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December 6, 2020
Second Sunday in Advent
Serving Today
First Reading: Steve Tucker
Second Reading: Marlene Bolar
Assisting Minister: Clato Barnes
WELCOME. As we begin a new church year, we look forward to the coming of Christ a second time.
If Christ is coming, how do we make ready? All of our Scripture readings and the Psalm talk of preparing for God’s coming. In each, preparation involves changing the patterns of our lives. As we wait it is not a time of business as usual.
The Eucharist: All baptized Christians who believe that Jesus Christ is truly present in the bread and wine of the Holy Communion are welcome at his table.
In the Name of Jesus
Gathering
Welcome
A time of silence
Confession and Forgiveness
P: Blessed be God, Father, ✝ Son, and Holy Spirit, whose forgiveness is sure and whose steadfast love endures forever.
C: Amen.
P: Together let us honestly and humbly confess that we have not lived as God desires.
Silence for reflection.
Loving and forgiving God,
C: we confess that we are held captive by sin. In spite of our best efforts, we have gone astray. We have not welcomed the stranger; we have not loved our neighbor; we have not been Christ to one another. Restore us, O God. Wake us up and turn us from our sin. Renew us each day in the light of Christ. Amen.
P: People of God, hear this glad news: by God’s endless grace your sins are forgiven, and who are free—free from all that hold you back and free to live in the peaceable realm of God. May you be strengthened in God’s love, ✝ comforted by Christ’s peace, and accompanied with the power of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
Lighting the Advent Wreath
P: We praise you, O God, for this circle of light marks our days of preparation for Christ’s advent. As we light the candles on this wreath, kindle within us the fire of your Spirit, that we may be light shining in the darkness. Enlighten us with your grace, that we may welcome others as you have welcomed us. Grant this through Christ our Lord, whose coming is certain and whose day draws near.
C: Amen.
Light two candles.
Hymn: Comfort, Comfort Now My People
Words: Johann Olearius, 1611-1684; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878 alt.
Music: freu dich sehr, Trente quatre pseaumes de David, Geneva, 1551
"Comfort, comfort now my people;
tell of peace!" So says our God.
Comfort those who sit in darkness
mourning under sorrow’s load.
To God's people now proclaim that God's pardon waits for them!
Tell them that their war is over; God will reign in peace forever!
For the herald's voice is crying in the desert far and near,
calling us to true repentance, since the reign of God is here.
Oh, that warning cry obey! Now prepare for God a way!
Valleys rise to greet the Savior; hills, bow down in humble favor.
Straight shall be what long was crooked,
and the rougher places plain!
Let your hearts be true and humble, as befits his holy reign!
For the glory of the Lord now on earth is shed abroad,
and all flesh shall see the token that God's word is never broken.
Prayer of the Day
P: Let us pray. Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son.
C: By his coming strengthen us to serve you with purified lives; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Word
Hymn: Wait for the Lord
Words and music: Jacques Berthier, 1923-1994, and the Taizé Community
Wait for the Lord, whose day is near.
Wait for the Lord, be strong, take heart! Repeat 3 times
First Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.
3 A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
6 A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?"
All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the Lord blows on it;
surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.
9 Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news;
lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news;
lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"
10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him;
behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.
11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
R: The word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Pause to contemplate the Word.
Psalm of Response: Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
P: Lord, you were favorable to your land;
C: you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
P: You forgave the iniquity of your people;
C: you covered all their sin.
P: Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
C: but let them not turn back to folly.
P: Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
C: that glory may dwell in our land.
P: Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
C: righteousness and peace kiss each other.
P: Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
C: and righteousness looks down from the sky.
P: Yes, the Lord will give what is good,
C: and our land will yield its increase.
P: Righteousness will go before him
C: and make his footsteps a way.
Second Reading: 2 Peter 3:8-15a
8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation. . . .
R: The word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Pause to contemplate the Word.
Gospel: (Introduced as follows:)
P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark the 1st chapter.
C: Glory to you, O Lord!
Mark 1:1-8
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,
"Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'"
4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
P: The Gospel of our Lord.
C: Praise to you, O Christ!
Sermon
Hymn of the Day: Prepare the Royal Highway ELW 264
Words: Frans Mikael Franzén, 1772-1847; tr. Lutheran Book of Worship, 1978
Music: bereden väg för herran, Swedish folk tune, 17th cent.
