1. family and parenting
2. children

The Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 21st, 2014
Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church
721 North Thomas St.
Altus, Oklahoma 73521
580-482-2102
www.stpauls-altus.org
E-mail: stpauls.altus@att.net
The Reverend Suzanne Mollison
Please silence cell phones
To Visitors and Guests
If you are a visitor this morning, we bid you welcome. Please know we are
glad that you are with us. If you are unfamiliar with our service, it might be
helpful to know the following. Our liturgy (service) comes from the Book of
Common Prayer (BCP). It is the blue book. Our Hymnal is the red book. “ S”
in front of the hymn number means it comes from the service music which can
be found in the front of the Hymnal. From September thru May, we have a
Children’s Chapel that begins at the same time as our regular service. The
children join their parents at the offertory. We have a nursery available during
the time of the main service for children up to and including the age of 6 years
old.
The Eucharistic Liturgy, which is our main service, is divided up into two
parts: The Liturgy of the Word and The Eucharist. The first part of the service
is the Liturgy of the Word. It focuses on the reading and expounding of the
written Word. It is a reminder of Christ’s teaching and preaching ministry in
Galilee. The Collect of the Day is a prayer which gathers the theme of the day
and focuses our attention for what is to follow. The Sermon follows the
reading of the lessons in order to explain and apply to our present life and
times what we have heard about God’s Word. After the sermon, The Nicene
Creed follows summing up the entire story of salvation and expressing our
pledge of allegiance to the God who creates, redeems and sanctifies us. The
Prayers of the People follow as our response to the proclamation of God’s love
and power. Having offered our prayers for others, we turn to our own needs.
Our confession together affirms that we have sinned. In the absolution, through
Christ we are cleansed and restored to the relationship we had beginning with
our baptism. We then move to the passing of the Peace, which concludes the
service of the Word. The Peace expresses the reconciliation that God’s
forgiveness brings into effect among his people and reminds us that we share
in God’s love and reconciliation together. After the peace, then there are
announcements so that the congregation can be informed about the activities
and events going on in the church and the lives of the church members.
The offertory begins the second half of the service. In the offertory, we present
ourselves before the Lord whose Word has been spoken to us. We offer tokens
of our common life and work—bread, wine, and water—and money, the fruits
of our labor. By these offerings we respond to God’s offering of himself; in
these offerings we present him with ourselves, our souls and bodies. The Great
Thanksgiving and Eucharistic Prayer follow where we celebrate the great
action of God in the Sacrament to transform our offerings and ourselves into
the instruments of his grace. We ask God’s blessing to consecrate the bread
and wine, “to make it holy” for us as the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Our
worship climaxes with communion. After communion, the Post communion
Prayer, Blessing and Dismissal follow. After the celebrant clears the table from
communion, then we offer a short prayer of thanks for what God has done for
us in this celebration. The Celebrant pronounces a final blessing, and after a
final hymn we are dismissed being sent out into the world to make a difference
for the better being empowered by God’s love.
Welcome to the season of Advent. Advent has a dual purpose in
our liturgical calendar. First, it is the beginning of the liturgical
year. Second and most important, it is the season of anticipation.
We look to the past as we remember the advent of birth of Jesus,
but we also look to the future in anticipation of the return of
Christ the King in his 2nd advent.
The two most noticeable ways we mark this change of season are
with the changing of the liturgical color and the Advent wreath.
Purple or blue are the colors used for Advent because they are
colors of royalty. The color of the candles of the Advent wreath
are also purple for the same reason, with one exception. The third
candle is pink. The third Sunday in Advent is called "Gaudete"
(Rejoice) Sunday. Reminding us to rejoice in the Lord always and
that the season of Advent is almost at an end.
The Advent wreath is circular reminding that God has no
beginning or end. The evergeen is a symbol of eternal life.
Before starting the regular part of our service, at the beginning of
each Sunday of Advent we will have a "Call to Worship" by
singing two verses of "O come, O come Emmanuel" followed by a
the ceremony of lighting the Advent wreath as we too prepare for
the coming of Christ.
At the end of every service we are sent out into the world to make a difference by
demonstrating God's love in the world. The question we should ask before each
service begins is, how have we been successful in accomplishing this mission?
Liturgy of the Word with Deacon’s Administration of
Communion from Reserved Sacrament: Rite I
Prelude
Organist
Call to Worship
(remain seated)
Hymnal 56,vss. 7&8
Lighting of the Advent Wreath
Please stand for the Processional Hymn and remain standing through the Collect of the Day
Processional Hymn
Celebrant
People
Hymnal 54
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
The Celebrant says
Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our
hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly
love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our
Lord. Amen.
Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ saith:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law
and the Prophets.
