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3 Advent

WE WELCOME YOU TO

ADVENT—PREPARING THE WAY The season of Advent comprises the four Sundays preceding Christmas Day and are set aside to prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of Christ into the world and into our lives. Christmas is a festival celebrating our belief that God came to us to meet us where we are...in the midst of our sorrow and struggle. So, in Advent we prepare our hearts for this great gift.

The traditional color for Advent is purple, which refers to the coming of the royal King, Jesus Christ. Through the years purple has come to be asso-ciated with repentance (think of the season of Lent). In recent years the color blue has become a way to honor Jesus’ mother, St. Mary, as that is the color long associated with her. This change in color has also opened the opportunity for themes of longing and expectation to come to the fore of the church’s preparations.

PRELUDES DURING ADVENT This Advent, the prelude will be a selection from Bach’s Orgelbüchlein, writ-ten around 1714 in Weimar. These chorale preludes were based (with the exception of two new tunes) on already existing chorales already in com-mon use in the church, in line with the seasons of the liturgical calendar (Advent, Christmas, Lent…).

Today’s chorale prelude is “Lob sei dem allmächtigen Gott.” The brevity of this prelude intensifies the strangeness and beauty of Bach’s harmonic treatment. Following the confusion of tonality throughout the work, the A major ending projects a striking sense of openness and expectancy, reflect-ing the feeling of Advent. The first stanza is presented below:

Nursery Care for infants is available. Please see an usher for more information.

Lob sei dem allmächtigen Gott, der sich unser erbarmet hat, gesandt sein allerliebsten Sohn, aus ihm geborn im höchsten Thron.

Praise to the almighty God, who has had mercy on us and sent us his beloved Son, born from him on the highest throne.

HOLY EUCHARIST

THE WORD OF GOD

THE ACCLAMATION

“A voice cries out:

‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’”

]

-Isaiah 40:3

HYMN IN PROCESSION 616 Hail to the Lord’s Anointed (Verses 1, 2 & 3)

COLLECT FOR PURITY

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

KYRIE (Cantor sings italicized lyrics, Congregation sings the bold.)

Cantor—In peace, in peace, let us pray to the…

For the reign of God, and for peace throughout the world, for the unity of all, let us pray to the...

For your people here who have come to give you praise, for the strength to live your word, let us pray to the...

Help, save, and defend us, O God.

The Celebrant continues...

The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray…

THE COLLECT OF THE DAY

S tir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us;

through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen. CHILDREN’S SERMON (at 10:15 service)

The people are seated for the readings THE FIRST LESSON Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

T he spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,

to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion— to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, to display his glory. They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. For I the LORD love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the LORD has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.

Following the reading… The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. PSALM 126 (at 8:00 am service) BCP 782

GRADUAL HYMN 59 (at the 10:15 service) Hark! A thrilling voice (Verses 1, 2 & 3)

The People remain standing…

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

THE HOLY GOSPEL John 1:6-8,19-28

T here was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came

to testify to the light.

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, `Make straight the way of the Lord,'" as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.

They asked him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" John answered them, "I bap-tize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

Following the Gospel…

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

THE SERMON

NICENE CREED BCP 358

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

In this season of longing, expectation and hope let us offer our prayers to the Holy One, saying: in your mercy, set us free. That God's coming into the days and years of human history may drive away all darkness and inspire _________________________________, to deeper acts of faith.

Lord, come to your people, In your mercy, set us free. That our gracious Savior may rouse us from sleep and make us attentive to the nearness of his presence.

Lord, come to your people, In your mercy, set us free. That we may discover God's word in every sound, God's touch in every embrace, and God's love in every gesture of self-sacrifice.

Lord, come to your people, In your mercy, set us free. That the Spirit’s divine energy and holy grace may bring our hearts to vigilance and help us see with uncovered eyes the Christ who suffers in his people's agonies.

Lord, come to your people, In your mercy, set us free. That ______________________________________ and everyone who stands in need of prayer will be comforted.

Lord, come to your people, In your mercy, set us free. That __________________________, and all who have died, may have rest in that place where there is no pain or grief, but life eternal.

Lord, come to your people, In your mercy, set us free. That we may come to recognize in this prayerful assembly that Jesus the Christ is with us to hear our words of praise and our sighs of pleading.

Lord, come to your people, In your mercy, set us free. That ______________________________________________, continue to share in the joys of life and love.

Lord, come to your people, In your mercy, set us free. Make ready our hearts for your coming, O Lord, and receive our prayers in the name of the one who was and is and is to come, our mighty savior, Jesus, the Christ.

CONFESSION OF SIN & ABSOLUTION BCP 360

THE PEACE BCP 360

ANNOUNCEMENTS

THE HOLY COMMUNION

THE OFFERTORY

Gifts of canned goods, food staples, paper products and cleaning supplies may be placed in the large basket in front of the altar. This offering is delivered to the

St. Patrick’s Center Food Pantry to be distributed to those in need.

MUSICAL OFFERING Let all mortal flesh

Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand; Ponder nothing earthly minded, for with blessing in His hand,

Christ our God to earth descendeth; Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary, as of old on earth He stood, Lord of lords, in human vesture, in the body and the blood;

He will give to all the faithful his own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way, As the Light of light descendeth from the realms of endless day, That the powers of hell may vanish as the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six winged seraph, cherubim with sleepless eye, Veil their faces to the presence, as with ceaseless voice they cry:

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Lord Most High!

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING BCP 361

SANCTUS Holy, holy, holy

THE LORD’S PRAYER BCP 364

THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD

FRACTION ANTHEM Come to your people, O Lord

When you arrive at the altar, you may stand or kneel. Receive the Bread in your open palm held high followed by the Common Cup,

taking the cup by its base and guiding it to your lips. You may also receive the Bread only or only the wine, with arms folded

over your chest to indicate which element you do not want to take.

Please reserve altar rail area for those who need assistance kneeling.

MUSIC DURING COMMUNION Humble thyself

SENDING FORTH OF THE EUCHARISTIC VISITOR

In the name of God and this congregation I send you forth bearing these holy gifts that those to whom you go may share with us in the communion of Christ’s body and blood.

We who are many are One Body, because we all share One Bread, One Cup.

POST-COMMUNION PRAYER

Redeeming God, through the Body and Blood of your Son, you have gladdened our hearts and refreshed our spirits. Grant us eagerness for your advent in our lives as we watch for the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

CHILDREN’S INVITATION TO THE ALTAR (to expidite pageant rehearsal.)

BLESSING

HYMN 444 Blessed be the God of Israel TUNE: FOREST GREEN

DISMISSAL

Let us go forth to seek and serve Christ in the world. Thanks be to God.

We are so glad that you are here this day. You are invited to a time of hospitality today

following worship in the Great Hall.

Parish Announcements

Christmas Flower Dedications Due TODAY Envelopes are currently in the Narthex in which you may place your cash or check for Christmas flower dedications. Please PRINT CAREFUL-LY so that your loved one’s names can be easily read when placing them in the bulletin for Christmas Eve.

Cathedral Choir School to Visit on December 21st The Cathedral Choir will be the guest of St. David’s on Sunday, Decem-ber 21 at 4:00 pm for Lessons & Carols! In wondrous Word and glorious song, we will get to hear the choir for an extended period of time in the ‘Lessons & Carols’ format of worship. Please, in the midst of frantic, last-minute scrambling…give yourself and your family this gift. Free-will donation.

Schedule of Remaining Pageant Rehearsals:

Sunday, December 21st After church: Full run-through with costumes and mu-sic. Participants in the pageant should make every effort to be at all rehearsals.

On Wednesday, December 24th, pageant participants should plan to arrive at church by 3:30 pm for costume check and quick run-through. Pizza will be pro-vided to children and helpers before the service begins.

If you have questions, would like to provide support (you do not have to be a parent—the best Christmas pageants are intergenerational), please contact me at khanna@saintannesschool.org or 302-287-0268.

~Kathy Hanna Children’s Minister

Coffee Hour Hosts are Needed There are a couple spots that need filling in our immediate future. We need people to sign-up for December 28th and for Sundays in the new year. A new sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board now.

Christmas Eve Service Times Family Candlelight Service including pageant with Holy Communion Begins at 5:00 pm (Reception follows the early service.)

