Our Mission Welcome to The Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion, a welcoming and diverse community seeking to walk in the way of Jesus and to reveal Christ’s reconciling love in our city, nation, and world.

Pandemic Precautions Continue: Up-to-date vaccination is required for everyone eligible. Windows are open. In the spirit of protecting the most vulnerable members of the congregation, we ask that you attempt to distance, especially if asked. We ask that all members of the congregation respect others’ choices about masking. Please refrain from coming to church if you are sick or experiencing any new symptoms.

Communion: All are welcome to receive. When it comes time, please follow the directions of the ushers. Walk past the chalice bearer to return to your pew from the other side. If you would like to receive wine you may either “sip” or hand your wafer to the chalice bearer, who will “intinct” (dip) for you. If you would prefer not to receive, simply cross your arms across your chest and the minister will give you a blessing. Gluten free wafers are available, on request from the minister.

Donations: We welcome donations to support the work of Holy Communion, whether a payment on a pledge or simply an offering. You can also text GIVE to (833) 864-5384 or give any time on our website holycommunion.net/give

Accessibility: Our entrances have auto-open buttons, and our elevator is ADA compliant. Both the downstairs restrooms and one of the upstairs restrooms are accessible. Priority seating is provided for caretakers of small children and those with mobility needs. If you have any questions about signage, please ask an usher. Hearing assistance devices are available from the welcome table. Just ask an usher.

Get Involved: If you begin by filling out a “Connect Card” by hitting “Next Steps” on the button on any page. You can also use the Connect Cards in the pews to update your information, request prayers, or to ask a question. Turn them in to the wooden offering box in the entryway.

The congregation is invited to say the words together in bold. If you are worshiping with us from home, to prepare for worship, you may want to place a candle or two in the place where you worship, to light during the opening prayer.

Prelude

A musician plays as the candles are lighted and the people gather for prayer.

Welcome

If you are new to us, consider filling out our “get connected” form, let us get to know you better.

Entrance Hymn Sleepers, Wake! The Hymnal 1982 #61

The congregation is invited to rise in body or spirit.

Advent Bidding Prayers

please rise in body or in spirit

Alleluia, our God and Savior now draws near:
O come, let us worship, alleluia.

Dear People of God: In the season of Advent, it is our responsibility and joyto prepare ourselves in heart and mind, for the coming of Christ Jesus, oursavior and judge. This season we walk the way of shepherds and wise ones,seeking after the holy child of Bethlehem. Let us hear and heed in HolyScripture the story of God’s loving purposes, the proclamation of prophets,the hope of salvation. But first, let us pray for the needs of the whole worldthat Christ came to save. Amen.

For peace and good will over all the earth, for leaders of nations and communities.
For those who work for justice and peace.
The choir sings verse 1
For all who celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, or other moments of joy this week.
With thanksgiving for the celebrations of this life.
Verse 2
For[a church or ministry in the Diocesan cycle of Prayer], for the mission andunity of the church, for bishops, priests, deacons, and all who minister in Christ’s name.
Verse 2
Because this of all things would rejoice Christ’s heart, let us remember in his name the poor and the helpless, the hungry and the oppressed, the sick and those who mourn, the lonely and the unloved, the aged and little children. You are free to add your own prayers silently or aloud.
Silence is kept.
Finally, let us remember before God his strong and humble mother, and those who rejoice with us but upon another shore and in a greater light,that whole multitude which no one can number whose hope was in theWord made flesh, and with whom, in Christ Jesus, we are one for evermore.
Verse 3

Collect of the Day

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put onthe armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visitus in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judgeboth the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reignswith you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.Amen.

The Lessons

We hear the stories of the experience of God from our spiritual ancestors. Following an ancient pattern originally from Jewish synagogue worship, readings follow a calendar shared by Christians around the globe.

