Worship Bulletin for Sunday, December 5, 2021 at 9:30 a.m.

Land Acknowledgement
For thousands of years, First Nations people have walked on this land in Danvers; their relationship with the land is at the center of their lives and spirituality. All Saints is gathered on the traditional territory of the Naumkeag, and we give thanks to them, and acknowledge their stewardship of this land throughout the ages. They followed the seasons, hunted, fished, raised families, grieved for their dead, nourished their living, shared the stories of their ancestors, and considered themselves the caretakers of this place.

Prelude
I Wonder as I Wander      arr. Douglas Wagner

(Officiant 1) – Welcome to Hybrid Worship and invitation to a moment of silence as we prepare for our conversation with God

Tolling of Bell

Antiphon and Procession with Paschal Candle
O Emmanuel                                                                Veni, Emmanuel
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

Lighting of the Advent Candle (from Paschal candle)
Two purple candles are lit.    Sue Spencer

(Officiant 1) The Candle of Peace    Colossians 3:15
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.”
God, we know that we are not all you created us to be. You call us to repent, to make changes so that we can be at peace. So, we light the first candle knowing that you are with us in all the darkness of the world, and we light this second candle promising to make the changes we need to make to be your people. Be with us, show us what to do, and give us the courage and energy we need to build peace- filled lives.

(Officiant 1) - Opening Hymn 65
Prepare the Way, O Zion

(Officiant 1) - Opening Acclamation
Officiant: Blessed be God: the One who Creates, Redeems and Sustains us.
People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.

Opening Collect
(Officiant 1) – God be with you
And also with you.

(Officiant 1) – Let us pray:
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Reading from the Hebrew Testament Kathy Johnson
Malachi 3:1-4
See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight-- indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people. Thanks be to God.

Today’s Psalm is Canticle 16, The Song of Zechariah (please read together the bolded lines)

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old,

that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

Free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

To give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

A Reading from the Greek Testament Sue Dugan
Philippians 1:3-11
I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God's grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people. Thanks be to God.

Sequence Hymn 76
On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry, vs. 1

(Deacon) - The Gospel
Luke 3:1-6

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Luke.
Glory to you, Lord Christ.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"

The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sequence Hymn 76
On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry, vs. 5
(See above)

Homily The Rev. Brett Johnson

Prayers of the People Bob Stains

Come, Advent God, and complete the special work of love which you began in Jesus of Nazareth. Many are cast down with spiritual needs, thirsting for the peace of your forgiveness and the warmth of your healing love. Come to them with the grace they desperately need.
At evening or midnight, morning or midday,
Come, Lord Jesus.

Many are in despair through physical hardship, seeking relief from their burdens and hope in the midst of their cares. Come to them with the help they desperately need.
At evening or midnight, morning or midday,
Come, Lord Jesus.

For our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, and for all bishops, priests, seminarians and deacons, including Alan, Gayle, Marya, Brett and Jim. In our Diocesan cycle of prayer, we pray for the Parishes of the Alewife Deanery: St. Paul’s Church, Bedford; All Saints’ Church, Belmont; St. Mark’s Church, Burlington; The Officers of the Diocese; and Racial Justice Commission. In our Anglican cycle of prayer, we pray for the Anglican Church of Burundi. Your church in all the world also needs saving from everything that threatens its mission. Where it is persecuted, keep it faithful. Where it persecutes, rebuke it. Where it is seduced by affluence, shake it to its foundations. Where it is self-satisfied, thoroughly unsettle it. Where it is weak, poor, and meek, bless it with your joy, peace and strength. Come to them with the help they desperately need.
At evening or midnight, morning or midday,
Come, Lord Jesus.

For all who come to the “halls” of All Saints seeking healing from addiction. Look with compassion on all who have lost their health and freedom. Restore the assurance of your unending love and unfailing mercy; remove the fears that disable; strengthen the work of recovery; and to those who care for those suffering from addiction, give patient understanding and persevering love. Come to them with the help they desperately need.
At evening or midnight, morning or midday,
Come, Lord Jesus.

We pray for those who celebrate birthdays this week, especially Michael Hanscom, Mary LeDuc, Nala Bara, and Katie MacDonald. Are there other thanksgivings?
At evening or midnight, morning or midday,
Come, Lord Jesus.

Today pray for those who lie close to our hearts, those whom we worry about, those whom we miss, those who carry disproportionate burdens at this time, especially Julie, Tim, Frank and Pat Swasey, Lee LeBeau, Joe Maher, Alex, Rose, Sandy, Jennifer and Greg Hanson, Kathy Johnson, Paul Mitchell, Ann Gentry, Grace, Leah Olendzenski, Barbara Neil, Paula and Sam Noyes, Joey, Elaine Regis, Marlene, Dean Carter, Robert Reardon, Claire Jordan, Susan Martinlocks, Braxton Richesin, Sean Grogan, Sean and Mary, Ken and Pam Cochrane, Mark and Janet Slayton, Peter and Ann Gentry, Ina Jean Wagner, Gail Woodward, Jorge Heman Alvarez, Pat LaRocque, Andrew B. and the Wallingford family. Are there others? Come to them with the help they desperately need.
At evening or midnight, morning or midday,
Come, Lord Jesus.

