First Sunday in Advent
November 27, 2022
The Rev. Joshua Heimbuck, Pastor
WELCOME
Welcome to worship! Christ’s love draws all of us together around his throne of grace.
May this morning’s worship assure you of his mercy and all that he has accomplished
for your eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Guests and visitors, please honor us
by signing our Guest Book at the entrance as you leave or use the visitor slip included
in this morning’s worship folder and place it in the offering plate. If you have no church
home of your own, we invite you to make Grace Lutheran Church the center of your worship, learning, fellowship, and service. After this morning worship, join us for a cup
of coffee and let us become better acquainted with you as you get to know us better.
Come to worship with us again and often!
AS WE GATHER New Beginnings
The First Sunday in Advent is a new beginning — it is the first Sunday in a new Church Year of Grace. For the next 12 months we will once again review the major events in the birth, life, death and resurrection of our Lord, and most of those events will be told from the perspective of the Evangelist St. Matthew. On this day we are also looking forward to another new beginning as described by the Apostle St. Peter: “We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness,” 2 Peter 3:13. This new beginning will be inaugurated by the return of our Lord in power and glory at the end of time. While many people think of Advent as a time to celebrate the first coming of our Lord, today’s reading and theme encourage us to be ready for his final coming.
PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP
O God, you see how busy we are with many things. In this hour of worship and prayer,
give us rest from all that would cause us to be anxious and worried. Turn us to listen to
you as you come to us in Word and Sacrament, assuring us of that peace which passes
all understanding; through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
+ THE ORDER OF CELEBRATING +
(Theme of the Day: This weekend begins an Advent/Christmas sermon series called, “Who is Jesus?” Today we learn that Jesus is the Son of David. Christ is our King!)
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
CHIMES
WELCOME
PRELUDE Oh Little Town of Bethlehem — By Lewis H. Redner, Arr. Jack Schrader
Debra Harris, Flute
Tatsiana Asheichyk, Piano
HYMN The Advent of Our King
ORDER OF CONFESSION
In the Name of the Father and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
The time of Christ’s coming is at hand; the day is drawing near.
Let us lay aside the works of darkness; let us put on the armor of light.
Lest that day surprise us unprepared, let us confess our sins to God the Father,
imploring him in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us his promised
forgiveness.
+ A Brief Silence for Reflection & Self-examination +
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed. We have grown complacent and content, desiring darkness rather than the light. We are helpless to free ourselves. We beg your mercy for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, who will come again to judge the living and the dead.
He who is coming has come! His birth among us brings us light; his death for our transgressions brings us life. For his sake your sins are forgiven in the Name of
the Father and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus! Amen
THE PASSING of PEACE
Forgiven and reconciled by God, let us be reconciled with one another and share the peace of the Lord as we greet each other.
[The congregation is encouraged to share the peace of Christ and greet one another with the words: “The Lord’s peace be with you.” The response: “And also with you.”]
LIGHTING of THE ADVENT WREATH
We praise you, O God, for this evergreen crown that marks our days of preparation for Christ’s advent. As we light the first candle of this wreath, rouse us from sleep, that we may be ready to greet our Lord when he comes with all the saints and angels. Enlighten us with your grace and prepare our hearts to welcome him with joy. Grant this through Christ our Lord, whose coming is certain and whose day draws near. Amen
SONG Light the Candle
We light one candle.
And we pray for peace.
We light one candle.
And we pray that swords will be turned into plowshares.
We look forward to the arrival of God’s Son, our Prince of Peace.
Come to us, O Prince of Peace.
We await the time when wars will cease and walls of division will break down.
Come to us, O Prince of Peace.
We see the One who claims our hearts and minds with his love.
Light our path to peace, O Lord, with your glorious presence. Amen
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Stir up your power, O Lord, and come. Protect us by your strength and
save us from the threatening dangers of sin, for you live and reign with
the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
FIRST LESSON Isaiah 2:1-5
[The visionary message presented in this reading focuses on a future day when God establishes his universal reign. At that time, the Lord will be recognized as God of all the earth. The prophet calls God’s people to trust in the certainty of that reign even now.]
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In the days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains and shall be raised above the hills; all nations will stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks, nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD!
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
SECOND LESSON Romans 13:11-14
[Paul compares the advent of Christ to the coming of the dawn. We should anticipate his arrival and prepare for it as we would prepare to greet the new day.]
Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!
SPECIAL MUSIC A Little Child Shall Lead Them — By John Purifoy
Debra Harris, Flute
Tatsiana Asheichyk, Piano
HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 24:36-44
The gospel according to Matthew, the 24th chapter. Glory to you, O Lord.
[God will fulfill his purposes and, already, hidden signs of that fulfillment abound. On that great day there will be dismay, perplexity, confusion, and terror, but God’s people shall be given strength to stand boldly and receive God’s promised redemption.]
Jesus said to the disciples, “About that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. And they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field, one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together, one will be taken, and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore, you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
HYMN OF THE DAY O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
SERMON The First Part in the Series “Who is Jesus?”
“Jesus is the Son of David” — Pr. Josh Text: Matthew 1:1, 6, 17
APOSTOLIC CREED
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His 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 into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence 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 THE CHURCH
OFFERINGS are brought forward
OFFERING PRAYER
Merciful Father, we offer you these gifts as signs of our time and labor.
Receive the offering of our lives, and feed us with your grace, that, even
in the midst of death, all creation might feast on your unending life in
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
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 him thanks and praise.
Holy God, the Beginning and the End,
our Salvation and our Hope,
we praise you for creating a world of order and beauty.
