St. John’s Episcopal Church
Helena, Arkansas
Third Sunday of Advent
December 12, 2021
THE HOLY EUCHARIST RITE TWO
Entrance Rite, Eucharistic Prayer B
The Word of God
ENTRANCE RITE
Entrance Hymn Rejoice! rejoice, believers (H 68)
Opening Acclamation
The people standing, the Celebrant says
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Celebrant |
Blessed are you, holy and living One. |
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People |
You come to your people and set them free. |
The Celebrant may say
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The following is said, all standing
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
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Celebrant |
The Lord be with you. |
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People |
And also with you. |
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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.
THE LESSONS
First Reading Zephaniah 3:14-20
The people sit.
A Reading from the book of the prophet Zephaniah.
14Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! 15The 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.16On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. 17The 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 18as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. 19I 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. 20At 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.
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Reader |
The Word of the Lord. |
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People |
Thanks be to God. |
Psalm Canticle 9: The First Song of Isaiah
Remain seated and read in unison.
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.
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.
Second Reading Philippians 4:4-7
The people sit.
A Reading from Paul's letter to the Church in Philippi.
4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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Reader |
The Word of the Lord. |
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People |
Thanks be to God. |
Sequence Hymn Comfort, comfort ye my people (Psalm 42) (H 67)
All stand.
Gospel Luke 3:7-18
All stand.
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Priest |
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke. |
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People |
Glory to you, Lord Christ. |
7John 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? 8Bear 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. 9Even 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.”
10And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” 11In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” 12Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” 14Soldiers 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.”
15As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16John 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. 17His 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.”
18So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
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Priest |
The Gospel of the Lord. |
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People |
Praise to you, Lord Christ. |
The Sermon Rev. Teresa Cantrell
The Creed
All stand.
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
All remain standing or kneel.
With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy.”
For the peace from above, for the loving kindness of God, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the world, for the welfare of the holy Church of God, and for the unity of all peoples, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For our Bishop, Larry, and for all the clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For our President, Joe, for the leaders of the nations, and for all in authority, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For this city, Helena – West Helena, for every city and community, and for those who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the good earth which God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the aged and infirm, for the widowed and orphans, and for the sick and the suffering, and for all those who are lonely or afraid, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and the destitute, for prisoners and captives, and for all who remember and care for them, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For all who have died in the hope of the resurrection; remembering especially, Rodney Alpe, and for all the departed, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For deliverance from all danger, violence, oppression, and degradation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the absolution and remission of our sins and offenses, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
That we may end our lives in faith and hope, without suffering and without reproach, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Defend us, deliver us, and in thy compassion protect us, O Lord, by thy grace.
Lord, have mercy.
In the communion of St. John of the Cross, St. John the Evangelist, and of all the saints, let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life, to Christ our God.
To thee, O Lord our God.
LEM continues
Silence
The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.
Hasten, O Father, the coming of thy kingdom; and grant that we thy servants, who now live by faith, may with joy behold thy Son in his glorious majesty; through Jesus Christ, our only Meditator and Advocate. Amen.
Confession of Sin
The Celebrant says
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept.
Minister and People
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
The Priest stands and says
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The Peace
All stand.
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Celebrant |
The peace of the Lord be always with you. |
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People |
And also with you. |
Then the Ministers and the People may greet one another in the name of the Lord.
Announcements and birthday and anniversary blessings.
The Holy Communion
Offertory Sentence
The Celebrant says
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and make good your vows to the Most High.
Offertory Hymn
DOXOLOGY
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
The People remain standing.
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Celebrant |
The Lord be with you. |
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People |
And also with you. |
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Celebrant |
Lift up your hearts. |
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People |
We lift them to the Lord. |
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Celebrant |
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. |
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People |
It is right to give him thanks and praise. |
Facing the Holy Table, the Celebrant proceeds
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
Because you sent your beloved Son to redeem us from sin and death, and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life; that when he shall come again in power and great triumph to judge the world, we may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing.
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
Sanctus
Celebrant and People recite in unison
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven 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.
The People stand or kneel.
The Celebrant continues
We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
On the night before he died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.” Therefore, according to his command, O Father,
Celebrant and People
We remember his death,
We proclaim his resurrection,
We await his coming in glory;
The Celebrant continues
And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.
We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with Blessed Mary and all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation.
By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.
The Lord’s Prayer
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
People and Celebrant
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.
THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD
Fraction Anthem
Celebrant Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
People have mercy on us.
Celebrant Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
People have mercy on us.
Celebrant Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
People grant us peace.
The Celebrant says
The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.
The ministers receive the Sacrament in both kinds, and then immediately deliver it to the people.