Oh God, in whose hands are life, death and eternal life, we ask prayers for those who have died, especially Peggy Gennaccaro, who died this week. Are there other souls you would like to name?
At evening or midnight, morning or midday,
Come, Lord Jesus.

Come, Advent God, and complete your work in Jesus Christ, through whom we offer these prayers.
— Bruce Prewer, posted on David Beswick’s Home Page.

Offertory Anthem
Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming                                Michael Praetorius

Please use this time for reflection about how to give gifts of love to your neighbors and your community.

Doxology- to the melody of O Come, O Come, Emanuel

   Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Christ, all people here below;
   Praise Holy Spirit evermore;
Praise Triune God, whom we adore.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

(Officiant 2) - The Sanctuary Lamp burns in honor of the Blessed Sacrament, and in loving memory of Enaise and Kenneth Brimicombe, and William and Mary Gamble, given by George and Sally Gamble; and in loving memory of Freda Gordon, given by Jane Yandell

Eucharistic Prayer and Agape Prayer

Agape Meal Prayer
(Agape is the Greek word for love, and it was a love feast of the early Christians. This meal is another way of living out Jesus’ commandment to love one another. We give thanks for the invitation to be at our tables, for here we are shown our lives.)

(Officiant 2) Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we have all come to this place as a church searching to find the way forward, we look for healing through these restorative rituals of old: agape and Eucharist. It is in the Agape Feast and Eucharist, where adversaries become friends, and friends become neighbors. Approach this love feast and Eucharist as an experience of warmth and sharing, where God’s grace can be experienced in fellowship with one another, and with God as we remember Christ’s presence on earth, and celebrate the spirit of God’s love.

You established your people to be a light for the nations, and called us to walk in your paths and follow your ways. Even now, you are coming to bring justice and peace to the world. As children of your redeeming purpose, who await with eager longing the fulfillment of all things in the coming of your Son, we offer you our praise:

Sanctus

Glory and thanksgiving be to you, most loving God. In Jesus the Messiah you have come to us, and lived for a time among us, that we might for ever live with you. In the manger at Bethlehem, in his flight to Egypt, and as the carpenter’s son, the Only-begotten bent low to meet us. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Creator of the universe. You bring forth bread from the earth; you have fed us with the bread of life in the Body of your Son. Feed us now with your presence among us and your presence in your Word. As grain scattered upon the earth is gathered into one loaf, so gather your Church in every place into the kingdom of your Son. To you be glory and power for ever and ever. When Jesus came to supper with his disciples he gave it to them, saying:

“Take, eat. This is my Body: it is broken for you.” Do this in remembrance of me.” We now listen to your Son’s command. We recall his blessed passion, his glorious resurrection and ascension; and we look for the coming of his Kingdom. Made one with him, we offer you these gifts and with them ourselves, a single, holy, living sacrifice. Hear us, most merciful Creator, and send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon this bread, that, overshadowed by his life-giving power, they may be the Body of your Son, and we may be kindled with the fire of your love and renewed for the service of your Kingdom. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory be to you, Lord of all ages, world without end. Amen.
Adapted from the Scottish Alternative Book of Services

(Officiant 2) And now, let us pray:
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,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Fraction Anthem S164

(Officiant 2) - Let us share the feast with each other! Experience the grace of God!
(Now, each person is invited to take a portion of food and drink, joining with the entire congregation on three platforms in our love feast.

Agape Meal and Communion Voluntary
Now the Silence Now the Peace Carl Flentge Schalk

Prayer of Thanksgiving
Let us pray:
Holy, gracious, and loving God, you have welcomed us into your presence, poured your forgiving and healing power upon us, and nourished us with holy food. Now send us forth to be your people in the world, strengthened for the task of faithful witness to your power and love and way of life. Amen.

The Passing of the Peace
(Deacon) - Christ is here right now making peace among us!
The peace of the Lord be always with you,
And also with you.

Announcements

Final Blessing
(Officiant 2) - Go now in the confidence of people who have found mercy. May God come close to you and keep you safe; may Christ Jesus reward your faithfulness a hundredfold; and may the Holy Spirit be your help in time of need. Amen.

Our deacon lights a candle from the first candle of the advent wreath, and carries it out as he says:
(Deacon): I pray that your love will keep on growing and that you will fully know and understand how to make the right choices. Jesus Christ will keep you busy doing good deeds that bring glory and praise to God and peace to you. (Philippians 1:9,11)

(Officiant 2) - Closing Hymn 529
In Christ There is No East or West