Advent Season | Monday 08 Dec 2025: Psalm 21; Isaiah 24:1-16a; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 ~ Live in a way pleasing to God.

Advent Season | Monday 08 Dec 2025

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

Blessed Lord, who caused all Holy Scriptures
to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn,
and inwardly digest them,
that by patience and the comfort of your holy Word
we may embrace and ever hold fast
the blessed hope of everlasting life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“Finally, dear brothers and sisters,
we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus
to live in a way that pleases God,
as we have taught you.”

(1 Thessalonians 4:1)

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From the Psalms: Psalm 21 | Poor Bishop Hooper

how i rejoice in you oh lord
for you have given me everything my heart desires
you have not withheld anything i have requested
i’ve asked you for life and you have given it

rise up rise up rise up
rise up oh lord in all your power
and we will celebrate yes we will sing and praise
of all your might

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OT Reading: Isaiah 24:1-16 (NLT)

Destruction of the Earth

24:1 Look! The Lord is about to destroy the earth
and make it a vast wasteland.
He devastates the surface of the earth
and scatters the people.
+ Priests and laypeople,
servants and masters,
maids and mistresses,
buyers and sellers,
lenders and borrowers,
bankers and debtors—none will be spared.
+ The earth will be completely emptied and looted.
The Lord has spoken!

24:4 The earth mourns and dries up,
and the land wastes away and withers.
Even the greatest people on earth waste away.
+ The earth suffers for the sins of its people,
for they have twisted God’s instructions,
violated his laws,
and broken his everlasting covenant.
+ Therefore, a curse consumes the earth.
Its people must pay the price for their sin.
They are destroyed by fire,
and only a few are left alive.
+ The grapevines waste away,
and there is no new wine.
All the merrymakers sigh and mourn.
+ The cheerful sound of tambourines is stilled;
the happy cries of celebration are heard no more.
The melodious chords of the harp are silent.
+ Gone are the joys of wine and song;
alcoholic drink turns bitter in the mouth.
+ The city writhes in chaos;
every home is locked to keep out intruders.
+ Mobs gather in the streets, crying out for wine.
Joy has turned to gloom.
Gladness has been banished from the land.
+ The city is left in ruins,
its gates battered down.
+ Throughout the earth the story is the same—
only a remnant is left,
like the stray olives left on the tree
or the few grapes left on the vine after harvest.

24:14 But all who are left shout and sing for joy.
Those in the west praise the Lord’s majesty.
+ In eastern lands, give glory to the Lord.
In the lands beyond the sea, praise the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
+ We hear songs of praise from the ends of the earth,
songs that give glory to the Righteous One!

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Rejoice, The Lord is King | Eunsook Park [Gracias Choir]

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NT Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 (NLT)

Live to Please God

4:1 Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more. For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

4:3 God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. Never harm or cheat a fellow believer in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

4:9 But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another. Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more.

4:11 Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.

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Take My Life and Let It Be | Songs and Everlasting Joy

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP 2019

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use us, we pray, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. | William Temple

Go before us, O Lord, in all our doings with your most gracious favor, and further us with your continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in you, we may glorify your holy Name, and finally, through your mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem: Protect your people from the machinations of the evil one; and grant Israel’s leaders your heavenly wisdom, and the courage to do what’s right in your sight. Unite all your people around the common goal of restoration and peace, that they might return to you – the one true God – through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May the Lord, when he comes,
find us watching and waiting.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Advent Season | Saturday 06 Dec 2025: Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19; Isaiah 40:1-11; John 1:19-28 ~ “Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!”

Advent Season | Saturday 06 Dec 2025

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

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.

“I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’”

(John 1:23)

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From the Psalms: Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 – “The Righteous Shall Flourish” |Douglas Brown, Revised Common Lectionary readings [A psalm of Solomon.]

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OT Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11 (NLT)

Comfort for God’s People

40:1 “Comfort, comfort my people,”
says your God.
+ “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem.
Tell her that her sad days are gone
and her sins are pardoned.
Yes, the Lord has punished her twice over
for all her sins.”

40:3 Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting,
“Clear the way through the wilderness
for the Lord!
Make a straight highway through the wasteland
for our God!
+ Fill in the valleys,
and level the mountains and hills.
Straighten the curves,
and smooth out the rough places.
+ Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
The Lord has spoken!”

40:6 A voice said, “Shout!”
I asked, “What should I shout?”

“Shout that people are like the grass.
Their beauty fades as quickly
as the flowers in a field.
+ The grass withers and the flowers fade
beneath the breath of the Lord.
And so it is with people.
+ The grass withers and the flowers fade,
but the word of our God stands forever.”

40:9 O Zion, messenger of good news,
shout from the mountaintops!
Shout it louder, O Jerusalem.
Shout, and do not be afraid.
Tell the towns of Judah,
“Your God is coming!”
+ Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power.
He will rule with a powerful arm.
See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.
+ He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
He will carry the lambs in his arms,
holding them close to his heart.
He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.

