St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church

December 30 - Philip All who believe and are baptized Shall see the Lord’s salvation; Baptized into the death of Christ, They are a new creation; ... Through Christ’s redemption they will stand Among the glorious heav’nly band Of ev’ry tribe and nation. (LBW #194) As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?" He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. (Acts 8:36-38) Philip was one of the seven Hellenic Jews along with Stephen, chosen to help with fair distribution of assistance to those in need. But he is best known for his preaching and evangelizing. In Acts we hear of his encounter with a man from the royal court in Ethiopia who was reading from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Philip offered to explain the reading, and showed him how it described Jesus’ sufferings and death and resurrection. Moved by Philip’s preaching and the Holy Spirit, the man asked to be baptized, becoming the first convert from Africa. Legend says he then became the first missionary to Ethiopia. Philip and this unnamed convert are our brothers in Christ! Prayer: Exalted God of all the earth, you prospered the work of Philip the Evangelist, a man of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom. Grant that from the rising of the sun to its setting your name may be great among all the nations; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Pfatteicher, New Book of Festivals and Commemorations, alt.)

December 29 Join hands, disciples of the faith, Whate’er your race ,may be, All children of the living God Are surely kin to me. (ELW #650)... Jesus replied, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" And pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." (Matthew 12:48-50) Jesus’ family tree doesn’t stop growing at Matthew 1:17! In baptism we are adopted into God’s family with Jesus as our brother! In baptism we become family with all people of every time and place who love and do God’s will. That puts you and me on Jesus’ family tree along with women and men who have lived God’s will and purpose for centuries past and for time yet to come. We are sisters, we are brothers in God’s great family! Prayer: You are the family of God, you are the promise divine. You are God’s chosen desire, you are the glorious new wine. Bind us together, Lord, bind us together with cords that cannot be broken. Bind us together, Lord, bind us together, Lord, Bind us together in love. Amen. (WOV#748)

Third Monday in Advent Though he giveth or he taketh, God his children ne’er forsaketh. His the loving purpose solely To preserve them pure and holy. (LBW #474)... Then [the Lord GOD] said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel (Ezekiel 37:11-12) The people of Israel, captive in Babylon, felt as hopeless and dead as a valley full of dry bones. But the prophet Ezekiel brought them a message of hope from God. God had not forgotten them, even though the Temple had been destroyed; even though they were strangers in a strange land. God promised that there was hope. God had plans to give them new life; to bring them back from their captivity back to their own land. The prophet Ezekiel reminded them that God still remembered them and remembered the covenant. Prayer: Almighty and ever-living God, you have given great and precious promises to those who believe. Grant us the perfect faith which overcomes all doubts, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer of the Day for the 13th Sunday after Pentecost LBW #93)

December 28 Holy Innocents, Martyrs All praise for infant martyrs Whom your mysterious love Called early from their warfare To share your home above. ... O Rachel, cease your weeping; They rest from earthbound cares. Lord, grant us hearts as guileless And crowns as bright as theirs. (LBW #177 v. 9) Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more." (Matthew 2:16-18) It seems strange to be commemorating birth and death at the same time. But for centuries the Church has considered the children of Bethlehem who were killed by Herod in his rage to find the Christ Child, as comites Christi or companions of Christ their deaths foreshadowing his death. Much has changed in 2000 years, but some things don’t change. Innocent blood is shed far too freely and far too often in our world today. Prayer: We remember today, O God, the slaughter of the holy innocents of Bethlehem by the order of King Herod. Receive, we pray, into the arms of your mercy, all innocent victims, and by your great might, frustrate the designs of evil tyrants and establish your rule of justice, love and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Prayer of the Day for the Holy Innocents, Martyrs (113 LBW)

Another beautiful day of Outsoor Advent worship on the lawn of St Paul’s. Thanks to the Miller family for decorating the third Advent tree with the color pink to represent Joy!

St. John, Apostle and Evangelist Saint John, beloved of the Lord, Bore witness to God’s mighty Word And through that Word made flesh saw plain, Th’ eternal Christ on high shall reign! MEW ‘07... As [Jesus] went from there, he saw two other brothers, James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John in the boat with their father, Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. (Matthew 4:21-22) The four books of the New Testament that tell us that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son are called gospels literally GOOD NEWS, because God’s love for us IS good news of great joy for all people (Luke 2:10). The people who wrote these gospels are called evangelists literally good news tellers! The Gospel the Good News according to St. John begins at the beginning, just as Genesis, the first book of the Bible begins. But John’s beginning is God’s Word the power-filled, creative Word that brought the whole cosmos into being. And John saw that Word made flesh in Jesus of Nazareth. That Word made flesh is the light that shines for all time and for all people! And the Gospel according to John shows this in a very special way. Tradition holds that John alone, of all the Twelve, died of old age in Ephesus. Thank God for the witness of John, Apostle and Evangelist! Prayer: Merciful Lord. Let the brightness of your light shine on your Church, so that all of us, instructed by the teachings of John, your apostle and evangelist, may walk in the light of your truth and attain eternal life; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Prayer of the Day for St. John, Apostle and Evangelist LBW #112)

Get ready for some worship time when it works for your family schedule this weekend!

