St. John’s Episcopal Church
Helena, Arkansas
First Sunday of Advent
November 28, 2021
The Holy Eucharist Rite Two
Entrance Rite, Eucharistic Prayer B
The Word of God
ENTRANCE RITE
Entrance Hymn Lo! he comes, with clouds descending (H 58)
Opening Acclamation
The people standing, the Celebrant says
|
Celebrant |
Blessed are you, holy and living One. |
|
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
Celebrant Lord, have mercy.
People Christ, have mercy.
Celebrant Lord, have mercy.
|
Celebrant |
The Lord be with you. |
|
People |
And also with you. |
|
Celebrant |
Let us pray. |
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
THE LESSONS
First Reading Jeremiah 33:14-16
The people sit.
A Reading from the book of the prophet Jeremiah.
14The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”
|
Reader |
The Word of the Lord. |
|
People |
Thanks be to God. |
Psalm Psalm 25:1-9
Remain seated and read responsively by whole verse.
1To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;
my God, I put my trust in you; *
let me not be humiliated,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
2Let none who look to you be put to shame; *
let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.
3Show me your ways, O Lord, *
and teach me your paths.
4Lead me in your truth and teach me, *
for you are the God of my salvation;
in you have I trusted all the day long.
5Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love, *
for they are from everlasting.
6Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; *
remember me according to your love
and for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.
7Gracious and upright is the Lord; *
therefore he teaches sinners in his way.
8He guides the humble in doing right *
and teaches his way to the lowly.
9All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness *
to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
Second Reading 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
The people sit.
A Reading from Paul's First letter to the Church in Thessalonika.
9How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? 10Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith. 11Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 12And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. 13And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
|
Reader |
The Word of the Lord. |
|
People |
Thanks be to God. |
Sequence Hymn Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding (H 59)
All stand.
Gospel Luke 21:25-36
All stand.
|
Priest |
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke. |
|
People |
Glory to you, Lord Christ. |
[Jesus said:] 25“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. 28Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
29Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; 30as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. 31So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. 33Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
34“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, 35like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
|
Priest |
The Gospel of the Lord. |
|
People |
Praise to you, Lord Christ. |
The Sermon The Rev. Russ Snapp
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
People may 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 of 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, 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, Walter Luther Morris IV, 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 the Evangelist, Blessed Mary, 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.
Silence
O God, who has blessed and sustained us through the years; we ask that you continue to lead us, stretch us, and direct us, in our search for a new rector. Raise for us, we pray, a priest and pastor who will boldly proclaim your Gospel, faithfully administer your sacraments, and serve your people with love and compassion, that we may continue to grow in the likeness of Christ and be a beacon of love and hope to our community and the world. To the glory of your holy name. Amen.
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.
|
Celebrant |
The peace of the Lord be always with you. |
|
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 Music
DOXOLOGY
The Great Thanksgiving
The People remain standing.
|
Celebrant |
The Lord be with you. |
|
People |
And also with you. |
|
Celebrant |
Lift up your hearts. |
|
People |
We lift them to the Lord. |
|
Celebrant |
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. |
|
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 sing
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 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 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 the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you and scatter the darkness from before your path; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen
Post-Communion Hymn Hail to the Lord's Anointed (H 616)
Dismissal
|
Celebrant |
Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit. |
|
People |
Thanks be to God. |
POSTLUDE
A Note on Today’s Readings
The First Sunday of Advent—Year C
Welcome to our parish. On the first Sunday in Advent, the liturgy is concerned with our preparation for the return of Christ at the end of time. The Gospel reading today is a portion of Jesus’ words concerning that time. He tells us to see the events of history as signs of the approaching end and to recognize that end as the coming of our redemption.
The Old Testament reading today from the prophet Jeremiah looks forward to the time when God will fulfill the promise of a successor to David. The New Testament Christians understood the “righteous Branch” of David’s line to be our Lord Jesus Christ.
The second reading is from Paul’s first Thessalonian letter. His letters to that church were prompted by difficulties in that congregation due to their misunderstanding of the Lord’s promise to return. In today’s reading, Paul encourages the Thessalonians to see their ministry and mutual love as the way to prepare for the Lord’s return.
There is an “already, but not yet” aspect to the New Testament’s discussion of the Lord’s return. God’s kingdom is not limited to a time in the far off future; it began breaking into human history in Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Lord comes to judge and to save in each moment in the life of his people. Above all, he is revealed in our encounter with him in the Eucharistic meal.
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 York.
Welcome to St. John’s. We are so glad you are joining us to worship today. We are very happy to be joined by Rev. Russ Snapp and also have special music with Amelia Hopper, Scott Moore and Gabe Statom.
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 and the family of Lynn Jordan.
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.
Members of St. John's are invited to participate in an Advent workshop with Canon Jason Alexander. We will meet on Saturday, December 4 from 9:00 a.m. - Noon in the undercroft.
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
The Rev. Russ Snap
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
Trumpeter – Scott Moore
Singer – Amelia Hopper
Lay Reader – West Hornor
Acolyte – West Hornor
Altar Guild – Nancy Hornor
Ushers – Bob & Ann Lee
The flowers on the altar today are given to the glory of God
and in memory of Walter Luther Morris IV (Walt)
and in thanksgiving for Mae Louise Morris & Bennett Thomas Cole.
Given by Jayne & Walter Morris
