O
LORD, raise up (we pray thee) thy power, and come among us, and with great
might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we are sore
let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace
and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through the satisfaction of thy Son
our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory, world
without end. Amen.
ADVENT is a coming, not our coming to God, but his to us. We cannot come to God, he is beyond our reach; but he can come to us, for we are not beneath his mercy. Even in another life, as St John sees it in his vision, we do not rise to God, but he descends to us, and dwells humanly among human creatures, in the glorious man, Jesus Christ. And that will be his last coming; so we shall be his people, and he everlastingly our God, our God-with-us, our Emmanuel. He will so come, but he is come already, he comes always: in our fellow-Christian (even in a child, says Christ), in his word, invisibly in our souls, more visibly in this sacrament. Opening ourselves to him, we call him in: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; O come, Emmanuel. ( Austin Farrer)
St. Mary’s Anglican Church – Canon Claude Schroeder
Sermon on Matthew 11:2-10; 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you be of good cheer
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
It’s the hap-happiest season of all…
I’m sorry. I just can’t do this. Besides, you did not come to church today to hear me sing that song, did you? I would hope not.
It’s Advent after all, and Advent, as I read this week, offers a resounding ‘No’ to sentimentalized Christmas cheer, instead, invites us to name our sorrows, lament unfulfilled longings, pay attention to the pain of waiting in the wilderness — all with quiet hope. “Advent begins in the dark.” (Duke Kwon) Continue reading “Advent 3 – December 16, 2018”
O LORD Jesu Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare the way before thee: Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Midsummer night, and bonfires on the hill Burn for the man who makes way for the Light: ‘He must increase and I diminish still, Until his sun illuminates my night.’ So John the Baptist pioneers our path, Unfolds the essence of the life of prayer, Unlatches the last doorway into faith, And makes one inner space an everywhere. Least of the new and greatest of the old, Orpheus on the threshold with his lyre, He sets himself aside, and cries “Behold The One who stands amongst you comes with fire!” So keep his fires burning through this night, Beacons and gateways for the child of light.
St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Canon Claude Schroeder
Sermon on Luke 21:25-33
Advent is the time in the Church when we focus on the promise of Jesus’ coming.
The Collect for Advent declares, “He came to us in great humility and He will come again in his glorious Majesty to judge both the living and the dead.” In between these two comings, there is a third coming and that is His coming to us right here, and right now.
Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience, and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Some rise on eagles’ wings, this one is plain, Plain English workmanship in solid oak. Age gracefully it says, go with the grain. You walk towards an always open book, Open as every life to every light, Open to shade and shadow, day and night, The changeless witness of your changing pain. Be still the Lectern says, stand here and read. Here are your mysteries, your love and fear, And, running through them all, the slender thread Of God’s strange grace, red as these ribbons, red As your own blood when reading reads you here And pierces joint and marrow… So you stand, The lectern still beneath your trembling hand.
The Lectern- (Malcolm Guite)
The investigation and true knowledge of the Scriptures requires a good life and pure soul and the virtue that is consonant with Christ, so that the mind, in following this path, may be enabled to reach and comprehend what it desires, as far as it is accessible to human nature to learn about the Word of God…The one who wishes to comprehend the mind of those who speak of God needs to begin by living the kind of life that washes and cleanses the soul and then go to the saints themselves, approaching them by imitation of their deeds, so that becoming aligned with them through a common way of life, he may come to understand the things that have been revealed to them by God.
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
7:00 p.m. Family Worship: “People Look East! ” Dramatized Service of Lessons and Carols followed by “Christmas Cheer” in the Parish Hall.
9:00 p.m. Candle Lit Holy Communion and Carols of Christmas
Christmas Day – December 25
10.30 a.m. Holy Communion and Carols of Christmas
Sunday after Christmas – December 30
10.00 a.m. Morning Prayer 10.30 a.m. Holy Communion and Carols of Christmas
Feast of the Epiphany- January 6
10.00 a.m. Morning Prayer 10.30 a.m. Holy Communion and Carols of Christmas
Advent Table Prayers
Jesus said, I am the light of the world. Those who follow me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.
Amen. Come Lord Jesus, Come Quickly.
Lighting of the Advent Candles
Hymn of Praise: 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
Gospel for the Day (see below)
The Prayers
Lord have mercy upon us, Christ have mercy upon us, Lord, Have mercy upon us
Our Father…
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility; that on the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead,we may rise to the life immortal; through him who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
STIR up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We are fast approaching the end of one season in our church year and the beginning of another. In Trinity season, we have been working our way slowly through Mark’s gospel, following Jesus as he taught, healed the sick, raised the dead, and annoyed the Pharisees. Only today and next Sunday remain before Advent begins again, and today is in fact our last day in Mark’s gospel. Continue reading “Trinity 25 – November 18, 2018”
“Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!”
O God, whose blessed Son was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil, and make us the sons of God, and heirs of eternal life: Grant us, we beseech thee, that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves, even as he is pure; that, when he shall appear again with power and great glory, we may be made like unto him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where with thee, O Father, and thee, O Holy Ghost, he liveth and reigneth , ever one God, world without end. Amen.
