The FIRST Sunday of Advent
Sunday, December 3, at 10:00 am
The form for this service can also be found in The Book of Common Prayer, page 355. Spoken responses are in bold typeface.
Prelude: “Savior of the Nations Come’” Kevin Hildebrand
The Word of God
The Introit
The introit—an antiphon and verse appropriate to the day—is sung by cantor and choir.
Unto thee, O Lord, lift I up my soul; O my God, in thee have I trusted, let me not be confounded: neither let mine enemies triumph over me; for all they that look for thee shall not be ashamed. Shew me thy ways, O Lord: and teach me thy paths. Glory be…
Hymn 56: “O come, O come, Emmanuel”
1. O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel!
2. O come, thou Wisdom from on high,
who orderest all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel!
Opening Acclamation
Celebrant ✠ Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.
People His mercy endures for ever.
Celebrant
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect for Purity
The Kyrie:
The Collect of the Day
Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Let us pray.
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
First Lesson: Isaiah 2:1-5
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In 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 the nations shall 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 ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 122
1 I was glad when they said to me, *
“Let us go to the house of the Lord."
2 Now our feet are standing *
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is built as a city *
that is at unity with itself;
4 To which the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord, *
the assembly of Israel,
to praise the Name of the Lord.
5 For there are the thrones of judgment, *
the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: *
“May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls *
and quietness within your towers.
8 For my brethren and companions’ sake, *
I pray for your prosperity.
9 Because of the house of the Lord our God, *
I will seek to do you good."
Second Lesson: Romans 13:11-14
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.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Hymn 61: “Sleepers, wake!’ A voice astounds us”
1. “Sleepers, wake!” A voice astounds u
the shout of rampart guards surrounds us:
“Awake, Jerusalem, arise!”
Midnight’s peace their cry has broken,
their urgent summons clearly spoken:
“The time has come, O maidens wise!
Rise up, and give us light;
the Bridegroom is in sight.
Alleluia!
Your lamps prepare and hasten there,
that you the wedding feast may share.”
2. Zion hears the watchmen singing;
her heart with joyful hope is springing,
she wakes and hurries through the night.
Forth he comes, her Bridegroom glorious
in strength of grace, in truth victorious:
her star is risen, her light grows bright.
Now come, most worthy Lord,
God’s Son, Incarnate Word,
Alleluia!
We follow all and heed your call
to come into the banquet hall.
3. Lamb of God, the heavens adore you;
let saints and angels sing before you,
as harps and cymbals swell the sound.
Twelve great pearls, the city’s portals:
through them we stream to join the immortals
as we with joy your throne surround.
No eye has known the sight,
no ear heard such delight:
Alleluia!
Therefore we sing to greet our King;
for ever let our praises ring.
Tract
The choir sings the Tract, then all repeat it.
A verse follows, then all repeat the Tract.
The Gospel: Matthew 24:36-44
Celebrant The ✠ Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Matthew.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said to the disciples, “But 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 all 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.”
Celebrant The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
After the sermon, the choir sings a sentence of Scripture in response.
The Nicene Creed
The Prayers of the People
With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord, saying “Lord, have mercy.”
For the peace from above, for the loving-kindness of God, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the world, for the welfare of the holy Church of God, and for the unity of all peoples, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For ___ , and for all the clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For ___ , for the leaders of all the nations, and for all in authority, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For this community, for every city and community, and for those who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For the good earth which God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For the aged and infirm, for the widowed and orphans, and for the sick and the suffering, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For those who are on our prayer list, especially ___ , and for those who have commended themselves to our prayers, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For our sister church of St. Mary’s, Sololá, and for the churches and provinces throughout the Anglican Communion, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and the destitute, for prisoners and captives, and for all who remember and care for them, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For all who have died in the hope of the resurrection, ✠ and for all the departed, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
For deliverance from all danger, violence, oppression, and degradation, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
That we may end our lives in faith and hope, without suffering and without reproach, let us pray to the Lord.
Silence
Lord, have mercy.
In the communion of the ever-blessèd Virgin Mary, Mother of God, blessed Paul the Apostle, and of all the saints, let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life, to Christ our God.
Silence
To you, O Lord our God.
Silence. Additional petitions may be included here.
The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.
Hasten, O Father, the coming of your kingdom; and grant that we your servants, who now live by faith, may with joy behold your Son at his coming in glorious majesty; even Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.
Confession of Sin
Celebrant
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Celebrant and People
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
The Celebrant stands and gives an absolution.
The Peace
Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
The ministers and the people greet one another with a sign of peace.
The Holy Communion
The Celebrant begins the Offertory with a sentence of Scripture.
During the Offertory an anthem is sung, and the Altar is prepared with the elements of Holy Communion.
The Offering is brought forward. The people stand and are censed by the acolyte.
To give an offering, choose one of the following:
Text: message 73256 with the phrase saintpauls $X (insert an amount in place of X)
Check: mail your offering to St. Paul’s Church, 84 E Oakland Ave, Doylestown, PA 18901
Offertory Anthem: “Rejoice in the Lord Alway” 16th C. anon.
