Morning Worship Service

Prelude: Angelus ad Virginem arr. Todd Marchand

Nicaea Brass

Announcements

Call to Worship

Doxology Old Hundredth

Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heav’nly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us. But you, O Lord, have mercy upon us. And grant, O most merciful Father, for Jesus' sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and joyful life, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

The Gospel’s Assurance of Pardon: Isaiah 40:1–2

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.

Invocation

Hymn 208: O Come, All Ye Faithful Adeste Fideles

Responsive Reading: Psalm 13

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Gloria Patri Meineke

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.

Nicene Creed

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who, for us and our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered death and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life; who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spake by the prophets. And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayer of Intercession (concluding with 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Hymn 207: Good Christian Men, Rejoice In Dulci Jubilo

(During the 11am service, children ages 4-7 may go to the Catacombs for Praisemakers music.)

Offering Prayer

(For online giving go to tenth.org/give or mail checks to: 1701 Delancey Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103)

Offertory: Coventry Carol arr. Don Gillis

Nicaea Brass

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:22–38 (pew Bible p. 857)

Sermon: Good News for the Isolated Rev. Greg Hobaugh

Hymn: In the Bleak Midwinter Cranham

Text: Christina Rossetti (1830–1894)

Sacrament of the Lord's Supper

The Sursum Corda (Lift up your hearts)

The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts!
We lift them up to the Lord!
Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.
It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
It is right and good and a joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks unto You, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty, Everlasting God. Therefore, with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify Your glorious Name; evermore praising You, and saying:

“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.”

Words of Institution

Distribution of the Elements

Scripture will be read while the communion kits are distributed. Please use this time for personal prayer and thanksgiving. We will all partake the bread and cup together at the direction of the minister. Please remember to fill out a goldenrod Communion Participation slip and kindly place it in one of the oak boxes on your way out.

Proclamation of the Mystery of our Faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!

Hymn 196: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus Hyfrydol

Benediction

Postlude: Praise to the Lord of Hosts, from Christmas Oratorio Camille Saint-Saëns/arr. Howland

Serving today:
George McFarland, 9:00am platform; Rudy Heuer, 11:00am platform
Aaron Patterson, organist

Nicaea Brass
Eric Schweingruber and Rob Skoniczin, trumpets
Kathryn Mehrtens, horn
Paul Arbogast, trombone
Brian Brown, tuba
Christopher Hanning, percussion