4th Sunday of Advent

December 20, 2020

St. Andrew’s Mission Statement

Rooted in Christ’s love, St. Andrew’s is a worshiping community seeking to

G R OW our relationships with God, one another and the world.

Grounded in Prayer,

Renewing Hope,

Open to the Spirit,

Welcoming & Accepting of All

ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH EMPORIA, KANSAS

A EUCHARISTIC COMMUNITY OF THE DIOCESE OF KANSAS

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WELCOME

Good Morning and Welcome to St. Andrew’s!

This booklet is a guide to this morning’s worship. It contains the structure of

the service, as well as the prayers and responses, readings, hymns for today's

liturgy. Announcements and prayer requests are also included. Today we will

be using a modified liturgy for Spiritual Communion following the general

pattern for worship beginning on page 355 in your Book of Common Prayer.

For those using this resource at home, feel free to sing the hymns with gusto!

If you print this booklet home for your edification, please recycle it to be

good stewards of God’s creation. Let us Worship the Lord!

Prelude Braxton Pauls

The Bell ….tolls three times to call us to worship

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Hymn at the Processional “Angels, from the Realms of Glory” H # 93

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The Acclamation

Celebrant + Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

People And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.

The Prayer for Purity

Celebrant 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.

All Amen.

Canticle 13 A Song of Praise BCP p. 90

Benedictus es, Domine

Celebrant Let us say together Canticle 13, a Song of Praise. All Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; * you are worthy of praise; glory to you. Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; * on the throne of your majesty, glory to you. Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you, beholding the depths; *

in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.

Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *

we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

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THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Collect of the Day

Celebrant The Lord be with you.

People And also with you.

Celebrant Let us pray…

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

People Amen.

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The Lessons of the Day The First Reading Romans 15:25-27 Lector Our first reading this morning comes from Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 15 verses 25-27. Lector Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to

my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according

to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for

long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic

writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to

the command of the eternal God, to bring about the

obedience of faith-- to the only wise God, through Jesus

Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.

Lector Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.

People Thanks be to God.

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The Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26 BCP p. 713

Lector The Psalm appointed for today is a portion of Psalm 89 verses 1-4, & 19-26 which begins on page 713 in your Book of Common Prayer or in this morning’s bulletin. I invite us to pray the Psalm in unison.

ALL 1 Your love, O LORD, for ever will I sing; * from age to age my mouth will proclaim your faithfulness.

2 For I am persuaded that your love is established for ever;* you have set your faithfulness firmly in the heavens.

3 "I have made a covenant with my chosen one; * I have sworn an oath to David my servant:

4 'I will establish your line for ever, * and preserve your throne for all generations.'"

19 You spoke once in a vision and said to your faithful people: * "I have set the crown upon a warrior and have exalted one chosen out of the people.

20 I have found David my servant; * with my holy oil have I anointed him.

21 My hand will hold him fast * and my arm will make him strong.

22 No enemy shall deceive him, * nor any wicked man bring him down.

23 I will crush his foes before him * and strike down those who hate him.

24 My faithfulness and love shall be with him, * and he shall be victorious through my Name.

25 I shall make his dominion extend * from the Great Sea to the River.

26 He will say to me, 'You are my Father, * my God, and the rock of my salvation.'

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The Gospel Luke 1:26-38

Celebrant The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke. People Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Celebrant In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a

town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a

man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The

virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said,

“Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she

was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort

of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not

be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And

now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and

you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be

called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will

give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign

over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there

will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be,

since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy

Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most

High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born

will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your

relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son;

and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be

barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then

Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be

with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed

from her.

Celebrant The Gospel of the Lord.

People Praise to you, Lord Christ.

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Homily Fr. Marc McDonald

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Nicene Creed BCP pg. 358

Celebrant Let us say together the Nicene Creed found on pg. 358 of your Book of Common Prayer.

All 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 The Intercessor asks the people to pray for the needs of the Church and the world, and for our own needs.

Intercessor Father, we pray for your holy Catholic Church;

All That we all may be one.

Intercessor Grant that every member of the Church may truly and

humbly serve you;

All That your Name may be glorified by all people.

Intercessor We pray for all bishops, priests, and deacons;

All That they may be faithful ministers of your Word and

Sacraments.

Intercessor We pray for all who govern and hold authority in the nations

of the world;

All That there may be justice and peace on the earth.

Intercessor Give us grace to do your will in all that we undertake;

All That our works may find favor in your sight.

Intercessor Have compassion on those who suffer from any grief or

trouble;

All That they may be delivered from their distress.

Intercessor Give to the departed eternal rest.

All Let light perpetual shine upon them.

Intercessor We praise you for your saints who have entered into joy;

All May we also come to share in your heavenly kingdom.

