Banff Community Advent Service
Look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Luke 21.28
The Gathering of the Community
The congregation is welcomed and invited to sing together:
O come, o come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
That mourn in lonely exile here
Until the son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel.
Lighting the first candle of Hope
Dear friends, the day is coming soon when you shall see God face to face. Remember the ways and the works of God. God calls you out of darkness to walk in the light of his coming. You are God’s children.
Lord, make us one as we walk with Christ today and for ever. Amen.
Congregation then sings:
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel.
The Collect
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility, that on 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 for ever. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
The First Lesson: Isaiah 64:1-9
Read by Pastor Greg Unruh
64 Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at your presence—
2 as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
3 When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
4 From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.
5 You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
6 We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
7 There is no one who calls upon your name,
who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.
8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
9 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
and remember not iniquity forever.
Behold, please look, we are all your people.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn
Waiting in Silence/Maranatha
PSALM 80:1-7, 16-18
Read by Melissa Wilson
The Psalm is said responsively by saying the refrain in bold lettering
80 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.
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.
Show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
6 You have made us the derision of our neighbours, 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.
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.
Show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Together we pray…
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ, our good shepherd; you have led us to the kingdom of your Father’s love. Forgive our careless indifference to your loving care for all your creatures, and remake us in the likeness of your new and risen life. We ask this in your name. Amen.
Hymn
Emmanuel (Advent Prayer)
Verse
O wisdom
Lord and ruler
Root of Jesse
King of David
Rising sun
King of the nations
Chorus
Immanuel, Immanuel
Immanuel, Immanuel
Lord Jesus, come
Lord Jesus, come
Lord Jesus, come
Lord Jesus, come
Verse
O wisdom
Lord and ruler
Root of Jesse
King of David
Rising sun
King of the nations
Chorus
Immanuel, Immanuel
Immanuel, Immanuel
Lord Jesus, come
Lord Jesus, come
Lord Jesus, come
Lord Jesus, come
The Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Read by Pastor Kevin Driver
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn
137-What Child Is This?
Gospel Reading: MARK 13:24-37
Read by Father Daniel Stevenot
The Lord be with you
And with thy spirit
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to MARK
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ
24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
28 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
32 “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
The Gospel of Christ
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
The Apostles Creed
Let us confess the faith of our baptism, as we say,
I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power
of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again
to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
All proceeds of tonight's offering will be given to the Banff Community Food and Friends Program that addresses Food insecurity and loneliness here in Banff.
Thank you so much for your donation. Your generosity will make a huge difference.
Thank you so much for your donation. Your generosity will make a huge difference.
Thank you so much for your donation. Your generosity will make a huge difference.
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Offertory Hymn
He Comes
Verse 1
He comes, the Lord's anointed One
And we shall see His face
As clear as if the rising sun
Poured out the light of grace
He comes, and we shall hear His voice
Not as some distant sound
But tones that make the heart rejoice
When love, long lost, is found
Verse 2
He comes, not to the wise and great
But to the bound and poor
So low Himself that potentates
Must kneel to pass His door
He comes, with favour in his hands
Our empty souls to fill
To make a highway through the sands
And bid the storms be still
Verse 3
He comes, and we shall come to him
Set free from ancient chains
Adorned in mercy's diadem
To glory in His reign
He comes, the Lord, as one of us
He comes to judge the earth
How wonderful, how glorious
His long awaited birth
Prayer of Thanksgiving
God of love and power, your word stirs within us the expectation of the coming of your Son. Accept all we offer you this day, and sustain us with your promise of eternal life. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Confession
ALMIGHTY God, we need your healing and forgiveness: give us true repentance. Some sins are plain to us, some escape us, some we cannot face. Forgive us, set us free to hear your word to us; set us free to serve you, in all that we do, say and think. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Closing Hymn
Behold Him
Verse 1
He who was before there was light
Walked across the pages of time
He who made every living thing
Behold Him
He who heard humanity's cry
Left His throne to wake as a child
He became like the least of us
Behold Him
Chorus
Jesus Son of God Messiah
The Lamb the roaring Lion
Oh be still and behold Him
Verse 2
He who dined with sinners and saints
Healed the blind the lost and the lame
Even now He is in our midst
Behold Him
He who chose a criminal's end
Paid with blood to settle our debt
Buried death as He rose to life
Behold Him
Chorus
Jesus Son of God Messiah
The Lamb the roaring Lion
Oh be still and behold Him
Jesus Alpha and Omega
Our God the risen Savior
Oh be still and behold Him
Bridge
Holy holy holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Worthy worthy worthy
To receive all praise
Chorus
Jesus Son of God Messiah
The Lamb the roaring Lion
Oh be still and behold Him
Jesus Alpha and Omega
Our God the risen Savior
Oh be still and behold Him
The Blessing
Be steadfast in faith, joyful in hope,vand untiring in love all the days of your life; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
The Dismissal
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia!
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