OH COME, EMMANUEL

Advent means “coming toward.”  Advent also marks the time of the beginning of a new Church year.  Advent is the coming of Jesus the Messiah who is, who was, and who is to come.  In Advent we begin to  see Jesus not only as the baby born of Mary, nor only as the one who will come again in the final judgment and fulfillment of all things, but as the one active in our lives here and now.  Christ stirs up those powerful promises from the past and offers us hope from the future so that he may begin his gracious rule in our lives and in our community of faith.  Our Advent worship is a time when we again remember that in Christ-who-comes-to-us we are always encircled by the love of God.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

WE REMEMBER OUR BAPTISMS, CONFESS OUR FAITHLESSNESS, 

AND HEAR GOD’S FAITHFUL PROMISE OF FORGIVENESS

Pastor:  The Sun of Righteousness shall rise with shining beams of healing.       From the one who was, who is, and who is to come:                                Grace and peace be with you all.

People:  Amen. 

Pastor: A voice cries 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 made low;

the uneven ground shall become level,

and the rough places a plain.

And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,

and all flesh shall see it together.”

People: A voice says, “Cry!”

And I said, “What shall I cry ?”

All flesh is grass,

and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

The grass withers,

the flower fades,

when the breath of the Lord blows upon it.

Pastor: The grass withers,

the flower fades;

but the word of our God will stand forever.

Therefore, let us confidently draw near

and confess our sins before God.

(Pause for silent confession.)

Pastor: Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

God is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

God does not faint or grow weary;

God’s understanding is unsearchable;

God gives power to the faint,

and to you who have no might,

strength shall be given.

People: And we who wait upon the Lord shall renew our strength,

we shall mount up with wings like eagles,

we shall run and not be weary,

we shall walk and not faint.

GATHERING

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S CALL WITH PRAISE AND PRAYER,
AND PREPARE TO HEAR GOD’S WORD OF LIFE

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Pastor:  The Lord be with you. 

People:  And also with you. 

Pastor: Let us pray together.

People:  Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.   By your merciful protection awaken us to the threatening dangers of our sins, and keep us blameless until the coming of your new day, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

WORD

THE CHURCH HEARS THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD ACTING
IN THIS AND EVERY TIME AND PLACE

BLESSING OF THE ADVENT WREATH

Lighting of the Advent Wreath

[click on the link below]

First Sunday in Advent

Pastor: Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe.

You call all nations to walk in your light

and to seek your ways of justice and peace,

for the night is past, and the dawn of your coming is near.

People: Bless us as we light the first candle of this wreath.

Rouse us from sleep,

that we may be ready to greet our Lord when he comes

and welcome him into our hearts and homes,

for he is our light and our salvation.

Blessed be God forever.

Amen.

Second Sunday in Advent

Pastor: Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe.

John the Baptist calls all people to prepare the Lord’s way

for the kingdom of heaven is near.

People: Bless us as we light the candles on this wreath.

Baptize us with the fire of your Spirit,

that we may be a light shining in the darkness

welcoming others as Christ has welcomed us,

for he is our light and our salvation.

Blessed be God forever.

Amen.

Third Sunday in Advent

Pastor: Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe.

Your prophets spoke of a day when the desert would blossom

and waters would break forth in the wilderness.

People: Bless us as we light the candles on this wreath.

Strengthen our hearts

as we prepare for the coming of the Lord.

May he give water to all who thirst,

for he is our light and our salvation.

Blessed be God forever.

Amen.

Fourth Sunday in Advent

Pastor: Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe.

In your Son, Emmanuel,

you have shown us your light

and saved us from the power of sin.

People: Bless us as we light the candles on this wreath.

Increase our longing for your presence,

that at the celebration of your Son’s birth

his Spirit might dwell anew in our midst,

for he is our light and our salvation.

Blessed be God forever.

Amen.

SONG DURING THE LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH

“He Came Down ”

[click on the link below]

FIRST READING:  Isaiah 64:1-9

O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,
   so that the mountains would quake at your presence—
as when fire kindles brushwood
   and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
   so that the nations might tremble at your presence!
When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,
   you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
From ages past no one has heard,
   no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
   who works for those who wait for him.
You meet those who gladly do right,
   those who remember you in your ways.
But you were angry, and we sinned;
   because you hid yourself we transgressed.
We have all become like one who is unclean,
   and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.
We all fade like a leaf,
   and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
There is no one who calls on your name,
   or attempts to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
   and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.
Yet, O Lord, you are our Father;
   we are the clay, and you are our potter;
   we are all the work of your hand.
Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord,
   and do not remember iniquity for ever.
   Now consider, we are all your people. 

