Links to view worship videos on Facebook or YouTube:
https://www.facebook.com/GraceUpland/live/
Pastor Wesley Menke
Accompanist: Tatiana Thibodeaux
Director: Chris Geach
[ * Denotes Standing as you are able]
Prelude:
Confession and Forgiveness
In the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
God of all mercy and consolation, come to the help of your people, turning us from our sin to live for you alone. Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that we may confess our sin, receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Gracious God,
have mercy on us. We confess that we have turned from you and given ourselves into the power of sin. We are truly sorry and humbly repent. In your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things we have done and things we have failed to do. Turn us again to you, and uphold us by your Spirit, so that we may live and serve you in newness of life through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin, and made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved. In the name of ☩ Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. Almighty God strengthen you with power through the Holy Spirit, that Christ may live in your hearts through faith. 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.
Glory in the Highest ~ Gloria en las alturas
Prayer of the Day*
Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming give to all the people of the world knowledge of your salvation; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Children Sermon & Advent Wreath
Light One Candle to Watch for Messiah
1 Light one candle to watch for Messiah:
let the light banish darkness.
He shall bring salvation to Israel, God fulfills the promise.
2 Light two candles to watch for Messiah:
let the light banish darkness.
He shall feed the flock like a shepherd,
Gently lead them homeward.
First Reading: Malachi 3:1-4
See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; 3he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. 4Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
Psalm: Luke 1:68-79
68Blessed are you, Lord, the | God of Israel,
you have come to your people and | set them free.
69You have raised up for us a | mighty Savior,
born of the house of your | servant David. R
70Through your holy prophets, you promised of old to save us | from our enemies,
71from the hands of | all who hate us,
72to show mercy | to our forebears,
and to remember your | holy covenant.
73This was the oath you swore to our | father Abraham:
74to set us free from the hands of our | enemies,
free to worship you | without fear,
75holy and righteous before you, all the days | of our life. R
76And you, child, shall be called the prophet of | the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to pre- | pare the way,
77to give God’s people knowledge | of salvation
by the forgiveness | of their sins.
78In the tender compassion | of our God
the dawn from on high shall | break upon us,
79to shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shad- | ow of death,
and to guide our feet into the | way of peace. R
Second Reading: Philippians 1:3-11
3I thank my God every time I remember you, 4constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, 5because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. 6I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 7It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. 9And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation*
Gospel: Luke 3:1-6
1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
5Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;
6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Oh Christ.
Sermon –
Hymn of the Day
Apostles’ Creed
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*
Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
Passing of the Peace* Pastor
The peace of Christ be with you all. And also with you.
**You may make your offering or donation through our website HERE.
Offering Hymn
Offering Prayer* Pastor
God of our waiting and watching,
we offer the gifts of our hearts and our lives
to the service of all your people.
Prepare the way before us.
as we meet you in this simple meal,
through Christ Jesus, our pathway and our peace. 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 God thanks and praise.
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of pow’r and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory, full of your glory.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Sanctus Hark, the Glad Sound! ELW 239
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.
Invitation to Communion*
Prayer*
Blessing*
The God of hope
fill us with all joy and peace in believing,
so that we may abound in hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
through Christ Jesus for whom we wait.
Amen
Announcements
Sending Hymn
Dismissal
Go in peace. Christ is near.
Thanks be to God.
Postlude:
Leave a Reply