The THIRD sunday of Advent: Gaudete Sunday
Sunday, December 13, at 10:00 am | The Holy Eucharist, Rite II
Livestreamed on Facebook (click and open the ‘Live’ video)
The order of this service can also be found in The Book of Common Prayer, page 355. Spoken responses are in bold typeface.
To give to St. Paul’s, select an option below:
Online: E-Giving (Realm) | PayPal
Text: message 73256 with the phrase saintpauls $X (insert an amount in place of X)
Check: mail your offering to St. Paul’s Church, 84 E Oakland Ave, Doylestown, PA 18901
Prelude: “Improvisation on ‘Veni Emmanuel’” W. Edward McCall
Welcome from the Rector
The Entrance Rite
Hymn 59 (vv. 1,2,5): “Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding”
1. Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding:
“Christ is nigh,” it seems to say;
“Cast away the works of darkness,
O ye children of the day.”
2. Wakened by the solemn warning,
from earth’s bondage let us rise;
Christ, our sun, all sloth dispelling,
shines upon the morning skies.
5. Honor, glory, might, and blessing
to the Father and the Son,
with the everlasting Spirit,
while unending ages run.
Opening Acclamation and the Collect for Purity
Priest ✠ Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.
People His mercy endures for ever.
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.
Trisagion: “Holy God, Holy and Mighty”
Salutation & The Collect of the Day
Priest The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Priest Let us pray.
Stir 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.
The Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
The 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 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.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Canticle 15: The Song of Mary Magnificat
The Psalm is sung by a cantor
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.
May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
The Gospel: John 1:6-8,19-28
Deacon The ✠ Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
There 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 baptize 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.
Deacon The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
The Nicene Creed Said in unison
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.
The Prayers of the People
Deacon With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy.”
For the peace from above, for the loving-kindness of God, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
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.
For our Bishop, and for all the clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the President of this nation, for the leaders of all the nations, and for all in authority, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For this community, for every city and community, and for those who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
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.
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.
For those who are on our prayer list, especially ___ , and for those who have commended themselves to our prayers, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For our sister church of St. Mary’s, Sololá, and for the churches and provinces throughout the Anglican Communion, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
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.
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.
For deliverance from all danger, violence, oppression, and degradation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
That we may end our lives in faith and hope, without suffering and without reproach, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
In the communion of the ever-blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, blessed Paul the Apostle, and of all the saints, let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life, to Christ our God.
To you, O Lord our God.
Silence
Priest Hasten, O Father, the coming of your kingdom; and grant that we your servants, who now live by faith, may with joy behold your Son at his coming in glorious majesty; even Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.
Confession of Sin
Deacon Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence
Clergy and People
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.
The Priest, stands and says
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 Peace
Priest The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
The Holy Communion
An anthem is sung as the Altar is prepared with the elements of Holy Communion.
To give an offering, select an option below:
Online: E-Giving (Realm) | PayPal
Text: message 73256 with the phrase saintpauls $X (insert an amount in place of X)
Check: mail your offering to St. Paul’s Church, 84 E Oakland Ave, Doylestown, PA 18901
Offertory Anthem: “Savior of the Nations, Come”
Savior of the nations, come,
Virgin’s Son, make here thy home.
Marvel now, O heaven and earth,
That the Lord chose such a birth.
From the Father forth he came
And returneth to the same,
Captive leading death and hell:
High the song of triumph swell!
Thou, the Father's only Son,
Hast o'er sin the victory won.
Boundless shall thy kingdom be;
When shall we its glories see?
Brightly doth thy manger shine;
Glorious is its light divine.
Let not sin o’ercloud this light;
Ever be our faith thus bright.
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer B
The Priest faces the People and says
The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Priest Lift up your hearts.
People We lift them to the Lord.
Priest Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Then, facing the Holy Table, the Priest continues
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:
Sanctus: “Holy, holy, holy Lord”
The People may stand or kneel. The Priest continues
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,
Priest and People
We remember his death,
We proclaim his resurrection,
We await his coming in glory;
The Priest continues
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 the ever-blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, blessed Paul the Apostle, 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,
People and Priest
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
The Priest breaks the consecrated Bread. A period of silence is kept.
Priest Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
People Therefore let us keep the feast.
Fraction Anthem: Lamb of God
Facing the People, the Priest says
The Gifts of God for the People of God.
Spiritual Communion: Act of Reception
This prayer form is for those who desire to receive the Sacrament but are unable to do so, with the assurance that all the benefits of Communion are received, even though the Sacrament is not received with the mouth.
In union, blessed Jesus, with the faithful gathered at every altar of your Church where your blessed Body and Blood are offered this day, I long to offer you praise and thanksgiving, for creation and all the blessings of this life, for the redemption won for us by your life, death, and resurrection, for the means of grace and the hope of glory.
I believe that you are truly present in the Holy Sacrament, and, since I cannot at this time receive communion, I pray you to come into my heart. I unite myself with you and embrace you with all my heart, my soul, and my mind. Let nothing separate me from you; let me serve you in this life until, by your grace, I come to your glorious kingdom and unending peace. Amen.
Come Lord Jesus, and dwell in my heart in the fullness of your strength; be my wisdom and guide me in right pathways; conform my life and actions to the image of your holiness; and, in the power of your gracious might, rule over every hostile power that threatens or disturbs the growth of your kingdom, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Communion Anthem: “Ave Dulcissima, Maria” Fred Gramann
Solo: Caitlin Stein
Refrain:
Ave Maria, dulcissima Maria.
Vera spes et vita, et vita!
The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
With wings as drifted snow, with eyes as flame:
“All hail to thee, O lowly maiden Mary,
Most highly favoured lady.” Gloria!
