205 North Fourth StreetPost Office Box 126Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70821

225 387 5141225 387 1443 fax

www.stjamesbr.org

Lay Ministry

The Diocese of Louisiana is one church, faithful to our Lord Jesus, united in mission, reaching out through service and proclamation to all for whom Christ died. We live in joyous expectation of God’s transforming power, compassion, and mercy in our lives.

Join Us in Fellowship and Ministry…

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Founded 1844

The Rt. Rev. Morris K. Thompson, Jr., Bishop of LouisianaThe Very Rev. J. Mark Holland, Rector

The Rev. John Sloan Miller, Associate Rector and Assistant Head of School

The Rev. Mary Ann Garrett, Associate Rector forPastoral Care and Center for Spiritual Formation

The Rev. Alina S. Williams, Associate Rector for Youth & Young Adults

The Rev. Ralph F. Howe Jr., Priest AssistantThe Rev. Ken Ritter, President & CEO of St. James Place

Deacon Pat Lyle, Spiritual Director in ResidenceThe Rev. Charles Wood, Chaplain to St.. James PlaceThe Rt. Rev. Robert C. Witcher, Bishop-in-ResidenceThe Rt. Rev. James M. Coleman, Bishop-in-Residence

WardensHays Alexander, Senior Warden

Denise Allen, Junior Warden

Helen Campbell, Dir. of Stewardship & Planned GivingLinda Chauviere, Head of School

Jo Craddock, Director of CommunicationsJody Hanet, Children’s Choir Director

Jason Hubbard, ChoirmasterSylvia Rabalais, Administrative Secretary

Herndon Spillman, OrganistKelly Williams, Director of Lay Ministry

Program Staff

We Offer Our Visitors a Warm WelcomeThe Episcopal Church welcomes all baptized Christians to receive Holy Communion. If the

chancel steps are an impediment to you, please advise an usher, and the communion elements will be brought to you. For more information about baptism, the rite of Christian initiation, please contact the church office or speak with one of the clergy.

Please identify yourself to our Welcome Committee greeters who will be in the narthex following the service and join us for coffee in the Parish Hall Parlor after this service.

Should you desire it, infants and toddlers through age four are lovingly cared for in our professionally staffed nursery every Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

In our thoughts and prayers …

The Fourth Sunday of AdventDecember 23, 2012

7:30 a.m.

• Sunday, December 23 •Fifth graders and up will gather in the Par-ish Hall to offer Mission Trip Gift-Wrap-ping at 10:00 a.m. Bring your gifts, and we’ll wrap them festively for Christmas. Donations accepted, and go toward the Summer 2013 Youth Mission Trip. Great Gifts to Go: You can pick up a copy of the St. James History book (1844-1994) by Ed Bond; or, the St. James choir cookbook, Glory, Laud & Gumbo, and have it wrapped while you wait!Christmas Pageant Rehearsal today start-ing at 12:15, in the church. All children signed up for the pageant and/or Children’s Choir should be here for this important re-hearsal!

The Adult Choir meets this evening for the Christmas rehearsal. Be ready for the baton to drop at 6:00 p.m. so we are as efficient with everyone’s time as possible!• Wednesday, December 26 •Noon service of Holy Eucharist with Heal-ing Prayer, in the Chapel.• Sunday, December 30 •Join us for Fifth Sunday Breakfast from 8:30-10:00 a.m. followed by a mid-morning combined service at 10:30 a.m.! If you’d like to help, write npstudio@bellsouth.net.• Monday, December 31-Tuesday, Jan. 1 •The office is closed for New Year’s Eve and Day, and will reopen on Wednesday, Janu-ary 2. The classes at St. James Day School resume on Monday, January 7.

Ushers

7:30 a.m. Joyce Rucker CWS Mimi Riché 9:00 a.m. Bob Bowsher, Tom Wade, Randy Lamont, Bill Hines, Chris

McCanless 11:00 a.m. Randall Peterson, Scott Westbrook, Scott Garver, Bill Lee, John Ray

Acolytes 9:00 a.m. Emily White 1C, Noah Fair TB, Clayton Fair TB, Blake Fair 2C 11:00 a.m. Camille Frink 1C, Destiny Carter TB, Micaiah Carter TB, Warren

Ross 2C

Lectors 7:30 a.m. Barbara Sims CWS Madison Henderson, Ed Henderson (P), Susie Furr 9:00 a.m. Michael Ferachi, Summer Keane 11:00 a.m. Ruth Martinusen, Nancy Litton

Intercessors 7:30 a.m. Tony Carter CWS Randy East

9:00 a.m. Steve Fair 11:00 a.m. Chris Frink

Welcome Committee

7:30 a.m. Eva & Don Bell CWS Mimi Riché 9:00 a.m. Denise Allen, David Lowe, Jan Sumrall 11:00 a.m. TBD

EucharisticMinisters

7:30 a.m. Tony Carter CWS Hays Town III, Ed Henderson 9:00 a.m. Andrea Vidrine, Stan Prutz 11:00 a.m. David Warrington, Nancy Hubbard 5:00 p.m. TBD

Altar Guild

7:30 a.m. Jane Christensen, Sharon Hoffeld CWS BB Stirling 9:00 a.m. Agnes Harrop, Thelma Herthum, Emily Kay 11:00 a.m. Kerry Capron, Catherine Harrell, Jennie Price 5:00 p.m. Betty Phillips

The flowers on the altar are given to the glory of God.The arrangement in the Parish Hall foyer is by Betsy Harper.

