Join us online for our service, live streamed to St Edward the Confessor Facebook page at 9,15am and then upload here sometime in the afternoon. The service sheet is below.
Service of the Word for Advent 3
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you and also with you.
Prayer of Preparation
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: 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.
Hymn: Hail to the Lord's anointed
Hail to the Lord's Anointed,
great David's greater Son!
Hail in the time appointed,
his reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression,
to set the captive free;
to take away transgression,
and rule in equity.
He comes with succour speedy
to those who suffer wrong;
to help the poor and needy,
and bid the weak be strong;
to give them songs for sighing,
their darkness turn to light,
whose souls, condemned and dying,
are precious in his sight.
He shall come down like showers
upon the fruitful earth;
love, joy, and hope, like flowers,
spring in his path to birth.
Before him on the mountains,
shall peace, the herald, go,
and righteousness, in fountains,
from hill to valley flow.
Kings shall bow down before him,
And gold and incense bring;
All nations shall adore him,
His praise all people sing:
To him shall prayer unceasing
and daily vows ascend;
his kingdom still increasing,
a kingdom without end.
Prayers of penitence
A voice cries out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’ So let us listen, and turn to the Lord in penitence and faith.
Heavenly Father, you call us to prepare for the coming of your Son: forgive us our unreadiness to receive him.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you were proclaimed by John the Baptist: help us also to prepare your way.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Holy Spirit, you speak through the prophets: make us attentive to hear your word.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
The 3rd Advent Candle is lit
Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, just and true: to you be praise and glory for ever. Your prophet John the Baptist was witness to the truth as a burning and shining light. May we your servants rejoice in his light, and so be led to witness to him who is the Lord of our coming kingdom, Jesus our Saviour and King of the ages.
Blessed be God for ever.
The Absolution
Almighty God, who in Jesus Christ has given us
a kingdom that cannot be destroyed, forgive you your sins,
open your eyes to God’s truth, strengthen you to do God’s will and give you the joy of his kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Gloria in Excelsis
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Collect
O Lord Jesus Christ, who at your first coming sent your messenger to prepare your way before you: grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready your way by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in your sight; for you are alive and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 61.1-4;8-11
The servant of the Lord said:
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion— to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory. They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.
For I the Lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
Magnificat
1 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit
rejoices in God my Saviour.
2 For he hath regarded
the lowliness of his handmaiden.
3 For behold, from henceforth
all generations shall call me blessed.
4 For he that is mighty hath magnified me
and holy is his Name.
5 And his mercy is on them that fear him
throughout all generations.
6 He hath shewed strength with his arm
he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
7 He hath put down the mighty from their seat
and hath exalted the humble and meek.
8 He hath filled the hungry with good things
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
9 He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel
as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.
Luke 1.46-55
Epistle Reading: 1. Thessalonians 5. 16-24
My brothers and sisters, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.
May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.
Gospel Reading: John 1. 6-8, 19-28
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.
This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ Then they said to him, ‘Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ He said, ‘I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord” ’, as the prophet Isaiah said.
Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, ‘Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?’ John answered them, ‘I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.’ This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Reflection
Hymn: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord,
Holy is the Lord God Almighty.
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord,
Holy is the Lord God Almighty:
Who was, and is, and is to come
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus is the Lord,
Jesus is the Lord God almighty.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus is the Lord,
Jesus is the Lord God almighty:
Who was, and is, and is to come;
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus is the Lord.
Worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lord,
Worthy is the Lord God Almighty.
Worthy , worthy , worthy is the Lord,
Worthy is the Lord God Almighty:
Who was, and is, and is to come
Worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lord
Glory, glory, glory to the Lord,
Glory to the Lord God almighty.
Glory, glory, glory to the Lord,
Glory to the Lord God almighty:
Who was, and is, and is to come;
Glory, glory, glory to the Lord.
The Creed
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,
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and 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, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who 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.
Intercessions
Response: Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
The Lord’s Prayer
Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour taught us,
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, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Blessing
Christ the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you,
scatter the darkness from before your path,
and make you ready to meet him when he comes in glory; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
Hymn: Now thank we all our God
Now thank we all our God
with hearts and hands and voices,
who wondrous things hath done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mothers' arms
hath blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us,
to keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
in this world and the next.
All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son and him who reigns
With them in highest heaven,
the one eternal God,
whom earth and heaven adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
Dismissal
As we await our coming Saviour, go in peace to love and serve the Lord. In the name of Christ. Amen.
Common Worship copyright © The Archbishops' Council 2002 and Times & Seasons copyright © The Archbishops' Council 2006, published by Church House Publishing.
Hymns from Hymns Ancient & Modern hymns & songs for refreshing worship: Hail to the Lord’s anointed
- J.Montgomery (1771-1854)); Holy, holy, holy is the Lord -unknown; Now thank we all our God- M.Rinkart, (1586-1649), trans. C.Winkworth (1827-1878)
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