GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH (Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod) LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS December 21, 2011

Prelude Ringing of the Church Bell

VIII. Magnificat Octavi Toni #13 - Johann Pachelbel

THE ORDER OF EVENING PRAYER FOR THE WEEK OF THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT
PRAYER UPON ENTERING THE CHURCH
Almighty and most merciful God and Father, You have given me new birth in the waters of Holy Baptism. Baptized into Christs death and resurrection You have made me a new creation. Keep me steadfast in my faith which trusts all of Your promises made certain for me in Jesus Christ. When I stray from Your Word turn me by the power of Your Holy Spirit so that I rejoice in Your love and forgiveness and seek to bear fruit that will last showing forth that I am Your handiwork. I pray this in Jesus holy name. Amen

Service of Light
Stand

Versicles
P C P C The Spirit and the Church cry out: Come, Lord Jesus. All those who await His appearance pray: Come, Lord Jesus.

P The whole creation pleads: C Come, Lord Jesus.

WELCOME
This is a busy time of year. It is good that you have chosen to take this time to be here this evening. There are many things for us to do in this season and there does not seem to be enough time to do them. Use this time to be strengthened by Gods Word, refreshed by the Gospel which is the power to salvation. If you are visiting with us and have any questions about Grace congregation, please speak with our Pastor. We invite you to come and worship with us again.

Phos Hilaron: O Light Whose Splendor

LSB 891

AS WE GATHER
Advent has long been a time of preparation, preparation for the celebration of Christmas. Yet the road to Christmas is anything but easy. It twists, it turns, and we meet many strange figures along the way. Prophets cry out in visions. John the Baptizer preaches in the desert. Angels appear whether you are sleeping or waking. The voices are varied, the places are strange, but one thing is certain: in each encounter, God is preparing us for the celebration of the greatest encounter of all, the birth of Jesus, His Son, our Savior, the Redeemer of the world. As we live our lives in that redemption freely given to us we await Christ Jesus Second Coming, when He will come in all of His power and glory, not in the way of humility but in the way of power and might to judge the living and the dead. By faith we recognize that in that great Day we need not fear for we will be given eternal life.

1989 Hope Publishing Co. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License .NET, no. 100011479.

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Thanksgiving For Light

P Blessed are You, O Lord, our God, king of the universe, who led Your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Enlighten our darkness by the light of Your Christ; may His Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for You are merciful, and You love Your whole creation and we, Your creatures, glorify You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. C Amen
Sit

P My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, C and my covenant will stand firm for him. P I will establish his offspring forever C and his throne as the days of the heavens. C Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen P I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; C with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.

Psalmody
Psalm

Readings
Psalm 89:1929 (antiphon: v. 1)

P I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; C with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. P Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one, and said: I have granted help to one who is mighty; C I have exalted one chosen from the people. P I have found David, my servant; C with my holy oil I have anointed him, P so that my hand shall be established with him; C my arm also shall strengthen him. P The enemy shall not outwit him; C the wicked shall not humble him. P I will crush his foes before him C and strike down those who hate him. P My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him, C and in my name shall his horn be exalted. P I will set his hand on the sea C and his right hand on the rivers. P He shall cry to me, You are my Father, C my God, and the Rock of my salvation. P And I will make him the firstborn, C the highest of the kings of the earth.

Stand

The Holy Gospel

Luke 1:5780

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, No; he shall be called John. And they said to her, None of your relatives is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, His name is John. And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What then will this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us

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that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel. P O Lord, have mercy on us. C Thanks be to God.

Catechism
P What does such baptizing with water indicate? C It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever. P Where is this written? C St. Paul writes in Romans, chapter six: "We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." (Romans 6:4)

Offering

Canticle
LSB 342
Stand

Sermon Hymn: What Hope! An Eden Prophesied

Magnificat: My Soul Rejoices

LSB 933

1998 Stephen P. Starke. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License .NET, no. 100011479.

Sit

Sermon

2 Corinthians 5:14-6:2 The Apostle Paul and a Vision of the New Creation

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 1991 Stephen P. Starke. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License .NET, no. 100011479. Public domain

Prayer
Litany
Service Note: The congregation's response may begin just as the leader's petition ends so that the word "Lord" is sung simultaneously by both leader and congregation.

P For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. P For our Synodical President, our District President, for all pastors in Christ, for all servants of the Church, and for all the people, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. P For our President, for all public servants, for the government and those who protect us, that they may be upheld and strengthened in every good deed, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. P For those who work to bring peace, justice, health, and protection in this and every place, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. P For those who bring offerings, those who do good works in this congregation, those who toil, those who sing, and all the people here present who await from the Lord great and abundant mercy, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. P For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. P For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. P For . . . [additional bids for prayer may be inserted here] . . . let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. The prayers then continue:

P For the peace from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. P For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy.

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Lord's Prayer
P Lord, remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray: C 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 those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen

Matthew 6:913

Silence for individual prayer may follow.

Benedicamus

[Psalm 103:1]

Collect For Peace

P O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works, give to us, Your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey Your commandments and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C Amen

Benediction

Luther's Evening Prayer

C I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen

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Closing Hymn: All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night

LSB 883

THE ALTAR FLOWERS The Altar Flowers are given to the glory of God and the beautification of His House by Allen and Dorris Deislinger in memory of Allens parents, Fred and Marie Deislinger and in thanksgiving for Gods many blessings.

When in the night I sleepless lie, My soul with heavnly thoughts supply; Let no ill dreams disturb my rest, No powrs of darkness me molest. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavnly host: Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

THOSE WHO SERVE Rev. James C. Walter Nathan Beethe Mason Andrews Debbie Penny Jon Cline, Debbie Craig, Christina Junkans Emily Junkans, Gina Junkans, Susan Mahnken Randy Middaugh, Riley Middaugh, Samantha Saenger, Linnea Weed Ushers: Charlie Buchanan, Terry Clawitter, Bryan Gipson, David Roberts Nursery Attendant: Mary Ann Dyer Altar Guild: Suzanne Raddle and Wilma Richter Our thanks to the LWML Evening Guild for serving our Advent dinner this evening. Pastor: Director of Parish Music: Acolyte: Greeter: Handbell Choir:

Public domain

Postlude

Acknowledgments Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Created by Lutheran Service Builder 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

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