7:30am Music Warm Up
8:00am Sound Check All Worship Participants Present
8:25am/11:00am Please Prepare for Worship Pastor Wesley
Prelude:
8:30am Welcome Pastor Wesley
Grace Lutheran Church, Upland, CA
Pastor Wesley Menke
Accompanist: Tatiana Thibodeaux
Lay Participants 8:30
Lector & Assisting Minister: Debbie Haag
Ushers: Brian and Sue Karrick
Communion Server: Loretta Estu
Cantor: Joisanne Dailey
Acolytes: Brian and Ronan Atkinson
Broadcast: Charles Menke
Sound: John Holmgren
Refreshments: Laura C.
Lay Participants 11:00
Sunday School: Kevin and Carrie Macias and Sheri Menke
Lector & Assisting Minister: Jerry Uhler
Ushers: Clay and Austin Thom
Communion Server: Ingrid Uhler
Acolytes: Rebecca and Alan Menke
Sound: James Wade
Flowers are in celebration of Kevin and Noelle Macias birthdays.
Covid 19 Safety Protocol: The California Department of Health recommends wearing a mask while indoors.
Prayer request: please fill out the card and give to the usher during hymn of the day
Unsupervised cry room with live feed of service available in the preschool.
Confession and Forgiveness
All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
who redeems us in Christ Jesus,
whose steadfast love endures forever.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Silence is kept for reflection
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
and our neighbors.
We have ignored voices
that call for your justice.
We have neglected actions
that witness to your righteousness.
We have spoken and acted
in ways that disrupt your beloved community.
We truly repent of things we have done
and left undone.
For the sake of Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
Restore our troubled spirits,
so that we may live in newness,
follow the way of the Spirit,
and build up the body of Christ.
Amen.
Rejoice and be glad!
God hears the prayers of all who cry out,
and restores us to life through the death
and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, I declare to you the forgiveness of all your sins,
in the name of the Father,
and of the ☩ Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Gathering Hymn
Greeting
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
Gloria* All Creation Sings Setting 11
Prayer of the Day
Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your Son. By his coming nurture our growth as people of repentance and peace; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Advent Wreath Lighting
Light one candle for hope.
One bright candle for hope.
Christ brings hope to every heart.
He comes. He comes.
Light one candle for Peace
One bright candle for Peace
Christ brings Peace to every heart
He comes, He comes.
Children Sermon
First Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10
1A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
2The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide by what his ears hear;
4but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
5Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,
and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
6The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
and a little child shall lead them.
7The cow and the bear shall graze,
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
9They will not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain;
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
10On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Psalm: Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19
1Give the king your jus- | tice, O God,
and your righteousness to | the king’s son;
2that he may rule your | people righteously
and the | poor with justice;
3that the mountains may bring prosperity | to the people,
and the | hills, in righteousness.
4Let him defend the needy a- | mong the people,
rescue the poor, and crush | the oppressor. R
5May he live as long as the sun and | moon endure,
from one generation | to another.
6Let him come down like rain upon | the mown field,
like showers that wa- | ter the earth.
7In his time may the | righteous flourish;
and let there be an abundance of peace till the moon shall | be no more.
18Blessed are you, Lord God, the | God of Israel;
you alone do | wondrous deeds!
19And blessed be your glorious | name forever,
and may all the earth be filled with your glory. A- | men. Amen. R
Second Reading: Romans 15:4-13
4Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 5May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, 6so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. 8For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
“Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles,
and sing praises to your name”;
10and again he says,
“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people”;
11and again,
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and let all the peoples praise him”;
12and again Isaiah says,
“The root of Jesse shall come,
the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;
in him the Gentiles shall hope.”
13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation* All Creation Sings Setting 11
The Holy Gospel according to Matthew 3:1-12
1In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,
“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.’ ”
4Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
7But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 9Do not presume 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. 10Even 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.
11“I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Glory to you Oh Lord.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you Oh Christ.
Sermon Pastor
Hymn of the Day
Apostles’ Creed Assisting Minister (Lector)
With the whole church, let us confess our faith.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.*
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession* Assisting Minister (Lector)
As we prepare for the fullness of Christ’s presence, let us pray for a world that yearns for new hope.
A brief silence.
God, you renew the church in every age. We give thanks for hymn writers and theologians especially John of Damascus and Charles Wesley. Inspire teachers, writers, and musicians to delight and instruct your people. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
You give us a vision of creation in harmony, when hurting and destruction will be no more. Teach us to be stewards of the earth and companions to its creatures. Restore to balance and wholeness what human greed has harmed. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
You defend the cause of all who are poor and oppressed. Raise up leaders who will govern with equity and serve the common good. Guide judges, lawmakers, and public officials to protect the rights of those who cannot advocate for themselves. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
You deliver those in need from suffering and fear. Come to the aid of any who are exploited or abused, especially children, elders, and victims of human trafficking. Provide safety and help to our neighbors without shelter, refugees, and those fleeing violence. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
You urge your people to welcome one another as you have welcomed us. Nurture ministries of hospitality and care in this and every congregation especially the Newcomer Access Center, Upland Community Resource Center, and Foothill Family Shelter. We pray for people who are homebound, hospitalized, or separated from loved ones. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Here other intercessions may be offered. Pastor
For Max P., for end of life comfort and peace, from his daughter Meghan G.
