The Bible text used in this Hymnal is taken from the American Standard Edition of the Revised Bible, copyright 1901 by Thomas Nelson & Sons, and is used by permission. The Church Year The Church Year begins on the First Sunday in Advent, about December first, and not, as the calendar year, January first. The Church Year is divided into two parts, namely, from the First Sunday in Advent to Trinity Sunday, and from Trinity Sunday to the last Sunday after Trinity. The first part deals with the life of Christ, from His birth to His ascension and the descent of the Holy Spirit. The second part deals with the life of the Christian, from baptism to the day of judgment. The great theme of the first part is Christ for us, while that of the second part is Christ in us. The first part deals with all that God has done for our salvation through Christ. The second part is intended to show how the Church may receive the salvation of God through Christ and by daily sanctification be prepared for her Lord's second coming. The three main festivals of the Church occur in the first part of the Church Year. They are Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost. Christmas is preceded by the Advent season. Advent means "coming," and the texts of the four Advent Sundays treat of the coming of Jesus. Christmas celebrates His birth. The second day of Christmas commemorates the martyrs, suggested by Herod's murder of the Innocents. New Year's Day speaks of the Name of Jesus, which He received eight days after His birth. In this way we begin the secular year in the name of Jesus. Epiphany means “manifestation." It celebrates Christ's manifestation to the Wise Men and throughout the centuries to all the nations of the earth. Easter, like Christmas, also has a period of preparation. This is known as the Lenten season. During this time the sermons dwell on the passion story of Christ, and the Church follows the Saviour in spirit on His way to the cross. The texts of Palm Sunday treat of His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and of the Holy Supper instituted by Christ on the eve of His final sufferings. Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus. Easter celebrates His resurrection. Pentecost means "fiftieth," that is, fifty days after Easter. In the early Church this day was called Whitsunday, because the adult candidates for holy baptism who received the Sacrament on this day were robed in white. On Pentecost we commemorate the giving of the Holy Spirit and the founding of the Christian Church. Besides these Main Festivals there are three Minor Festivals during the first part of the Church Year, namely, Candlemas, or the Day of the Presentation of Christ, when the child Jesus was presented in the Temple; the Day of the Annunciation, when His birth was announced by the angel to Mary, and Ascension Day, when He ascended into heaven. During the second part of the Church Year there are four additional Minor Festivals, namely, the Day of John the Baptizer, the great herald of the Lord Jesus; the Festival of Christ's Transfiguration, when He was transfigured on the mount; St. Michael's Day, when special attention is given to the angels and the children; and All Saints' Day, to direct our thoughts to the redeemed in heaven. The last Sunday of the Church Year speaks of the Final Judgment. In addition to the Festivals mentioned above, our Church observes four Prayer Days. The first is a day of general repentance, when we confess our sins as a Church and as a Nation before the Lord. The second is Reformation Day, when we thank God for the pure gospel doctrine. The third is Mission Day, when we unite in praying God for the conversion of the heathen. The fourth is Thanksgiving Day, when we praise God for the year's harvest and for all temporal and spiritual blessings. Gospel and Epistle Texts for the Church Year FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. The Coming of the Lord to His Church. Collect. Stir up, we beseech Thee, Thy power, O Lord, and come, that by Thy protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins, and saved by Thy mighty deliverance; Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. AMEN. I. EPISTLE, Romans 13. 11-14. The New Day Calls for a New Life. AND ND this, knowing the season, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us tuan when we first believed. The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. A I. GOSPEL, Matthew 21. 1-9. ND when they drew nigh unto Jerusa lem, and came unto Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village that is over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any one say aught unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. Now this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Jesus appointed them, and brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their garments; and he sat thereon. And the most part of the multitude spread their garments in the way; and others cut branches from the trees, and spread them in the way. And the multitudes that went before him, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. II. EPISTLE, Psalm 24. Preparing the King's Highway. A Psalm of David. THE earth is Jehovah's and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of Jehovah, And who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; Who hath not lifted up his soul unto falsehood, And hath not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from Jehovah, And righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek after him, That seek thy face, even Jacob. And the King of glory will come in. Yea, lift them up, ye everlasting doors: Jehovah of hosts, He is the King of glory. II. GOSPEL, John 18. 36, 37. JESUS answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. III. EPISTLE, Isaiah 62. 10-12. Raising Aloft the Banner of God. Thus saith the Prophet of the Lord: Go O through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up an ensign for the peoples. Behold, Jehovah hath proclaimed unto the end of the earth, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. And they shall call them The holy people, The redeemed of Jehovah: and thou shalt be called Sought out, A city not forsaken. A III. GOSPEL, Luke 4. 16-22. Jesus in the Synagogue of Nazareth. ND he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears. And all bare him witness, and wondered at the words of grace which proceeded out of his mouth. SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. Waiting for the Day of the Lord. Collect. Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Thine onlybegotten Son, so that by His coming we may be enabled to serve Thee with pure minds; Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. AMEN. I. EPISTLE, Romans 15. 4-13. The Patient Endurance of Hope. WHATSOEVER things were written W! aforetime were written for our learnning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope. Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus: that with one accord ye may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, even as Christ also received you, to the glory of God. For I say that Christ hath been made a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the . promises given unto the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, Therefore will I give praise unto thee among the Gentiles, And sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; There shall be the root of Jesse, On him shall the Gentiles hope. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit. I. GOSPEL, Luke 21. 25-36. Signs of the Coming of the Lord. THERE shall be signs in sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring |