Service for the Third Sunday of Advent – 17th December 2023
Welcome to Saint Paul’s especially if you are here for the first time or visiting Athens. The presiding priest is Fr. Terry Hemming. Lay Reader Nelly Paraskevopoulou is preaching.
Entrance Hymn: Introit: 10 (Personent Hodie) Long ago, prophets knew
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
People of God return! You are called to be God’s own. From the mountains announce the good news. God comes in justice and pace, to all who follow his ways. You are God’s children.
All. Lord make us one in the peace of Christ
Today and for ever 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
Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Collect: Let us pray (remain standing as the priest prays the Collect of the Day)
O LORD Jesu Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee: Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
First Reading (please sit) Isaiah 61. 1-4, 8-11
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me
because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
They shall build up the ancient ruins;
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.
For I, the Lord, love justice,
I hate robbery and wrongdoing;[b]
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their descendants shall be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge
that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
my whole being shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.
Reader: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches
All: Thanks be to God.
Resp. Psalm: 528 (Psalm 25) To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul
Second Reading (please sit) 1 Thessalonians 5. 16-24
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.
May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound[a] and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.
Reader: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches
All: Thanks be to God
Gradual Hymn: 5 (Merton) Hark! a herald voice is calling
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 St. John (John 1. 6-8, 19-28)
All: Glory to you, O Lord
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.
This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed and did not deny it, but he confessed, “I am not the Messiah.”[h] And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said,
“I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ ”
as the prophet Isaiah said.
Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why, then, are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah,[i] nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal.” This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.
Deacon: This is the gospel of the Lord
All: Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon (Please sit) Lay Reader Nelly Paraskevopoulou
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, 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.
Offertory Hymn 4 (Gabriel’s Message) Gabriel’s message does away
(The Collection will be taken)
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!
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
And now we give you thanks
Because you prepared the way of your Son Jesus Christ
By the preaching of your servant John the Baptist,
Who proclaimed him as the Lamb of God, our Saviour.
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: Lord, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness; grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit, and according to your holy will these gifts of bread and wine may be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ; who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread and gave you thanks; he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.
In the same way, after supper he took the cup and gave you thanks; he gave it to them, saying: Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
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, calling to mind his death on the cross, his perfect sacrifice made once for the sins of the whole world; rejoicing in his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension, and looking for his coming in glory, we celebrate this memorial of our redemption. As we offer you this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, we bring before you this bread and this cup and we thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you. Send the Holy Spirit on your people and gather into one in your kingdom all who share this one bread and one cup, so that we, in the company of the Holy Mother of God, St. Paul, and all the saints, may praise and glorify you for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord; 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. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer: (you may pray this in the language of your choice)
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: though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in one bread.
Priest: Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; happy are those who are called to his supper.
All: Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.
We do not presume to come to this your table, O merciful Lord,
trusting in our own righteousness,
but in your abundant and great mercies.
We are not worthy so much as to gather up
the crumbs under your table;
but you are the same Lord
whose character is always to have mercy.
Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord,
so to eat the flesh of your dear Son Jesus Christ,
and to drink his blood,
that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body,
and our souls washed through his most precious blood,
and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.
All baptized Christians may come forward to receive the body and blood of Christ.
Communion: 275 (Liebster Jesu) Blessed Jesu, Mary’s Son
Post Communion Prayer: Let us pray (please stand)
Priest: We give you thanks, O Lord, for these heavenly gifts;
kindle in us the fire of your Spirit
that when your Christ comes again
we may shine as lights before his face;
who is alive and reigns now and for ever.
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: 11 (Veni Emmanuel) O come, O come, Emmanuel!
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.
Deacon Chris: 22950 53164: Day Off – Friday.
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. We have a POS and you can make your donation by card – or pay for ‘Opening the Doors’ by card.
Notices :
Bishop Robert’s Advent Appeal – see the link for details
Join the online Prayer Group each Tuesday morning at 09.00 – see website for the Zoom link.
Community Connect Coffee Mornings – January 11th 2024 -Swedish centre – 10:30 am until 12:30pm. Contact Anne Dedes if you need information.
Christmas Services: Sunday 18th December 18.00 Carols Sing-a-long
(Admission €5 per adult).
Saturday 24th December 18.00 Lessons and Carols
Sunday 25th December 10.00 Christmas Morning Liturgy
View our Website: www.anglicanchurchathens.gr
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Liturgical material © the Archbishops’ Council.
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