We are worshiping at 9 am.

December 7, 2025

Second Sunday of Advent

Introduction & Welcome

Pastor -SHARING OF THE PEACE

The presiding minister and the assembly greet each other in the peace of the risen Christ.

The peace of Christ be with you today and always.

And also with you.

Congregation members greet each other by saying:

Peace be with you.

Confession and Forgiveness

All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,

whose home is heaven and earth,

whose salvation is sure.

Amen.

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God

and of one another.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Long-expected God,

we confess that we look to ourselves

for the peace and security only you can provide.

We reach for swords and spears,

reluctant to release our grip on the ways of war.

We become impatient while waiting

and weary of keeping awake.

Free us from self-reliance,

and teach us to live in harmony with our neighbors.

Increase our trust in God’s timing,

and awaken us to your advent among us,

that we may abound in the hope you have promised.

Amen.

God judges us not as we deserve,

but according to God’s own righteousness.

☩ You are freed and forgiven,

saved by grace,

and ready to welcome the Savior.

Amen.

HYMN “On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry”

1 On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry

announces that the Lord is nigh;

awake and hearken, for he brings

glad tidings of the King of kings!

2 Then cleansed be ev'ry life from sin;

make straight the way for God within,

and let us all our hearts prepare

for Christ to come and enter there.

3 We hail you as our Savior, Lord,

our refuge and our great reward;

without your grace we waste away

like flow'rs that wither and decay.

4 Stretch forth your hand, our health restore,

and make us rise to fall no more;

oh, let your face upon us shine

and fill the world with love divine.

5 All praise to you, eternal Son,

whose advent has our freedom won,

whom with the Father we adore,

and Holy Spirit, evermore.

Text: Charles Coffin, 1676-1749; tr. composite

Pastor - Greeting

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,

and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

Lighting the Advent Wreath: Advent 2

We praise you, O God, for this circle of light

that marks our days of preparation for Christ’s advent.

As we light the candles on this wreath,

kindle within us the fire of your Spirit,

that we may be light shining in the darkness.

Enlighten us with your grace,

that we may welcome others as you have welcomed us.

Grant this through Christ our Lord,

whose coming is certain and whose day draws near.

Amen.

Light two candles.

Light One Candle to Watch for Messiah

1 Light one candle to watch for Messiah:

let the light banish darkness.

He shall bring salvation to Israel,

God fulfills the promise.

2 Light two candles to watch for Messiah:

let the light banish darkness.

He shall feed the flock like a shepherd,

gently lead them homeward.

Text: Wayne L. Wold, b. 1954

Text © 1984 Fortress Press, admin. Augsburg Fortress.

Duplication in any form prohibited without permission or valid license from copyright administrator.

Kyrie

In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the peace from above,

and for our salvation,

let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the peace of the whole world,

for the well-being of the Church of God,

and for the unity of all,

let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For this holy house,

and for all who offer here their worship and praise,

let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

Amen.

Pastor - Prayer of the Day

Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming nurture our growth as people of repentance and peace; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Congregation is seated

Assistant-First Reading Isaiah 11:1-10

A reading from Isaiah beginning with the 11th chapter.

1 A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3 His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see
or decide by what his ears hear,
4 but with righteousness he shall judge for the poor
and decide with equity for the oppressed of the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist
and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

6 The wolf shall live with the lamb;
the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
the calf and the lion will feed together,
and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
9 They will not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.

10 On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 Read responsively

1 Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the king’s son;
2 that he may rule your people righteously and the poor with justice;
3 that the mountains may bring prosperity to the people, and the hills, in righteousness.
4 Let him defend the needy among the people, rescue the poor, and crush the oppressor.
5 May he live as long as the sun and moon endure, from one generation to another.
6 Let him come down like rain upon the mown field, like showers that water the earth.
7 In his time may the righteous flourish; and let there be an abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more.
18 Blessed are you, Lord God, the God of Israel; you alone do wondrous deeds!
19 And blessed be your glorious name forever, and may all the earth be filled with your glory. Amen. Amen.

Assistant-2nd Reading Romans 15:4-13

A reading from Romans beginning with chapter 15

4 Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, 6 so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the ancestors 9 and that the gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
“Therefore I will confess you among the gentiles
and sing praises to your name”;
10 and again he says,
“Rejoice, O gentiles, with his people”;
11 and again,
“Praise the Lord, all you gentiles,
and let all the peoples praise him”;
12 and again Isaiah says,
“The root of Jesse shall come,
the one who rises to rule the gentiles;
in him the gentiles shall hope.”
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go?

You have the words of eternal life.

Alleluia.

Pastor - Gospel Matthew 3:1-12

The holy gospel according to Matthew, the 3rd chapter.

Glory to you, O Lord.

1 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,
“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’ ”
4 Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore, bear fruit worthy of repentance, 9 and do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I, and I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

Congregation is seated

Sermon

Congregation stands for Hymn of the Day

Hymn of the Day “Comfort, Comfort Now My People”

1 "Comfort, comfort now my people;

tell of peace!" So says our God.

