St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church Welcomes You
In the name of Jesus Christ,
welcome to St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church,
an open and affirming congregation
in the worldwide Anglican Communion.
You are welcome here
if you are married or single, for we will partner with you;
- if you are a parent or a child of one, for we are all family together;
- if you know what you believe or have no idea what you believe, for we are one in our longing for deeper knowledge of God;
- if you are from this place or a stranger from far away, for we were all once strangers ourselves;
- If you are straight or gay, black or white, rich or poor . . .
No matter who you are, we welcome you, praying that you will find here what you seek. In fact, we pray that you will find here the love that is Christ’s law – love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things – knowing that God’s love is bigger than anything we can ask or imagine.
All people – adults and children – who are seeking a deeper relationship with Christ are welcome to receive Communion.
Moreover, we invite you to share freely with us in all aspects of worship. Everything you need for today’s service is included in this booklet, with the exception of hymns. Hymns are listed in this leaflet and above the pulpit and can be found in the blue Hymnal 1982.
Additional information can be found on the back page of this leaflet.
St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church
545 South East Avenue (708) 386-5613 Oak ParkIL60304
on the web:
The Very Rev. J. Paris Coffey, Rector
Mr. L. Richard Sobak, Organist and Choirmaster
The People of St. Christopher’s, the Ministers
December 5
Second Sunday of Advent
8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist: Rite I
Page numbers refer to the red Book of Common Prayer in the pew and hymn numbers to the blue Hymnal 1982. An * indicates when to stand
*Opening SentencesThe Book of Common Prayer, page 323
*Kyrie eleison page 324
*Collect of the Day
Hebrew Reading (page 4 of this leaflet)
Psalm (page 5 of this leaflet)
New Testament Reading (page 5 of this leaflet)
*Gospel Reading (page 6 of this leaflet)
Sermon The Very Rev. Paris Coffey
*Nicene Creed (page 7 of this leaflet)
Prayers of the People The Peoplekneel or stand, if able. page 328
Today’s specific intercessions begin on page 14 of this leaflet.
*Exchange of Peace page 331
The loose plate offering each Sunday is designated for the Rector’s Discretionary Fund for outreach needs. To specify an outreach gift, please use the envelope in your pew and mark accordingly.
*The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer I page 333
Lord’s Prayer page 336
*Breaking of the Bread and Communion page 338
*Prayer after Communion, Blessing and Dismissal page 339
Serving today:
Chalice Bearer: Holly BurtAcolyte: Robert Jones
Usher/Greeter:Ed MampreLector: Joe Dorchack
Altar Guild: Holly Burt, Linda Dempsey
10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist: Rite II
As the time for worship draws near, the people gathered are invited to observe time for silent reflection. Please silence cell phones & pagers.
Prelude Savior of the Nations, Come J.S. Bach
LITURGY OF THE WORD
All stand, if able, and join in the following hymn in the Hymnal 1982.
Entrance Hymn #67 “Comfort, comfort ye my people” Psalm 42
Presider Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
PeopleAnd blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen
Lighting of the Advent Wreath By the Randolph Family:
Alan, Naomi, Carolyn, and Owen
First Reader Again, O Lord, we light the candle of hope . . .
a family member lights the first candle
. . . recalling Christ’s promise that he will return to
complete his work in the world, and to bring to
fulfillment the reign of God.
Second ReaderToday we light the Candle of Peace . . .
a family member lights the second candle
. . . praying that our hearts will be open to the Prince
of Peace born in a stable in Bethlehem; the Prince of Peace who will return to reign in glory.
Third ReaderSaving God, look upon your world and heal your land
and people. Prepare us to be changed. This Advent,
teach us, we pray, to be tender and just, as you are.
Fourth ReaderShine on us, O God of peace;
And guide us through the gloom of night;
Make winds of war and hatred cease;
Come quickly to us, Christ the Light.
Kyrie eleison Healey Willan
Hymn #S91 from TheHymnal 1982, used with permission of Church Publishing
Presider The Lord be with you.
PeopleAnd also with you.
PresiderLet us pray.
AllMerciful 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.
The People sit for the readings and psalm.