Refrain
“For know a blessed mother thou shalt be,
All generations laud and honor thee;
Thy son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold,
Most highly favoured lady.” Gloria!
Refrain
Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head;
“To me be as it pleaseth God,” she said.
“My soul shall laud and magnify God’s holy name.”
Most highly favoured lady.” Gloria!
Refrain
Hymn 76 (vv. 1,2,5): “On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry”
1. On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
announces that the Lord is nigh;
awake and hearken, for he brings
glad tidings of the King of kings.
2. Then cleansed be every breast from sin;
make straight the way for God within,
and let each heart prepare a home
where such a mighty guest may come.
5. All praise, eternal Son, to thee,
whose advent doth thy people free;
whom with the Father we adore
and Holy Spirit evermore.
Postcommunion Prayer
Priest Let us pray.
The People may join in saying this prayer
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.
Announcements
The Blessing & Dismissal
The Priest gives the blessing.
The Deacon dismisses the people, who respond Thanks be to God.
Postlude: “Fantasia on ‘Savior on the Nations Come’” Lani Smith
Service Participants
Celebrant: The Rev. Daniel T. Moore
Deacon & Preacher: The Rev. Matthew D. Simpson
Eucharistic Minister: Robert Ball
Acolyte: Madeleine Moore
Organist: Ed McCall
Cantor: Jim Shute
Lectors: Beth Guffey, George Achilles
Altar: Jacky Grande, Carol Fox
A/V: Emery Kohut
Choir: George Achilles, Trudie Benton, Wendy Brumbaugh, Phil Castrodale, Jill Dulany, Muriel Hastings, Sally Haulman, Nick Lindberg, Laura Pankoe, Shelley Reed, Mike Roberts, Sue Roberts, Anne Shute, Jim Shute, Caitlin Stein, David Taylor, Deborah Taylor, Marian Wentworth
Online giving is available through Realm E-Giving and PayPal. We thank you for your generous giving to St. Paul’s.
VIRTUAL COFFEE HOUR
Join us after mass for fellowship via Zoom by clicking here.
Pledging to St. St. Paul’s
Our pledge campaign continues. Presently, 82 people / households have made a financial pledge to St. Paul's for 2021, putting us 82% of the way toward our goal of $290,000 in pledged giving for next year.
We invite you to prayerfully consider making a pledge to St. Paul’s, and a pledge of your time and talents. You can easily pledge online through our website by clicking here.
LAST CHANCE: Christmas in Doylestown Drive-By House Tour
The final tour day is today, December 13, from 5:00 to 9:00 PM
Drive-By or Walk-By the over 60 borough houses decorated especially for this year’s re-imagined tour. It’s free, safe and family-friendly! Participating houses are identified on this map. Take the tour and then vote for your favorite. The map and voting survey are available on the Christmas in Doylestown website and are easily viewed with your phone.
Christmas Music and Flowers: Memorials & Thanksgivings
We invite you to to submit a memorial and/or thanksgiving offering for Christmas music and flowers, along with the names of those you wish to be remembered. The deadline for submissions is today, December 13. You can submit names through our website using the buttons below:
Passages: Monthly Newsletter
The December issue of our parish newsletter, Passages, is now available for view.
Click here to read the December issue of Passages.
Caring for Friends…
… will not meet for meal preparation on December 19, due to health concerns. They will plan to resume meal preparation on January 16.
Weekly Food Donations
Thank you for your loyal weekly food donations. Until now, these donations have been stocking the New Britain Food Larder. However, they have closed temporarily due to Covid (They have a dedicated core of elderly volunteers). For now, we request that you continue to donate food that can be used for Caring For Friends meals and/or Code Blue. Our greatest need is large cans of fruit. Speaking of CFF, 138 meals were packaged in November and 29 additional meals were prepared at home after Thanksgiving meals. Thanks for sharing your bounty with the food insecure.
Myra Parker, Mary Smith, George Wiemann
Compline on Thursdays in December
The Brotherhood of St. Andrew invites all parishioners to join with us for Zoom Compline on Thursday nights during December at 9:00 pm. Compline will take place on Dec. 17 and 31. Please see the weekly email for login credentials.
Code Blue
Friends, it is that time of year again when our neighbors are counting on us to help with Code Blue shelter locations and meal donations. Because of new protocols in place, all volunteers are required to take the 2020-2021 Shelter training. This training will be on-line, posted on the CSSH website. Due to the pandemic, procedures have been updated and additional safeguards have been implemented. If you are considering signing up, please let me know. Also, a signup sheet will be issued shortly on the meal donations. The following is the schedule for Code Blue shelters for the season:
December: Neshaminy Warwick
January: Our Lady Guadalupe
February: St. Paul’s Lutheran/Doylestown
Thank you very much for considering this important mission.
Mary Lou Parry, Outreach Committee Chair
2021 Episcopal Church Ordo Calendars Available
Our 2021 Ordo Calendars have arrived. Please contact the office if you would like one.
Available Flower Memorial & Thanksgiving Dates for 2021
Thank you to all parishioners who have supported our ministry through their flower memorials and thanksgivings and a special thank you to the members of this guild for their time and efforts. Without everyone’s participation the church would not be blessed with our ever changing floral displays to liven up the church! In 2021 we have the following open dates for flower memorials and thanksgivings: January 10, April 25, July 25, August 22, September 19, and October 17.
The Flower Guild welcomes anyone interested in being a part of this ministry. You are welcome to observe any current member arrange flowers for Sunday. Please talk to any current member to find out what it’s all about. For questions, please use the church directory to contact me.
Lisa Farina, Head of the Flower Guild