Liturgy for Holy Eucharist

Participation in the presence of Christ

November 30, 2025

First Sunday of Advent

Welcome & Breath Prayer

The Collect for Purity

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.

The Summary of the Law

Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ says:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your mind. This is the first and most important commandment. And the second is like it. ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ Everything that is written in the Law and the Prophets is based on these two commandments. (Matthew 22:37–40)

The Gloria

Glory to God in the highest,

and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,

Almighty God and Father,

we worship you, we give you thanks,

we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,

Lord God, Lamb of God,

you take away the sin of the world:

have mercy on us;

you are seated at the right hand of the Father:

receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One,

you alone are the Lord,

you alone are the Most High,

Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

The Lessons

First Reading

A reading from Isaiah 2:1–5:

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 of the Lord!

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

We will read Psalm 122 responsively. I will read the first line up to the break. Together we will read the second line to the end of the verse.

I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

I was glad when they said to me, //
    “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
Our feet are standing //
    within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem—built as a city //
    that is bound firmly together.
To it the tribes go up, //
    the tribes of the Lord,
as was decreed for Israel, //
    to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
For there the thrones for judgment were set up, //
    the thrones of the house of David.

I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: //
    “May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls //
    and security within your towers.”
For the sake of my relatives and friends //
    I will say, “Peace be within you.”
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, //
    I will seek your good.

I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

Second Reading

A reading from Romans 13:11–14:

Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is already the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone; the day is near. Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us walk decently as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in illicit sex and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Reflection on God’s Word

Song // O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourned in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

O come, O come, thou Lord of might

Who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height

In ancient times didst give the law

In cloud and majesty and awe

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

O come, thou Dayspring from on high

And cheer us by thy drawing nigh

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And Death’s dark shadows put to flight

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

O come, thou Key of David, come

And open wide our heavenly home

Make safe the way that leads on high

And close the path to misery

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

The Prayers of the People

Let us pray for the Church and for the world…

Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your name may be united in Your truth, live together in Your love, and reveal Your glory in the world…

Lord in your mercy:

Hear our prayer.

Inspire the witness of God’s people throughout the world, for our bishop Jeff, our priest Peter, for our sister community in Little Rock and Father Seth, for this gathering and for all the churches in Tulsa, and all our ministry partners. This week we pray especially for Church of the Vine in Newburg, Oregon, led by the Rev. Sean Flannery. We pray for those visiting the Abbey of the Heights this week: for Alicia, for Gene, for Tiffany, for Adam, for the School of Spiritual Direction cohort.

Lord in your mercy:

Hear our prayer.

Guide the nations of the world into the way of justice and truth for You have established peace amongst us in your Risen Son. We pray for the end of violence in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and in all corners of our world. Be close to the brokenhearted and all who mourn. In your good time, enable us all to stand reconciled before you. For President Trump, Governor Stitt, and Mayor Nichols—that you would give them the power to lead with wisdom, grace, and integrity…

Lord in your mercy:

Hear our prayer.

For your blessing, O God, on the soil, air, water, non-human life, and all those that labor on behalf of creation. Give us wisdom and reverence to use these resources of nature rightly, that generations yet to come might continue to praise you for your bounty…

Lord in your mercy:

Hear our prayer.

Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them and love one another as He loves us, and by your Spirit who continually seeks us out, remember those absent and displaced from us. For the sick, for the elderly, for those trapped in addiction, for the lonely, for those in deep despair. We pray especially for…

Lord in your mercy:

Hear our prayer.

For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and destitute, for prisoners and captives in downtown and north Tulsa, for immigrants and refugees around the world, we pray for them to be delivered from all danger and oppression. For families who have lost loved ones this year. O Lord, give them courage and hope in their trouble and bring them the joy of your salvation. Have mercy on us for the ways that oppression, racism, discrimination, and inequality persist in society and in our lives. Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move that these divisions would be dismantled and healed and that all may live in the justice and peace of your Kingdom…

Lord in your mercy:

Hear our prayer.

We commend to your mercy all who have died, born and unborn, enemy and friend, that your will for them may be fulfilled. We pray especially for… and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom…

Lord in your mercy:

Hear our prayer.

(Please feel free to voice your own prayers and thanksgivings concluding them with, “Lord, in your mercy…”)

Heavenly Father, grant these our prayers for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

The Confession and Absolution of Sin

Let us humbly confess our sins to Almighty God.

(silence)

Most merciful God,

we confess that we have sinned against you

in thought, word, and deed,

by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart;

we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,

have mercy on us and forgive us;

that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways,

to the glory of your Name.

Amen.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who in his great mercy has promised forgiveness of sins to all those who sincerely repent and with true faith turn to him, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The Comfortable Words

Hear the Word of God to all who truly turn to him.

“Come to me, all you who are tired and are carrying heavy loads. I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“Here is a saying that you can trust. It should be accepted completely. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).

“But suppose someone does sin. Then we have a friend who speaks to the Father for us. He is Jesus Christ, the Blameless One. He gave his life to pay for our sins. But he not only paid for our sins. He also paid for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1–2).

The Peace

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And with your spirit.

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Praise Him all creatures here below

Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Amen

The Sursum Corda

The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give him thanks and praise.

It is right, our duty and our joy, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

Because you sent your beloved Son to redeem us from sin and death, and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life; that when he shall come again in power and great glory to judge the world, we may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing.

Therefore, we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who forever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

The Sanctus

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of power and might, heaven 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.

The Prayer of Consecration

Holy and gracious Father:

In your infinite love you made us for yourself;

and when we had sinned against you

and become subject to evil and death,

you, in your mercy, sent your only Son Jesus Christ

into the world for our salvation.

By the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary

he became flesh and dwelt among us.

In obedience to your will,

he stretched out his arms upon the Cross

and offered himself once for all,

that by his suffering and death, we might be saved.

By his resurrection, he broke the bonds of death,

trampling Hell and Satan under his feet.

As our great high priest,

he ascended to your right hand in glory,

that we might come with confidence

before the throne of grace.

On the night that he was betrayed,

our Lord Jesus Christ took bread;

and when he had given 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.”

Likewise, after supper, Jesus took the cup,

and when he had given thanks,

he gave it to them, saying,

“Drink this, all of you;

for this is my Blood of the New Covenant,

which is shed for you, and for many,

for the forgiveness of sins:

Whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.”

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, and we offer you these gifts.

Sanctify them by your Word and the Holy Spirit

to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son Jesus Christ.

Sanctify us also,

that we may worthily receive this holy Sacrament,

and be made one body with him,

that he may dwell in us and we in him.

In the fullness of time,

put all things in subjection under your Christ,

and bring us with all your saints

into the joy of your heavenly kingdom,

where we shall see our Lord face to face.

All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ:

By him, and with him, and in him,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

all honor and glory is yours,

Almighty Father, now and forever. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray:

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your Name,

your Kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our sins

as we forgive those

who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial,

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and forever. Amen.

The Fraction

Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

Therefore let us keep the feast.

The Prayer of Humble Access

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.

The Agnus Dei

O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world;

have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world;

have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world;

grant us thy peace.

The Ministration of Communion

Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world.

Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

The Post Communion Prayer

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father,

We thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food

of the most precious Body and Blood

of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;

and for assuring us in these holy mysteries

that we are living members of the body of your Son,

and heirs of your eternal Kingdom.

And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do,

to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.

To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,

be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.

Song // The Light’s a’Comin’

Nothing could abide

The void alone resides

But soon the Word will cut through the darkness

Everything stood still

Until it was Your will

The wind of God was stirred in the darkness

The Light’s a-comin’

The Light’s a-comin’

From the void the Word was heard

The Light’s a-comin’

People of the dark

The prophet cries “Take heart!”

Prepare the Lord a way in the darkness

Shadows can’t conceal

The glory He reveals

The Lord is coming soon to the darkness

The Light’s a-comin’

The Light’s a-comin’

All you people make a way

The Light’s a-comin’

Mary, Blessed One

We wait to see your Son

His star will lead the way

Through the darkness 

Jesus, Jesus come

We need you here with us

Oh let your light burn through

All the darkness

The Light’s a-comin’

The Light’s a-comin’

Winter won’t delay the day

The Light’s a-comin’

Oo-Oo

The Light’s a-comin’

Oo-Oo

The Light’s a-comin’

The Light’s a-comin’

The Light’s a-comin’

Winter won’t delay the day

The Light’s a-comin’

The Blessing and Dismissal

We make a way

For the One who is the Way

We keep a watchful eye

For the One who watches over us

We listen with anticipation

For the One who is the Word of God

We light candles in the darkness

For the One who is the Light of the world

Come, Lord Jesus!

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

Thanks be to God.