Advent 3, December 15 Lessons & Carols
Season of Creation
ORDER OF SERVICE BULLETIN
8:00 & 10:30 AM, Holy Eucharist
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.
Get Involved: If you fill out a “Let’s Get Connected Card” found in your pew, or at the Welcome Table by the door where you came into the church, we’d be glad to keep you up to date with all that’s happening at Holy Communion. Or, simply scan the QR code below to visit holycommunion.net where you can share your contact information, find a worship bulletin, read the latest news, and more.
Communion: “These are the gifts of God for the people of God.”
At The Church of the Holy Communion, we believe that it is Christ himself who invites us to meet him in the bread and the cup. Though it is known by many names - Communion, Mass, Holy Eucharist, The Lord’s Supper, the Sacrament of the Altar - it is the means by which Christ’s real presence abides with us by faith. Therefore, all are welcome to receive. When it comes time for Communion, please follow the directions of the Greeters. The bread is offered to all, with gluten free wafers available, upon request, from the minister. If you would like to receive the wine, you may either drink from the cup, or intinct (dip) the wafer in the wine. Likewise, it is acceptable to receive only the bread, if for personal or health reasons you prefer to not consume wine. Those not receiving Communion, may also come forward. Indicate to the minister that you do not wish to receive Communion by simply crossing your arms across your chest, and the minister will offer a prayer for God’s blessing in your life.
Kids are expected! Kids are welcome to "act their age" and encouraged to fully participate in worship. Kids may use the "Pray Ground” (carpeted area near the chapel), take a Worship Wonder bag from the back of the Nave, or join their adults with kids' worship bulletins and crayons provided by greeters. Starting September 8th, Godly Play is offered downstairs beginning at 10 am. Kids return to their caregivers at 11am in time for the Peace. Mitchell Hall is our designated infant feeding area during the service. If you need assistance finding any of these options, just ask a Greeter.
Accessibility: “Priority Seating” is provided for caretakers of those with mobility needs. Our entrances have auto-open buttons, and our elevator is ADA compliant. Both the downstairs restrooms and one of the upstairs restrooms are accessible.
Hearing Assistance: Hearing assistance devices are available from the welcome table. If you have any questions, just ask a Greeter.
Donations: We welcome donations to support the mission and ministry Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion. Monetary donations can be placed in the offering plate that will be passed during the service, put in the wooden offering box found at the Welcome Table, by scanning the QR code below, or by electronic donations set up through your bank or on the church website, holycommunion.net
Preparing to Worship
Prelude Veni Emmanuel by Wilbur Held
Welcome
The Collect of the Day Please rise in body or in spirit.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that at the coming of Jesus Christ, we may be found to be mansions prepared for Love; we pray this in the name of the One who became incarnate for our sake, and who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Advent Week Three
Leader The candle of this third week of Advent is a candle of joy. Today the flame of this candle reminds us of the joy that Jesus brings into this world. Jesus said, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.”
Once the candles are lit, the Presider continues
Leader Your prophet John the Baptist was witness to the truth as a burning and shining light.
People 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 Savior and Sovereign of the ages. Amen.
Advent Lighting Carol: O Come O Come Emmanuel Verse 3
Advent Bidding Prayers
The congregation is invited to respond using the words in bold
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 joy to prepare ourselves in heart and mind, for the coming of Christ Jesus, our savior 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 Holy Scripture 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 world that Christ came to save.
The congregation is invited to sing the song Once in a Royal David’s City where indicated.
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.
Congregation sings verse 2
For [a church or ministry in the Diocesan cycle of Prayer], for the mission and unity of the church, for bishops, priests, deacons, and all who minister in Christ’s name.
Congregation sings verse 3
Congregation sings verse 4
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 the Word made flesh, and with whom, in Christ Jesus, we are one for evermore.
Please be seated. We hear the stories of the experience of God from our spiritual ancestors. In the Lessons and Carols Service, we hear stories emblematic of the whole story of God’s loving purposes, from the beginning until the coming of Jesus.
First Reading Please be seated. An Angel Visits Abraham Genesis 22:15-18
The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, ‘By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.’
