PRESERVICE MUSIC
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
GATHERING HYMN: 256 Comfort, Comfort, Now My People
ADVENT LITANY
P: By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us.
C: By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us.
P: The days are surely coming, says the Lord.
C: Instill in us a yearning to seek your presence in each other.
P: The days are surely coming, says the Lord.
C: Quicken us to help all people feel welcomed and supported.
P: The days are surely coming, says the Lord.
C: Rouse us to care for one another, friend and stranger alike.
P: The days are surely coming, says the Lord.
C: Inspire us to be your handiwork in the world.
P: The days are surely coming, says the Lord.
C: Fill us with a holy hunger for a just world where all are fed.
P: The days are surely coming, says the Lord.
C: The days are surely coming, says the Lord.
P: Stir up our hearts, Lord, God, to prepare the way of your Son.
C: Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come!
Lighting of the Advent Candle: sing verse 2 of 253 He Came Down
PRAYER OF THE DAY (Read in unison)
Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming give to all the people of the world knowledge of your salvation; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
READINGS
Malachi 3:1-4
1See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; 3he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. 4Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
Luke 1:68-79 (Read responsively)
68Blessed are you, Lord, the God of Israel, you have come to your people and set them free. 69You have raised up for us a mighty Savior, born of the house of your servant David. 70Through your holy prophets, you promised of old to save us from our enemies, 71from the hands of all who hate us, 72to show mercy to our forebears, and to remember your holy covenant. 73This was the oath you swore to our father Abraham: 74to set us free from the hands of our enemies, free to worship you without fear, 75holy and righteous before you, all the days of our life. 76And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way, 77to give God’s people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. 78In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, 79to shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Philippians 1:3-11
3I thank my God every time I remember you, 4constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, 5because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. 6I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 7It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. 9And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.
Holy Gospel: Luke 3:1-6
P: The Holy Gospel of Luke Chapter 3 and I read in Jesus’ name.
C: Glory to you O Lord.
1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; 6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”
P: The Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.
CHILDREN’S SERMON
SERMON
HYMN OF THE DAY: 264 Prepare the Royal Highway
STATEMENT OF FAITH: THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended to the dead; on the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
P: Hear us, O God,
C: your mercy is great.
PEACE
Please share a sign of peace with those around in whatever way you are most comfortable.
P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C: And also with you.
OFFERING
We join Christians all over the world in worshipping God through our giving of financial resources. For members and friends, the mission and ministry of this congregation is completely dependent upon your generous giving. Our offering is a significant act of worship, and we now worship God through our giving. If you have brought your offering with you today, please place it in the basket in the back as you leave. You may send your giving to the church office or give through the link on our website. Thank you for supporting our ministry.
HOLY COMMUNION
P: All who hunger and thirst, come. The table is ready.
C: We are here because Jesus Christ has died; Jesus Christ has risen; and Jesus Christ will come again.
P: The risen Christ is present in bread and wine.
C: We are the body of Christ who wish to celebrate his resurrection presence among us. Holy God, we thank you for your perfect plan to save all humankind from death and sin. We praise you for the saving action of Jesus Christ and his gift of forgiveness.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION (In the night in which he was betrayed . . . )
P: Come, Holy Spirit, and gather us together as your forgiven people who feast together in resurrection celebration of the One who has come among us and the One who will come again.
C: 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.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
Come to Christ’s banquet. Feast on God’s gift of grace.
SHARING THE MEAL
COMMUNION HYMN: 255 There’s a Voice in the Wilderness
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
L: Most High God, you have come among us at this table. By the Spirit’s power, form us to be bearers of your word, sharing gifts of mercy and grace with all, through Christ Jesus, our host and our guest.
C: Amen.
BLESSING
L: The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing, so that we may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, through Christ Jesus for whom we wait.
C: Amen.
SENDING HYMN: 257 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
BENEDICTION
L: Go in peace. Christ is near.
C: Thanks be to God.
THE FLOWERS AT GRACE are in honor of Rich and Mary Houzner’s wedding anniversary.
Christmas Dinner at the Grace Senior Meals Site is Tuesday, December 14. It will be sponsored by the Royal Bank of Elroy and Lindemann Hauling of Elroy. The Royall High School Choir will be here to sing and lead a sing-a-long. The Choir will start singing at 11 am; the meal will be served at 11:45 am. Let the Meal Site know by Friday, December 10 if you plan to attend; call 608-462-5175. The meal will include Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes and grave, glazed carrots, cherry fluff salad, dinner roll and crème de mint dessert.
IN OUR PRAYERS: Andy Helmann, Lola Frye, Holly and Harry Hinzpeter, Shirley Hyer, Calvin Nelson, Kandy Hagen, Mariam Burdick, Kathy Haske, Suzanne Soltvedt, Lola St. Clair, John Thompson, Clarence Johnson, Carol Leopold, Alan Leopold, Pete Nelson, Donnie Benson, David Benson, Barney Johnson, Everett Burdick, Bob Brod, LouAnn Bever
The new FLOWER CHART for 2022 is up at Grace. You may begin completing your intent to honor or remember someone by sponsoring the altar flowers for a given Sunday. The flowers are yours to take after the service. The cost to sponsor the two bouquets is $30.
Grace Worship Assistants scheduled for December 12: Greeters/Ushers: Gene and Shirley Preuss; Reader: Lori Brooks; PowerPoint: Michele Clark; Communion set-up: Renee Urban; Communion Assistants: Renee Urban and Lori Brooks. Let the Office know if you cannot complete these tasks so someone else can be asked to do it.
COMMUNION INSTRUCTION for children will be given soon. If you have a child you would like to attend, let the church office know (608-462-5398).
The Meals Program is hiring! Alice has resigned effective the end of December. Contact Karen Nelson at 608-462-5175 if you or someone you know might be interested in the position of Cook for the Meals Program.
+ Together In Mission +
WELCOME! If you are a visitor please fill out a “Welcome Card” and drop it in the offering plate. Fountain Grace Trinity Lutheran Parish is a congregation of the ELCA in the La Crosse Area Synod. We invite you to participate with us in following Christ as he leads.
Parish Office: 226 Erickson Street, Elroy WI 53929 Parish E-mail: fgtlpadmin@centurytel.net Phone: (608)462-5398 Sunday Organist: Heather Vlasak Sunday Pianist: Bev Rood
Parish Secretary: Kris Stauffacher; Grace Custodian: Dave Clark
Check us out on our web page www.fgtlp.org
AND find us on Facebook search @FGTLutheranParish
We gather each week to worship God, Sunday morning at 10:15 a.m. at Grace & each Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. at Trinity or Fountain.
Our Communion invitation is for all who seek to partake of the real presence of Christ in this meal. All are welcome to the Lord’s Table.
Office Hours Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 8 AM—1 PM
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