Prepared at Diocesan Office8 Gladstone Street, Gladstone

ByThe Venerable Gael Johannsen

November 2018

Prayers and Liturgy used in this service

(If not otherwise acknowledged)

FromA Prayer Book For Australia (Broughton

Publishing, Australia) AndTimes and Seasons

(www.churchofengland.org)

Used with the permission of the Bishop of Willochra

Introduction to the SeasonAdvent is a season of expectation and preparation, as the Church prepares to celebrate the coming (adventus) of Christ in his incarnation, and also looks ahead to his final advent as judge at the end of time. The Four Last Things – Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell – have been traditional themes for Advent meditation. The characteristic note of Advent is therefore expectation, rather than penitence. The anticipation of Christmas under commercial pressure has also made it harder to sustain the appropriate sense of alert watchfulness, but the fundamental Advent prayer remains ‘Maranatha’ – ‘Our Lord, come’.

Church decorations are simple and spare, and purple is the traditional liturgical colour. The Third Sunday of Advent was observed in medieval times as a splash of colour in the restrained atmosphere of Advent (Gaudeteor ‘Rose Sunday’), and the last days of Advent were marked by the sequence of Great ‘O’ Antiphons, which continue to inspire modern Advent hymns and meditations.

The Advent WreathThe Advent Wreath has three purple candles, reflecting the liturgical colour for Advent, with a pink candle for the Third Sunday, when rose-pinkvestments are traditionally worn. The candles form a ring around the white or gold ‘Christ Candle’. The first candle is lit on Advent Sunday; additional ones are lit, one on each Sunday, and the white or gold one on Christmas Day. The five candles are alight during the Christmas Season.

The traditional themes of the Advent candles are Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. The alternative themes below fit well with our lectionary readings.Advent 1 The Patriarchs Advent 2 The ProphetsAdvent 3 John the Baptist Advent 4 The Virgin Mary

Christmas Day The Christ

Each of the four Sundays then reminds us of those who prepared for the coming of Christ. ‘The Patriarchs’ can naturally focus on Abraham, our father in faith, and David, the ancestor in whose city Jesus was born. ‘The Prophets’ gives an opportunity to reflect on the way thebirth of the Messiah was ‘foretold’. John, who proclaimed the Saviour, and Mary, who bore him in her womb, complete the picture.

The gifts of God for the people of God.Come let us take this holy sacramentof the body and blood of Christ in remembrance that he died for us, and feed on him in our hearts by faith with thanksgiving.

Communion is administered.

THE SENDING OUT OF GOD’S PEOPLE

Prayer After Communion Loving Father,your Son Jesus Christ has come to us in word and Spirit, in bread and cup.Make us holy and bring us to perfection, when we stand before himas he comes to judge the living and the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.Generous God,you have fed us at your heavenly table.Set us on fire with your Spirit that when Christ comes againwe may shine like lights before his face;who with you and the Spirit lives for ever. Amen.

The Blessing May God the Father, judge all-merciful, make us worthy of a place in his kingdom. Amen.May God the Son, coming among us in power, reveal in our midst the promise of his glory.Amen.May God the Holy Spirit make us steadfast in faith, joyful in hope and constant in love.Amen.And the blessing …

Dismissal As we await our coming Saviour,go in peace to love and serve the LordIn the name of Christ. Amen.

and looking for his coming again,we celebrate, with this bread and this cup, his one perfect and sufficient sacrificefor the sins of the whole world.

Renew us by your Holy Spirit, unite us in the body of your Son, and bring us with all your peopleinto the joy of your eternal kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord,with whom, and in whom,in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,we worship you, Father,in songs of never-ending praise:Blessing and honour and glory and power are yours for ever and ever. Amen.

As our Saviour Christ has taught us, we are confident to pray,Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done,on earth as in heaven.Give us today our daily bread.Forgive us our sinsas we forgive those who sin against us.Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yoursnow and for ever. Amen.

THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD AND COMMUNION

As the grain once scattered in the fieldsand the grapes once dispersed on the hillsideare now reunited on this table in bread and wine,so, Lord, may your whole Church soon be gathered together from the corners of the earthinto your kingdom. Amen.

GATHERING IN GOD’S NAME

Invocation Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy SpiritBlessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever.

The Greeting The Lord be with youAnd also with you

The Sentence Stand up and raise your heads; your redemption is drawing near.

The Prayer of Preparation Almighty God,to whom all hearts are open, all desires knownand from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our heartsby the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love youand worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lighting of the First Candle of Advent God our Father,you spoke to the prophets of oldof a Saviour who would bring peace.You helped them to spread the joyful message of his coming kingdom.Help us, as we prepare to celebrate his birth, to share with those around usthe good news of your power and love.We ask this through Jesus Christ,the light who is coming into the world. Amen.