Prepare the royal highway; the King of kings is near!
Let ev’ry hill and valley a level road appear!
Then greet the King of glory, foretold in sacred story:
Hosanna to the Lord, for he fulfills God’s Word!
Then fling the gates wide open to greet your promised king!
Your king, yet ev’ry nation its tribute too may bring.
All lands will bow before him; their voices join your singing:
Hosanna to the Lord, for he fulfills God’s Word!
His is no earthly kingdom; it comes from heav’n above.
His rule is peace and freedom and justice, truth, and love.
So let your praise be sounding for kindness so abounding:
Hosanna to the Lord, for he fulfills God’s Word!
Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell. 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 again 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 the Congregation
P: Come, Lord Jesus, come and lead us to the reordering of our lives that makes ready for your coming.
C: As you come to make the rough places a plain, move us to pass your compassion to those who are bent and broken.
P: For those whose wildernesses are too vast, whose mountains and hills are too steep to climb, whose valleys are deep pits of despair,
C: move us to be the voices in the wilderness proclaiming rescue to all those struggling with life.
P: Offer comfort to people whose wilderness is a city street, whose home is a tent, whose health-care is non-existent.
C: Bless our contributions to those organizations that offer aid, and our efforts of gathering socks for those in need.
P: Lead and guide the leaders of the nations that they may find the ways of peace.
C: Come with your might, and pick up your sheep ravaged by war and fill them with hope.
P: In our own land where justice for people of color is often denied, where emotions boil over in riots and looting, we pray for an end to such destructive behavior.
C: Reward those protesting to bring justice and equity to people of color, so that together we may see your promise of new life brought to completion.
P: In your mercy be with those in our own midst who struggle with the sickness life has brought them: Wanda Allen, Bill Johnson, Joy Bauer, Alcine Wyatt, Ella Smith, Ruby Buxton, Sharee Daniels, and Orelia Jarrow.
C: In this dark time of year give them the comfort of good care from doctors, all medical staff needed, and the care of family and friends.
P: In this season of holiday celebration, be with all who grieve– grieve loss of home, loss of job, loss of ability to do what we used to do.
C: Help us to find ways to be voices announcing your deliverance from all that plagues our lives.
P: For what else do the people of God pray?
After the petitions:
Lord, in your mercy,
C: hear our prayer.
P: For too many of us, the holiday season brings new stresses. There is too much to do, and not enough time or money to do what we would like to do.
C: Bring your message of comfort to us. Help us focus on your life given for us to shine light in our darkness.
P: Come, Lord Jesus, come and according to your mercy hear our prayers and fill our lives with your deliverance.
C: Amen.
Meal
Great Thanksgiving
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Lift up your hearts.
C: We lift them to the Lord.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
P: It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through our Savior Jesus Christ. You comforted your people with the promise of the Redeemer, through whom you will also make all things new in the day when he comes to judge the world in righteousness. And so, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, Holy, Holy
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heav’n and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
P: Holy One, the beginning and the end, the giver of life:
C: Blessed are you for the birth of creation.
P: Blessed are you in the darkness and in the light.
C: Blessed are you for your promise to your people.
P: Blessed are you in the prophets’ hopes and dreams.
C: Blessed are you for Mary’s openness to your will.
P: Blessed are you for your Son Jesus, the Word made flesh, who in the night in which he was betrayed, 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.
Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.
C: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
P: With this bread and cup we remember your Word dwelling among us, full of grace and truth. We remember our new birth in his death and resurrection. We look with hope for his coming.
C: Come, Lord Jesus.
P: Holy God, we long for your Spirit. Come among us. Bless this meal. May your Word take flesh in us. Awaken your people. Fill us with your light. Bring the gift of peace on earth.
C: Come, Holy Spirit.
P: All praise and glory are yours, Holy one of Israel, Word of God incarnate, Power of the Most High, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
P: Let us pray with confidence in the words our Savior gave us:
C: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
Communion Hymn: O Come, Lord Jesus Tune: Tallis’ Canon
O come, Lord Jesus, be our guest,
and let these gifts to us be blessed,
and may there be a goodly share on every table everywhere.
