December 14, 2022 -Midweek Advent Service

Welcome! It is a joy to worship with you this evening. OPENING HYMN: 19 — O Lord, How Shall I Meet You OPENING LITURGY P: Jesus Christ is the light of the world, C: the light no darkness can overcome. P: Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening, C: and the day is almost over. P: Be our light and scatter the darkness, C: and hear our evening prayers and praise. CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION P: Wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness. C: He will expose the motives of the heart. (1 Corinthians 4:5) P: O Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; C: in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. (Psalm 143:1) P: To prepare for the coming of our Lord, we take this time to honestly and humbly examine our hearts. Silent reflection concerning our sin and our need for forgiveness. P: Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. C: But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:15-16) P: As redeemed children of God, we prepare for when Christ will come again. C: For the Lord himself will come. And we will be with the Lord forever. Amen. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) PRAYER O God, you make us glad with the expectation of the coming of your one and only Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Grant that we, who with joy receive him as our Redeemer, may without fear behold him when he will come to be our Judge, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. READING: Luke 1:57-80 (Please look up in your bible) DEVOTION: Luke 1:57-80 Prepared for Music EXHORTATION AND PRAYER P: Dear people of God, in the season of Advent it is our responsibility and joy to prepare ourselves to hear again the message of the angels, to go to Bethlehem and see the Son of God lying in a manger. P: Let us hear and heed in Holy Scripture the story of God’s loving purpose from the time of our rebellion against him until the glorious redemption brought to us by his holy Child, Jesus, and let us look forward to the yearly remembrance of his birth. Let us also pray for the needs of his whole world, for peace and justice on earth, for the unity and mission of the Church for which he died, for the people in our country and in this city, and especially for the brothers and sisters in our synod and in our own congregation. And because he particularly loves them, let us remember, in his name the poor and helpless, the cold, the hungry and the oppressed, the sick and those who mourn, the lonely and unloved, the aged and the little children, as well as all those who do not know and love the Lord Jesus Christ. Finally, let us praise God for the faith of Mary, mother of our Lord, and that whole multitude which no one can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom, in Jesus, we are one forevermore. To sum up all these petitions, let us pray as Christ himself taught us: C: 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. BLESSING P: Go forth into the world in peace, be of good courage, hold fast to that which is good, render to no one evil for evil, strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the afflicted, honor all people, love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. And the blessing of God Almighty—the Father, the Son (†), and the Holy Spirit—be upon you and remain with you forever. C: Amen. (BE SEATED) CLOSING HYMN: 28 — Let the Earth Now Praise the Lord Streamed with permission under One License #A-716958 Used with Permission through our CCLI Copyright License # 21115061 and Streaming License #21115078