Festival Candlelight Service with Holy Communion Music begins at 10:00 pm—Service at 10:30 pm

Sign-Ups Are Important They help us make plans and preparations for those things that are life-giving, educational, and joyous in our parish. Please help your leader-ship provide for your needs by signing up for the following events.

Christmas Eve Cheer Following the 5 pm Christmas Eve Service, Saint David’s hosts a reception...a chance to spend some time with our church community and share holiday some joy. Many thanks to Andrea Kane who spear heads what has become an annual event here at St. David’s. If you would like to bring a savory or a sweet treat to share, just sign-up on the bulletin board. If you have questions, please contact Andrea at 215-317-1869 or email her at 3kane3@comcast.net

Choices are Good The class choices for the Spring Session are up on the bulletin board. Take a look at the options available and sign-up at your earliest convenience.

Altar Flowers If you take a look at the bulletin board in the Narthex, you’ll notice a new flower sign-up sheet for 2015. This new & improved version has spaces for all to PRINT their own names AND the names of the people to whom they are dedicated. The cost of giving flowers is $35.00.

New Exercise Class at St. David’s We are excited to announce that we will begin a “Fit Club” aka an exer-cise class called “Firm Believers” for parents and parishioners. The class will be held most Wednesdays, or after drop-off (or after chapel), in the Memorial Room. This is approximately 9:30 a.m.

Each week, we will do different at-home workout videos and celebrate helping each other stay motivated and healthy throughout the year. Videos will range from beginner to advanced, but all can be modified!

Join us. Right now, the class will be open to parents and parishioners, but we may be able to open it to others in the near future. Questions? Give me a call (302)766-4980 or email me at chrissiecfitness@icloud.com

We are hoping to provide childcare during the classes. We will keep you posted if anything changes.

Chrissie Czerwonka PTPA President

2015 Entertainment Premier Savings Collection This is your last chance to pick up your Entertainment Book! If you only use a few coupons – you will save money! Coupons are valid NOW through 12/30/2015 – that’s over a year of savings! The more we sell, the more we earn! The book is only $30.

Please stop by the Grocery Card table to browse the vendors that you already frequent!

Youth Group Upcoming Events!

Breakfast Fundraiser

The St. David’s Youth Group will be holding a Breakfast Fund raiser on Sunday, January 4th at 9:00 am. Bring your appetite!

Movie Night The Youth Group will meet today for a Movie Night from 5:30—7:30ish. All ages will meet together for this fun event (Jr & Sr High together).

Christmas Cookie Baking The Youth Group will be baking Christmas cookies next week on Sunday, December 21 from 2:00—3:30 pm in the Great Hall kitchen.

Ulster Project Delaware The UPD, Ulster Project Delaware, is looking for families with teens between the ages of 14 and 16 who would like to host a Northern Irish teen for the month of July. During this time, eighteen American teens and eighteen Northern Irish teens join together for picnics, group worship, a canoe trip, service projects, and beach trips. The teens also make day trips to Washington, D.C., New York, Philadelphia and Balti-more. Additionally, they participate in “Discovery” days which focus on communication, conflict resolution and trust building. This environ-ment fosters the growth of Protestant-Catholic friendships, dissolving stereotypes, and encouraging a shared vision of the future. For more information, contact Pacem in Terris at 302-656-2721 or Info@depaceminterris.org.

Back in the Saddle Again We welcome back the Rev. Canon Jim Von Dreele to the preaching circuit. Rating cards are located in the rear of the nave.

Rector on Christmas Vacation The Rector will be out of town from December 25th until January 3rd. If you have a pastoral emergency during that time, please contact Sandy Fazer, sandyjif@aol.com or 302-475-9311

Day School Christmas Chapels The 2014 Day School Christmas Chapels are on Wednesday, December 17th and Thursday, December 18th, both starting at 9:10 am. Reception to follow.

Funeral for Longtime Member The funeral for Wray Britton will be this afternoon at 3:00 pm. A reception will follow the service in the Great Hall, where you will be able to greet the family.

Greening of the Church Delayed The annual greening of the church will be delayed until after this afternoon’s funeral. Any who are able to help with this brief but joyous project should come at 5:00 pm.

We keep these people in our prayers and in our hearts...