Comfort those who sit in darkness

mourning under sorrow's load.

To God's people now proclaim

that God's pardon waits for them!

Tell them that their war is over;

God will reign in peace forever.

2 For the herald's voice is crying

in the desert far and near,

calling us to true repentance,

since the reign of God is here.

Oh, that warning cry obey!

Now prepare for God a way.

Valleys, rise to greet the Savior;

hills, bow down in humble favor.

3 Straight shall be what long was crooked,

and the rougher places plain.

Let your hearts be true and humble,

as befits God's holy reign.

For the glory of the Lord

now on earth is shed abroad,

and all flesh shall see the token

that God's word is never broken.

Text: Johann G. Olearius, 1635-1711; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827-1878, alt.

Apostles’ Creed

With the whole church, let us confess our faith using the words of 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,

he 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 the life everlasting. Amen.

Assistant-Prayers of Intercession

In our waiting and watching, we come to you in prayer, O God, trusting your promise to renew the church, the nations, and the whole creation.

A brief silence.

With wisdom and understanding, inspire the faithful around the world. Unite hearts and minds in work to address poverty, access to housing, and equity among peoples. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

With counsel and might, move us to care for creation. As we dream of the day when all creatures will flourish alongside one another, guide us in ways humanity and all creation will mutually thrive. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

With righteousness and faithfulness, encourage nations to live in harmony with one another. We pray for international student and teacher exchanges, for our partner churches, and for the shared mission of Lutheran World Relief and Lutheran Disaster Response. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

With steadfastness and encouragement, strengthen those who have lost hope in the face of grief, depression, or disease especially Sue, Ed, Candy, Lynne, Margaret, Cork & Cheryl, Rillys, Mike, Michael, and for those who we name aloud or silently in our hearts (pause for people in the congregation to add their prayers here). Renew the spirits of those recovering from surgery and medical procedures. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

With welcome and hospitality, embolden us in our shared ministry to overcome all that divides. In acts of repentance, reconciliation, and reparation, may we serve in the way of Christ. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

With joy and peace, we remember our ancestors in the faith. Fill us with the hope of the Holy Spirit now and into the ages of ages. God of grace,

hear our prayer.

Draw near to us, O God, as we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy through Jesus Christ, Emmanuel.

Amen.

Offertory

“I Received the Living God”

Refrain

I received the living God,

and my heart is full of joy.

I received the living God,

and my heart is full of joy.

1 Jesus said: I am the bread,

kneaded long to give you life;

you who will partake of me

need not ever fear to die. Refrain

2 Jesus said: I am the way,

and my Father longs for you;

so I come to bring you home

to be one with us anew. Refrain

3 Jesus said: I am the truth;

come and follow close to me.

You will know me in your heart,

and my word shall make you free. Refrain

4 Jesus said: I am the life,

far from whom no thing can grow,

but receive this living bread,

and my Spirit you shall know. Refrain

Text: Anonymous

Offertory Prayer

Together we pray.

Nourishing God,

you are water in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

Through this meal, satisfy our parched places,

that we may rejoice and be for the world

signs of your kingdom come.

Amen.

Holy Communion

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy,

that we should at all times and in all places

give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God,

through our Savior Jesus Christ.

You comforted your people with the promise of the Redeemer,

through whom you will also make all things new

in the day when he comes to judge the world in righteousness.

And so, with all the choirs of angels,

with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven,

we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord,

Lord God of pow’r and might:

Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

Eucharistic Prayer

In the night in which he was betrayed,

our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;

broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:

Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.

Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,

and gave it for all to drink, saying:

This cup is the new covenant in my blood,

shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.

Do this for the remembrance of me.

Remembering, therefore, his death, resurrection, and ascension,

we await his coming in glory.

Pour out upon us the Spirit of your love, O Lord,

and unite the wills of all who share this heavenly food,

the body and blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord;

to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,

be all honor and glory, now and forever.

Amen.

Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us. (Sung)

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 and ever. Amen.

Invitation to Communion

Here is life. God is with us.

Come, receive what God has promised.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;

have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;

have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;

grant us peace, grant us peace.

Communion

The Body of Christ, given for you. Amen

The Blood of Christ, shed for you. Amen

Post Communion Blessing

The Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ, strengthen you and forever keep you in his grace. Amen.

Prayer after Communion

God our host,

at this table you have fed us with joy and gladness.

Send us forth, eager to share the feast,

welcome the stranger,

and bear good fruit in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

Benediction

May God who comes among us,

Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit,

grant you patience in waiting, peace in the darkness,

and good news to share today and always.

Amen.

HYMN “Blessed Is the One”

Blessed is the one who comes in the name,

who comes in the name of the Lord.

Blessed is the one who comes in the name,

who comes in the name of the Lord.

Text: Psalm 118:26

Dismissal

Go in peace. Keep awake.

Thanks be to God.

Permission for liturgies by Augsburg Fortress Liturgies License #SAS004206

Sundays and Seasons 2025