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Anthem The Lord at First Did Adam Make by Philip Barnes
As Joseph was a-walking
He heard an angel sing
This night there shall be born On earth our heavn’ly king
He neither shall be born
in housen nor in hall
nor in the place of
Paradise but in an ox’s stall
He neither shall be clothed In purple nor in pall
but all in fair white linen as wear babies all
He neither shall be rocked in silver nor in gold
but in a wooden cradle that rocks upon the mould
He neither shall be christened in white wine nor in red
but with the fair spring water as we were christened
As Joseph was a-walking he heard an angel sing;
This night there shall be born On earth our heavn’ly king
Second Reading Please be seated The Root of Jesse is Rooted in Ruth’s Faithfulness Ruth 4:14-22
The women said to Naomi, “May the Lord be blessed, who today hasn’t left you without a redeemer. May his name be proclaimed in Israel. He will restore your life and sustain you in your old age. Your daughter-in-law who loves you has given birth to him. She’s better for you than seven sons.” Naomi took the child and held him to her breast, and she became his guardian. The neighborhood women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They called his name Obed. He became Jesse’s father and David’s grandfather. These are the generations of Perez: Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Congregational Carol Please rise in body or spirit. Comfort, Comfort Ye My People 1982 Hymnal #67
Third Reading Please be seated Isaiah 9:2, 6-7
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onwards and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Anthem There is No Rose by Orin Johnson
There is no rose of such virtue
as is the rose that bore Jesu.
Alleluia
For in that rose containèd was
heav’n and earth in little space.
Res miranda
By that rose we may well see
there be one God in persons three.
Pari forma
The angels sang to shepherds, too
“Gloria!”
Then leave we all this wordly mirth,
and follow we this joyous birth.
Transeamus
Fourth Reading Please be seated The Birth of Jesus Foretold Luke 1:26-35, 38
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, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’[a] 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 favour 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 for ever, 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[c] will be holy; he will be called Son of 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.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Congregational Carol Please rise in body or spirit. O Come O Come Emmanuel
Hymnal 1982 #56, verses 1-4
Fifth Reading Please be seated. The Birth of Jesus Luke 2:1, 3-7
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Homily Grace Gorski
Welcome and Announcements Please be seated.
Offertory Anthem: Waiting by Joel Raney
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 using the QR code on in the Welcome page.
Waiting, we are waiting, we are waiting for the coming King. Waiting, we are waiting, for the bells of Heaven to ring.
When the valleys rise up and the mountains lie down, Savior’s gonna come to claim his heavenly crown. Waiting, we are waiting, we are waiting for the coming King.
Waiting, we are waiting, we are waiting for the sun to rise. Waiting, we are waiting, till the clouds don’t cover the skies. For the fighting to stop, for the quarrels to cease, Savior’s gonna come and bring us heavenly peace. Waiting, we are waiting, we are waiting for the coming King.
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear. We are waiting. Rejoice, rejoice! Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!
Waiting, we are waiting, we ae waiting for the coming King. Waiting, we are waiting for the angel chorus to sing. When the valleys rise up and the mountains lie down, Savior’s
gonna come and claim his heavenly crown. We are waiting. Waiting, we are waiting, we are waiting for the coming King. We are waiting for the coming King. We are waiting for the coming King.
Offertory Hymn
Praise to God the One Who Made Us H102
Please rise in body or in spirit and sing as the Greeters bring forward our financial offering.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Therefore, we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who forever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
On the night Jesus was betrayed, he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” After supper, Jesus took the cup; gave thanks, 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.” And so, gracious God, we bring you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. Merciful God, gather us by this Holy Communion into one body in your Christ. Make us a living sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.
The Lord’s Prayer Pray in the language of your heart:
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.
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
The Breaking of the Bread
Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!
The Gifts of God for the People of God.
Administration of the Sacrament Please be seated.
All are welcome to receive. When it comes time, we will make our way by row starting at the side closest to the windows and then process toward the communion minister. 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.
Hymns During Communion
Post Communion Prayer please rise in body or in spirit.
Eternal God, for whom we wait, you have fed us with the bread of heaven and the cup of salvation: keep us ever watchful, that we may be ready to stand before the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Blessing
May Almighty God, by whose providence our Savior Christ came among us in great humility, sanctify you with the light of blessing and set you free from all sin; and the blessing of God the holy and undivided Trinity be upon you and remain with you for ever. Amen.
Final Carol Please rise in body or spirit. People, Look East!