Stewart Taub Karin Fang Sam Bell Carol Clark Karen Bayless Tom Juranich Merritt Tilley Renee Tilley Owen Bradford Torben Kai Hsu Gladys Frick Robert Girard Carolyn Luttrell Jane Britton Morgan Brown Wray Britton

Kay Bennett Olivia Kirby Thomas Grace Ellen Clark John Van-Catledge Rachel Markowitz Carmine Mango Bill Waid Kate Reynolds John Gwaltney Peggy Louie Sheila Coffin Chuck Conner Charlie Courtney Richard Mickles Zelda Parker Phyllis Sheehan

Leo Davios Gerald Igo Deceased Kathryn Arnold Mary Lynch Helen Luttrell Wray Britton David Mantell

Those Who Serve and those who Celebrate:

Altar Flowers are given to the Glory of God by Jack Rader and Greg Fink, and in honor of the 12th Birthday of Nicholas Fink

Eucharistic Ministers - Jean Colbert, Marcia Wight, Barbara DeHaven, and Jeff Bennett

Lectors - Kathleen Koch and Pat Jackson

Intercessors - Jean Colbert and Kevin Kane

Greeter - Marcia Wight

Altar Guild - Amy Harra, Jane Bordzol, Mike Short, Linda Bradford, and Nancy Walsh

Bread Baker - Emily Cassidy

Eucharistic Visitor - Sue Taber

Counters - Bruce Owens and Ed Grygo

Vestry Member of the Day - Sue Taber

Ushers - Jeff Cook, Janet Walton, Marcia Brinker

Thank you to those who served as acolytes today. Coffee Hour was provided by Abby LeGrow and Lindsay Wheeler

Celebrating birthdays & anniversaries this week –Jan Denning, Carson Hanna, Jane Taylor, Luke Byrne, Dick Mickles, Sara Palmatary, Judy Smith, Angelia Porter, Kendal Trickey, and Betsy Archer

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DAY TIME EVENT/LOCATION

Today 8:00 am Holy Eucharist

Third Sunday in Advent 9:00 am Christian Formation

10:15 am Holy Eucharist

11:30 am Christmas Pageant Rehearsal

Coffee Hour

3:00 pm Funeral for Wray Britton

5:30 pm Youth Group Movie Night

Monday, December 15 7:00 pm School Board in Memorial Room

8:00 pm AA Meeting in Great Hall

Tuesday, December 16 10:00 am Book Group in Memorial Room

11:00 am Staff Meeting in Office

8:00 pm AA in the Great Hall

Wednesday, December 17 9:30 am “Firm Believers” in Memorial Rm

6:30 pm Girl Scouts in the Great Hall

7:00 pm Yoga in Memorial Room

7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal in the Nave

Thursday, December 18 9:05 am Day School Chapel in Nave

7:00 pm Bible Study in the Nursery

7:30 pm AA meeting in Memorial Room

Friday, December 19 8:00 pm AA Meeting in Memorial Room

Saturday, December 20 7:00 pm AA meeting in Memorial Room

Sunday, December 21 Fourth Sunday in Advent

8:00 am Holy Eucharist

9:00 am Christmas Pageant Rehearsal

10:15 am Holy Eucharist

Coffee Hour

2:00 pm Youth Group Cookie Baking In Great Hall Kitchen

4:00 pm Advent Lessons & Carols Featuring the Cathedral Choir School of Delaware Reception to follow in Great Hall

stdavidsde.org Parish Office 302-475-4688 Day School 302-475-3747

Parish Office Hours

Mondays through Thursdays 9:00 am until 1:00 pm Office is closed on Fridays

Saint David’s Brandywine Hundred

A Community of Disciples Passing Along God’s Love to all

Staff

The Rev. Brad Hinton, Rector

The Rev. Canon Jim Von Dreele, Priest Associate

Tom Deschaine, Deacon

Janet Leishman, Day School Administrator

Katharine Hanna, Children’s Minister

Leah Rowe, Youth Minister Jackie Taylor, Administrative Assistant

Steven Weatherman, Director of Music

J.T. Walton, Sexton

Erica Diehl, Nursery Attendant

Vestry

Sue Taber, Senior Warden

Jolene Baddick, Junior Warden Ed Grygo, Treasurer

Janet Leishman, Clerk Paul Archer

Bernard Glavin Lexie Harra

Doug Lawrence Kathleen Logullo Tracey Mulveny

Bruce Owens