It’s the Third Sunday Advent, Gaudete Sunday – the Sunday of Joy! Look for the theme of joy to run throughout our Service, in our Advent Wreath Candlelighting Children’s Time, Readings, Sermon, and Hymns. We’re blessed to have Norman assisting and preaching, and Betty back with us, assisting as well. We’re also blessed to have Stacy Spoonheim in-person to share a Reading from Holy Scripture and the Prayers of the People, and the organ from All Saints, Swansea, Wales playing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” as our Offertory Instrumental. In our Prayers, Stacy will be leading us in the Advent Litany in the BAS, the ancient "O" Antiphons; and then a Prayer in Response to COVID-19 adapted from Nepal. After this, with thanksgiving, we’re asking to come into our hearts the One for whom we wait, as we experience a foretaste of the joyous Heavenly Banquet yet to come, sharing Holy Communion together spiritually or physically (in the Sanctuary, or with the Reserved Sacrament we’ve picked up from the Office Monday to Friday between 9 and noon, or by appointment)! Most fitting for Gaudete Sunday, we’re then celebrating the Welcoming of New Members, all those who’ve chosen to make St. Paul’s their Parish home since the Pandemic began. Then, our Liturgy ends, and the service begins. We “go our way rejoicing,” sowing seeds of joy in the world wherever the Lord leads us.
Today’s Service of Holy Eucharist will be livestreamed on our main Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/stpaulscalgary) at 9:30 am. Following the service, the video will be posted on our YouTube Channel, and a link to the service will be added here. To watch this service in full screen mode, please click on the “Watch on YouTube” button in the lower left-hand corner of the video. Please download the Order of Service in the Sermon Notes above if you would like to follow along. If you are sharing this Service online and don’t have Reserved Sacrament, you are invited to say the Prayer for Communion for those receiving Spiritual Communion also available above. Permission to reprint, podcast, and/or stream the music in this service obtained from:
(a) ONE LICENSE with license # A-713985, and/or
(b) CCLI with Streaming License # 20351479.
All rights reserved.