Opening Sentence: Advent

Watch, for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning, lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. Mark 13:35, 36

Confession

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

Invitatory

Lord, open our lips.

And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Our King and Savior now draws near: Come let us adore him.

Venite Psalm 95:1-7

Come let us sing to the Lord; *
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *
and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, *
and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *
and the heights of the hills are his also.

The sea is his, for he made it, *
and his hands have molded the dry land.

Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.

For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *
Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!

Antiphon

Our King and Savior now draws near: Come let us adore him.

1	Hallelujah! Praise the LORD, O my soul! * I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
2	Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth, * for there is no help in them.
3	When they breathe their last, they return to earth, * and in that day their thoughts perish.
4	Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! * whose hope is in the LORD their God;
5	Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; * who keeps his promise for ever;
6	Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, * and food to those who hunger.
7	The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind; * the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
8	The LORD loves the righteous; the LORD cares for the stranger; * he sustains the orphan and widow, but frustrates the way of the wicked.
9	The LORD shall reign for ever, * your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. Hallelujah!

1	Hallelujah! How good it is to sing praises to our God! * how pleasant it is to honor him with praise!
2	The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem; * he gathers the exiles of Israel.
3	He heals the brokenhearted * and binds up their wounds.
4	He counts the number of the stars * and calls them all by their names.
5	Great is our LORD and mighty in power; * there is no limit to his wisdom.
6	The LORD lifts up the lowly, * but casts the wicked to the ground.
7	Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; * make music to our God upon the harp.
8	He covers the heavens with clouds * and prepares rain for the earth;
9	He makes grass to grow upon the mountains * and green plants to serve mankind.
10	He provides food for flocks and herds * and for the young ravens when they cry.
11	He is not impressed by the might of a horse; * he has no pleasure in the strength of a man;
12	But the LORD has pleasure in those who fear him, * in those who await his gracious favor.
13	Worship the LORD, O Jerusalem; * praise your God, O Zion;
14	For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; * he has blessed your children within you.
15	He has established peace on your borders; * he satisfies you with the finest wheat.
16	He sends out his command to the earth, * and his word runs very swiftly.
17	He gives snow like wool; * he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
18	He scatters his hail like bread crumbs; * who can stand against his cold?
19	He sends forth his word and melts them; * he blows with his wind, and the waters flow.
20	He declares his word to Jacob, * his statutes and his judgments to Israel.
21	He has not done so to any other nation; * to them he has not revealed his judgments. Hallelujah!

Gloria Patri

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Old Testament Lesson

Isa. 1:1-9 (NRSV)

1 The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah,
Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

2 Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth; for the LORD has spoken: I reared children and brought them up, but
they have rebelled against me. 3The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib; but Israel does not
know, my people do not understand. 4Ah, sinful nation, people laden with iniquity, offspring who do evil,
children who deal corruptly, who have forsaken the LORD, who have despised the Holy One of Israel, who are
utterly estranged! 5Why do you seek further beatings? Why do you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick,
and the whole heart faint. 6From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises
and sores and bleeding wounds; they have not been drained, or bound up, or softened with oil. 7Your country
lies desolate, your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence aliens devour your land; it is desolate, as
overthrown by foreigners. 8And daughter Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a shelter in a cucumber
field, like a besieged city. 9If the LORD of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we would have been like Sodom,
and become like Gomorrah.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Arise, shine, for your light has come, *
and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.

For behold, darkness covers the land; *
deep gloom enshrouds the peoples.

But over you the Lord will rise, *
and his glory will appear upon you.

Nations will stream to your light, *
and kings to the brightness of your dawning.

Your gates will always be open; *
by day or night they will never be shut.

They will call you, The City of the Lord, *
The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

Violence will no more be heard in your land, *
ruin or destruction within your borders.

You will call your walls, Salvation, *
and all your portals, Praise.

The sun will no more be your light by day; *
by night you will not need the brightness of the moon.

The Lord will be your everlasting light, *
and your God will be your glory.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

New Testament Lesson

2 Pet. 3:1-10 (NRSV)

1 This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you; in them I am trying to arouse your sincere
intention by reminding you 2that you should remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets,
and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken through your apostles.

3 First of all you must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and indulging their own
lusts 4and saying, 'Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since our ancestors died, all things continue as
they were from the beginning of creation!' 5They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens
existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water, 6through which the world of
that time was deluged with water and perished. 7But by the same word the present heavens and earth have
been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the godless.

8 But 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.

9 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. 10But 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.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Gospel

Matt. 25:1-13 (NRSV)

1 'Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6But at midnight there was a shout, "Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him." 7Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out." 9But the wise replied, "No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves." 10And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, "Lord, lord, open to us." 12But he replied, "Truly I tell you, I do not know you." 13Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Canticle 16 The Song of Zechariah
Luke 1:68-79

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;*
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,*
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old,

that he would save us from our enemies,*
from the hands of all who hate us.

he promised to show mercy to our fathers*
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,*
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

Free to worship him without fear,*
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,*
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

To give his people knowledge of salvation*
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God*
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,*
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He 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.
He will come again 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 the life everlasting. Amen.

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 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,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Suffrages A

Show us your mercy, O Lord;

And grant us your salvation.

Clothe your ministers with righteousness;

Let your people sing with joy.

Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;

For only in you can we live in safety.

Lord, keep this nation under your care;

And guide us in the way of justice and truth.

Let your way be known upon earth;

Your saving health among all nations.

Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;

Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.

Create in us clean hearts, O God;

And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

Collect of the Day: Sunday, Advent 1

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.Amen.

A Collect for Sundays

O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

For Mission

World Cycle of Prayer

We pray for the people of Venezuela.

Venezuela -- A Country Stury

Ecumenical Cycle of Prayer

We pray for our sisters and brothers, members of the Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada.

Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada

For the Church

Gracious Father, we pray for your holy Catholic Church. Fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ your Son our Savior. Amen.

For Church Musicians and Artists

O God, whom saints and angels delight to worship in heaven: Be ever present with your servants who seek through art and music to perfect the praises offered by your people on earth; and grant to them even now glimpses of your beauty, and make them worthy at length to behold it unveiled for evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Families

A Prayer Attributed to St. Francis

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

General Thanksgiving

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

Benediction

Let us bless the Lord.

Thanks be to God.