St. John’s Episcopal Church
Helena, Arkansas
Second Sunday of Advent
December 5, 2021
The Holy Eucharist Rite Two
Entrance Rite, Eucharistic Prayer B,
The Word of God
ENTRANCE RITE
Entrance Hymn On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry (H 76)
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.
Opening Anthem
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. |
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
THE LESSONS
First Reading Baruch 5:1-9
The people sit.
A Reading from the book of Baruch.
1Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem, and put on forever the beauty of the glory from God. 2Put on the robe of the righteousness that comes from God; put on your head the diadem of the glory of the Everlasting; 3for God will show your splendor everywhere under heaven. 4For God will give you evermore the name, “Righteous Peace, Godly Glory.” 5Arise, O Jerusalem, stand upon the height; look toward the east, and see your children gathered from west and east at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that God has remembered them. 6For they went out from you on foot, led away by their enemies; but God will bring them back to you, carried in glory, as on a royal throne. 7For God has ordered that every high mountain and the everlasting hills be made low and the valleys filled up, to make level ground, so that Israel may walk safely in the glory of God. 8The woods and every fragrant tree have shaded Israel at God’s command. 9For God will lead Israel with joy, in the light of his glory, with the mercy and righteousness that come from him.
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Reader |
The Word of the Lord. |
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People |
Thanks be to God. |
Silence may follow.
Psalm Canticle 4: The Song of Zechariah
Remain seated and read responsively by whole verse.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, *
for he hath visited and redeemed his people;
And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us *
in the house of his servant David,
As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, *
which have been since the world began:
That we should be saved from our enemies, *
and from the hand of all that hate us;
To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, *
and to remember his holy covenant;
To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham, *
that he would give us,
That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies *
might serve him without fear,
In holiness and righteousness before him, *
all the days of our life.
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest, *
for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people *
for the remission of their sins,
Through the tender mercy of our God, *
whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us;
To give light to them that sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Second Reading Philippians 1:3-11
The people sit.
A Reading from Paul's letter to the Church in Philippi.
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.
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Reader |
The Word of the Lord. |
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People |
Thanks be to God. |
Silence may follow.
Sequence Hymn Prepare the way, O Zion (H 65)
All stand.
Gospel Luke 3:1-6
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. |
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.’ ”
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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.
Let us pray for the Church and for the world.
Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace; that we may honor one another and serve the common good.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he loves us.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
We commend to your mercy all who have died, remembering especially, Floyd and Carolyn Curtis, that your will for them may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.
Silence
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
Lord in your mercy
Hear our prayer.
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 at his coming in glorious majesty; even Jesus Christ, our only Mediator 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.
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 music
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
All 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 St. John the Evangelist, 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: O Lamb of God, that takest way the sins of the world,
People: Have mercy on us.
Celebrant: O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
People: Have mercy on us.
Celebrant: O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
People: Grant us thy 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 music
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
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
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, and Sylvia Ross.
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 – Mike Fielder
Acolyte – Mary Pillow
Altar Guild – Jayne Morris & Betsy Wright
Ushers – Ben Pittman & Lorraine Ferryman
The flowers on the altar today are given to the glory of God
and in memory of Floyd & Carolyn Curtis
Given by Frances Howe
