Service for Advent Sunday – 28th November 2021
St Paul’s Athens
Welcome to all as we begin to worship in this holy season of Advent. Note the distancing rules (1.5m), and the wearing of masks is mandatory in church and around the garden, unless you are drinking your coffee. The presiding priest and preacher is The Revd. Canon Leonard Doolan, Senior Chaplain in Greece, and Deacon Christine is assisting.
Entrance Hymn: 11 O come, O come Emmanuel
Priest: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
The Lord be with you.
All: and also with you
[Lighting of the Advent Candle
Priest: People of God, awake! The day is coming soon when you shall see God face to face. Remember the ways and works of God. God calls you out of darkness to walk in the light of his coming. You are God’s children.
All: Lord, make us one as we walk with Christ today and forever. Amen]
The priest then welcomes the people of God and the deacon then leads us into Confession.
Priest: When the Lord comes, he will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Therefore in the light of Christ let us confess our sins.
A period of silent stillness follows
Deacon: Turn us again, O God our Saviour, and let your anger cease from us.
Kyrie eleison
All: Kyrie eleison.
Deacon: Show us your compassion, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.
Christe eleison
All: Christe eleison
Deacon: Your salvation is near to those that fear you, that glory may dwell in your land.
Kyrie eleison.
All: Kyrie eleison
Absolution we hear the words of God’s forgiveness to those who are truly penitent
Collect: Let us pray (remain standing as the priest prays the Collect of the Day)
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in all humility; that on the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who is alive and reigns with you in the power of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
First Reading (please sit) Jeremiah 33, 14-16 (Jean Mertzanakis)
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob,come, let us walk in the light.
Reader: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches
All: Thanks be to God.
Hymn: 8 Lift up your heads (Tune Gonfalon Royal 128)
Second Reading (please sit) 1 Thessalonians 3, 9-end (Lynne Doolan)
How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith. Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
Reader: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches
All: Thanks be to God
Gradual Hymn: 341 Blest are the pure in heart
Gospel Reading
Deacon: Alleluia! Alleluia! Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Alleluia!
Deacon: The Lord be with you
All: and also with you
Deacon: Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke (Luke 21, 25-36)
All: Glory to you, O Lord
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Deacon: This is the gospel of the Lord
All: Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon (Please sit) Sermon available in print and on the website – also recorded
Creed (please stand as we declare our historic faith in the Trinitarian God)
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father: through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Intercessions: (kneel or sit) Lord in your mercy; hear our prayer
Peace: God has made us one in Christ. He has set his seal upon us and, as a pledge of what is to come, has given the Spirit to dwell in our hearts. The peace of God be always with you.
All: And also with you.
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer. Fruit of the field and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life.
All: Blessed be God for ever!
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this wine to offer. Fruit of the field and work of human hands, it will become for us the cup of salvation.
All: Blessed be God for ever!
Offertory Hymn 16 Wake, O wake (The Collection will be taken)
The Great Thanksgiving Prayer (please remain standing for this)
Priest: The Lord be with you
All: and also with you
Priest: Lift up your hearts
All: We lift them to the Lord
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
All: It is right to give thanks and praise
It is indeed right and good to give you thanks and praise, Almighty God and everlasting Father, through Jesus Christ your Son. For when he humbled himself to come among us in human flesh, he fulfilled the plan you formed before the foundation of the world to open up for us the way of salvation. Confident that your promise will be fulfilled, we now watch for the day when Christ our Lord will come again in glory. And so as we join our voices with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven to proclaim your glory for ever praising you and singing:
Sanctus: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest.
Priest: continues
Deacon: Praise to you Lord Jesus
All: Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life: Lord Jesus come in glory.
And so, Father… by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever. All: AMEN
The Lord’s Prayer: (you may pray this in your own first language)
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, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Priest: We break this bread to share in the body of Christ
All: Though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in one bread.
Said: Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us. Jesus bearer of our sins, have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the world, grant us peace, grant us peace.
Invitation to Holy Communion
Priest: God’s holy gifts for God’s holy people
All: Jesus Christ is holy, Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father
All baptized Christians may come forward to receive the body and blood of Christ. If you wish you may receive a blessing. Please let the Sidespeople guide you forward.
Communion: organ music
Post Communion Prayer: Let us pray (please stand)
Priest: O Lord our God, make us watchful and keep us faithful as we await the coming of your Son our Lord; that when he shall appear, he may not find us sleeping in sin but active in his service and joyful in his praise; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
All: Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen
Post Communion Hymn: 388 Jesus shall reign
The Blessing and Dismissal
Priest: Christ the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you, scatter the darkness from
before your path, and make you ready to meet him when he comes in glory;
and the blessing…
Deacon: Go in the peace of Christ
All: Thanks be to God.
Fr. Leonard’s usual Day Off – Monday
Home tel : 210 72 14 906; email anglican@otenet.gr
Deacon Chris: 22950 53164: Please avoid contacting Chris on Fridays.
Swedish Church: contact Fr. Bjorn on 694 607 2428
The Anglican Church in Greece (including St. Paul’s) is self – financing, and receives no income other than from the generosity of those who worship here. We are a legal body and we pay tax. Our tax number is 997073090. If you wish to donate direct to our bank (IBAN) the account with Piraeus Bank is: The Anglican Church in Greece, St. Paul’s Athens GR 820172 0500 0050 5008 6327 479 Swift code is PIRB GRAA
Notices: Bishops’ Advent Appeal (check the Diocesan website for more details). We are recommending that during the four weeks of Advent we all collect our 5, 10, and 20 cent coins in jars or containers and hand them to our Treasurer after Christmas. We will then pass onto the appeal via the diocesan account in London. Before handing in your coins you might like to count the money so you know how much you have donated – this year the income will be distributed to parts of Europe that suffered from flooding or fires in the Summer, so Apostoli in Athens is receiving part of it.
- CHRISTMAS BAZAAR: Sunday 5th December beginning at 11.00-16.30. Held in the foyer of the Amphitheatre at the War Museum. All help gladly received! Raffle tickets are now for sale.
- Sunday 5th Dec: although it is the Bazaar there is still a service at 10.00 in St. Paul’s but shorter than usual.
- NIGHT PRAYER during Advent: from 1st -22nd December Night Prayer at 9.00pm on Zoom. Please see the website for the Zoom link, or contact Fr. Leonard direct. Please Note – not on Dec 11th & 12th as Fr. Leonard is in Thessaloniki.
- Bible Study for Advent: Four Tuesdays at 19.30. Starting on 30th We’ll look at the First Letter of Peter. See the website for the Zoom link .
- Specials in December: Christmas programme:
- December 24th: Carol Service at 18.00hrs on Zoom. See website for link and order of service.
- NO Midnight Mass this year (due to COVID restrictions and maybe a curfew!)
- December 25th 10.00hrs Christmas Morning Liturgy and carols
- December 26th 10.00hrs Feast of St. Stephen
- December 27th 10.00hrs Feast of St. John the Evangelist
- December 28th 10.00hrs Feast of the Holy Innocents
- December 29th 10.00hrs Feast of St. Thomas Becket
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