December 3rd, 2017 – First Sunday in Advent

Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy 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 quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen

TODAY AT ST. MARY’S

Our Advent collect in the Book of Common Prayer speaks of casting off darkness and putting on light — as we keep our eyes on Christ, who came to us first in great humility, and will be returning in glory. We will be exploring this theme of turning from the dark into the light during the introits of our Advent services. We will begin each Sunday morning in the darkened church, reminding us that the world, in rejecting God, fell into darkness. Next, we will hear the proclamation of the light that Christ brought into our darkness, to banish sin and death. The bell is our calling, to wake up from sleep, and follow Christ by casting off our sinful nature and putting his nature, the armour of light. Our introit, “The Advent Prose” chanted to a haunting melody, consists of verses from Isaiah and are a plea from the prophets, the patriarchs, the whole church, who together await the Messiah. The imagery unites things heavenly and earthly as the heavens prepare for the Saviour to descend and the earth prepares to welcome him. As rain comes from the sky and quenches the earth, onto to evaporate, so too the Messiah will descend to save his people and ascend into heavenly glory. We recall past sins and seek forgiveness, as we await the birth of Christ for our redemption and the whole of creation.

Flowers on the Altar To the Glory of God and in loving memory of our husband and father Heinz Sobek by Renate, Ina, and Yvonne.

Nursery (for infants and toddlers) is available in Good Shepherd Nursery. Leader: Alana S

Godly Play in the Children’s Worship Centre for children 3 – 6 years. Today’s story is ‘The Prophets Show the Way to Bethlehem’ Isaiah 9:2, John 1:5. Leaders: Melanie B, Sandra D.

Faith Quest kids (ages 7-13) the kids will serve and worship in church today.

December Birthdays Today we are also celebrating December Birthdays.

Coffee and Finger Food Lunch Following the service, please join us for a cup of coffee or tea and finger food in the upper hall. Coffee Hosts: Yvonne and Christian

MORNING PRAYER AT TEN O’CLOCK

Prayer Book, Page 6-15, Psalm 146,147, Amos 1:1-5, 13-2:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

HOLY COMMUNION AT HALF-PAST TEN

Advent Acclamation

I look from afar
And lo i see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole earth.
Go out to meet him and say:
Tell us, art he that you is to reign over your people Israel?
High and low, rich and poor; one with another.
Go out to meet him and say:
Hear, o thou shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep.
Tell us, are you he that is to come?
Stir up they strength, o Lord and come
To reign over your people Israel.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
I look from afar: and lo, I see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole earth.

Be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember our iniquity for ever:
thy holy cities are a wilderness, Sion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation:
our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee.

Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour forth righteousness

We have sinned, and are as an unclean thing,
and we all do fade as a leaf:
our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away;
thou hast hid thy face from us:
and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour forth righteousness

Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen;
that ye may know me and believe me:
I, even I, am the Lord, and beside me there is no Saviour:
and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.

Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour forth righteousness

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, my salvation shall not tarry:
I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions:
fear not for I will save thee:
for I am the Lord thy god, the holy one of Israel, thy Redeemer.

Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour forth righteousness

Opening Hymn: # 59 The Advent of our King

The advent of our King
Our prayers must now employ,
And we must hymns of welcome sing
In strains of holy joy.

The everlasting Son
Incarnate deigns to be;
Himself a servant’s form puts on
To set His servants free.

O Zion’s Daughter, rise
To meet thy lowly King,
Nor let thy faithless heart despise
The peace He comes to bring.

As Judge, on clouds of light,
He soon will come again
And His true members all unite
With Him in heaven to reign.

Before the dawning day
Let sin’s dark deeds be gone,
The old man all be put away,
The new man all put on.

All glory to the Son,
Who comes to set us free,
With Father, Spirit, ever One,
Through all eternity.

Lord’s Prayer and Collect for Purity

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 them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.

ALMIGHTY God, unto whom all hearts be open, it all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Summary of the Law

OUR Lord Jesus Christ said: Hear O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it:

Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

Lord, have mercy upon us, and write all these thy laws in ours hearts, we beseech thee.

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

The Lord be with you; And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

FIRST READING: Isaiah 64:1-9
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you for you have hidden your face from us and have given us over to our sins. Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord; do not remember our sins forever. Oh, look on us, we pray, for we are all your people.
R. / Thanks be to God.