SECOND READING:  1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 

GOSPEL READING:  Mark 13:24-37

The Coming of the Son of Man

‘But in those days, after that suffering,
the sun will be darkened,
   and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from heaven,
   and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 

The Necessity for Watchfulness

‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’ 

SERMON

[click on the link below]

HYMN OF THE DAY

“Come Thou Long Expected Jesus”

[click on the link below]

TODAY IN OUR PRAYERS

Bill, Carol, Curtis, and Christine Buchkowsky, Teri Peterson, Wayne Turner, Janet Gregory, Jody Giesbrecht, Marge McMillan, Kyrie Parimi, John Beaven, Doris Turner, Hilda Anderson, Linda Wolfe, Naomi, Mary Anderson, Joan Schock, Bev Gregory, Dale Robinson, Bryan Matschke, AnnE and Joel Zimmerman, Ursula Coakwell, Evelyn Robson, Audrey Hedlin, the residents, staff, and families at LutherCare dealing with an outbreak of coronavirus, the family of Lyle Sand, the family of Hildegard Schneider (Renita Falkenstern’s mother), the family of Marguerite Sanders (Don Sander’s sister), the family of Mabel Zolotarchuk (Circle West member), the family of Pastor Anne Knudsen, the family of Norm Gregory, and the family of Sophie Kobrynsky (Paul Slusar’s sister).

We remember the missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada, the people of Syria, Iraq, Iran, Ukraine, Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Turkey, Yemen, Venezuela, Somalia, Libya, Hong Kong, Belarus, the Palestinians and Israelis,  Armenia and Azerbaijan, Thailand, Nigeria, Ethiopia, the Rohingya Muslim refugees, all at the Mexico/United States border seeking refuge,  the refugees on the Greek Island of Lesbos, the people of Haiti suffering from natural and political disasters, the people of the Bahamas suffering from hurricanes and those in Central America hit by hurricanes Eta and Iota, those in the United States suffering from hurricanes Laura, Sally, Delta and tropical storms Beta, Zeta and Eta,  the people in the Philippines impacted by typhoon and in India by cyclone, those in the United States , Canada, and throughout the world caught up in racism and injustice and the resulting violence and destruction of lives and property, students, teachers, and staff as they continue in school, and those throughout the world, in Canada, in our province, and in our community threatened by the coronavirus.

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE OF FAITH

 [The congregational response after each petition is:  “REVEAL YOUR MERCY.”]

Pastor:   Who has measured the waters in the hollow of her hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed with dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?  It is to this God we offer our prayers longing for the fullness of redemption, saying, “God of all hopefulness,” and responding, “Reveal your mercy.”

Petitioner:  O Wisdom, come! Like a potter working clay, shape and mold your people into vessels fit to serve the world according to your purpose.  Keep your Church awake and watchful, that we might  see your awesome deeds in unexpected places and in unexpected people and through them  might make your name known to all people.  God of all hopefulness …

Petitioner:  O Ruler of nations, come! Stir up the leaders of the world and open their eyes to the hungry, poor, diseased, and oppressed everywhere.  Where there is war, bring peace; where there is ethnic strife, bring reconciliation; where there is famine, provide nourishment; where there is oppression, bring freedom.   God of all hopefulness …

Petitioner:  O Branch of Jesse, come!  We wait and hope for what we already have.  We have been clothed in the light of Christ.  Teach us to live in these ways of advent hope until the great day when Christ comes to make all things new.  God of all hopefulness…

Pastor:  O Dayspring, come!  Come to those whose reason for hoping has given out, the suffering, ill, lonely, depressed, abused, and those broken by conflict, loss, and  grief. We remember especially before you ….   Send your Spirit of hope and keep them in your steadfast love.  God of all hopefulness …

Petitioner:  O Lord of might, come!  Awaken us to the wonder and gifts of all creation – sun, moon, stars, mountains, oceans, earth, water, air, and all living things great and small – and teach us to cherish and wisely  to care for these gifts.   God of all hopefulness ….

Petitioner:  O Key of David, come!  In this season of Advent as we present ourselves at worship in a new and unfamiliar way prepare us to remember that we always receive a gift beyond our deserving and a promise beyond merit.  God of all hopefulness …

Petitioner:  O Emmanuel, come!  Send your Spirit and make this a community of faith that breathes hope, sings, prays, feeds the hungry, points to the Light of the world, witnesses, loves, practices the mercy of God, turns away from the temptations of consumerism, and so confounds all who would deny your grace or diminish your love.  God of all hopefulness … 

Pastor:  Into your hands, O God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord whose coming is certain and whose day draws near.