The Bread is given to the communicants with these words
The Body (Blood) of our Lord Jesus Christ keep you in everlasting life. [Amen.]
Communion Hymn
Post-Communion Prayer
After Communion, the Celebrant says
Let us pray.
Celebrant and People
Almighty and everliving God,
we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food
of the most precious Body and Blood
of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;
and for assuring us in these holy mysteries
that we are living members of the Body of your Son,
and heirs of your eternal kingdom.
And now, Father, send us out
to do the work you have given us to do,
to love and serve you
as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.
To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Blessing
May Almighty God, by whose providence our savior Christ came among us in great humility, sanctify you with the light of his blessing and set you free from all sin. Amen
Post-Communion Hymn Hark! the glad sound! the Savior comes (H 71)
Dismissal
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Celebrant |
Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit. |
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People |
Thanks be to God. |
POSTLUDE
A Note on Today’s Readings
The Third Sunday of Advent—Year C
In our readings and in the Collect for today, the major themes of biblical, prophetic religion come together, deepening the preparation of God’s faithful people for the approaching Christmas festival. We pray that God will “stir up his power and come among us” and we are given the paradoxical message of fearful judgment and joyful anticipation.
This message is given first in Zephaniah’s announcement of “the Day of the Lord” when God will come to draw all people into a saving and life-giving community. “The Lord, your God, is in your midst.” “Sing aloud... Rejoice... Exult.”
For Paul and the church in Philippi, the Lord has indeed come in Jesus’ death and resurrection. “Rejoice,” Paul says, and be partakers in the peace of God, which is our true guardian and protector.
But first, we hear the harsh words from John the Baptist, warning that we must be prepared for that coming if it is indeed to be a time of rejoicing. Repentance is the key to that preparation. However, repentance must be more than a feeling, and it must be deeper than outward rituals such as water baptism, or tracing one’s descent from Abraham. That repentance must bear fruit in social righteousness—in self-giving and concrete actions of love and mercy toward others.
The Lord is in the midst of us, and so we sing out joyful Alleluias as he comes to us in his Word, and again as he comes to us in the breaking of the bread.
From The Rite Light: Reflections on the Sunday Readings and Seasons of the Church Year. Copyright © 2007 by Michael W. Merriman. Church Publishing Incorporated, New
Welcome to St. John’s. We are so glad you are joining us to worship today.
Please keep the following in your prayers: Debra Richardson, Kathy Sullivan, Parker Pace, Courtney Turner, Jo Boone Wild, Gloria Higginbotham, Kathleen Gibson, Cole Jefferies, Carol Spencer, Bonnie & Charles Rowland, Jo Liddy, Joan Henderson, Janet Juengel, Vivian Wright, Jim Howe, Pat Wheeler, Cliff Clark, Linda Dowling, Susan Taylor, Sylvia Ross, Sawyer Barry Smith, and Gretchen Barry.
St. John’s continues to support the Angels of Grace and the Anchor Mission ministries. Choose from their list which includes: cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates, laundry detergent, bleach and dish soap.
Please place your donations at the back of the church or drop by the office.
Grace Food Pantry labeled container in the narthex is for any plastic bags you might want to donate.
Thank you for your weekly donations. They are all so very greatly appreciated.
Donations for Camp Mitchell can be mailed to Rev. Joanna Seibert, 27 River Ridge Rd, Little Rock, AR 72227. Or given to St. John’s or Lindalu Hargraves. Thank you for your continued support of Camp Mitchell.
Christmas poinsettia forms are on the table at the back of the church.
Contact info:
Email: rector@saintjohnshelena.org
St. John’s Church Office:
Phone: 870-338-8115
Email: office@saintjohnshelena.org
Mailing address: P.O. Box 770, Helena, AR 72342
Street address: 625 Pecan St., Helena, Arkansas
The Most Rev. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury
The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church
The Rt. Reverend Larry R. Benfield, Bishop of Arkansas
Rev. Teresa Cantrell
The Vestry of St. John’s Church, Helena
Mike Fielder, Senior Warden (2021)
Ed Pat Wright, Junior Warden (2023)
Brooke Tappan, Clerk (2023),
Ben Pittman (2021), Ann Lee (2021), Mark Rogers (2022),
Allison Biederman (2022), Susan Carter (2022),
Tap Jennings (2023)
Walter Morris, Treasurer
Organist – Dr. Gabriel Statom
Pianist –Dagmar Bergan
Lay Reader – Susan Carter
Acolyte – Eli Pillow
Altar Guild – Bennett Sellers & Angie Fielder
Ushers – Ed Pat Wright & Dana Kurts
The flowers on the altar today are given to the glory of God
and in memory of Rodney Alpe
Given by Tap Jennings, Jack Hornor, & West Hornor