Rejoice in the Lord alway,
and again I say, rejoice.
Let your softness be
known unto all men:
the Lord is e’en at hand.
Be careful for nothing:
but in all prayer and supplication,
let your petitions be
manifest unto God
with giving of thanks.
And the peace of God which
passeth all understanding,
keep your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesu. Amen
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer B
The people stand and the Celebrant sings
The Celebrant continues
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Because you sent your beloved Son to redeem us from sin and death, and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life; that when he shall come again in power and great triumph to judge the world, we may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing.
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
Sanctus: “Holy, holy, holy Lord”
The Celebrant continues
We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
On the night before he died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, 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.”
Therefore, according to his command, O Father,
Celebrant and People
We remember his death,
We proclaim his resurrection,
We await his coming in glory;
The Celebrant continues
And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine. We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with the ever-blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, blessed Paul the Apostle, and all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation. By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. Amen.
Celebrant And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
People and Celebrant
The Fraction
The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept.
Celebrant Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People Therefore let us keep the feast.
The Agnus Dei
Celebrant and People
A Communion antiphon and verse is sung by cantor and choir:
The Lord shall shew loving-kindness: and our land shall give her increase.
Spiritual Communion: Act of Reception
During Communion, you are invited to say the following prayer form for receiving Spiritual Communion. Know that the grace of God is made present in your heart, even though the Sacrament is not received with the mouth.
In union, blessed Jesus, with the faithful gathered at every altar of your Church where your blessed Body and Blood are offered this day, I long to offer you praise and thanksgiving, for creation and all the blessings of this life, for the redemption won for us by your life, death, and resurrection, for the means of grace and the hope of glory.
I believe that you are truly present in the Holy Sacrament, and, since I cannot at this time receive communion, I pray you to come into my heart. I unite myself with you and embrace you with all my heart, my soul, and my mind. Let nothing separate me from you; let me serve you in this life until, by your grace, I come to your glorious kingdom and unending peace. Amen.
Come Lord Jesus, and dwell in my heart in the fullness of your strength; be my wisdom and guide me in right pathways; conform my life and actions to the image of your holiness; and, in the power of your gracious might, rule over every hostile power that threatens or disturbs the growth of your kingdom, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Communion Anthem: “Comfort ye” Robert Edward Smith
Comfort, comfort ye, my people,
Speak ye peace, thus saith our God;
Comfort those who sit in darkness
Mourning ‘neath their sorrows’ load.
And speak ye to Jerusalem
Of the peace that waits for them.
Tell her that her sins I cover
And her warfare now is over.
Hark, the voice of one that crieth
In the desert far and near,
Bidding all men to repentance
Since the kingdom now is here.
O that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God alway.
Let the valleys rise to meet him,
And the hills bow down to greet him.
Make ye straight what long was crooked,
Make the rougher places plain.
Let your hearts be true and humble,
As befits his holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord
Now o’er earth is shred abroad;
And all flesh shall see the token
That his word is never broken. Amen
Hymn 57: “Lo! He comes, with clouds descending”
1. Lo! he comes, with clouds descending,
once for our salvation slain;
thousand thousand saints attending
swell the triumph of his train:
Alleluia!
Christ the Lord returns to reign.
2. Every eye shall now behold him,
robed in dreadful majesty;
those who set at nought and sold him,
pierced, and nailed him to the tree,
deeply wailing,
shall the true Messiah see.
3. Those dear tokens of his passion
still his dazzling body bears,
cause of endless exultation
to his ransomed worshipers;
with what rapture
gaze we on those glorious scars!
4. Yea, amen! let all adore thee,
high on thine eternal throne;
Savior, take the power and glory;
claim the kingdom for thine own:
Alleluia!
Thou shalt reign, and thou alone.
After Communion, the Celebrant says
Let us pray.
Celebrant and People
Almighty and everliving God,
we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food
of the most precious Body and Blood
of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;
and for assuring us in these holy mysteries
that we are living members of the Body of your Son,
and heirs of your eternal kingdom.
And now, Father, send us out
to do the work you have given us to do,
to love and serve you
as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.
To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Welcome & Announcements
Blessing & Dismissal
The Celebrant blesses the people and dismisses them.
The people respond Thanks be to God.
Postlude: “Rorate Coeli” Melissa Dunphy
Service Participants
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
Eucharistic Minister: Widgette Kelly
Acolyte: Madeleine Moore
Lector: Joe DeTato
Ushers: John Fraser, Carol Fox
Advent Wreath: Lisa Farina
A/V: Liam Kelly
Organist: W. Edward McCall
Choir: George Achilles, Trudie Benton, Wendy Brumbaugh, J.T. Capps, Carol Fox, Laura Pankoe, Shelley Reed, Robert Risch, Mike Roberts, Sue Roberts, Anne Shute, Jim Shute, Caitlin Stein, Marian Wentworth
Online giving is available through Realm E-Giving and PayPal. We thank you for your generous giving to St. Paul’s.
