The Fourth Sunday in Advent
December 21, 2025 10:30 AM
Prelude: "O Rex Gentium" and "O Emmanuel" from O Antiphon Sequence -- Cecilia McDowall
Opening Welcome & Announcements
Processional Hymn: #497 How Bright Appears the Morning Star
Advent Wreath lighting
On this Fourth and final Sunday of Advent, we recall the fullness of time, when the Son of God became human, conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. We remember Mary’s joyful acceptance of God’s plan. In her “yes” to God, the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
As we light all four candles on the Advent wreath, let us join Mary as willing servants of the Lord; may our “yes” welcome Christ into our world.
Today the advent wreath will be lit by TBD
A reading from Luke:
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth. He had a message for a girl promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of King David. The girl’s name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, “Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!” Mary was deeply troubled by the angel’s message, and she wondered what his words meant. The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid Mary; God has been gracious to you. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.”
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.
Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Word Of God
Old Testament Lesson: Isaiah 7:10-16
Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.”
Reader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18
The Psalm will be read responsively by half verse.
1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; *
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *
stir up your strength and come to help us.
3 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
4 O Lord God of hosts, *
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears; *
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
6 You have made us the derision of our neighbors, *
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
16 Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, *
the son of man you have made so strong for yourself.
17 And so will we never turn away from you; *
give us life, that we may call upon your Name.
18 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
New Testament Lesson: Romans 1:1-7
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Reader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.
Sequence Hymn: # 56 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, vs 7-8
The Gospel: Matthew 1:18-25
Gospeller: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
Gospeller: The Gospel of the Lord. People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Homily: The Rev’d Todd Blackham
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 4 - Daily Work and Vocation
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: TBD
How dazzling fair art thou, my Life, my Light!
How comely is thy countenance, how bright!
Sun uncreate, how keen is the enjoyment
That Saints and Angels find in thine employment!
In view thereof sing I, by day and night,
How dazzling fair art thou, my Life my Light!
My soul, O Lord, is sore athirst for thee:
My heart doth yearn thy seemly face to see:
Dim is my sight; but one ray of thy kindness
Should quickly skill to cure mine eyes of blindness:
Mean while my song and my complaint shall be,
“My soul, O Lord, is sore a thirst for thee.”
When shall I come to hear that Angel song?
Nay, swell the chorus of the heav'nly throng?
Then join the noble company of Sages,
Who chant thee Lauds through everlasting ages?
Now ev'ry day me thinks and all day long,
“When shall I come to hear that Angel song?”
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 -
TBD
Verse 1
For those who walk in darkness
The sun is rising rising rising
The shadow dies our anguish flies
From dawn on high O Lord Jesus come
Interlude 1
O come O come
Verse 2
The yoke upon our shoulders
Is finally breaking breaking breaking
Our burdens gone in that bright dawn
When He has come O Lord Jesus come
Interlude 2
O come O come O come
Verse 3
The Son to us is given
And we are waiting waiting waiting
Emmanuel oh Wonderful
Your peace to tell O Lord Jesus come
Ending
O come O come O come
O come O come O come O come
O come O come O come O come
TBD
Verse 1
I need You to soften my heart
And break me apart
I need You to open my eyes
To see that You're shaping my life
Pre-Chorus
All I am
I surrender
Chorus
Give me faith to trust what You say
That You're good and Your love is great
I'm broken inside I give You my life
Verse 2
I need You to soften my heart
And break me apart
I need You to pierce through the dark
And cleanse every part of me
Bridge
'Cause I may be weak
But Your Spirit's strong in me
My flesh may fail
My God You never will
(REPEAT)
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: #57 Lo! He Comes
Dismissal & Closing Announcements
Postlude: "O Clavis David" from O Antiphon Sequence -- Cecilia McDowall
Musicians for Today’s Service:
Chris Bendrell, Choir Director
David Vogels, Guest Organist
Christ Church Choir