Lectionary Readings
Isaiah 11:1–10
From Jesse’s root, a child will come with the spirit of the Lord.
Psalm 72:1–7, 18–19
May the king rule with righteousness and defend the poor.
Romans 15:4–13
Trust God’s promises in Scripture; rejoice and live in hope.
Matthew 3:1–12
John calls for repentance: prepare the way of the Lord.
— Gathering —
Opening Sentences
God’s vision of peace
is a realm where all live together in harmony:
enemies become friends,
fear gives way to understanding.
God calls us to be this community;
let us gather together to worship.
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Thanksgiving For Baptism
At the baptismal font:
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
O Lord our God, we give you thanks
for the hope and longing you instill in us
through the promise of our baptism—
a voice crying out in the wilderness,
a messenger to prepare the way,
the day of redemption drawing near.
By the power of your Holy Spirit,
poured out upon us in baptism,
keep us awake and make us ready
for the coming of your glorious realm
of righteousness, justice, and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession and Pardon
At the baptismal font:
John the Baptist’s cry echoes through the ages:
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!
Here and now, we go to God in humility and faith,
confessing our sins.
God of all creation,
your vision of peace is beyond our knowing.
We have been hurt
and we have seen destruction,
so we turn around and hurt others,
destroying what you have called good.
Forgive us,
and fill us with your knowledge,
so we may help bring forth your peaceful kin-dom.
Lifting water from the font:
Christ comes into our world—
Christ comes into our lives—
to purify us and give us another chance.
In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
We rejoice in the hope Christ offers us!
Thanks be to God!
— Word —
Prayer for Illumination
At the lectern or pulpit:
Holy God, our hope and strength,
by the power of your Spirit
prepare the way in our hearts
for the coming of your Word,
so that we may see the glorious signs
of your promise fulfilled;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture
Before the readings:
A voice is crying in the wilderness:
Listen to the word of the Lord.
Mark 1:3; John 1:23
After the readings:
Heaven and earth will pass away
but the word of the Lord stands forever.
Thanks be to God.
Isaiah 40:8; Mark 13:31
Sermon
Ascription of Praise
After the sermon:
Now to the God of all wisdom,
who strengthens us according to the gospel,
through Jesus Christ be all glory forever. Amen.
Romans 16:25–27
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Affirmation of Faith
Out of Israel, God in due time raised up Jesus.
His faith and obedience were the response
of the perfect child of God.
He was the fulfillment
of God’s promise to Israel,
the beginning of the new creation,
and the pioneer of the new humanity.
He gave history its meaning and direction
and called the church to be his servant
for the reconciliation of the world.
Adapted from the Confession of 1967, 9.19
Prayers of Intercession
Gathered here, in the house of the Lord,
let us pray for the coming of Christ’s realm.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the peace of the church …
Bring peace, O God, to your people;
may we live in harmony and love
according to Christ’s new commandment.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the peace of the earth …
Bring peace, O God, to all creatures;
hasten the coming of the day
when wolf and lamb may live together.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the peace of all nations …
Bring peace, O God, to every land;
help us to seek what is just and right,
and defend the cause of the poor.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the peace of this community …
Bring peace, O God, to our city [town];
teach us to welcome one another
just as Christ has welcomed us.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the peace of loved ones …
Bring peace, O God, to all your children;
bless us with life, health, and prosperity
so that we may praise you all our days.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the peace of Jerusalem …
Bring peace, O God, to the world you have made:
the peace that passes understanding
and the promise of your new creation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is coming in glory to reign. Amen.
Psalm 122:6
— Eucharist —
Invitation to Offering
At the communion table:
All things in heaven and earth belong to God,
who is coming in glory to reveal a new creation.
Let us offer our lives to the Lord.
2 Peter 3:8–15
Prayer of Dedication
At the communion table:
Eternal God,
as we wait for the fulfillment of your reign,
use these gifts and the gifts of our lives
to bring justice to those who are oppressed,
to set free those who are in prison,
to lift up those who are bowed down,
and to uphold those who are vulnerable. Amen.
Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God:
The earth is full of your knowledge and glory.
You made all creatures to live in peace and safety,
and sent a little child to lead us.
Therefore we praise you, joining the song
of the universal church and the heavenly choir:
A Sanctus (“Holy, holy, holy”) is sung.
Blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior:
Baptized by John, Christ came to deliver us from sin,
and to pour out the Holy Spirit upon your church.
By our faith in Christ, we have the hope of eternal life.
The words of institution are included here.
Remembering your goodness and grace,
we offer ourselves to you with gratitude
as we share this joyful feast.
A Memorial Acclamation (e.g., “Christ has died”) is sung.
Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and upon this bread and cup;
make us one in the body and blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Fill us with wisdom and understanding, knowledge and power,
and grant that we may live in harmony with one another
as we await the coming of the kingdom of heaven.