Mary J’s little dog, had surgery and is recuperating.
Christine R. with severe MS in Sacramento, CA
Amy a friend of Sally who had triple bypass surgery.
Denise R., healing from a fall and broken collar bone , from the Macias family
Nicole, friend of Maria, for healing from bone cancer surgery requested by Maria S.
Roy Jung who is in hospital.
Bob and Karla M., healing from cancer, successful CAR T therapy, thanksgiving for heat at home
Lowell because of major burns and other issues, a friend of Joey C.
Dasa, Marco, Luis, Rosy, Luca, and Jabobo
Eileen, because of end of life issues, requested by Debbie H.
Mary Ann M. for healing in her legs
Ed T. and Jenny B. for health and guidance from Clay T.
Doug for a cancer diagnosis from Aurora S.
Mary Ann R. who is threatened with eviction, help to pay rent and not become homeless
Anarosa, healing from lung cancer, sister of Rosalio
Victims and families of the tragedy (shooting) in Colorado Springs.
For the family of Liza, who died, grandmother of Tish S.
Assisting Minister (Lector) resumes praying:
You embrace all who have died trusting in your promises, and we give thanks for their faithful witness. Sustain us in hope until we are united with them in the joy of your eternal presence. God, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
God of our longing, you know our deepest needs. By your Spirit, gather our prayers and join them with the prayers of all your children. In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.
Passing of the Peace* Assisting Minister (Lector)
The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you.
**You may make your offering or donation through our website HERE.
Offertory
Offering Prayer
Gracious God,
in your great love you richly provide for our needs.
Make of these gifts a banquet of blessing,
and make us ready to share with all in need;
through Jesus Christ, who sets a table for all.
Amen.
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Great Thanksgiving Pastor
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give God thanks and praise.
It is our duty and delight | that we should everywhere and always offer thanks and praise to you O God, | through Jesus Christ |
who calls us to follow his way of humble servíce and love,
And so with the church on earth, all creation and the host of heaven| we praise your name and join their unending hymn.
Sanctus
Words of Institution
[[In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
La noche en que fue entregado,
nuestro Señor Jesús tomó pan y dio gracias; lo partió y lo dio a sus discípulos, diciendo: Tomen y coman; esto es mi cuerpo, dado por ustedes.
Hagan esto en memoria mía.
De igual manera, después de haber cenado, tomó la copa,
dio gracias y la dio a beber a todos, diciendo: Esta copa es el nuevo pacto en mi sangre, derramada por ustedes y por todo el mundo para el perdón del pecado.
Hagan esto en memoria mía.]
Lord’s Prayer*
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, forever and ever. Amen.
Padre nuestro que estás en el cielo, santificado sea tu nombre. Venga tu reino. Hágase tu voluntad en la tierra como en el cielo. Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día. Perdona nuestras ofensas como también nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden. No nos dejes caer en tentación y líbranos de mal. Porque tuyo es el reino, tuyo el poder y tuya la gloria ahora y siempre. Amén.
Invitation to Communion
Christ invites you to this table.
Come, taste and see.
Please come forward for communion. Open your hands to receive the bread. You may intinct the host into the common cup, or take a little cup of either wine or grape juice. All who wish to participate are welcome.
Agnus Dei
Communion Hymn
Prayer After Communion
God of the abundant table,
you have refreshed our hearts in this meal
with bread for the journey.
Give us your grace on the road
that we might serve our neighbors with joy;
for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Nunc Dimittis
[NOTE: PLEASE SWITCH OFF MIC BEFORE LEAVING AMBO]
ANNOUNCEMENTS
December 4 Worship 8:30am in English and 11:00am Bilingual (Spanish & English)
December 4 Sunday School 9:45am
December 7 Spanish Class for adults 8:30-10:30am
December 7 Spanish Class for Children 1:00pm
December 7 Alcoholics Anonymous for Women 6:00pm
December 8 Estudio bíblico 8:30am Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82672196928
December 8 Bible Study, 10:30am-12:00pm
December 9 Piecemakers Quilting 9:30am
December 10 Christmas Decorating 8:00am please RSVP to Pastor
December 11 Finance Committee 12:15pm
December 16 Preschool Christmas Program
December 24 Children Pageant 4:00pm, Candlelight Traditional 11:00pm
December 25 Christmas Day 8:30am, [11:00am service canceled]
January 1 Worship 8:30am in English and 11:00am Bilingual (Spanish & English)
February 5 Church Wine Bottling Party
December Birthdays and Anniversaries!
Kevin Macias, Noella Macias, Debbie Haines, Erik Hopkins, Keith Calvert, Brian Berg, Tyler Lott, and Debbie Haag
Happy Anniversary to: Earl and Carolyn Schoenwetter
Blessing*
God, who gives life to all things
and frees us from despair,
bless you with truth and peace.
And may the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
guide you always in faith, hope, and love.
Amen.
Sending Hymn
Dismissal
Go in peace. Christ is near.
Thanks be to God.
Postlude
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