1st Lesson Please be seated. Isaiah 64:1-9

If only you would tear open the heavens and come down! Mountains would quake before you like fire igniting brushwood or making water boil. If you would make your name known to your enemies, the nations would tremble in your presence. When you accomplished wonders beyond all our expectations; when you came down, mountains quaked before you. From ancient times, no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any god but you who acts on behalf of those who wait for him! You look after those who gladly do right; they will praise you for your ways. But you were angry when we sinned; you hid yourself when we did wrong.We have all become like the unclean; all our righteous deeds are like a menstrual rag. All of us wither like a leaf; our sins, like the wind, carry us away. No one calls on your name; no one bothers to hold on to you, for you have hidden yourself from us, and have handed us over to our sin.But now, Lord, you are our father. We are the clay, and you are our potter. All of us are the work ofyour hand. Don’t rage so fiercely, Lord; don’t hold our sins against us forever, but gaze now on your people, all of us.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Psalm 80:1-7,16-18
We say the Psalm together.

1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock;
*shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh,
*stir up your strength and come to help us.
3 Restore us, O God of hosts;
*show the light of your countenance,and we shall be saved.
4 O Lord God of hosts,
*how long will you be angered despite the prayers of your people?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears;
*you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
6 You have made us the derision of our neighbours,
*and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts;
*show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
16 They burn it with fire like rubbish;
*at the rebuke of your countenance let them perish.
17 Let your hand be upon the one at your side in honour,
*the one you have made so strong for yourself.
18 And so will we never turn away from you;
*give us life, that we may call upon your name.

2nd Lesson 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

A Reading from the first letter to the church in Corinth.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.I thank my God always for you, because of God’s grace that was given to you in Christ Jesus. That is, you were made rich through him in everything: in all your communication and every kind of knowledge, in the same way that the testimony about Christ was confirmed with you. The result is that you aren’t missing any spiritual gift while you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also confirm your testimony about Christ until the end so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, and you were called by him to partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Gospel Procession O Come O Come Emmanuel

Please rise in body or in spirit
We will sing verse 1 before the Gospel reading, and verse 2 after.

The Gospel Mark 13:24-37

The Holy Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ according to Mark.
Glory to you, Lord Christ.

“In those days, after the suffering of that time, the sun will become dark, and the moon won’t give its light. The stars will fall from the sky, and the planets and other heavenly bodies will be shaken.Then they will see the Human One coming in the clouds with great power and splendor. Then he will send the angels and gather together his chosen people from the four corners of the earth, from the end of the earth to the end of heaven.“Learn this parable from the fig tree. After its branch becomes tender and it sprouts new leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, you know that he’s near, at the door. I assure you that this generation won’t pass away until all these things happen.Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will certainly not pass away.“But nobody knows when that day or hour will come, not the angels in heaven and not the Son.Only the Father knows. Watch out! Stay alert! You don’t know when the time is coming. It is as ifsomeone took a trip, left the household behind, and put the servants in charge, giving each one ajob to do, and told the doorkeeper to stay alert. Therefore, stay alert! You don’t know when the headof the household will come,whether in the evening or at midnight, or when the rooster crows inthe early morning or at daybreak. Don’t let him show up when you weren’t expecting and find yousleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: Stay alert!”

The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon:

Please be seated, at the invitation of the preacher.

Rev. Mary Haggerty

Statement of Faith
Please rise in body or in spirit.

Let affirm our hope in the light of Christ.
Do you believe and trust in God?

We believe in God, eternal, almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
Do you believe and trust in Jesus the Christ?
We believe in Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of all, the Only Begotten One;who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, livedand loved among us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified,died and was buried; who descended to the dead, and on the third day rose again; Jesus, Our Savior, ascended into heaven, sits at theright hand of the loving God, and will come again to judge the livingand the dead.
Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit?
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic and apostolic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, theresurrection of the dead, and life everlasting. Amen.

Presider: O God as we await the Messiah, keep us awake and alert for the signs of your coming. As the fig tree puts forth its leaves and anticipates the new day’s dawn, keep us awake and alert for the second advent of Christ our Savior.

The Confession

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you inthought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we haveleft undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have notloved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humblyrepent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us andforgive us; that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, tothe glory of your Name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through thegrace of Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power ofthe Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

The Peace

The peace of Christ be always with you.
And also with you.

You are invited to greet those around you by saying “Peace be with you” or simply “Peace.”

Welcome & Announcements:

Announcements are shared. You may be seated.

See Announcements

Offering We welcome donations to support the work of Holy Communion, whether a payment on a pledge or simply an offering. Plates will be passed. You can also give on our website or by texting GiveHoCO to (833) 864-5384

Offertory Anthem Prepare the Way, O Zion arr. Mark Schweizer
Please rise in body or in spirit when the ushers bring forward the gathered offering.