People:  Amen.

THANKSGIVING

THE COMMUNITY PRAISES GOD FOR THE GRACIOUS GIFTS OF
 CREATION AND THE SAVING DEEDS OF JESUS CHRIST

THE GREETING AND SHARING OF PEACE

Pastor: Since we are forgiven and renewed by God’s Spirit, let us also be reconciled with one another and share the Peace of the Lord.  

The peace of the Lord be with you always.

People: And also with you.

THE OFFERING

(We worship God with the offering of our selves, our time, our talents, and our possessions.)

OFFERTORY PRAYER

Leader: Let us pray.
Gracious God,

People: you have done great things for us,

and holy is your name.

Bless all we offer you —

our selves, our time, and our possessions.

Teach us patience and hope as we care for all those in need

until the coming of your Son,

Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Lord.  Amen.  

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Pastor: Let us pray with confidence in the words our Saviour gave us:

People: Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

  on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those

  who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and forever. Amen.

SENDING

ALL RECEIVE THE BLESSING OF GOD, LEAVE IN PEACE,
AND ARE SENT OUT TO SERVE

BENEDICTION

Pastor: The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding

keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The God of hope strengthen your hearts 

as you await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

The God of love break in upon you with the Spirit of light and healing

to be among you and remain with you always.

People: Amen.

CLOSING HYMN

“My Lord What A Morning”

[click on the link below]

ANNOUNCEMENTS

DISMISSAL

Pastor: As the rain and snow come down from heaven,

and return not but water the earth,

so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth.

It shall not return to me empty.

And you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing,

and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Go in peace.  Serve our God.

People: Thanks be to God.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Because of the rapid rise in COVID cases throughout Saskatoon and the province at an online consultation involving all the church leaders and clergy in the Synod it was strongly recommended that congregations suspend all in person worship services through the end of January 2021.  King of Glory’s Church Council met to consider this recommendation and unanimously passed a motion that we suspend in person worship services and post online worship services on our website through January 2021.  Of course, should there be any significant changes with regard to the pandemic situation the Church Council will revisit the issue.

COMING UP AT KOG

– Sunday, December 13, Augustana Lutheran Church provides an online service for all 7 Lutheran Churches

The website for all seven ELCIC congregations in Saskatoon is now up and the address is https://saskatoonelcic.com/   It will be used now mainly for sharing information during the pandemic and has the online worship services from our seven congregations. 

September, October and Year-to-Date Budget and Contribution Report for KOG

2020 Budget:  $49,536       Monthly Budget:  $4,128     Weekly Budget:  $952.62

2020 income/expenses: $1,983.88

September income/expenses: $3,356.23.

Contributions from October 18 through November 1: $890

It is Canada Lutheran Magazine renewal time.  The bulk rate subscription price is $18.56. 

Thank you from Canadian Lutheran World Relief for our donation of $150

Offerings.  

Even though we are not meeting together we still have expenses and need your offerings so that we can pay them.  Church Council has decided that the best way to receive your offerings is that you mail a cheque (Please no cash for mail security reasons) to the church and we can process them from there.

Send your contributions to:  King of Glory Lutheran Church

    3318 Merritt Street

    Saskatoon, SK  S7M 3P6

Thank you for your generosity.

Co-Treasurer position for King of Glory 

King of Glory is looking for a co-treasurer primarily responsible for documenting and filling out the forms for the province, the Canada Revenue Agency and the ELCiC.  They will work Pat Sarich whose primary responsibility is oversight of the budget and the bookkeeping with respect of receipts and expenditures.  Please contact Pastor Michael about this position.

Additional Prayers

Petitioner:  Generous God, fill us with compassion and concern for others, young and old, that we may look after one another in these challenging days. Bring healing to those who are sick with the virus and be with their families. Comfort the family and friends of those who have died. Strengthen and protect all medical professionals caring for the sick and all who work in our medical and health care facilities. Give wisdom to leaders in healthcare and governance that they may make the right decisions for the well-being of people.  We pray in gratitude for all those in our country who will continue to work in the days ahead in so many fields of life for the sake of us all. Bless them and keep them safe.  O God of creation and life, we place ourselves in your protection.  May the mantle of your peace enfold us this day and tomorrow.  Hear us, O God of life …