Intercessor Hear our prayers, Holy God. Breathe your Spirit over us and

all the earth, that barriers would crumble and divisions cease.

Make us more fully your co-healers of the broken world.

Unite us with all people in bonds of love, that the whole

earth and all its peoples may be at peace; through Jesus

Christ our Lord.

All Amen.

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The Confession

Celebrant Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor…

Silence ALL Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; in your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, Things done and left undone; and so uphold us by your Spirit that we may live and serve you in newness of life, to the honor and glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Assurance of Forgiveness

Celebrant 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.

People Amen. The Peace (The Peace is exchanged with a bows and waves of the hand.)

Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you.

People And also with you.

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DECEMBER MILESTONES

Birthdays Dec. 21 Oliver Kline Dec. 29 Nancy Romine

Anniversaries Dec. 26 John & Anna Brownlee Dec. 27 Douglas & Marged Amend Mike & Trish Weidert Dec. 28 Fr. Chris Arnold & Celeste Williams

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Church Office will be Closed December 24 - Dec. 28 & December 31 - January 1

Corporate Morning Prayer will be on Christmas Break December 24 - December 31st. Morning Prayer will return Tuesdays & Thursdays online beginning January 5, 2021.

Coffee, Connection and Conversation will be on Christmas Break. It will return via Zoom Wednesday, January 6, 2021 from 2-3:30 pm.

There will be no Online service broadcast on Sunday December 27th. You are invited to tune into the National Cathedral Service at: https://cathedral.org/worship/

This year’s Christmas Offering will be for Camp Wood.

IN PRAYER THIS WEEK

For Health & General Concerns: Gary, Jean, Richard, Waverly, Patrick, Lynn & Donna, Donnie, Javier, Anne, Virginia, Roger & Family, Claudia & Jose, Sasha, Rolando, Karen, Bill, Nancy, Matthew, Linda, Tonya, Bob, Bonnie, Joyce, Lynn, Kay, Arville, Jacob, Don, Nancy, David, Jeremy, Rebecca, Tim, Elizabeth, Brian, Shirley, Darlene, Kim, Autumn, Ethan. For Those Who Have Died: Barbara Pontius (Nancy & Family) Harold Harper (Lisa & Family)

Our Shut-ins: Onnalee, Don, Marged, Sue, Florence, Laurilla.

Anglican Cycle of Prayer: Pray for our Full Communion Partners, the Philippine Independent Church and the Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar, India In the World Council of Churches Cycle of Prayer: Pray for the people of Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Ghana and Nigeria In the Kansas Cycle of Prayer: Pray for Grace, Winfield and Calvary, Yates Center

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Hymn at the Offertory “Angels We Have Heard on High” H # 96

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THE LITURGY OF THE ALTAR

A Prayer for Spiritual Communion SAPB p. 145, adapted

In the Episcopal tradition, we believe that when circumstances make it impossible to consume the Eucharistic elements, our desire is enough for God to grant all the benefits of communion.

The Lord’s Prayer

Celebrant To prepare us for receiving Spiritual Communion let us now say together the prayer our Savior Christ has taught us, praying,

All 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, for ever and ever. Amen. Celebrant I invite all those who are unable to receive the consecrated bread and wine this day, but who long for the grace and blessing of God through our Savior Jesus Christ, to join me in this Prayer for Spiritual Communion:

People In union, Blessed Jesus, with your faithful people at every altar of your Church where the Holy Eucharist is now being celebrated, I offer my praise and thanksgiving. Since I cannot receive you today in the Sacrament of your Body and Blood, I ask you to come spiritually into my heart. Cleanse and strengthen me with your grace, Lord Jesus, and let me never be separated from you. May I live in you, and you in me, in this life and in the life to come. Amen.

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Celebrant The Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ keep us in everlasting life. Meditative Carol “Love Came Down at Christmas” H # 84

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THE CONCLUDING RITES

Post-Communion Prayer EOW p. 70 Celebrant Let us pray

All Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image and nourishing us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood. Now send us forth a people, forgiven, healed, renewed; that we may proclaim your love to the world and continue in the risen life of Christ our Savior. Amen.

The Blessing

Celebrant May the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you and scatter the darkness from before your path; and the blessing of God + Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be among you and remain with you always.

People Amen. Dismissal Celebrant Go in peace to love and serve the Lord! People Thanks be to God! Postlude Braxton Pauls

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Gifts for Christmas Flowers are given to the Glory of God

By Gould and Nancy Garcia in thanksgiving for our daughters

Kate, Mary, and Elizabeth

By Sue McKinney in honor of Lyon County Health Care Workers

By Donna Eudaley

In memory of Jill Brown

And

In memory of Lawrence Eudaley

By Anonymous