When we brought on chaos, cruelty, and despair,
you sent the prophets to proclaim your justice and mercy.
In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying:
Take and eat; this is my ☩ body which is given
for you. Do this in remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,
And gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my ☩ blood
shed for you for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this in remembrance of me.
Remembering, therefore, his life, death, and resurrection,
we await his coming again in righteousness and peace.
Send your Holy Spirit on us and on this bread and wine
we share; strengthen our faith, increase our hope, and
bring to birth the justice and joy of your Son.
Through him all glory and honor are yours, Almighty Father,
with the Holy Spirit, in your holy Church, both now and
forever. Amen
LORD’S PRAYER
PAX DOMINI
LAMB OF GOD
DISTRIBUTION
Distribution Song What is This Bread?
DISMISSAL
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
By Your word and Sacrament, O God, You give us a foretaste of the
new heaven and new earth that will be ours forever. Strengthen us
in this vision that we might draw others to believe in the hope that is
ours; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
BLESSING
HYMN OF THE DAY O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
SILENT PRAYER
POSTLUDE
+ The Worship Is Over … Let the Service Begin! +
and the Advent Color of Blue
The Advent wreath or crown is shaped in a perfect circle to symbolize God's infinite love. It is usually made of a variety of evergreen leaves, which "represent the hope of eternal
life brought by Jesus Christ." Within the Advent wreath are candles that represent the four weeks of the Advent Season as well as "the light of God coming into the world through the
birth of Jesus Christ” (the central white candle) to dispel the darkness of sin and evil. Each of the candles (3 blue and 1 pink/rose) has its own significance as well; individually, the
candles symbolize the Christian concepts of Hope (Week 1 — blue), Peace (Week 2 — blue), Joy (Week 3 — pink/rose) and Love (Week 4 — blue). The center candle (known as the “Christ Candle”) symbolizes the arrival of ChristMass The Christ candle is white — the festal liturgical color of the churches in the Western Catholic/Christian tradition. It is lit on ChristMass Eve or ChristMass Day.
The Advent color of blue (the altar paraments, vestments, and banners) symbolize hope and waiting.
Advent and Christmas at a Glance
2nd Sunday of Advent, December 4th
- Advent Worship with Holy Communion 10:00 am
- Coffee/Fellowship Hour 11:00 am
Christmas Creche Display
[Bring your favorite Nativity or Holy Family set to display
for all to enjoy.]
3rd Sunday of Advent, December 11th
- Advent Worship with Holy Communion 10:00 am
- Coffee Hour COOKIE CRAWL 11:00 am
[Bring your favorite Christmas cookies or family holiday
treat for all to enjoy.]
4th Sunday of Advent, December 18th
- Advent Worship with Holy Communion 10:00 am
- Coffee/Fellowship Hors d’oeuvres 11:00 am
[Bring your favorite ethnic hors d’oeuvre to share]
ChristMass Eve, December 24th
- Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols 7:00 pm
with Holy Communion
THE PRESENCE of CHRIST is celebrated in The Lord’s Supper. He comes to us in a real and present way with his life-giving body and blood in the bread and wine of The Sacrament to assure us of our forgiveness and to strengthen us in faith and service. All who trust and believe the words “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins” are welcome. Come, receive Christ’s presence in the meal prepared for you. Enjoy his presence. Children are encouraged to come forward with their parents and/or grandparents and receive a blessing.
"O Tannenbaum" — (German: "O fir tree") Following today’s service we will decorate the Christmas Tree and enjoy some special refreshments. Please plan on staying.
T+T+T — The Stewardship Committee will make a short presentation on December 4th concerning a “Time + Talents + Treasures” survey form. The goal is to determine member interest in sharing their time, talents and treasures in support of our mission and ministries here at Grace . A separate form will ask each individual/family unit to estimate their anticipated giving in 2023.
BUDGET PRESENTATION — The proposed 2023 Budget will be presented to the congregation at a Voters' Assembly meeting immediately after worship on December 11th. Budget Committee members will be available to explain all elements of the budget and to address any concerns and questions.
CRECHE SUNDAY — Creche refers specifically to the baby Jesus in the manger. Crèche is a French word that also refers to a nursery or daycare center. Next Sunday, December 4th, will be Creche Sunday, a day to bring your Creche set (Nativity scene) with you to share with your Grace family. We ask that you display your set on one of the tables provided in the back of the Sanctuary, leaving them until the following Sunday, December 11th.
New Bible Study — Beginning Wednesday, November 30th we will start our study with the Gospel of Matthew “Who is Jesus?” This will coincide with our Advent Sermon theme, taking place at 12:00 noon every Wednesday in the Fireside Room.
FREE TO A GOOD HOME — Do you know someone who is in need of a clothes dryer? Margaret Bohn would like to find a good home for her faithful old Whirlpool dryer who still runs great. Please give her a call at 541-301-5758.
This Week at Grace
TUESDAY the 29th: Women’s Bible Study 10:00 am
WEDNESDAY the 30th: “Who is Jesus?” Bible Study 12:00 noon
Choir Rehearsal 7:00 pm
SUNDAY, December 4th: T+T+T Presentation following worship
Bible Discussions — Money Matters 8:45 am
Sunday School for All Ages 9:00 am
Worship 10:00 am
Coffee Connection 11:00 am
Tatsiana Asheichyk —
Student Piano Recital 3:00 pm
Grace Lutheran Church
660 Frances Lane
Ashland, OR 97520
541-482-1661
Pastor Joshua Heimbuck — heimbuck@me.com