Evensong & Benediction: December 11 at 5:00pm
St. Paul’s will offer a service of Evensong and Benediction on Sunday, December 11 at 5:00pm. Evensong is a sung setting of Evening Prayer; led principally by choir, it is one of the treasures of our Anglican tradition. This Advent Evensong features the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis by Bob Chilcott. The anthem is the Ave dulcissima Maria by Fred Gramann, for Soprano solo and choir. Additionally, the service preces (setting) are a composition of our own director of music, Ed McCall. The service ends with Benediction: the exposing of the Eucharistic Host, the blessing of the people, and the Divine Praises. Join us for this very special Advent service.
Weekday Worship
Mass for the Feast of St. Andrew will be held this week on Wednesday, November 30, in the Church.
Rector’s Office Hours
Fr. Daniel will be holding drop-in office hours this week: 3:00pm-5:00pm on Tuesday, and 9:30am-11:30am on Thursday. Feel free to drop in and say hello, no appointment needed.
Christmas MUSIC AND FLOWERS: MEMORIALS & THANKSGIVINGS
We invite you to to submit a memorial and/or thanksgiving offering for Christmas music and flowers, along with the names of those you wish to be remembered. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, December 11. You can submit names through our website using the buttons below:
CHRISTMAS IN DOYLESTOWN
It’s now less than one week away!
Fri. Dec. 2nd 5-9pm
Sat. Dec. 3rd 11am-3pm
Tour Tickets & Raffle Tickets on sale TODAY in the parish hall
· Please sign up to help with CID here. NOTE: This sign-up covers multiple activities: click on each tab across the top to see a different sign-up. And remember to click both the ‘Submit and Sign Up’ button AND the ‘Sign Up Now’ button to complete your signup. You’ll know you did it correctly when you receive a confirmation email.
· Help is still needed:
o Hosting at the houses Friday evening and Saturday
o Helping at the Tea or Bake Table in the Parish Hall on tour days
o Young people ages 9 and up can help with bussing tables and setting up the food plates in the kitchen.
o Preparing food for the Tea
o Baking for the Bake Table
o Boxing cookies on Wednesday Nov. 30
o Setting up parish hall with tables & raffle on Dec. 1st
· If you don’t have email, please contact text Kay Johnson to volunteer.
· Many Thanks to everyone for your help and support!
Christmas Gift Card Collection
Dear parishioners of Saint Paul’s, thank you for your generosity for the supermarket gift card collection. We gave $500 worth of cards to Doyle Elementary and $475 worth of cards to the Immigrants Right Action group. Both groups were very appreciative!! For Christmas we will be collecting gifts cards for the children of Doyle. We’re hoping for gift cards to stores like Target, Walmart, Kohl’s, Marshall’s and TJ Maxx so the parents can then get gifts for their kiddos. We know it’s a lot to ask but the need for help is increasing in the last several months. Again, thank you for your generosity. Please bring gift cards on Sundays and give to Mary Smith between services or drop them off to Angie at the church.
Greening of the Church:
We welcome all parishioners to help with the greening of the church after the 10am service coffee hour on Sunday 12/18. Please contact Lisa Farina if you have any questions: 484-633-6000.
A new Advent Bible Study will be offered on Zoom during the four Wednesdays of Advent: December 1, 8, 15 and 22 at 7:30-8:30 pm. We plan to focus on the significance of the Advent candles, which symbolize Hope, Faith, Joy and Peace. Stories and verses from scripture will be covered, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ and welcome Him into our homes and our lives. So please take a break from the ‘seasonal busyness’ and join us! Questions? Contact John and Nancy Gifford Humphreys using the church directory.
Acolytes
Saint Paul’s wants to increase participation in the Acolyte Guild. Those interested can contact Pike Stephens using the church directory.
Women’s Ministry: Christmas Tea and Ornament Exchange December 18
St. Paul’s Women’s Ministry invites all women of the parish to a Christmas Tea and ornament exchange at the home of Rachel Morse on Sunday, December 18 at 4 PM, hosted. RSVP by December 12. Bring an ornament to share and join us in fellowship to celebrate the advent season in anticipation of Christ’s birth. Look for an invitation in your emails. For more information, contact Rachel Morse.
Community Meal
Thank you to all the volunteers who have helped with the Community Meals. The next meal is today at 1:00pm. We will be serving a traditional Thanksgiving meal and there are still a few spots remaining to be filled. Please consider helping with vegetables, or mashed potatoes. This will be our last Community Meal until April 2023. In addition to St. Paul’s parishioners, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and St. Paul’s youth groups will be participating. We are also in need of gift cards and travel size toiletries which can be dropped off at the church today. Thank you again for what you have done in the past and in advance for your additional support. Please contact Mary Lou Parry with any questions you may have.
2023 Episcopal Church Ordo Calendars Available
Our 2023 Ordo Calendars have arrived and are available in the Narthex. Please pick up yours today, and perhaps an extra if you know of someone who might like one.