altar Guild for December: Mary-Anna Welch, Stephanie Welch, Janet Reuter
Preacher: Rev. Jack Koepke Celebrant: Rev. Cricket Park
Organist: Donna Larsen Vocalists: St. Mark’s Choir
Acolyte: Elizabeth Wagner-Weber
Lay Readers: Jackie Hoskinson and Judy Rudd
Chalice Bearers: Kendall Rubino and Jim Rudd
Tech Table: Dave Reuter
Ushers: Ginny Tuxhorn and Jim Rudd
Counters: Jim Rudd and Tony Rubino
Coffee Hour: no coffee hour today—see you tonight!
Ministers for December 24, 2023 PM-Christmas Eve
Preacher: Rev. Cricket Park Celebrant: Rev. Cricket Park
Acolyte: Elizabeth Reuter and Gabe Walch
Lay Readers: Gabe Walch and Caroline Tucker
Chalice Bearers: Kendall Rubino and Don Nancarrow
Tech Table: TJ Walch
Ushers: Tony Rubino and Jackie Hoskinson
Counters:Jim Rudd/Tony Rubino
Ministers for December 31, 2023
Altar Guild for December: Mary-Anna Welch, Stephanie Welch, Janet Reuter
Organist: Donna Larsen Vocalists: St. Mark’s Choir
Acolyte: Elizabeth Wagner-Weber
Lay Readers: Judy Rudd, Elizabeth Wagner-Weber,
Tech Table: Dave Reuter
Ushers: Tony Rubino and Dave Reuter
Counters: Tony Rubino and Gary Welch
Coffee Hour: TBA
Calendar items:
December—Neighborhood Bridges “Stuff the Care Closet Month”
December 21—Vestry Meeting, 7:00pm, on Zoom
December 24—Advent IV, 10:30am; Christmas Eve and pageant, 5:00pm
December 31—Christmas II—Lessons and Carols
January 6—Epiphany
January 7—The Baptism of our Lord (!st Sunday after Epiphany)
January 7—Adult Forum, Sunday School, Holy Eucharist
Upcoming Events
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.
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.
Please join us for this wild ride of a Bible Study. NOTE: There will be no Bible Study
on December 24th.
Christmas Lessons and Carols—December 31st
Defy the secular paradigm! Come to church and sing Christmas Carols after Christmas
Day. Donna Larsen has chosen lovely tunes to be sung in between readings of
the story of Christ. Bring friends and enjoy the whole season of Christmas!
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.
St. Mark’s is a parish in the Diocese of Southern Ohio, which is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Vestry
Libby Nicholson, Senior Warden
Kendall Rubino, Junior Warden
Jackie Hoskinson
Patricia Tallman
Elizabeth Wagner-Weber
Jenna Walch
Don Nancarrow, Treasurer
Dave Reuter, Recorder
Rev. Cricket Park st_marks@ameritech.net;
Office Hours by appointment. 937-256-1082
————————————-
Our Mission Statement:
“We gather for worship, education and mutual support;
welcome all people; and serve the community in God’s name”.
A prayer for St. Mark’s in a time of transition
O Lord, Father of life and change, of new and old: You gifted us with abilities to speak and listen, to hear and decide, to choose and know. We thank you for teaching us how to used these abilities, though we must at times remember to combine them with patience. Remind us to speak with kindness, to listen to understand, to hear all voices, to decide on what is just and true, to choose the path of peace, and to know we are not alone. Be with us in this time of transition, that it is as effective as it is unsettling, as comforting as it is confusing. And never leave our side on the journey ahead, as we strive for an unknown destination. In the name of your Son Jesus, who walks alongside us, we pray. Amen.
(written by Elizabeth Wagner-Weber)
The Rev. Cricket Park, Interim
Libby Nicholson – Senior Warden; Kendall Rubino – Junior Warden,
Donna Larsen, Music Director/Organist,
musicdirector@stmarksdayton.org
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
456 Woodman Drive
Dayton, OH 45431
Email: st_marks@ameritech.net
Office Phone: 937-256-1082
Resources:
Website: https://stmarksdayton.org,
Facebook: St Mark’s Episcopal Church, Dayton OH
Instagram: St Mark’s Dayton
Licensing for music use and streaming:
One License – #A-740839: Annual license with podcasting;
B – 26 to 100 average weekend attendance.
To read a copy of the latest Vestry Minutes, click HERE.
(NOTE: Password Protected.)
For more announcements, click HERE.
Dave Reuter – Webmaster
webmaster@stmarksdayton.org
——————————–