Gloria in Excelsis
Hymnal S 277
Glory be to God on high,
and on earth peace, good will towards men.
We praise thee, we bless thee,
we worship thee,
we glorify thee,
we give thanks to thee for thy great glory,
O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
that takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father,
have mercy upon us.
For thou only art holy;
thou only art the Lord;
thou only, O Christ,
with the Holy Ghost,
art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Collect of the Day.
Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
People: And with thy spirit.
Celebrant: Let us pray.
We beseech thee, Almighty God, to purify our consciences by thy
daily visitation, that when thy Son our Lord cometh he may find in
us a mansion prepared for himself; through the same Jesus Christ our
Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
THE WORD OF GOD
The First Lesson
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Now 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.
Reader
People
The Word of the Lord
Thanks Be to God
Please remain seated as we say The Song of Mary
Canticle 15
The Song of Mary Magnificat
Luke 1:46-55
My soul doth magnify the Lord, *
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
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.
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.
The Epistle
Romans 16:25-27
Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel
and the proclamation 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.
Reader
People
The Word of the Lord
Thanks Be to God
Sequence Hymn
Hymnal 265
The Holy Gospel
Luke 1:26-38
Deacon: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Saint Luke
People: Glory be to thee, O Lord
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.
Deacon The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise be to thee, O Christ
THE SERMON
by
The Reverend Suzanne Mollison
Time of Reflection
All Standing and saying together
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
The minister says
Let us pray for the whole state of Christ’s Church and the
world.
Almighty and everliving God, who in thy holy Word hast
taught us to make prayers, and supplications, and to give
thanks for all men: Receive these our prayers which we offer
unto thy divine Majesty, beseeching thee to inspire
continually the Universal Church with the spirit of truth,
unity, and concord; and grant that all those who do confess
thy holy Name may agree in the truth of thy holy Word, and
live in unity and godly love.
Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all bishops and other
ministers [especially________.], that they may, both by
their life and doctrine, set forth thy true and lively Word,
and rightly and duly administer thy holy Sacraments.
And to all thy people give thy heavenly grace, and especially
to this congregation here present; that, with meek heart and
due reverence, they may hear and receive thy holy Word,
truly serving thee in holiness and righteousness all the days
of their life.
We beseech thee also so to rule the hearts of those who bear
the authority of government in this and every land [especially
___________], that they may be led to wise decisions and right
actions for the welfare and peace of the world.
Open, O Lord, the eyes of all people to behold thy gracious
hand in all thy works, that, rejoicing in thy whole creation,
they may honor thee with their substance, and be faithful
stewards of thy bounty.
And we most humbly beseech thee, of thy goodness, O Lord,
to comfort and succor [______________ and] all those who, in this
transitory life, are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any
other adversity.
In our Anglican cycle of Prayer: Pray for The Diocese of Kondoa
(Tanzania).
In our Diocesan cycle of Prayer: Pray for St. Paul's, Clinton.
Let us Pray for The Rev. John Borrego and his wife The Rev. Lynn, The
Rev. Lynn Borrego and her husband The Rev. John, The Rev. Charles
Bradley.
In our Parish cycle of Prayer: Pray for Joyce Kenner, Jon and Billye
Kidwell, Dorothy Maffry.
Give thanks for the birthday of Nancy Davidson.
Additional petitions and thanksgivings may be included here.
And we also bless thy holy Name for all thy servants
departed this life in thy faith and fear [especially__________],
beseeching thee to grant them continual growth in thy love
and service; and to grant us grace so to follow the good
examples of [__________ and of] all thy saints, that with
them we may be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom.
Grant these our prayers, O Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake,
our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.
Confession of Sin
Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.
Silence may be kept. Minister and People say
Almighty God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
maker of all things, judge of all men:
We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins
and wickedness,
which we from time to time most grievously have committed,
by thought, word, and deed, against thy divine Majesty,
provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us.
We do earnestly repent,
and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings;
the remembrance of them is grievous unto us,
the burden of them is intolerable.
Have mercy upon us,
have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may ever hereafter
serve and please thee in newness of life,
to the honor and glory of thy Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Minister says
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy
hath promised forgiveness of sins to all those who with
hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him, have mercy
upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our sins, confirm
and strengthen us in all goodness, and bring us to
everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hear the Word of God to all who truly turn to him.
Come unto me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and
I will refresh you. Matthew 11:28
God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son,
to the end that all that believe in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life. John 3:16
This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be received,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
1 Timothy 1:15
If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous; and he is the perfect offering for our
sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole
world. 1 John 2:1-2
The Peace
All stand. The Celebrant says to the people
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And with thy spirit.
Then the Ministers and People may greet one another in the name of the
Lord.
