| Prelude
Greeting and Welcome
Lighting of the Candles
Opening Sentences P: The Spirit and the Church cry out: C: Come, Lord Jesus. P: All those who await His appearance pray: C: Come, Lord Jesus. P: The whole creation pleads: C: Come, Lord Jesus.
Opening Hymn – Once in Royal David’s City (LSB 376)
Once in royal David’s city Stood a lowly cattle shed, Where a mother laid her baby In a manger for His bed: Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.
He came down to earth from heaven, Who is God and Lord of all, And His shelter was a stable, And His cradle was a stall; With the poor and mean and lowly Lived on earth our Savior holy.
For He is our childhood’s pattern, Day by day like us He grew; He was little, weak, and helpless, Tears and smiles like us He knew; And He feels for all our sadness, And He shares in all our gladness.
And our eyes at last shall see Him, Through His own redeeming love; For that child so dear and gentle Is our Lord in heav’n above; And He leads His children on To the place where He is gone.
Not in that poor, lowly stable With the oxen standing by Shall we see Him, but in heaven, Set at God’s right hand on high. Then like stars His children, crowned, All in white, His praise will sound!
Thanksgiving for Light P: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who led Your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Enlighten our darkness by the light of Your Christ; may His Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for You are merciful, and You love Your whole creation and we, Your creatures, glorify You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. C: Amen.
Psalm P: When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy. C: Returned to Zion, promise kept, tThey could not trust their eyes. Lighten our hearts in Christ, we pray; In Him we shall arise. P: Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad. Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negeb! C: Returned to Zion, promise kept, they could not trust their eyes. Lighten our hearts in Christ, we pray; In Him we shall arise. P: Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. C: Returned to Zion, promise kept, they could not trust their eyes. Lighten our hearts in Christ, we pray; In Him we shall arise.
First Reading – Isaiah 61:1–4, 8–11 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified. 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 wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul 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 like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.
Second Reading – Luke 1:39-56 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
Hymn – What Child Is This (LSB 370)
What child is this, who, laid to rest, On Mary’s lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthems sweet While shepherds watch are keeping? This, this is Christ the king, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing; Haste, haste to bring Him laud, The babe, the son of Mary!
Why lies He in such mean estate Where ox and ass are feeding? Good Christian, fear; for sinners here The silent Word is pleading. Nails, spear shall pierce Him through, The cross be borne for me, for you; Hail, hail the Word made flesh, The babe, the son of Mary!
So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh; Come, peasant, king, to own Him. The King of kings salvation brings; Let loving hearts enthrone Him. Raise, raise the song on high, The virgin sings her lullaby; Joy, joy, for Christ is born, The babe, the son of Mary!
Sermon
Prayers P: Let us pray. O Lord who in the past returned Your people to the Promised Land, hear us as we pray for ourselves and all the Church: Strengthen our hope in all Your gracious promises, and increase faith and love among us and toward the world. Use us as fits Your gracious plans for them. C: Hear our prayer, O Lord. Return us to trust all Your promises, and stir up our hearts to serve You. P: Hear us as we pray for all who have been forgotten by the world’s commerce: Surround with faith-filled people all who are hungry and homeless, the many who are migrants and refugees, people dealing with sudden ills and long-term disabilities, and all who are in mourning. Use us as fits Your gracious plans for them. C: Hear our prayer, O Lord. Return us to trust all Your promises, and stir up our hearts to serve You. P: In the midst of a dark world You send us. Renew in us true faith and peace, faithfulness in worship, a spiritual vitality, and a confidence in Your promise of eternal life. Grant that many join us in fruitful worship. Use us as fits Your gracious plans for them. C: Hear our prayer, O Lord. Return us to trust all Your promises, and stir up our hearts to serve You. P: By the blessed coming of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who gave us His own righteousness, grant these our prayers, for we pray in His name. C: Amen.
Collect for Today P: Return us to Your eternal Eden, Lord our God, C: and grant us such a sense of joy that the people around us may seek You and Your gracious blessings; P: through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
Collect from Sunday P: Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers C: and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; P: for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
Luther’s Evening Prayer I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let your holy angels be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
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 and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Benediction P: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace. C: Amen.
Closing Hymn – It Came upon the Midnight Clear (LSB 366)
It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold: “Peace on the earth, goodwill to all, From heav’n’s all-gracious king.” The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come With peaceful wings unfurled, And still their heav’nly music floats O’er all the weary world. Above its sad and lowly plains They bend on hov’ring wing, And ever o’er its babel sounds The blessèd angels sing.
All you, beneath your heavy load, By care and guilt bent low, Who toil along a dreary way With painful steps and slow: Look up, for golden is the hour, Come swiftly on the wing, The Prince was born to bring you peace; Of Him the angels sing.
For lo, the days have come to pass By prophets seen of old, When down into the circling years Came Christ as was foretold. His word of peace shall to the earth God’s ancient promise bring, And all who take this gift will hear The song the angels sing.
+ WORSHIP LEADERS + Preacher/Liturgist – Pastor Scott Jonas Organist/Pianist – Seth Carruthers Sound/Video – Paul Barbercheck | 
