Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn ELW #242
key board: Diane M.; guitar and voice: Pastor Bruce
Awake! Awake, and greet the new morn, for angels herald its dawning.
Sing out your joy, for soon He is born, behold! the Child of our longing.
Come as a baby weak and poor, to bring all hearts together,
He opens wide the heavenly door and lives now inside us forever.
To us, to all in sorrow and fear, Emmanuel comes a-singing,
His humble song is quiet and near, yet fills the earth with its ringing;
music to heal the broken soul and hymns of loving kindness,
the thunder of His anthems roll to shatter all hatred and blindness.
In darkest night His coming shall be, when all the world is despairing,
as morning light so quiet and free, so warm and gentle and caring.
Then shall the mute break forth in song, the lame shall leap in wonder,
the weak be raised above the strong, and weapons be broken asunder.
Rejoice, rejoice, take heart in the night, though dark the winter and cheerless,
the rising sun shall crown you with light, be strong and loving and fearless.
Love be our song and love our prayer and love our endless story;
may God fill every day we share and bring us at last into glory.
Isaiah 40:1-11
read by Dave Thomas
1Comfort, O comfort My people,
says your God.
2Speak 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.
3A voice cries out:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4Every 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.
5Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
6A voice says, “Cry out!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All people are grass,
their constancy is like the flower of the field.
7The grass withers, the flower fades,
when the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
surely the people are grass.
8The grass withers, the flower fades;
but the word of our God will stand forever.
9Get 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!”
10See, the Lord God comes with might,
and His arm rules for Him;
His reward is with Him,
and His recompense before Him.
11He 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.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
2 Peter 3:8-15a
read by Craig Bjorklund
8Do 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. 9The 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.
11Since 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, 12waiting 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? 13But, in accordance with His promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.
14Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by Him at peace, without spot or blemish; 15aand regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Mark 1:1-8
read by Pastor Bruce
1The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
“See, I am sending My messenger ahead of You,
who will prepare Your way;
3the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make His paths straight,’ ”
4John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And 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. 6Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7He 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. 8I have baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
On Jordan’s Stormy Bank I Stand ELW #437
key board: Diane M.; guitar and voice: Pastor Bruce
On Jordan’s stormy bank I stand, and cast a wishful eye
To Canaan’s fair and happy land, where my possessions lie.
I am bound for the promised land, I am bound for the promised land;
Oh, who will come and go with me? I am bound for the promised land.
All over those wide extended plains shines one eternal day;
There God the Son forever reigns and scatters night away.
I am bound for the promised land, I am bound for the promised land;
Oh, who will come and go with me? I am bound for the promised land.
No chilling winds or poisonous breath can reach that healthful shore;
Sickness and sorrow, pain and death, are felt and feared no more.
I am bound for the promised land, I am bound for the promised land;
Oh, who will come and go with me? I am bound for the promised land.
When shall I reach that happy place and be forever blest?
When shall I see my Savior’s face and in God’s bosom rest?
I am bound for the promised land, I am bound for the promised land;
Oh, who will come and go with me? I am bound for the promised land.