Offertory Hymn
Doxology (to Once in Royal David’s City)

Eucharistic Prayer

The second part of the liturgy moves to the Table. As we remember Jesus’ last supper with his disciples, we gather in a way Christians have for millennia.
Please rise, in body or in spirit.

The Lord be with you
And 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 God thanks and praise.

The presider offers thanks to God for the grace and mercy made available to us in Christ. In response all say:

The Celebrant continues.

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.

The presider concludes with prayer for the Holy Spirit to sanctify the bread and wine, and the gathered congregation.

Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, to you be honor, glory, and praise, for ever and ever.

The Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray in the way Christ taught us, and in the language of our hearts.

Padre nuestro que estás en el cielo, santificado sea tu Nombre,
venga tu reino,
hágase tu voluntad,
en la tierra como en el cielo.

Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día.
Perdona nuestras ofensas,
como también nosotros perdonamos
a los que nos ofenden.
No nos dejes caer en tentación
y líbranos del mal.

Porque tuyo es el reino,
tuyo es el poder, y tuya es la gloria,
ahora y por siempre. Amén

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.

The Breaking of the Bread

Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.

Administration of the Sacrament

All are welcome to receive. When it comes time, please maintain a distance of greater than 6 feet in a single file line up to the front. Please come to the priest on the side of the church where you are sitting. Make your way down the side aisle to return to your seat. Under the bishop’s order, wine is not available at this time. If you would rather receive a blessing, please come forward to the altar rail during communion and cross your arms across your chest. Gluten free wafers are available, on request, from the minister.

Music During Communion

Longing for Light

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Prayer for Spiritual Communion

This prayer of Spiritual Communion is offered in the online bulletin for those who cannot join us in person. It was written by parishioner Bob Lewis.

Gracious and Loving God, on this day we are not able to gather around your table to celebrate your presence in the sacrament of bread and wine. We are not able to share your peace with one another.

Nevertheless, we lift up our hearts, we join with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven as we proclaim you holy and receive you into our hearts by faith.

Strengthen our love for you. Help us offer our sacrifice with all your faithful people, that we may restore health and wholeness to one another and to all your creation. Give us patience and hope as we long for the day when we can gather and break bread together again. Through Christ our Savior. Amen.

Post Communion Prayer

All are invited to rise or to kneel in body or in spirit.

Eternal God, for whom we wait, you have fed us with the bread ofheaven and the cup of salvation: keep us ever watchful, that we maybe ready to stand before the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Blessing of December Birthdays

The Blessing

The Presider concludes with a prayer of blessing for the congregation.

Exit Hymn Blest be the King Whose Coming The Hymnal 1982 #74

Please rise, in body or in spirit.

The Dismissal Our worship has ended, our service in the world continues.

Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.
Thanks be to God.

Postlude
The organist or another musician plays music as the candles are extinguished.

Service Leaders:

Preacher: The Rev. Mary Haggerty
Presider: The Rev. Julie Graham
Deacon: The Rev. Chester Hines
Crucifer: Scott Ferguson
Chalice Bearer: Marlene O’ Brien, Kari Potts
Reader: Bradley Currey, Alisa Williams
Intercessor: Shirley Mensah
Announcements: Magdalene Linck
Usher: Susan Norris,
Video Producer: John Kelly
Guest Organist: Ruth Tweeten

Liturgical Changes for Advent
Blue frontal color and matching vestments: The altar is covered with ablue frontal, and the clergy wear blue vestments. Blue is an ancient liturgical color that symbolizes preparation and Mary, Jesus’ mother.
Lighting of the Advent Wreath:The Presider reads ancient prayers that signify our longing for Christ’s coming, and the coming of God’s reign as welight an additional candle each week during Advent.
Advent Bidding Litany instead of Prayers of the People.We bring our prayers for the church and the whole earth to the beginning of the service, instead of praying the Prayers of the People in the middle. This litany is adapted from the service of Lessons and Carols for Advent.
Advent Creed, Post-Communion Prayer, and Dismissal:These prayers were adapted from resources created by Bishop Deon Johnson for the Diocese for use during Advent.