Reading from Hebrew Scripture:Isaiah 11:1-10
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
Reader Hear what the Scripture is saying to God’s People.
People Thanks be to God.
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 Gregorian Chant
Please note that on the psalm tone – printed below –you are to sing two pitches on the italicized words,
and four pitches on all final syllables of the last phrase.
1 Cantor
Give the King your / justice, O God, *
and your righteousness / to the King's Son;
2 All
That he may rule your / people righteously *
and the poor with jus - tice;
3 Cantor
That the mountains may bring prosperity / to the people, *
and the little / hills bring righteousness.
4 All
He shall defend the needy a/mong the people; *
he shall rescue the poor and crush / the op-pres-sor.
5 Cantor
He shall live as long as the sun and / moon endure, *
from one gene/ration to another.
6 All
He shall come down like rain up/on the mown field, *
like showers that / water the earth.
7 Cantor
In his time shall the / righteous flourish; *
there shall be abundance of peace
till the moon / shall be no more.
18 All
Blessed be the Lord GOD, the / God of Israel, *
who a/lone does wondrous deeds!
19 All
And blessed be his glorious / Name for ever! *
and may all the earth be filled with his glory.
/ Amen. A-men.
Reading from the New Testament:Romans 15:4-13
Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
"Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name"; and again he says, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people"; and again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him"; and again Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope." May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
ReaderHear what the Spirit is saying to the churches..
PeopleThanks be to God.
All stand, if able, to sing the sequence hymn on the following page, turning to face the Gospeller for the reading of the Gospel.
Sequence Hymn “Prepare the way of the Lord” Taizé
The cantor sings the verses and repeat the refrain below:
Repeat refrain
The Gospel Reading: Matthew 3:1-12
Reader The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
ResponseGlory to you, Lord Christ.
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: `Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'"
Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
"I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
Reader The Gospel of the Lord.
ResponsePraise to you, Lord Christ.
Sermon The Very Rev. Paris Coffey
Nicene Creed Said by all, standing, if able.
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.
Prayers of the People The response is, “Come, O Lord, and save us.”
Presider
As we prepare the way of the Lord, let us offer prayers to God who will baptize us with Spirit and fire.
Leader
For the peace of the world, and for our unity in Christ.
Come, O Lord, and save us.
For Katharineour Presiding Bishop, Jeffrey and Victor our Bishops, Paris our rector, Edmund who is to be ordained to the priesthood next Saturday, our members, staff and visitors; and for all the holy people of God. Come, O Lord, and save us.
For the church throughout the world and the faithful in every place.
Come, O Lord, and save us.
For Barack our President, Patrick our governor, forthe leaders of all nations, and all in authority. Come, O Lord, and save us.
For justice, peace, and freedom among peoples of the earth.
Come, O Lord, and save us.
For travelers, for the sick and the suffering, for the hungry and the oppressed, and for those in prison, and all in need, including those we now name . . .
You are encouraged to offer aloud your own intercessions.
. . . and for ourselves, our families, companions, and all those we love.
Come, O Lord, and save us.
For the dying and the dead, including those we now name . . .
You are encouraged to offer aloud your own prayers for the departed.
. . . and for all who rest in Christ. Come, O Lord, and save us.
For our deliverance from all addiction, affliction, strife, and need.
Come, O Lord, and save us.
For all the blessings of this life, including the birthdays this week of Sue Ptack (12/5), Edward Clissold (12/6), Geordie Ebright (12/7) and John Allen (12/9);and for other blessings we now name . . .
You are encouraged to offer aloud your own thanksgivings.
. . . for these and other prayers of our hearts offered to God, we join our voices with the Blessed Virgin Mary and with all the saints and angels of God, offering ourselves and one another to the living God through Christ. To you, O Lord our God.
All
O Root of Jesse, who rises as a signal among all peoples, in whose presence rulers stand silent and nations bow in worship, come and deliver us without delay. Glory to you for ever.Amen.
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
All (kneeling, if able)
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.
Presider
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The Peace
PresiderThe peace of Christ be always with you.
PeopleAnd also with you.
All greet with one another in the name of peace.
Welcome & Announcements: Matt Johnson,Vestry Senior Warden
LITURGY OF THE TABLE