Announcements
Birthdays and Anniversaries
O God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor, we pray, on
your servant N. as he/she/they begins another year. Grant that
he/she/they may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen
his/her/their trust in your goodness all the days of his/her/their life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Offertory
For this Sunday undesignated checks or cash in plate offering is
given to the organ fund.
The Doxology
Hymnal 380; vs.3
(singing)
"Praise God, from whom all blessings flow: praise him, all creatures
here below: praise him above, ye heavenly host: praise Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost."
THE HOLY COMMUNION
Celebrant
People
The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
Celebrant
Let us pray.
People and Celebrant
Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered,
instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant
that we may receive it thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ
our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal
life; and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
And now, as our Savior Christ hath taught us, we are bold
to say,
People and Celebrant
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.
The Celebrant then adds
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.
All who are baptized into the Christian faith
are welcome at the Lord’s Table.
The ushers then begin to lead worshippers to the altar rail
To receive communion at the altar rail you may kneel or stand. To
receive the bread (wafer) place one hand on top of another, palms up, and
the celebrant will place the bread in your hand.
You may eat the bread immediately by bringing your hands up to
your mouth and eat it. If you prefer you may keep the bread in your hand
and have it dipped into the chalice and placed into your mouth by the
Deacon or Lay Eucharistic Minister (LEM).
If you eat the bread before the chalice is offered to you, then please
guide the chalice to your mouth by gently touching the base of the chalice.
The chalice is wiped and rotated after each person consumes wine from it.
Women who wear lipstick are asked to dab their lips before coming to
altar rail if drinking from the chalice.
If for any reason you cannot or do not want to drink the wine then
you may leave the altar after receiving and consuming the bread.
If you do not want to receive communion, but would like to receive a
blessing, then come to the altar rail during communion and place your
arms across your chest. This will tell the celebrant that you are requesting
a blessing, and then one will be given. You may leave the altar rail
immediately after receiving the blessing.
Communion Hymn
Hymnal 324
Post Communion prayer
The Celebrant says
Let us pray.
The People may join in saying this prayer
Almighty and everliving God, we most heartily thank thee for that
thou dost feed us, in these holy mysteries, with the spiritual food of
the most precious Body and Blood of thy Son our Savior Jesus
Christ; and dost assure us thereby of thy favor and goodness
towards us; and that we are very members incorporate in the
mystical body of thy Son, the blessed company of all faithful
people; and are also heirs, through hope, of thy everlasting
kingdom. And we humbly beseech thee, O heavenly Father, so to
assist us with thy grace, that we may continue in that holy
fellowship, and do all such good works as thou hast prepared for
us to walk in; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee
and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end.
Amen.
The Celebrant says
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with each of us this day and remain
with us all for evermore. Amen
Recessional Hymn
Hymnal 66
Dismissal
Officiant
Go in Peace to love and serve the Lord and make a
difference in the world.
People
We will -- Thanks be to God.
Closing Voluntary
Organist
CELEBRANT:
The Reverend Suzanne Mollison
LAY EUCHARISTIC MINISTER:
Rick Hammock
LECTORS:
First Lesson:
Rick Hammock
The Epistle:
Kally Tuttle
USHERS:
Ken Aungst and Carol McElroy
CRUCIFER:
Philip Brandon
ALTAR GUILD:
Iva Nell Templer
CHILDREN'S CHAPEL:
Iva Nell Templer
HOSPITALITY:
Mavis Stebbens and Debbie Hammock
LOCKUP:
David Braddock
This week at St. Paul’s:
Tuesday, December 23rd
6:30 p.m. AA meeting
Thursday, December 24th
10:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Service
Holy Eucharist Rite II
Sunday, December 28th
10:30 a.m. Liturgy of the Word with
Deacon’s Administration
of Communion from
Reserved Sacrament: Rite II
Please stay after church for the Hanging of the
Greens. Your help is needed.
Christmas Eve reminder.
Please bring finger food for the reception
following the service.
Thank You.
The Head of this Church:
Jesus Christ
Presiding Bishop:
The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori
Bishop:
The Rt. Rev. Edward Konieczny
The Rev. Suzanne Mollison
Deacons:
Senior Warden:
David Braddock-2017
Junior Warden:
John Womack-2016
Vestry Members:
Ken Aungst-2015
Iva Nell Templer 2016
Joyce Kenner-2016
Billye Kidwell-2015
Carol McElroy-2017
Vestry Clerk:
Jeremy Hunn
Treasurer:
Jon Kidwell
Pledge Clerk:
Iva Nell Templer
ECW President:
Paula Womack
Guild Directress:
Iva Nell Templer
Acolyte Master:
Jon Kidwell