The Confession When the Lord comes,he will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness, and will disclose the purposes of the heart.

Therefore in the light of Christ let us confess our sins.

Turn to us again, O God our saviour, and let your anger cease from us:Lord, have mercy.Lord, have mercy.Show us your compassion, O Lord, and grant us your salvation:Christ, have mercy.Christ, have mercy.Your salvation is near for those that fear you, that glory may dwell in our land:Lord, have mercy.Lord, have mercy.

Absolution

T he Prayer of the Day Eternal God,you have taught us the night is far spent and the day is at hand:keep us awake and alert, watching for your kingdom, and make us strong in faith,so that when Christ comes in glory to judge the earth, we may go out joyfully to greet him;and with all your saints, may worship him forever; through Jesus Christ our Lord,who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

The First Reading: Jeremiah 33:14-16 The 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. In 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. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name bywhich it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.” Hear the word of the Lord

Confident that your promise will be fulfilled, we now watch for the daywhen Christ our Lord will come again in glory. Therefore with angels and archangels,and with all the company of heaven,we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and saying:

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 LordHosanna in the highest!

Merciful God, we thank you for these gifts of your creation, this bread and wine,and we pray that by your Word and Holy Spirit, we who eat and drink themmay be partakers of Christ's body and blood.

On the night he was betrayed Jesus took bread; and when he had given you thanks he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying,'Take, eat. This is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.'

After supper, he took the cup, and again giving you thanks he gave it to his disciples, saying,'Drink from this, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.'

Christ has died.Christ is risen.Christ will come again.Therefore we do as our Saviour has commanded: proclaiming his offering of himselfmade once for all upon the cross,his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension,

Thanks be to God

Come from heaven, Lord Jesus, with power and great glory. Lift us up to meet you,that with all your saints and angelswe may live and reign with you in your new creation. Maranatha:Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Silence is kept.

Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay;give new courage to your people, who trust in your love.By your coming, raise us to share in the joy of your kingdom on earth as in heaven,where you live and reign with the Father and the Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

THE GREETING OF PEACE

We are the Body of ChristHis Spirit is with us.The peace of the Lord be always with youAnd also with you.

Offertory Hymn

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

The Lord be with youAnd also with you

Lift up your hearts.........We lift them to the Lord.Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.........It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is indeed right and good to give you thanks and praise, almighty God and everlasting Father,through Jesus Christ your Son.For when he humbled himselfto come among us in human flesh, he fulfilled the plan you formedbefore the foundation of the world to open for us the way of salvation.

Psalm 25:1-10 In you, O Lord my God, have I put my hope:

in you have I trusted, let me not be ashamed, nor let my enemies triumph over me.

Let none who wait for you be put to shame:but let hose that break faithbe confounded and gain nothing.

Show me your ways, O Lord:and teach me your paths.

Lead me in the ways of your truth, and teach me:for you are the God of my salvation.

In you have I hoped all the day long:because of your goodness, O Lord.

Call to mind your compassion and your loving-kindness:for they are from of old.

Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions:but according to your mercy think on me.

Good and upright is the Lord:therefore he will direct sinners in the way.

The meek he will guide in the path of justice:and teach the humble his ways.

All the paths of the Lord are faithful and true:for those who keep his covenant and his commandments.

The Second Reading : 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith. Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for oneanother and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And 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.Hear the word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

The Gradual Hymn

The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke , reading from chapter twenty one, commencing at the twenty fifth verse

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ“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 thewaves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming uponthe world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you knowthat the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.“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, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth.Be 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.”Every day he was teaching in the temple, and at night he would go out and spend the night on the Mount of Olives, as it was called. And all the people would get up early in the morning to listen to him in the temple.For the gospel of the Lord

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

The Sermon

Affirmation of Faith We say together in faithHoly, holy, holy

is the Lord God almighty,who was, and is, and is to come.We believe in God the Father, who created all things:for by his will they were created and have their being.

We believe in God the Son, who was slain:for with his blood,he purchased us for God,from every tribe and language, from every people and nation. We believe in God the Holy Spirit:the Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come!’ Even so come, Lord Jesus! Amen.

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

In joyful expectation of his coming to our aid we pray to Jesus.Come to your Church as Lord and judge. We pray for …Help us to live in the light of your coming and give us a longing for your kingdom. Maranatha:Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.Come to your world as King of the nations. We pray for …Before you rulers will stand in silence. Maranatha:Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.Come to the suffering as Saviour and comforter. We pray for …Break into our lives,where we struggle with sickness and distress, and set us free to serve you for ever.Maranatha:Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.Come to us as shepherd and guardian of our souls. We remember …Give us with all the faithful departeda share in your victory over evil and death. Maranatha:Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.