12 20 23 Advent 7:00 p.m.

Pastoral Welcome
 
Invocation and Prayer
Leader: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen

Prayer
 
Hymn
“Once He Came In Blessing”

Confession
Leader: Almighty God, our maker and redeemer, we poor sinners confess to You that we are by nature sinful and unclean and that we have sinned against You by thought, word, and deed. Because of this we run for refuge to Your infinite mercy, seeking Your grace for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We pray:
All: O most merciful God, who has given Your only-begotten Son to die for us, have mercy upon us and for His sake forgive all our sins; and by Your Holy Spirit increase in us true knowledge of You and of Your will and true obedience to Your Word, to the end that by Your grace we may come to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
 
Absolution
 
Hymn
“Hark The Glad Sound”

Advent Reading From Scripture
Isaiah 7:10-17 (Pew Bible pg. 982)
[10] Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, [11] “Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.” [12] But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.” [13] Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? [14] Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. [15] He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, [16] for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. [17] The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.”

Luke 1:26-38 (Pew Bible pg. 1457)
[26] In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, [27] to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. [28] The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” [29] Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. [30] But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. [31] You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. [32] He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, [33] and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” [34] “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” [35] The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. [36] Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. [37] For no word from God will ever fail.” [38] “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

The Message
God Uses Willing Servants to Bless Us

Tithes & Offering
Hymn
“Comfort, Comfort Ye My People”
 
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He
ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
 
Prayer
 
The Lord’s Prayer
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.
 
Sharing the Lord’s Supper
Hymn: “Savior Of The Nations Come”
 
Blessing
 
Closing Hymn
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”