Through the Lord Jesus Christ,
in the unity of the Spirit,
we bless you, God of glory,
now and forever.
An Amen is sung.
Lord’s Prayer
Breaking the Bread
Communion of the People
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Prayer after Communion
At the communion table:
God our hope, we give you thanks
that you have given us this foretaste
of the justice, righteousness, and peace
of your promised new creation.
Strengthen us with this heavenly food
as we seek to serve your holy realm.
Lead us to live in joyful expectation
of the coming again in glory
of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
— Sending —
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Blessing and Charge
At the doors of the church:
May the God of peace make you holy
and the power of the Spirit sustain you
until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia!
1 Thessalonians 5:16–24
Prepare the way of the Lord! Amen.
Isaiah 40:3; Mark 1:3
“Tree of Jesse”
Absolon Stumme, 1499
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
- Now the Heavens Start to Whisper (O) JEFFERSON GTG 94
- Prepare the Way of the Lord (G) PREPARE THE WAY GTG 95
- Lord of All Hopefulness (OE) COURTNEY GTG 683
- Long God’s Faithful People Waited (E) BRENT Rejoice in God, K. Lee Scott, MSM
WORD
- Lo, how a Rose E’er Blooming (O) ES IST EIN’ ROS’ GTG 129, PH 48
- Wild and Lone the Prophet’s Voice (G) ABERYSTWYTH GTG 163, PH 409
- Ho, All Who Thirst (Come Now to the Water) (OG) JACOB’S WELL GTG 479
- Until Jesus Comes (EG) PAROUSIA WAS 3050
EUCHARIST
- Seed, Scattered and Sown (OEG) SEED SCATTERED GTG 531
- Sheaves of Wheat (E) UNA ESPIGA GTG 532
- Sometimes a Light Surprises (E) SALLEY GARDENS GTG 800
- Satúranos, Señor / Lord, Fill Us (OG) SATÚRAME SSS 266
SENDING
- Sing of God Made Manifest (G) SALZBURG GTG 156
- Dream On, Dream On (O) DREAM ON GTG 383
- O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High (G) DEO GRACIAS GTG 618, PH 83
- Holy Spirit (E) Richard Smallwood, AAHH 319
Psalms and Canticles
Metrical
- All Hail to God’s Anointed / Hail to the Lord’s Anointed [ROCKPORT, ES FLOG EIN KLEINS WALDVÖGELEIN, KELVINGROVE]; GTG 149, PH 205, PAS 72A, LUYH 109, PP 134 (with refrain), SSS 112
- Give Justice to Your King, O Lord [CMD]; SGP 104
- Están en tu mano / In Your Hand Alone; SSS 243
Responsorial
- In His Days Justice Will Flourish; PAS 72C
- Come, Lord, Come Soon [KELVINGROVE]; PP 133
- Justice Shall Flourish in the Time of the Lord; PND 23
Organ Music
- “Prepare the Royal Highway,” BEREDEN VAG FOR HERRAN, A Voice Is Sounding, Benjamin Culli, CON (M)
- “Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming,” ES IST EIN’ ROS’, Eleven Chorale Preludes, Johannes Brahms, Edition Peters (E)
- “Comfort, Comfort Now My People,” FREU DICH SEHR, People Look East, William Ringham (E)
- “Comfort, Comfort Now My People,” FREU DICH SEHR, Georg Bohm (M)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
- “Hope Lingers On,” Lissa Schneckenburger, arr. Andrea Ramsey, MusicSpoke, SATB, acap (M)
- “Lo, How a Rose / The Rose,” arr. Craig Hella Johnson, GSH, SATB, solo, pno (E)
- “Prepare the Royal Highway,” James Laster, CON, SATB, org (M)
- “There’s a Voice in the Wilderness,” Anne Krentz Organ, AF, 2 pt mx, ob, pno (E)
- “I Want God’s Heaven to Be Mine,” Betty Jackson King, OUP, SATB, acap, solo (D)
- “Consolámini,” B. E. Boykin, Klavia Press, SATB, acap (D)
Handbell Music
- “‘Savior of the Nations, Come’ with ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,’” Brenda Austin, 3–6 oct, opt 3–5 oct hc, HOPE, 2844, Level 2+
- “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming,” Ron Mallory, 3–5 oct, LOR, 20/1733L, Level 2
- “O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High,” Phillip Roberts, 3–5 oct, MSM, 30-844, Level 2+
Art
- Tree of Jesse, Absolon Stumme, 1499 (VDL)
- Saint John the Baptist Preaching to the Masses in the Wilderness, Pieter Bruegel (VDL)
- Prepare the Way, Jan Richardson (JR)
- The Desert in Advent, Jan Richardson (JR)
