Opening Versicles

P: O Lord, open my lips,

C: and my mouth will declare Your praise.

P: Make haste, O God, to deliver me;

C: make haste to help me, O Lord.

C: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Praise to You, O Christ, King who comes to save us.

Hymn: “Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus”

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.

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.

Holden Evening Prayer (Sung)

P: Jesus Christ, you are the light of the world;

C: the light no darkness can overcome;

P: Stay with us now, for it is evening,

C: and the day is almost over.

P: Let your light scatter the darkness,

C: and shine within your people here….

All: Joyous light of heav’nly glory, loving glow of God’s own face,

you who sing creation’s story, shine on ev’ry land and race.

Now as evening falls around us, we shall raise our songs to you,

God of daybreak, God of shadows, come and light our hearts anew.

In the stars that grace the darkness, in the blazing sun of dawn,

in the light of peace and wisdom, we can hear your quiet song.

Love that fills the night with wonder, love that warms the weary soul,

Love that burst all chains asunder, set us free and make us whole.

You who made the heaven’s splendor, ev’ry dancing star of night,

make us shine with gentle justice, let us each reflect your light.

Mighty God of all creation, gentle Christ who lights our way,

Loving Spirit of salvation, lead us on to endless day.

P: May God be with you all

C: And also with you.

P: Let us sing our thanks to God.

C: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

P: Blessed are you, Creator of the universe--from old you have led your people by night and day. May the light of your Christ make our darkness bright, for your Word and your Presence are the light of our pathways, and you are the light and life of all creation.

C: Amen.

All: Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you. O God, I call to you, come to me now; O hear my voice when I cry to you. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting of my hands as an offering to you. Keep watch within me, God; deep in my heart may the light of your love be burning bright, Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting of my hands as an offering to you. All praise to the God of all--Creator of life; all praise be to Christ and the Spirit of love. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.

(Silence for Meditation)

P: May our prayers come before you, O God, as incense, and may your presence surround and fill us, so that in union with all creation, we might sing your praise and love in our lives.

C: Amen.

Scripture Reading

Psalm 2

1 Why do the nations rage
    and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us burst their bonds apart
    and cast away their cords from us.”

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
    the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
    and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King
    on Zion, my holy hill.”

7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
    today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
    and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
    and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”

10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
    be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
    and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son,
    lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
    for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

P: This is the Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

Luke 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C: Praise to you O Christ.

Responsory for Advent

P: Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous
Branch.

C: This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.

P: In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely.

C: This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.

P: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

C: This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.

Hymn: “The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came” LSB # 356

1 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 favored lady." Gloria!

2 "For know a blessed mother thou shalt be, All generations laud and honor thee;
Thy son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold, Most highly favored lady." Gloria!

3 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 favored lady, Gloria!

4 Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ, was born In Bethlehem all on a Christmas morn,
And Christian folk throughout the world will ever say: "Most highly favored lady." Gloria!

Sermon Hard questions that hardly anybody’s asking, but that have answers in Advent

Holden Evening Prayer (con’t)

P: An angel went from God to a town called Nazareth to a woman whose name was Mary. The angel said to her, “Rejoice, O highly favored, for God is with you. You shall bear a child, and his name shall be Jesus, the Chosen One of God Most High.” And Mary said, “I am the servant of my God, I live to do your will.”

C: My soul proclaims your greatness, O God, and my spirit rejoices in you, You have looked with love on your servant here, and blessed me all my life through. Great and mighty are you, O Holy One, strong is your kindness evermore. How you favor the weak and lowly one, humbling the proud of heart. You have cast the mighty down from their thrones, and up lifted the humble of heart, You have filled the hungry with wondrous things, and left the wealthy no part. Great and mighty are you, O Faithful One, strong is your justice strong your love, as you promised to Sarah and Abraham, kindness forevermore. My soul proclaims your greatness, O God, and my spirit rejoices in you, You have looked with love on your servant here, and blessed me all my life through.

Prayers