The Dismissal:
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Postlude Toccata in E Minor Johann Pachelbel
The Origin of Lessons and Carols
The tradition of the service of Lessons and Carols comes from the Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, where it was first observed on Christmas Eve, 1918. Since 1919 the service has begun with the hymn “Once in Royal David’s City.” Most often this was introduced by a boy chorister, singing alone, unaccompanied. Custom has it that no one knows which boy will sing the famous opening verse, including that boy himself, until the conductor gives him the signal to begin.
The service was adapted from an Order drawn up by the Reverend E.W. Benson, later Archbishop of Canterbury, for use in the wooden shed that then served as his cathedral in Truro, at 10:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve 1880. Beginning in 1928 the service was broadcast by the BBC, and except in 1930 and 2020 it has been broadcast live annually. Sometime during the 1930s, overseas broadcasts were begun, resulting in millions of world-wide listeners each year.
Since its beginning the service has been adapted for use around the globe. One correspondent reported hearing the service in a tent on the foothills of Mt. Everest; another, in the desert.
King’s College Dean Eric Milner-White, who instituted the services in Cambridge, points out, “The main theme is the development of the loving purposes of God. [seen] through the windows and words of the Bible.” Many of those who took part in the first service must have recalled loved ones killed in the Great War when it came to the famous passage “all those who rejoice with us but on another shore and in a greater light.”
We join a growing Christmas tradition. In addition to those present with us today, and those tuning into the broadcast, thousands more will celebrate with Lessons and Carols in local services, as we do in this parish. So it is that we at Holy Communion, in University City, in this year of our Lord two thousand and twenty one join the throngs of pilgrims to the manger, preparing for them.
Vestry
Fran Caradonna, Senior Warden; Rudy Walz, Junior Warden;
Kellie McCoy, Treasurer; Pat Redington, Secretary
Rebecca Comas, Bob Lowes, Heidi Volkl, Andrew Wasson, Tim Anderson
Announcements
More information on upcoming events can be found at holycommunion.net/info
Greening of the Church: Saturday, December 14th, from 9:00-12:00. Please join us as we hang lights and greens, and prepare our worship space for the season. This is an opportunity for all ages with no prior experience necessary! You are welcome to come and go as your time allows!
Christmas Flower Dedication: If you would like to donate & dedicate flowers to Holy Communion to honor a loved one, please pick up an envelope on the Welcome Table and place in the offering plate indicating the amount & name of whom the donation is in honor if. Names will be listed in our service bulletin in memoriam.
Christmas Schedule: Lessons & Carols – 12/15 at 10:30 a.m., Pop-Up Christmas Pageant at 4:00 p.m. on 12/24, Candlelight Christmas Service at 10:30 p.m. on 12/24.
Pageant details: Come early to pick out a costume to wear to help tell the story as the narrator reads during the service. It is a worship of dramatizing the story, singing Christmas carols and Holy Eucharist. There is no rehearsal, just listen for your part and process up to adore the baby Jesus. Contact Julie for any questions at jgraham@holycommunion.net.
Be Smart Gun Safety: Be SMART is an educational program about gun safety for parents and others who are responsible for children and will be sharing during Adult Forum on Dec. 15. It is carefully nonpartisan and all are welcome.
Stewardship Campaign 2025: The 2025 Stewardship Campaign for Holy Communion’s Annual Giving well underway! Please fill out a pledge card if you have not done so, or go to Giving on our website.
Pick-Up Choir Schedule: Join the choir every first Sunday of the month. All are welcome, no matter your vocal experience! Contact Music Director, Mary Chapman for more info: mchapman@holycommunion.net
Birthdays at Church! Is it your birthday month? Celebrate with HoCo by bringing a snack or dessert to share after the 10:30 service on the third Sunday of the month! No sign-up needed.
2024 Food Drive - Community Care Cupboard: 2024 Food Drive - Community Care Cupboard: As Christmas approaches, it is vital to keep donating! Many UCity School district’s families only had turkeys and other food for Thanksgiving because of our donations – THANK YOU for your generosity! Likewise, those same families will struggle for Christmas meals. HoCo’s donors can make dreams of happy, full bellies come true, which is a true Christmas gift. *If you donate a gift card, please write the amount on it! Questions? Please email Maryanne at coley7365@sbcglobal.net.