The arrangement in the Parish Hall parlor today is by Barbara Moffett.

Prayers are asked for: Margaret Roussel, John, Charles Matherne, Josh Galland, Richard Garber, Annette Broderick, Miriam Juban, Russell, Melissa, Wanda Bozeman, Josie Martin, Buel Williams, Thomas Loupe, Marjorie Benton, Martha Frey, Winburn Curlin, Larry Durant, Joan McCaskill, Sharon Hoffeld, Dorothy Coad, Brooke Hardin, Bradley Hardin, Chris Harris

Our continuing prayers are offered for: Marguerite Matassarin, Bill, Thomas, Nancy, Carole, Ava Blenke, Fred Frey Jr., Betty Romero, Mary C. Elliott, Kevin Stockton, Marion Hart LeBlanc, Cheyenne Sylvia, Matthew Paul Buller, Glenn Stockton, Karen Savell, Estelle Schilling, Betty W. Fowler, Alexander

Webb, R.J. Lee, Bobby Rayne Jr., Nancy DeWitt, John Bernhardt, Kasie Coleman, Mary Frances HopKins, Iris, Kathryn Rust, Jim Coleman, Betsy Chambliss McLean, James Ott, Boney Richardson, Bob Boyd, Boots Green, John Berlin

Those in the armed forces: Rob Hutchins, Captain John Lyford V, Captain Allison Laine Lyford, Sgt William Martin USMC, PFC Don Ellen, Lt Jon Bethel, Trey Wolf ABFAN, Private Holden Kroenke, Lt Jordan Morris, Sgt James Chambers, Major Andrew “Andy” Stone USAF, Capt Michael Oliver, Specialist Daniel Anderson, Sgt Ethan Wade, Major Charlie Hines, Capt Mathis Guy Hall USMC, Major Mark Foster, Chad Hornsby SFAAT US Army, Lt Dominic Golemi

Christmas Eve Service Schedule

2:15 p.m. - Arrival time for children in the pageant and choir

3:30 p.m. - Children’s Pageant and Holy Eucharist, Rite II (nursery open)

7:00 p.m. - The Christ Mass with Choir

11:00 p.m. - The Christ Mass with Choir

Christmas Day Service Schedule

10:00 a.m. - The Christ Mass

The Fourth Sunday of AdventDecember 23, 2012

7:30 a.m. — Holy Eucharist, Rite I

Presiding at Eucharist is the Very Rev. J. Mark Holland.

The Gathering of the Community

Opening Acclamation ............................................Book of Common Prayer, p. 323

Song of Praise (said) ............................ Kyrie eleison ...................................B.C.P. 324

The Collect of the Day ..................................................................................B.C.P. 160

The Celebration of Holy Communion

The Offering of the Symbols of our Life

The Great Thanksgiving

Eucharistic Prayer Form I .....................................................................B.C.P. 333

The Lord’s Prayer ....................................................................................B.C.P. 336

The Breaking of the Bread ............................................................................B.C.P. 337

The Sharing of Christ’s Life and Salvation

Prayer after Communion ......................................................................B.C.P. 339

Blessing and Dismissal

The Proclamation of The Word

The First Reading.....................................................................................Micah 5:2-5a

The Response: The Song of Mary (Canticle 3) - Magnificat

The Epistle ......................................................................................... Hebrews 10:5-10

The Gospel ................................................................................................Luke 1:39-45

The Sermon ...................................................................... The Rev. Alina S. Williams

The Nicene Creed ......................................................................................... B.C.P. 326

The Prayers of the People, Form VI .................................................... B.C.P. 392

The Confession of Sin ........................................................................... B.C.P. 393

The Peace ................................................................................................ B.C.P. 332

Welcome

The Collect of the DayWe beseech thee, Almighty God, to purify our consciences by thy daily visita-tion, that when thy Son our Lord cometh he may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Lesson: Micah 5:2-5aBut you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace.

The Response: Canticle 3 Magnificat Luke 1:46-55

My soul doth magnify the Lord, * and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.For he hath regarded * the lowliness of his handmaiden.For behold from henceforth * all generations shall call me blessed.For he that is mighty hath magnified me, * and holy is his Name.And his mercy is on them that fear him * throughout all generations.He hath showed strength with his arm; * he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.He hath put down the mighty from their seat, * and hath exalted the humble and meek.He hath filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he hath sent empty away.He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, * as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

The Epistle: Hebrews 10:5-10When Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt offer-ings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘See, God, I have come to do your will, O God’ (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).” When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “See, I have come to do your will.” He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The Gospel: Luke 1:39-45In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”