Third Sunday in Advent Light three candles to watch for Messiah: Let the light banish darkness. Lift your heads and lift high the gateway For the King of glory! (WOV #630)... An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1) Hope is an important word in Advent. While the people of Israel were in exile in Babylon, and thought that God had abandoned them, the prophets called them to have hope; to have faith! God had not forgotten or abandoned them. Even though the people had broken their part of the covenant by worshipping false gods, and ignoring and mistreating the poor and vulnerable, God still kept his promises. As we light the third candle on the wreath this morning in worship and you light the third candle on your wreath at home, join us in this prayer: Prayer: Stir up the wills of all who look to you, Lord God, and strengthen our faith in your coming, that, transformed by grace, we may walk in your way; through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Prayer of the Day for Third Sunday in Advent ELW)

December 26 St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr Praise for the first of martyrs who saw you ready stand To help in time of torment to plead at God’s right hand. ... They share with him who, steadfast. in death their master own, On earth the faithful witness, on high the martyr’s crown. (LBW #177 v,7) But filled with the Holy Spirit, [Stephen] gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Look, he said, "I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died. (Acts 7:55-60) Stephen was one of seven deacons in the early Church who were chosen to make sure food and clothing were distributed equitably among the Jewish and Gentile poor. But he also preached Jesus, crucified and risen, and for this he was brought before the Sanhedrin, accused of blasphemy and taken out and stoned by an angry mob outside of Jerusalem! At his death he echoed Jesus’ plea for God to forgive those who killed him. Stephen, John and the Holy Innocents, remembered in these days following the Christ Mass are called the Comites Christi the companions of Christ. In their deaths, they glorified God. Prayer: Grant us grace, O Lord, that like Stephen we may learn to love even our enemies and seek forgiveness for those who desire our hurt; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Prayer of the Day for St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr LBW #111)

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Another great weekend of worship coming your way!

Christmas Day O Morning Star, how fair and bright! You shine with God’s own truth and light, Aglow with grace and mercy. Of Jacob’s race, King David’s Son, ... Our Lord and Master, you have won Our hearts to serve you only! Lowly, holy! Great and glorious, All-victorious, Rich in blessing! Rule and might o’er all possessing! (LBW #76) I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel (Numbers 24:17) In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." (Matthew 2:1-2) The Star plays an important part in Matthew’s telling of Jesus’ birth. The prophet Balaam, in the time of the exodus foretold the star from Jacob. The Wise Ones, who watched the stars and planets in their courses, saw the star that, in their reading, announced the birth of a new king of the Jews. Little did they realize that this star announced not the new king of the Jews, but the human birth of the King of kings and Lord of lords of the whole cosmos! Prayer: Almighty God, you have made yourself known in your Son, Jesus, the redeemer of the world. We pray that his birth as a human child will set us free from the old slavery of our sin; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Prayer of the Day for Christmas - LBW #7)

Second Saturday in Advent By the Babylonian rivers we sat down in grief and wept; Hung our harps upon a willow, mourned for Zion as we slept. ... How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange and bitter land? Can our voices veil the sorrow? Lord God, hold your holy band. (WOV #656 based on Psalm 137) and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. (Matthew 1:11) In 722-21 BC the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and many thousands of Israelites were taken away to other lands as captives. Then, in 587-6 BC the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar attacked and destroyed Jerusalem, leveling the city walls, razing the Temple, and taking the valuables from the Temple the gold and silver vessels and furnishings back to Babylon. The people were deported by waves, starting with the royalty and nobles, then the skilled artisans and craftspeople. The poor remained in what was left of their land. The exile lasted seventy years, and the line of Davidic kings ended. But God did not forget the people, and the covenant was remembered by prophets and priests. You can read about these events in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. Prayer: O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel That mourns in lowly exile here Until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel. Amen. (LBW #34)

It's time for worship!

Second Friday in Advent When you heard the wonder of the Word I was there to cheer you on. You were raised to praise the living Lord to whom you now belong. (WOV 770)... Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos (Amon), and Amos (Amon) the father of Josiah (Matthew 1:9-10) Josiah was only a child of eight when he became king of Judah. There were a number of child-kings in the accounts in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles, but Josiah seems to have topped them all, as well as all those who came to the throne as adults! Despite his youth, he possessed a strong faith in God and a strong sense of responsibility to his kingdom and its people. Early in his reign, he caused all the places of idol worship to be pulled down. Then he ordered that funds be given to restore Solomon’s Temple, which had been neglected. In the course of this work, the scroll, the book of the law of the LORD probably Deuteronomy was found. When it was read to Josiah, he was horrified because the commands of the LORD and the covenant had been ignored. Josiah called the priests and the people to repent and renewed the covenant between the LORD and Israel. Then he ordered that the Passover be kept, and himself contributed the lambs for the families of the people. He died in a battle with Neko, Pharaoh of Egypt when he was about forty. 2 Kings 22-23; 2 Chronicles 34-35 Prayer: Lead me, Lord, lead me in thy righteousness; Make thy way plain before my face, For it is thou, Lord only, who makest me dwell in safety. Amen.

Join us for worship this weekend as WNY Church Unleashed!

God on Tap tomorrow night - Tuesday - 7-8pm. Come on out before watching the election results. BYO Mask, Drink's and snacks. RSPV to church office at [email protected]