Communion
After all have communed;
P: The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
C: Amen.
Prayer
P: Let us pray. Gracious and abundant God,
C: you have done great things for us, and we rejoice. In this bread and cup you give us life forever. In your boundless mercy, strengthen us and open our hearts to the world’s needs, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Sending
Blessing
P: The Creator of the stars bless your Advent waiting, the long expected Savior fill you with love, and the unexpected Spirit guide your journey, ✝ now and forever.
C: Amen.
Sending Hymn: All Earth Is Hopeful TFF 47
Words: Alberto Taulé, b. 1932; tr. Madaleine Forell Marshall, b. 1946
Music: Alberto Taulé
All earth is hopeful, the savior comes at last!
Furrows lie open for God’s creative task:
this the labor of people who struggle to see
how God’s trust and justice set ev’rybody free.
Mountains and valleys will have to be prepared;
new highways opened, new protocols declared.
Almost here! God is nearing, in beauty and grace!
All clear ev’ry gateway, in haste, come out in haste!
We first saw Jesus a baby in a crib.
This same Lord Jesus today has come to live
in our world; he is present, in neighbors we see
our Jesus is with us, and ever sets us free.
Announcements of our life together
Dismissal
P: Go in peace. Prepare the way of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God!
To God Alone Be Glory
Acknowledgments: The Confession and Forgiveness, and Blessing are from p. 24; and the prayer for Lighting the Advent Wreath, p. 25; are from Sundays & Seasons, copyright © 2021 Augsburg Fortress. The Eucharistic Prayer is Prayer III from p. 240, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Leaders Desk Edition, copyright © 2006 ELCA, published by Augsburg Fortress. All Scripture passages are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
To assist you with preparation for worship the Scripture readings for next Sunday,
Third Sunday in Advent are:
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28.
Wednesday Mid-week Advent Worship at 6:30 PM via Zoom:
Services will be shared with Lamb of God, Trinity, and Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd. Each Wednesday the pastor of each church will lead the worship in the above order. For those with email you will receive an email invitation. For those who connect by phone, here’s what you need:
Dial by your location
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 884 7586 1354
Passcode: 1031.
This week at Good Shepherd
Bible Study Wednesday 10:30 call in 712-770-4995 participant code 287179
Upcoming:
December 2nd 9th and 16th : Wednesday Advent Services
December 13th 4:00 Annual LWML Advent Tea... via Zoom
Happy Birthday to our December babies: John Hancock 13th Anita Tucker 14th Cynthia Simmons 20th & Will Langston 24th. God’s abundant blessings to you all on your special day and always.
Stewardship: Attendance: 30 Offering & Donations: $1175
Good Shepherd is supporting the Operation Nightwatch Sock Drive this year and has delivered the socks and handwarmers to Nightwatch. Financial donations are welcome.
A thank you note from Compass Housing Alliance
Dear Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Thank you for your gift of $500! As we begin our 100th year of serving our Community, your gift continues to make a difference in the lives of our neighbors. 2020 has been a difficult year for all of us, and we appreciate your continued support throughout this unprecedented time.
Local Organization in need of financial support:
Operation Nightwatch – PO Box 21181, SEA 98111-9741
Compass Housing Alliance – 77 S. Washington St. SEA 98104
Northwest Harvest – PO Box 12272, SEA 98102
Lutheran Ministry Services – 7040 36th Ave. NE SEA 98115-5998
Sick and Shut-In Members
Please remember in your prayers,
Wanda Allen 222 25th Ave., Sea 98122
Bill Johnson, 2717 Dexter Ave. N., Sea 98109
Joy Bauer, 1061 Shelton Ave. NE Renton 98056
Alcine Wyatt, 811 27th Ave., Sea 98122
Ella Smith, 4832 35th Ave. SW Sea 98126
Ruby Buxton 315 31st Ave., Sea 98122
Sharee Daniels, 6731 N 17th Street, Tacoma 98406
Orelia Jarrow 3621 33rd Ave. S. #335 Sea 98144
Jerelene Armstead 5145 S. Fountain Sea 98178
_____________________________________________
Our Mission Statement:
Led by the Holy Spirit, the mission of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd
is to give glory to God for the building of His Kingdom, by proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
worshipping the Triune God, and reaching out in love to the community.