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Comfort, Comfort O My People | Church of the Holy Childhood / schmitzd04

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NT Reading: John 1:19-28 (NLT)

The Testimony of John the Baptist

1:19 This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.”

“Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?”

“No,” he replied.

“Are you the Prophet we are expecting?”

“No.”

“Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”

1:23 John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah:

“I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’”

1:24 Then the Pharisees who had been sent asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”

John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”

1:28 This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.

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There’s a voice in the wilderness crying | Saviour of the Nations

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP 2019

O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light rises up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what you would have us do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices; that in your light we may see light, and in your straight path we may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hasten, O Father, the coming of your kingdom; and grant that we your servants, who now live by faith, may with joy behold your Son at his coming in glorious majesty; even Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May the Lord, when he comes,
find us watching and waiting.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Advent Season | Friday 05 Dec 2025: Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19; Isaiah 30:19-26; Acts 13:16-25 ~ Jesus is Israel’s promised Savior.

Advent Season | Friday 05 Dec 2025

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

“And it is one of King David’s descendants,
Jesus, who is
God’s promised Savior of Israel!”
(Acts 13:23)

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From the Psalms: Psalm 72 – “Blessed Be The LORD God” | Psalms Hymns & Spiritual Songs

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OT Reading: Isaiah 30:19-26 (NLT)

30:19 O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem,
you will weep no more.
He will be gracious if you ask for help.
He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.
+ Though the Lord gave you adversity for food
and suffering for drink,
he will still be with you to teach you.
You will see your teacher with your own eyes.
+ Your own ears will hear him.
Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,”
whether to the right or to the left.
+ Then you will destroy all your silver idols
and your precious gold images.
You will throw them out like filthy rags,
saying to them, “Good riddance!”

30:23 Then the Lord will bless you with rain at planting time. There will be wonderful harvests and plenty of pastureland for your livestock. The oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat good grain, its chaff blown away by the wind. In that day, when your enemies are slaughtered and the towers fall, there will be streams of water flowing down every mountain and hill. The moon will be as bright as the sun, and the sun will be seven times brighter—like the light of seven days in one! So it will be when the Lord begins to heal his people and cure the wounds he gave them.

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When You Walk Into the Room – Bryan & Katie Torwalt – Jesus Culture Music

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NT Reading: Acts 13:16-25 (NLT)

13:16 So Paul stood, lifted his hand to quiet them, and started speaking. “Men of Israel,” he said, “and you God-fearing Gentiles, listen to me.

13:17 “The God of this nation of Israel chose our ancestors and made them multiply and grow strong during their stay in Egypt. Then with a powerful arm he led them out of their slavery. He put up with them through forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Then he destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to Israel as an inheritance. All this took about 450 years.

“After that, God gave them judges to rule until the time of Samuel the prophet. Then the people begged for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years. But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’

13:23 “And it is one of King David’s descendants, Jesus, who is God’s promised Savior of Israel! Before he came, John the Baptist preached that all the people of Israel needed to repent of their sins and turn to God and be baptized. As John was finishing his ministry he asked, ‘Do you think I am the Messiah? No, I am not! But he is coming soon—and I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the sandals on his feet.’

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Jesus Messiah – Chris Tomlin / Grace Bible Church – Adell, WI

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP 2019

Gracious and holy Father, please give us intellect to understand you, reason to discern you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, a spirit to know you, hearts to meditate upon you, ears to hear you, eyes to see you, tongues to proclaim you, ways of life pleasing to you, patience to wait for you, and perseverance to look for you. Grant us a perfect end, your holy presence, a blessed resurrection, and life everlasting. Amen. | Benedict of Nursia

O God of peace, who has taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift us into your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May the Lord, when he comes,
find us watching and waiting.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Advent Season | Thursday 04 Dec 2025: Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19; Isaiah 4:2-6; Acts 1:12-17, 21-26 ~ Choose your leaders prayerfully.

Advent Season | Thursday 04 Dec 2025

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

Then they all prayed,
“O Lord, you know every heart.
Show us which of these men you have chosen
as an apostle
to replace Judas in this ministry.”
(Acts 1:24)

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From the Psalms: Psalm 72 – Poor Bishop Hooper

give the king your judgments o god
give your righteousness to his son
may he judge the people with justice now
and give deliverance to the poor and the children

may he rule from sea to sea to sea
from the river there to where the earth ends
then the tribes will come and bend their knee
let every king and nation now bow before him

may he be like rain that falls upon the grass
may his name endure forever
may all nations bring him praise in him be blessed
let peace abound ’til the moon is no more

long may he live in golden days
may prayer be made always for him
may cities now with fruit and grain
blossom out in abundance

may he be like rain that falls upon the grass
may his name endure forever
may all nations bring him praise in him be blessed
let peace abound ’til the moon is no more
may his name endure till the sun is no more

blessed be the lord the god of Israel
who alone works mighty wonders
blessed be his glorious name forevermore
and let the earth be filled with glory

