The First Sunday in Advent

November 30, 2025 10:30 AM

Prelude:
Opening Welcome & Announcements

Processional Hymn: #66 Come, thou long expected Jesus

Verse 1
Come thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in Thee
Israel's strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth Thou art
Dear desire of ev'ry nation
Joy of ev'ry longing heart

Verse 2
Born Thy people to deliver
Born a child and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone
By Thine all sufficient merit
Raise us to Thy glorious throne

Advent Wreath lighting

Today we begin the season of Advent.  It is a time of watching and waiting for the coming of the Lord.
The Advent wreath reminds us of our yearning for God. Its circular shape tells us of God’s everlasting love and faithfulness. Its evergreen branches tell us of eternal life and of God’s desire for us to live with him forever. The four candles remind us of the passing of time, our human history into which God has entered through his Son, Jesus. This is a time of grace, a time for a new advent of Jesus into our lives.

On this First Sunday of Advent, we focus on the Lord’s second coming. Let us heed the Gospel words of Jesus: “Be on guard, be prepared.”
As we light the first candle on the Advent wreath, may its flame bid us to be always ready for the coming of the Lord.

Today the advent wreath will be lit by The Mullen family.

A reading from Luke: 

A reading from James: Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the Lord comes. Think about how patient a farmer is as he waits for his land to produce precious crops. He waits patiently for the autumn and spring rains. You also must be patient. Keep your hopes high, for the day of the Lord’s coming is near.

Opening Acclamation

Officiant: Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People: And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. Amen.

Advent Responsory

Celebrant: Now it is time to awake out of sleep,
People: For the night is far spent and the day is at hand.

Celebrant: Now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed,
People: For the night is far spent.

Celebrant: Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light,
People: For the day is at hand.

Celebrant: Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh.
People: For the night is far spent and the day is at hand.

Collect of the Day

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

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The Word Of God

Old Testament Lesson:  Isaiah 2:1-5

The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it.
Many peoples shall come and say,
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.’

For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;

they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.

O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!

Reader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.

Psalm 25:1-9

1 I was glad when they said to me, *
"Let us go to the house of the Lord."

2 Now our feet are standing *
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem is built as a city *
that is at unity with itself;

4 To which the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord, *
the assembly of Israel,
to praise the Name of the Lord.

5 For there are the thrones of judgment, *
the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: *
"May they prosper who love you.

7 Peace be within your walls *
and quietness within your towers.

8 For my brethren and companions' sake, *
I pray for your prosperity.

9 Because of the house of the Lord our God, *
I will seek to do you good."

New Testament Lesson:  Romans 13:11-14

You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Reader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.

Sequence Hymn: O Come O Come Emmanuel (Veni Emmanuel)

Verse 1
O come O come Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear

Chorus
Rejoice rejoice Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel

Verse 2
O come Thou Dayspring come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight

The Gospel:   Matthew 24:36-44

Gospeller: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus said to the disciples, “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”

Gospeller: The Gospel of the Lord. People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Homily: Guest Preacher, Steve Mulhern

The Nicene Creed

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

With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord, saying "Lord, have mercy."

For the peace of the world, for the welfare of the Holy Church of God, and for the unity of all peoples, let us pray to the Lord. 
Lord, have mercy.  
(Pause)

For our Bishop, and for all the clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy. 
(Pause)

For our President, for the leaders of the nations, and for all in authority, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
(Pause)

For this city Denver and for every city and community, and for those who live in them, let us pray to the Lord. 
Lord, have mercy.
(Pause)

For the good earth which God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord.  
Lord, have mercy.
(Pause)

For the aged and infirm, for the widowed and orphans, and for the sick and the suffering, let us pray to the Lord.  Lord, have mercy.
(Pause)

For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and the destitute, for prisoners and captives, and for all who remember and care for them, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
(Pause)

For all who have died in the hope of the resurrection, and for all the departed, let us pray to the Lord. 
Lord, have mercy.
(Pause)

For deliverance from all danger, violence, oppression, and degradation, let us pray to the Lord. 
Lord, have mercy.
(Pause)

That we may end our lives in faith and hope, without suffering and without reproach, let us pray to the Lord. 
Lord, have mercy.
(Pause)

In the communion of saints, let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life, to Christ our God.  

To thee, O Lord our God.    Silence.

Heavenly Father, you have promised to hear what we ask in the Name of your Son: Accept and fulfill our petitions, we pray, not as we ask in our ignorance, nor as we deserve in our sinfulness, but as you know and love us in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The Confession + Absolution

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

All: 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.

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 Holy Communion

The Peace

WLD Manual of Practice Reading

Chapter 1 - Worship

Let us pray. (prayed in unison)

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so
guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our
wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to
you; and then use us, we pray, as you will, and always
to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Offertory Sentence

Through Christ let us continually offer to God the sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his Name. But do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
Hebrews 13:14, 15

Offertory Music: Be Still My Soul

Doxology

The Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give him thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

Because you sent your beloved Son to redeem us from sin and death, and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life; that when he shall come again in power and great triumph to judge the world, we may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing.

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.

On the night before he died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Therefore, according to his command, O Father,
We remember his death, We proclaim his resurrection, We await his coming in glory;

And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.

We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with [___ and] all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation.

By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,

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.

The Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant breaks Bread; silence is kept.

Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; Therefore let us keep the feast.

Invitation to Communion

The Gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

Communion Music

Lord I Need You

Verse 1
Lord I come I confess
Bowing here I find my rest
And without You I fall apart
You're the one that guides my heart

Chorus 1
Lord I need You oh I need You
Ev'ry hour I need You
My one defense my righteousness
Oh God how I need You

Verse 2
Where sin runs deep Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are Lord I am free
Holiness is Christ in me
Where You are Lord I am free
Holiness is Christ in me

Bridge
So teach my song to rise to You
When temptation comes my way
And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You
Jesus You're my hope and stay
And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You
Jesus You're my hope and stay

Chorus 2
Lord I need You oh I need You
Ev'ry hour I need You
My one defense my righteousness
Oh God how I need You
My one defense my righteousness
Oh God how I need You

Post-Communion Prayer

Let us pray.

Almighty and everliving God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen

Sending Forth of the Eucharistic Visitors

(only when EV kits are present)

Will the Lay Eucharistic Visitors please come forward..

In the name of Christ Church, we 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, for we all share one bread, one cup.

The Blessing

May Almighty God, by whose providence our Savior Christ came among us in great humility, sanctify you with the light of his blessing and set you free from all sin. Amen.

May he whose second Coming in power and great glory we await, make you steadfast in faith, joyful in hope, and constant in love. Amen.

May you, who rejoice in the first Advent of our Redeemer, at his second Advent be rewarded with unending life. Amen.

And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you for ever. Amen.

Recessional Hymn: All Who Are Thirsty

Verse
All who are thirsty
All who are weak
Come to the fountain
Dip your heart in the stream of life
Let the pain and the sorrow
Be washed away
In the waves of His mercy
As deep cries out to deep
(We sing)

Chorus 1
Come Lord Jesus come
Come Lord Jesus come
(REPEAT)

Holy Spirit come
Holy Spirit come
(REPEAT)

As deep cries out to deep
As deep cries out to deep
As deep cries out to deep we sing

Dismissal & Closing Announcements

Postlude:

Musicians for Today’s Service

Modern Music Team