Psalm: 80: 1-7, 16-18
HEAR, O thou Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; / show thyself also, thou that sittest upon the cherubim.
2 Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, / stir up thy strength, and come and help us.
3 Turn us again, O God; / show the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.
4 O LORD God of hosts, / how long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth?
5 Thou hast fed them with the bread of tears, / and hast given them plenteousness of tears to drink.
6 Thou makest us a very strife unto our neighbours, / and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
7 Turn us again, O God of hosts; / show the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.
…
16 It is burnt with fire and cut down; / they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
17 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, / and upon the son of man, whom thou madest so strong for thine own self.
18 And so shall we not go back from thee: / O let us live, and we will call upon thy Name.

The Epistle: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
R. / Thanks be to God.

Hymn: #474 Jesus, Where’er Thy People Meet

GOSPEL: Mark 13:24-37
Response before the Gospel: Glory be to thee, O Lord
“But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when

Response following the Gospel: Praise be to thee, O Christ

Sermon

Nicene Creed

I BELIEVE in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible:

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-be- gotten Son of God, Begotten of the Father before all worlds; God, of God; Light, of Light; Very God, of very God; Begotten, not made; Being of one substance with the Father; Through whom all things were made: Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man, And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead: Whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord, The Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets. And I believe One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. And I look for the Resurrection of the dead, And the Life of the world to come. Amen.

Intercessions Leader: Maranatha (Response: Amen, Come Lord Jesus)

Offertory Hymn: # 601 God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending

Invitation, Confession and Absolution

YE that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbours, and intend to lead the new life, following the commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways: Draw near with faith, and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort; and make your humble confession to Almighty God, meekly kneeling upon your knees.

ALMIGHTY God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men: We acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness, Which we from time to time most grievously have committed, By thought, word, and deed, Against thy Divine Majesty. We do earnestly repent, And are heartily sorry for these our misdoings. Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; For thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, Forgive us all that is past; And grant that we may ever hereafter Serve and please thee In newness of life, To the honour and glory of thy Name; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him: Have mercy upon you; pardon and deliver you from all your sins; confirm and strengthen you in all goodness; and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith unto all that truly turn to him.

COME unto me all that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. St Matthew 11. 28.

God so loved the world, that he gave his only- begotten Son, to the end that all that believe in him should not perish, but have eternal life. St John 3. 16.

Hear also what Saint Paul saith.
This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be received, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 1 Timothy 1. 15.

Hear also what Saint John saith.
If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins. 1 St John 2. 1, 2.

Great Thanksgiving, Peace, Prayer of Humble Access

THE Lord be with you;
And with thy spirit.
Lift up your hearts;
We lift them up unto the Lord.
Let us give thanks unto our Lord God;
It is meet and right so to do.

IT is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty, Everlasting God, Creator and Pre- server of all things.

THEREFORE with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious Name; evermore praising thee and saying:

HOLY, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts,
Heaven and earth are full of thy
glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord Most High.
BLESSED is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

BLESSING and glory and thanksgiving be unto thee Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of thy tender mercy didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to take our nature upon him, and to suffer death upon the Cross for our redemption; who made there, by his one oblation of himself once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world; and did institute, and in his holy Gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memorial of that his precious death, until his coming again.

Hear us, O merciful Father, we most humbly beseech thee; and grant that we receiving these thy creatures of bread and wine, according to thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ’s holy institution, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed Body and Blood; who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took Bread; and, when he had given thanks, he brake it; and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat; this is my Body which is given for you: Do this in remembrance of me. Likewise after supper he took the Cup; and, when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all, of this; for this is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins: Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.

Wherefore, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, we thy humble servants, with all thy holy Church, remembering the precious death of thy beloved Son, his mighty resurrection, and glorious ascension, and looking for his coming again in glory, do make before thee, in this sacrament of the holy Bread of eternal life and Cup of everlasting salvation, the memorial which he hath commanded; And we entirely desire thy fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, most humbly beseeching thee to grant, that by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we and all thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of his passion; And we pray that by the power of thy Holy Spirit, all we who are partakers of this holy Communion may be fulfilled with thy grace and heavenly benediction; through Jesus Christ our Lord, by whom and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be unto thee, O Father Almighty, world without end.

Amen.

THE peace of the Lord be always with you; And with thy spirit.

WE do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, Trusting in our own righteousness, But in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy So much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord, Whose property is always to have mercy: Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, So to eat the Flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, And to drink his Blood, That our sinful bodies may be made clean by his Body, And our souls washed through his most precious Blood, And that we may evermore dwell in him, And he in us. Amen.

O LAMB of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, grant us thy peace.

