St.

Martins Episcopal Church

A Beacon of Christs Love, Spirit Fed, Serving Others

December 16, 2012 8:00a.m. The Third Sunday of Advent

Welcome! We are glad you are worshiping here today. We encourage all to settle in to a spirit of prayer before the service begins. Please be sensitive to the needs of your fellow worshipers by silencing cell phones and maintaining a spirit of God focused peace. Thank you.

THE WORD OF GOD

Prayer Book Pages

The Holy Eucharist: Rite I

The Book of Common Prayer (BCP) 323

Lighting of the Advent Wreath (Third week of Advent):

Light the first, second, and third candles (the rose candle is the third candle). Leader

Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice.

Leader and people

Blessed Father, we pray that the whole world may share with us the joy of knowing you. Give faith to those who doubt; give hope to those who are in need; give love to those who are friendless and alone; and draw us all closer together in the power of your Holy Spirit and the presence of your Son Jesus Christ, who live and reign with you forever and ever. Amen. Opening Acclamation
People

The people standing, the Celebrant says.

323

Blessed be God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And blessed be Gods kingdom, now and for ever. Amen. 323

Collect for Purity

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. People Amen.

The Summary of the Law 324 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. The Trisagion
To be said three times: Celebrant Holy

324

People

God, Holy & Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.

The Collect of the Day Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And with thy spirit. Celebrant Let us pray. Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen. People Amen.
The People sit.

The First Lesson Reader A Reading from the Book of Zephaniah. Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more.
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Zephaniah 3:14-20

On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the LORD. Reader The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God.
In unison

Canticle 9 Surely, it is God who saves me; * I will trust in him and not be afraid. For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, * and he will be my Savior. Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing * from the springs of salvation.
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BCP 86

And on that day you shall say, * Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name; Make his deeds known among the peoples; * see that they remember that his Name is exalted. Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, * and this is known in all the world. Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, * for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel. 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 Second Lesson Phillipians 4:4-7 Reader A Reading from the Letter of Paul to the Phillipians. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Reader The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God.
All stand.

The Holy Gospel Luke 3:7-18 Priest The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke. People Glory be to thee, O Lord. John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food
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must do likewise." Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages." As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. Priest The Gospel of the Lord. People Praise be to thee, O Christ. The Sermon The Nicene Creed (stand) The Prayers of the People (kneel or stand)
Celebrant

The Rev. Jon Hall 326 328 331 332 332

The Confession
Celebrant

The Absolution The Peace (stand) Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you. People And with thy spirit. Welcome and Announcements Invitation for Birthday & Anniversary Blessings

THE HOLY COMMUNION

The Offertory Celebrant All things come of Thee, O Lord, People And of Thine own have we given Thee. THE GREAT THANKSGIVINGEUCHARISTIC PRAYER I The Sursum Corda The Proper Preface The Sanctus Prayer of Consecration (kneel or stand) The Lords Prayer The Fraction The Agnus Dei Prayer of Humble Access Invitation 333 333 345 334 334 336 337 337 337 338

All baptized Christians are invited to receive Holy Communion when visiting the Episcopal Church. When you kneel at the altar rail, place one hand over the other to receive the bread in the palm of your hand, then lift it to your mouth. Gently hold the chalice by the base and guide it to your lips or you may hold the wafer and when the chalice comes before you, dip the wafer into the wine. Full Communion is received in either the bread or the wine individually. Those who do not wish to receive are invited to come to the altar rail and kneel to receive a blessing. Cross your arms over your chest as a sign that you are covered by the cross of Christ and the priest will be glad to offer you a blessing. If you are unable to come to the communion rail, please notify an usher, so that communion may be brought to you in the pew.

The Sending Forth of Our Eucharistic Visitors

The Eucharistic Visitors come forward to the Altar Priest

People

In the healing name of Jesus and this congregation we send you forth bearing these holy gifts, that those to whom you go may share with us in the communion of Christs Body and Blood. We who are many are one body, because we share one bread, one cup.
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The Post Communion Prayer (kneel or stand)

339

The Blessing May you, who rejoice in the first Advent of our Redeemer, at his second Advent be rewarded with unending life; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you for ever. People Amen. The Dismissal Priest Let us bless the Lord. People Thanks be to God.

Liturgical Participants
Celebrant Assisting Priest Crucifer Lessons & Prayer Chalice Bearer Ushers Altar Guild Greeter Eucharistic Visitors The Rev. Jon Hall The Rev. Stephen Bergmann Tom Soule Jim Crabtree Heidi Gioia, Jim Crabtree Ginny & Bob Marchetto Nancy Young, Vikki Nordeen Ruth Minster Elin Cogan-Adewunmi Rebecca Barger, Mary Richardson

St. Martins Episcopal Church

15764 Clayton Rd. Ellisville, Missouri 63011 Phone: 636.227.1484 Fax: 636.227.1494 www.stmartinschurch.org http://www.facebook.com/stmartinschurch

The Rt. Reverend George Wayne Smith, Bishop of Missouri The Reverend Jon W. Hall, Rector, jhall@stmartinschurch.org The Reverend Emily Hillquist Davis, Assisting Priest, edavis@stmartinschurch.org The Reverend Stephen Bergmann, Pastoral Assistant, jsb42@charter.net Janis Greenbaum, Communications Coordinator, jgreenbaum@stmartinschurch.org Michelle Magee, Administrative Assistant to Clergy, mmagee@stmartinschurch.org Janet Theiss, Parish Administrator, jtheiss@stmartinschurch.org Clay McKinney, Music Director, cmckinney@stmartinschurch.org Denise Marsh, Organist Tom Warrington, Sexton Patrick Nelson, Sunday Sexton The Vestry Steve Young, Sr. Warden (2013) Tom Baranowski, Stewardship Liaison (2014) Clem Brooke, Jr. Warden (2015) Lynn Corning, Outreach Liaison (2015) Jane Klieve, Clerk (2014) Steve Gillies, Children, Youth Liaison (2013) Larry Cornelius, Treasurer (2014) Loretta Go, Parish Life Liaison (2015) Stewart Wiles, Asst. Treasurer, Packwood Fund Chair (2013) Mike Reeves, Parish Life Liaison (2015) Elizabeth Arras, Pastoral Care Liaison (2013) Ralph Trieschmann, Evangelism Liaison (2014)
*Date in parentheses is the end of the term of service in January of the year noted.