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OT Reading: Isaiah 4:2-6 (NLT)

A Promise of Restoration

4:2 But in that day, the branch of the Lord
will be beautiful and glorious;
the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory
of all who survive in Israel.
+ All who remain in Zion
will be a holy people—
those who survive the destruction of Jerusalem
and are recorded among the living.
+ The Lord will wash the filth from beautiful Zion
and cleanse Jerusalem of its bloodstains
with the hot breath of fiery judgment.
+ Then the Lord will provide shade for Mount Zion
and all who assemble there.
He will provide a canopy of cloud during the day
and smoke and flaming fire at night,
covering the glorious land.
+ It will be a shelter from daytime heat
and a hiding place from storms and rain.

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You Restore | Official Lyric Video | CRC Music

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NT Reading: Acts 1:12-17, 21-26 (NLT)

Matthias Replaces Judas

1:12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile. When they arrived, they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying.

Here are the names of those who were present: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the zealot), and Judas (son of James). They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.

1:15 During this time, when about 120 believers were together in one place, Peter stood up and addressed them. “Brothers,” he said, “the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David. Judas was one of us and shared in the ministry with us.”

1:21 “So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus— from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.”

1:23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they all prayed, “O Lord, you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen as an apostle to replace Judas in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and Matthias was selected to become an apostle with the other eleven.

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Here I Am, Lord (I the Lord of Sea and Sky) | Catholic Hymn

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP 2019

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, giver of all good things, by your Holy Spirit you have appointed various Orders of Ministers in your Church: mercifully behold your servants called to the Order of Priests, and so fill them with the truth of your doctrine and adorn them with holiness of life, that by word and good example they may faithfully serve you in this office, to the glory of your Name and the edification of your Church; through the merits of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May the Lord, when he comes,
find us watching and waiting.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Advent Season | Wednesday 03 Dec 2025: Psalm 124; Isaiah 54:1-10; Matthew 24:23-35 ~ Jesus Christ will return with great power and glory.

Advent Season | Wednesday 03 Dec 2025

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

“And they will see the Son of Man
coming on the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory.”
(Matthew 24:31)

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From the Psalms: Psalm 124 – Poor Bishop Hooper

if it had not been the lord who was on our side
if it had not been the lord who was on our side
let israel say
if it had not been the lord who was on our side

if it had not been the lord who was on our side
if it had not been the lord who was on our side
they would have swallowed us alive
if it had not been the lord who was on our side

when the people rose against us they would have swallowed us alive
when men in burning anger we would have been swept by the water’s rise
if it had not been the lord who was on our side
if it had not been the lord who was on our side

o lord blessed be who has not given us to their teeth
we’ve escaped like a bird from a trap the snare is broken and we are free
if it had not been the lord who was on our side
if it had not been the lord who was on our side

if it had not been the lord who was on our side
if it had not been the lord who was on our side
let israel say
if it had not been the lord who was on our side

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OT Reading: Isaiah 54:1-10 (NLT)

Future Glory for Jerusalem

54:1 “Sing, O childless woman,
you who have never given birth!
Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem,
you who have never been in labor.
For the desolate woman now has more children
than the woman who lives with her husband,”
says the Lord.
+ “Enlarge your house; build an addition.
Spread out your home, and spare no expense!
+ For you will soon be bursting at the seams.
Your descendants will occupy other nations
and resettle the ruined cities.

54:4 “Fear not; you will no longer live in shame.
Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you.
You will no longer remember the shame of your youth
and the sorrows of widowhood.
+ For your Creator will be your husband;
the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name!
He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,
the God of all the earth.
+ For the Lord has called you back from your grief—
as though you were a young wife abandoned by her husband,”
says your God.
+ “For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with great compassion I will take you back.
+ In a burst of anger I turned my face away for a little while.
But with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”
says the Lord, your Redeemer.

54:9 “Just as I swore in the time of Noah
that I would never again let a flood cover the earth,
so now I swear
that I will never again be angry and punish you.
+ For the mountains may move
and the hills disappear,
but even then my faithful love for you will remain.
My covenant of blessing will never be broken,”
says the Lord, who has mercy on you.

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The Blessing (Live From Bath, UK, 2024) – Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes

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NT Reading: Matthew 24:23-35 (NLT)

24:23 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.

24:26 “So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it! For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.

24:29 “Immediately after the anguish of those days,

the sun will be darkened,
the moon will give no light,
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

24:30 And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

24:32 “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

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Days of Elijah – Robin Mark / Gospel Music Lyrics