Communion Hymn: Even so, Lord Jesus, Come

Even so, Lord Jesus come
Oh divine and glorious son
though we live as Your body
here on earth
even so Lord Jesus come

Gracious Father, Sovereign Lord
your creations one adored
by Your hand we receive Your majesty
even so, Lord Jesus come

Holy Spirit, breath of life
light a path through darkest night
in Your care we confess our deepest sigh
even so, Lord Jesus come

Post Communion Prayer

ALMIGHTY and everliving God, we most heartily thank thee that thou dost graciously feed us, in these holy mysteries, with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ; assuring us thereby of thy favour and goodness towards us; and that we are living members of his mystical body, which is the blessed company of all faithful people; and are also heirs through hope of thy everlasting kingdom.

And here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice unto thee. And although we are unworthy, yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service, not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offences; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

GLORY be to God on high, and in earth peace, agood will towards men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.

O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesu Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.

For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Blessing

THE peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord: And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you and remain with you always. Amen.

Announcements

Dismissal

Judah and Jerusalem, fear not nor be dismayed.
Tomorrow go forth, and the Lord will be with you.
Stand still and you shall know the salvation of the lord.
Tomorrow go forth, and the Lord will be with you.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
Tomorrow go forth, and the Lord will be with you.
— Silence —
We wait for your loving kindness, o lord.
In the midst of your temple.

Hymn # 88 Come, Thou Long- expected Jesus

Please observe a moment for silent prayer

This week at St Mary’s

Wednesday
10:30 am Mom and Tots Group
7:00 pm Evening Prayer

Thursday
9:30 am Woman’s Time Out Bible Study

Saturday
3:30 pm St. Nicholas Parish Party

Next Sunday
10:00 am Morning Prayer
10:30 am Holy Communion / Family Service

Readings for next Sunday are as follows: Isaiah 40:1-11, Psalm 85, 2 Peter 3:8-15a, Mark 1:1-8

PARISH LIFE NOTES

Stewardship. Thank you to all those who today have brought their 2018 stewardship pledges. Please place them in the offering plate today. Pledges may be sent into the church office or included in next weeks offering.

Worship Service at Wascana Rehabilitation Centre – will take place this Sunday, Dec.3, at 1:30 pm. in the chapel. A team from St. Mary’s leads the service and porters residents to the chapel. We invite you to share in this outreach. Please call Rem for more information.

Poinsettias are for order from Jacky S after church or call (please leave a message with name, phone number and number of plants required). Last date for order is 5 Dec, cost is $14.00, delivery date is 13 Dec. Build your gift giving around St. Mary’s. Let’s see if we can sell 100!!!

St. Nicholas Day Parish Party Saturday, December 9, 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm. An afternoon of tea, snacks, visiting, activities including packing baskets for Women of the Dawn Counseling Centre Project Kid Care Christmas Dinner, worship, blessing the baskets, a visit from St. Nicholas and supper in the upper hall. YOU ARE INVITED TO BRING A GIFT OF TOYS, BOOKS, CLOTHING FOR A CHILD BETWEEN THE AGE OF 3 AND 15 FOR THE WOMEN OF THE DAWN PROJECT KID CARE. An event for adults and children of all ages. Invite your family, friends and neighbors. RSVP to Yvonne @ 306-522-6052 or stmarysanglican@sasktel.net. If you would like to help out please sign signup sheet on landing.

Light and Peace Fridays in Advent (December 8, 15, 22). Intergenerational, supper at 5:45 pm. followed by book study, baking, music making, crafts, games, concluding with Family Compline. RSVP to Yvonne @ 306-522-6052 or stmarysanglican@sasktel.net.

Advent Outreach: At our St. Nicholas Party on December 9th we will be assembling gift baskets for the Women of the Dawn Counseling Centre Project Kid Care Christmas Dinner. Donations of gifts ($15-20) of toys, books, and clothing for a child between the age of 3 and 15 can be brought to the Party or placed in a marked bin on the landing. If you prefer, you can give a monetary donation to St. Mary’s marked for Project Kid Care. Donations should be received by Dec. 10.

Women of the Dawn Project Project Kid Care Christmas Dinner will be held at St. Mary’s on Thursday, Dec. 14 starting at 5 pm. Members of St. Mary’s Parish Family are invited.

Today at 2:30 p.m. the Luther Bach Choir will be presenting a program of Advent music and readings to celebrate the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. The concert will include performances of J.S. Bach’s Cantata No. 61 “Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland,” Bach’s Double Violin Concerto in D minor, and music by Orlando Gibbons and William Byrd. Rex Schneider Auditorium, Luther College at the University of Regina, freewill offering and President’s reception to follow. Complimentary parking available in Lot 13M.

Vivace Choral Ensemble presents A Festive Noe Saturday Dec 16th 2017, 7:00PM First Baptist Church Adults $15 Seniors/Student $12