In the name of Christ we welcome everyone to our online worship resources for the second Sunday of Advent. We hope this page assists you in worshiping at home if you’re unable to be with us in person this week. Thanks to our church musicians for recording so much wonderful music.
Advent is a special season of the church year. If you come to church, you’ll see the color blue featured around the nave – just like you see it here. It is the liturgical color associated with Advent, a color that signifies royalty. During these 4 weeks of Advent, we remember that God’s people were anticipating and longing for the coming of a king, as foretold by prophets. It helps us prepare for the mystery of Christmas, when a baby born in a stable fulfilled the prophecies but was a different kind of king than the people anticipated.
The Second Sunday of Advent
Children’s Lesson: Godly Play Story of the Week
Prelude: I wonder as I wander
Opening Hymn: #67 Comfort, comfort ye my people
1 Comfort, comfort ye my people,
speak ye peace, thus saith our God;
comfort those who sit in darkness
mourning ‘neath their sorrow’s load.
Speak ye to Jerusalem
of the peace that waits for them;
tell her that her sins I cover,
and her warfare now is over.
2 Hark, the voice of one that crieth
in the desert far and near,
calling us to new repentance
since the kingdom now is here.
Oh, that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way;
let the valleys rise to meet him,
and the hills bow down to greet him.
3 Make ye straight what long was crooked,
make the rougher places plain:
let your hearts be true and humble,
as befits his holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord
Now o’er earth is shed abroad;
and all flesh shall see the token
that the word is never broken.
Collect of the Day
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Hymn: O Come, o come, Emmanuel
3 O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain
4 O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o’er the grave. Refrain
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
First Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11
Comfort, O comfort my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that she has served her term,
that her penalty is paid,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.
A voice cries out:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
A voice says, “Cry out!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All people are grass,
their constancy is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
when the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades;
but the word of our God will stand for ever.
Get you up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good tidings;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,
lift it up, do not fear;
say to the cities of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
See, the Lord God comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms,
and carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead the mother sheep.
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
1 You have been gracious to your land, O Lord, *
you have restored the good fortune of Jacob.
2 You have forgiven the iniquity of your people *
and blotted out all their sins.
8 I will listen to what the Lord God is saying, *
for he is speaking peace to his faithful people
and to those who turn their hearts to him.
9 Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, *
that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth have met together; *
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall spring up from the earth, *
and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed grant prosperity, *
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him, *
and peace shall be a pathway for his feet.
Second Reading: 2 Peter 3:8-15a
Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.
Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.
Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.
Gospel Hymn: #65 Prepare the way, O Zion
1 Prepare the way, O Zion,
your Christ is drawing near!
Let every hill and valley
a level way appear.
Greet One who comes in glory,
foretold in sacred story.
Oh blest is Christ that came
in God’s most holy name.
2 He brings God’s rule, O Zion;
he comes from heaven above.
His rule is peace and freedom,
and justice, truth, and love.
Lift high your praise resounding,
for grace and joy abounding.
Oh blest is Christ that came
in God’s most holy name.
3 Fling wide your gates, O Zion;
your Savior’s rule embrace.
His tidings of salvation
proclaim in every place.
All lands will bow before him,
their voices will adore him.
Oh blest is Christ that came
in God’s most holy name.
Gospel Reading: Mark 1:1-8
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way;
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Hymn: WLP #724 People, look East
People, look East; the time is near
Of the crowning of the year
Make your house fair as you are able
Trim the hearth and set the table
People, look East and sing today
Love, the guest, is on the way
Furrows, be glad; though earth is bare
One more seed is planted there
Give up your strength the seed to nourish
That in course the flow’r may flourish
People, look East and sing today
Love, the rose, is on the way
Birds, though you long have ceased to build
Guard the nest that must be filled
Even the hour when wings are frozen
God for fledging time has chosen
People, look East and sing today
Love, the bird, is on the way
Stars, keep the watch; when night is dim
One more light the bowl shall brim
Shining beyond the frosty weather
Bright as sun and moon together
People, look East and sing today
Love, the star, is on the way
Angels, announce with shouts of mirth
Christ who brings new life to earth
Set every peak and valley humming
With the word, the Lord is coming
People, look East and sing today
Love, the Lord, is on the way
Closing Hymn: Christians all, your Lord is coming
Christians all, your Lord is coming
Drawing near in holy birth
Ring the bells and sound the trumpets
Let your music fill the earth
Dance and move to show God’s glory
Kneel and pause to hear God’s word
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Rise and let your songs be heard
Christians all, your Lord is coming
Calling you to serve in deed
See the ones who hurt and suffer
Hear their cry and act with speed
Set all selfish ways behind you
Purge your hearts of sin and greed
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Christ in you will meet their need
Christians all, your Lord is coming
He will rise up from the dead
Lift the cup of sin forgiven
Bless the host and eat his bread
Mend the ways where peace is broken
Give yourselves to true Shalom
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Dwell as one in church and home
Christians all, your Lord is coming
Hope for peace is now at hand
Let there be no hesitation
Walk in faith where life demands
Bear the word that God has given
Share the birth that stirs your soul
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Christ will come and make you whole
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
