St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Alliance, Ohio
Sunday, December 10, 2023
9:30 AM
PRELUDE All
the Earth is Hopeful D.
Cherwien
Blessed be
the holy Trinity, one God, who opens the heavens and draws near to us with
salvation. Amen.
God is patient and merciful, desiring all to come to repentance.
Trusting
this promise of grace, let us confess our sin.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Everlasting God,
you love justice and you hate wrongdoing. We confess the fear, greed, and
self-centeredness that make us reluctant to work against oppression. We are
complicit in systems of exploitation. We choose comfort over courage. We are
careless with creation’s bounty. Look upon us with mercy. Turn our hearts again
to you. Make us glad to do your will and to walk in your ways
for the sake of our waiting world.
Amen.
Hear these words of assurance: God clothes you with garments of salvation and covers you with robes of righteousness. In the tender compassion of Jesus Christ,
your sins
are forgiven. God’s covenant is eternal, and God’s blessing rests upon us all.
Amen.
HYMN Prepare the Royal Highway #264
GREETING
The grace of our Lord, Jesus
Christ, the love of God, and communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And
also with you.
KYRIE
HYMN OF PRAISE Light One Candle to Watch for
Messiah #240 v.1,2
PRAYER OF THE DAY, CHIldren’s Sermon
First Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11 1Comfort,
O comfort my people, says your God. 2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that
she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from
the Lord’s hand double for
all her sins. 3A voice cries
out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4Every valley shall be
lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall
become level, and the rough places a plain. 5Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all
people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” 6A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall
I cry?” All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. 7The grass withers, the
flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows
upon it; surely the people are grass. 8The grass withers, the flower fades;
but the word of our God will stand forever. 9Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion,
herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem,
herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah,
“Here is your God!” 10See, the
Lord God comes with
might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense
before him. 11He will feed
his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them
in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 1You have been gracious to
your | land, O Lord; you
have restored the good fortune of Jacob.
2You have forgiven the
iniquity | of your people and blotted out | all their sins.
8I will listen to what
the Lord| God is saying; for
you speak peace to your faithful people and to those
who turn their | hearts to you.
9Truly, your salvation is
very near to | those who fear you, that your glory may dwell | in our land.
10Steadfast love and
faithfulness have | met together; righteousness and peace have | kissed each other.
11Faithfulness shall spring
up | from the earth, and righteousness shall look | down from heaven.
12The Lord will indeed | grant prosperity,
and our land will | yield its increase.
13Righteousness shall go
before the Lord and shall
prepare for | God a pathway.
Second Reading: 2 Peter 3:8-15a
8Do not ignore
this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years,
and a thousand years are like one day. 9The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some
think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all
to come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief,
and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be
dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be
disclosed. 11Since all
these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to
be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, 12waiting for and hastening
the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze
and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? 13But, in accordance with
his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at
home. 14Therefore, beloved, while
you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without
spot or blemish; 15aand regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Gospel: Mark 1:1-8
The
Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark the 1st
chapter. Glory to you, O
Lord.
1The beginning
of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2As it is written in the
prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare
your way; 3the voice of
one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths
straight,’ 4John the
baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for
the forgiveness of sins. 5And people from the whole Judean countryside and
all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in
the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6Now John was clothed with
camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild
honey. 7He
proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not
worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8I have baptized you with
water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
The Gospel
of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON
APOSTLES CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of
heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the
forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and
the life everlasting. Amen
Prayers of Intercession, PEACE,
OFFERING, special music
LORD'S PRAYER
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,
forever and ever. Amen
DISTRIBUTION OF COMMUNION
HYMN Come, Though Long
Expected Jesus #254
PRAYER, BLESSING
HYMN Hark, the Glad Sound! #239
DISMISSAL
POSTLUDE There’s a Voice in the Wilderness W. Wold
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