Sunday, December 3, 2023 - Worship Service
Order of Service
We welcome all gathering for worship this morning or later in the week. Whether you attend in-person, worship on ZOOM or YouTube, or are a viewer on Rogers TV20 - please know that we consider everyone to be a part of our worship experience and an integral member of our St. Andrew's Guelph community.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this morning's service, both in-person and virtually.
Join us on our St. Andrew's Guelph YouTube Channel, select the live service, and remember to invite your friends and families. You can also join us via ZOOM by following the link on your Thursday or Sunday morning email. If you'd like to begin receiving our weekly emails, you can sign up here.
We will be celebrating the Sacrament of Holy Communion this morning.
As per usual, if you join us via ZOOM, YouTube, or on Rogers TV20, please prepare your own bread and beverage-like substances to join us for the feast that our LORD provides.
Greetings and Announcements
Introit: Intonation “Saviour of the nations come” 4th C. German
Prelude: Chorale Prelude on “Saviour of the nations come” arr. G. Near
Lighting of the Advent Wreath
The Garlough Family
Hymn #122 “O come, O come Emmanuel” Veni Emmanuel
Prayer of Confession and Assurance of Forgiveness
Anthem: “Prepare the way of the Lord” W. Rowen
Psalm: 130 (Responsive)
Scripture: Mark 13: 24-37, Romans 8:18-25
One: This is the Word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God
Hymn #795 “Christ is Coming” Praise my soul #407
Sermon: Murphy’s Law and the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Hymn #792 “Let Us Hope when Hope seems Hopeless” Beech Spring #262
Invitation to Offering
Cheques:
St. Andrew’s Guelph, 161 Norfolk Street, Guelph, ON N1H 4J8
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Offertory “Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming” arr. G. Martin
Offertory Prayer
Prayers of the People
Sacrament of Holy Communion
The congregation is invited to join in where the print is bold
INVITATION
This is the table where all are welcome;
It is the table around which we gather with Jesus
and with all who love Him. So come!
You who have much faith and you who have little,
You who have been here often,
and you who have not been here for awhile,
You who have tried to follow, and you who have failed.
Come!
Not because I invite you: But because God does.
It is God’s desire that those who want God
should meet God here. So come!
GRACE
One: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
All: And also with you.
INSTITUTION
We are here because Jesus has invited us.
When Jesus was on earth, he often enjoyed meals with his friends. On the night before he died, when darkness was beginning to fall, he sat at table with the disciples in an upper room in Jerusalem.
At this Last Supper, he broke bread and took wine, and told his disciples to remember him by following his example.
Today, we are his disciples,
and we are glad to do what he has told us.
TAKING THE BREAD AND WINE
As the Lord Jesus took bread,
I take this bread and wine
to be set apart for this holy use.
And as he gave thanks, let us give thanks and praise.
THE GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Loving God,
you made this world marvelous for us to enjoy.
You gave Jesus to be our friend
and to bring us to you.
You send your Spirit,
to make us one family in Christ.
For these gifts of your love we thank you,
and join with angels and saints
in this joyful hymn of praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he
who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Gracious God, send your Holy Spirit to bless our meal so that these gifts of bread and wine may become our communion with Christ our Lord. In our eating and drinking, may we know Jesus Christ and the life he brings. With glad hearts and strengthened spirits, we would be Christ’s faithful people until we feast with him in glory.
Our praise to you, Gracious God, would be the offering of ourselves as living sacrifices, dedicated and fit for your acceptance. May this be so, as we share in the body and blood of Jesus Christ and know the ground of our faith:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
Hear us, Gracious God, as our prayers conclude with those words of prayer taught by Jesus to disciples who asked how they should pray:
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,
forever. AMEN.
AGNUS DEI
Jesus, Lamb of God: have mercy on us.
Jesus bearer of our sins: have mercy on us.
Jesus redeemer of the world: grant us peace.
THE PEACE
One: The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
All: And also with you.
BREAKING OF THE BREAD
We do this in obedience to Christ’s example and command.
On the night when he was betrayed, Jesus took bread
and after giving thanks to God he broke it
and said, “This is my body which is for you;
do this in memory of me.”
Let us share the bread of heaven together.
(The Bread is shared with those gathered)
TAKING THE CUP
In the same way he took the cup
and said: “This cup is the new covenant
sealed by my blood.
Whenever you drink it, do this in memory of me.”
Let us drink from the cup of salvation together.
(The Cup is shared with those gathered)
Communion Anthem
CLOSING PRAYER
Most gracious God, we praise you for what you have given and for what you have promised us here. You have made us one with all your people in heaven and on earth. You have fed us with the bread of life, and renewed us for your service. Now we give ourselves to you; and we ask that our daily living may be part of the life of your kingdom, and that our love may be your love reaching out into the life of the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
Hymn #110 “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus” Hyfrydol
Benediction
Song: Go now in peace
Go now in peace. Never be afraid. God will go with you each hour of every day.
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong, and true. Know He will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe. Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there watching from above. Go now in peace, in faith, and in love. Amen, amen, amen.
Postlude: Chorale Prelude on “Saviour of the nations come” (Organo Pleno) arr. J.S. Bach
We gather on the traditional territory of the Wendat, the Anishnaabeg and the Haudenosaunee Peoples. We are also on lands that are part of the Dish with One Spoon Wampum. We live and work, worship, learn and meet on lands that are the traditional territory of many different Indigenous Peoples who were here before the establishment of European colonies.
