The FIRST Sunday of Advent
Sunday, November 28, 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: “Episode on ‘veni Emmanuel’” Lani Smith
The Word of God
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.
Trisagion: “Holy God” Sung three times.
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: Jeremiah 33:14-16
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 25:1-9
1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;
my God, I put my trust in you; *
let me not be humiliated,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
2 Let none who look to you be put to shame; *
let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.
3 Show me your ways, O Lord, *
and teach me your paths.
4 Lead me in your truth and teach me, *
for you are the God of my salvation;
in you have I trusted all the day long.
5 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love, *
for they are from everlasting.
6 Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; *
remember me according to your love
and for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.
7 Gracious and upright is the Lord; *
therefore he teaches sinners in his way.
8 He guides the humble in doing right *
and teaches his way to the lowly.
9 All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness *
to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
Second Lesson: 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.
Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Hymn 58: “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.
The Gospel: Luke 21:25-36
Celebrant The ✠ Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Luke.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Jesus said, “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Celebrant The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Tract
The choir sings the Tract, then all repeat it.
The choir sings a verse, then all repeat the Tract.
The Sermon
After the sermon, the choir sings a sentence of Scripture in response.
The Nicene Creed Said in unison
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
✠ and the life of the world to come. Amen.
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 Breaking of the Bread
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.
Fraction Anthem
Celebrant and People
Then, facing the people, the Celebrant says
Celebrant The Gifts of God for the People of God.
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: “The Holy Eucharist” William H. Harris
Him holy In him abide
Eternal soul In him you hide
All your sin On God laid bare
Receiving life He longs to share.
Him holy In him abide
O Christian souls His body live
Who in him To Father make
The sacrifice Of Incarnate.
Him holy In him abide
Heaven home In him alive
Holy love One body make
Joying souls New blessing wake.
Hymn 73: “The King shall come when morning dawns”
1. The King shall come when morning dawns
and light triumphant breaks;
when beauty gilds the eastern hills
and life to joy awakes.
2. Not, as of old, a little child,
to bear, and fight, and die,
but crowned with glory like the sun
that lights the morning sky.
3. The King shall come when morning dawns
and earth’s dark night is past;
O haste the rising of that morn,
the day that e’er shall last;
4. and let the endless bliss begin,
by weary saints foretold,
when right shall triumph over wrong,
and truth shall be extolled.
5. The King shall come when morning dawns
and light and beauty brings:
Hail, Christ the Lord! Thy people pray,
come quickly, King of kings.
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: “Prelude on ‘Dix’” Lani Smith
Service Participants
Celebrant & Preacher: The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
Eucharistic Minister: Christopher McCall
Acolyte: Madeleine Moore
Lector: Christopher McCall
Ushers: Ted Hopkins, Andy Hutchison
Altar: Widgette Kelly, Jacky Grande
Advent Wreath: Flower Guild
A/V: Emery Kohut
Organist: W. Edward McCall
Choir: George Achilles, Trudie Benton, Wendy Brumbaugh, Carol Fox, Derek Guzman, Shelley Reed, Mike Roberts, Sue Roberts, 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.
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 12. You can submit names through our website using the buttons below:
Christmas Gift Card Collection
Thank you so much for your generous giving to the Thanksgiving gift card collection for Doyle Elementary School. We gave them a total of $840 worth of cards and two free turkey certificates. We will now be collecting gift cards from stores like Target, Kohl’s, Walmart, Marshall’s, Five Below, as well as MasterCard or Visa cards. These cards will be given to the parents to get gifts for their children. We need to have the cards by December 12 so that the parents have time to get gifts for their children. Questions? Contact Mary Smith using the church directory.
Advent Bible Study
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.
Advent Offering: Food Ministry at The Church of the Holy Apostles and the Mediator
This Advent, our offering is given for the Community Food Ministry at The Church of the Holy Apostles and the Mediator in Philadelphia. Thank you for your generosity in giving.
Little Free Pantry
The Outreach Committee is sponsoring a new service to the needy of the community. Watch for the Little Free Pantry that will be located on Oakland Ave. in front of the church.
The Little Free Pantry, which has the same concept as the Little Free Libraries, will be stocked with non-perishable goods...canned food, hygiene products etc. The motto is “Take what you need, leave what you can.”
Additional details will be available in the very near future!! Questions? Contact Mary Lou Parry using the church directory.
NEW CONFIRMATION & RECEPTION COURSE
A new course is starting up for adults and youth (ages 14 and older) who are interested in being Confirmed or Received into The Episcopal Church. This course will take place in-person throughout the fall, winter, and spring. Masks will be required for all attendees when meeting indoors, and we will plan to meet in the Parish Hall so that we can spread out as needed. Depending on the weather conditions, outdoors sessions may be a possibility. For more details about this course, please contact Fr. Daniel Moore.
2022 Episcopal Church Ordo Calendars Available
Our 2022 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.
The Holiday Carolsing Returns!
6:00 PM on Thursday, December 16
The St. Paul’s holiday carol-sing returns! On Thursday, December 16 at 6:00 PM, you are invited to come a-caroling with us around Doylestown borough. We’ll do a short loop around town (with minimal street crossing) before returning to the Parish Hall for some hot chocolate. The majority of our time will be spent outside, allowing plenty of space to spread out. It’s a wonderful opportunity to enjoy some good holiday cheer in the fresh air with your fellow parishioners. Join us!
CHRISTMAS IN DOYLESTOWN
Continues this year
as an Outdoor Lights Tour December 10-19th from 5 to 9 pm
New this year: Online voting will determine four winners, one in each of these categories: Best Front Door, Most Creative Illumination, Best Themed Display, and Most Fun for Kids. Each winner will designate a local charity to receive a grant from St. Paul’s. Doylestown residents: If you live within the tour area, please consider decorating your home and entering the competition. The Registration form can be found here.
Christmas Wreaths and Cookies
We thank everyone who ordered wreaths and cookies. Curb-side pick-up takes place in the parking lot on these days:
Wreaths on Sunday Dec. 5th from noon to 3pm.
Cookies on Sunday Dec. 12th from 11:30am to 3pm.
CHRISTMAS ATTIC
The Christmas Attic is on pause this year. We continue to accept donations from parishioners.
Questions? Please contact Kay Johnson using the church directory.
2022 Annual Meeting Details
The next annual meeting of St. Paul’s will take place on the morning of Sunday, January 30, 2022. Barring any unforeseen events, we are planning to hold this meeting in-person, and to make it available via livestream for those who wish to view it from home. Voting at this meeting will take place in person, and accommodations will be arranged so that those who prefer not to be in close contact with others can attend safely. A reminder that, per our parish by-laws, voting members are lay, baptized persons aged 16 and older:
a. who shall have been communicants, as defined by Church Canons, in this church as their usual place of public worship for at least one (1) calendar year,
b. and who shall appear by the books of the Parish to have contributed towards the current expenses of the Parish during the calendar year immediately preceding such election or meeting not less than One Hundred ($100.00) dollars, or Twenty-Five ($25) dollars for persons ages 16 and 17. The financial requirement may be waived, subject to the Rector’s discretion.
Further details to follow. Please mark your calendars for this upcoming event; for questions, contact the Rector.
Call for Vestry Nominations
In January 2022, St. Paul’s will elect its next class of members to our Vestry. If you wish to nominate someone (or yourself) as a candidate for election to the Vestry, please contact Nominating Committee member Jill Dulany using the church directory. We will then reach out to nominees directly with more information about the process. Please submit nominations to the Nominating committee by Monday, December 13. And please continue to keep the Vestry in your prayers as they strive to lead and serve our beloved church.
