Propers and Announcements for the Third Sunday in Advent: December 14th, 2025
Commonly known as Gaudete Sunday:
- Propers (Collects and Lessons) for the Third Sunday in Advent, with hymns.
- Link to “Watch this Sunday’s live-stream” on our parish website.
- Parish Announcements for the week of December 14th, 2025.
- Rector’s Ramblings: Gaudete Sunday, and the “Great ‘O’ Antiphons” of Advent
The Collect.
O LORD Jesus Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee; Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
The Advent Collect.
ALMIGHTY God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.
THE wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
1 LORD, thou art become gracious unto thy land; * thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob.
2 Thou hast forgiven the offence of thy people, * and covered all their sins.
3 Thou hast taken away all thy displeasure, * and turned thyself from thy wrathful indignation.
4 Turn us then, O God our Saviour, * and let thine anger cease from us.
5 Wilt thou be displeased at us for ever? * and wilt thou stretch out thy wrath from one generation to another?
6 Wilt thou not turn again, and quicken us, * that thy people may rejoice in thee?
7 Show us thy mercy, O LORD, * and grant us thy salvation.
8 I will hearken what the LORD God will say; * for he shall speak peace unto his people, and to his saints, that they turn not again unto foolishness.
9 For his salvation is nigh them that fear him; * that glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth are met together: * righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall flourish out of the earth, * and righteousness hath looked down from heaven.
12 Yea, the LORD shall show loving-kindness; * and our land shall give her increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him, * and shall direct his going in the way.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
The Epistle. 1 Corinthians iv. 1.
LET a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.The Gospel. St. Matthew xi. 2.NOW when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Hymns:
Nota Bene: In lieu of the Gradual and Alleluia being chanted by our cantor, we will be singing a Gradual Hymn, bracketing the reading of the Gospel: the first two verses will be sung before the Gospel is read, and the second two after.
During Advent, we will use the classic hymn “O come, O come, Emmanuel” – based on the ancient “Great O” Advent antiphons, each citing a Christological title or role of the Messiah, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, from the Prophets – as our Gradual hymn, bracketing the Gospel reading with two verses from that hymn: one before, and one after.
Today, on this Third Sunday of Advent, we will sing the 5th verse before, and the 6th after, the Gospel. Next Sunday, the Fourth and Last Sunday of Advent – the Sunday next before Christmas Day itself – we will sing verse 7 before, and reprise verse 1 after, the Gospel.
Processional Hymn: “Joyful, joyful, we adore thee” – #769
Gradual Hymn: “O come, O come, Emmanuel” (v. 5) – #2
The Gospel
Gradual Hymn: “O come, O come, Emmanuel” (v. 6) – #2
Sermon Hymn: “Santa Lucia” (in honour of St. Lucy: December 13th) – Insert
- Note: We will be singing this hymn in English!
Communion Hymn: “In the bleak midwinter” – #44
Recessional Hymn: “Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding” – #9
The upcoming YouTube live-stream will always be found at “Watch this Sunday’s live-stream,” also accessible from the menu bar at the top of the website home page. If we are not doing a live-stream for any reason, there will be a link to a past Sunday service to aid in your worship if you aren’t able to be with us in person.
If a live-stream of a Sunday service is accomplished, the audio of that Sunday’s sermon will usually be posted sometime Sunday evening on the media page on our website.
On this Third Sunday in Advent, here are some notes on Advent and Christmas at Christ Church Anglican, this year:
Christmas Poinsettias:
If you would like to donate a Poinsettia to beautify our altar and chancel for Christmastide, to the glory of God or in honour or loving memory of a loved one, please fill out the donation form, on the reverse of the Christmas Hymn request form, on your bulletin inserts. Please note that the deadline for Poinsettia donations ($16 per item) will be next week, December 21st: the 4th Sunday of Advent. You can place your check, with “Poinsettias” in the subject line, in the collection plate, or hand it to our Treasurer, Austin Chestnut, after the service. Many thanks!
Additions to the Liturgy:
Because the Old Testament Lessons appointed for Morning Prayer prophesy the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ our Lord, whose Advent we await, we will be adding an Old Testament lesson each of the Sundays of Advent, followed by the Psalm for the day, both as appointed in “Psalms and Lessons for the Christian Year” in The Book of Common Prayer 1928, p. x.
Note: Bold type indicates a Prayer Book feast.Sunday, December 14th: Advent III (St. Lucia)
- 9:00 a.m. – Morning Prayer
- 10:30 a.m. – Holy Communion
- 9:00 a.m. – Morning Prayer
- 10:30 a.m. – Holy Communion
- 4:00 p.m. – Christmas Carol Sing, followed by Holy Communion
- 11:00 a.m. – Holy Communion of the Nativity
Additional Announcements for Sunday, December 14th:
If you are visiting us: Welcome to Christ Church Anglican, Southern Pines! Thank you for being with us. We are very pleased to have you join us for the service, and hope that your worship here is a blessing to you. Please sign the guest book on the table in the narthex, and if you wish, share your email or other contact information with us. And may God bless you!
Qualified Charitable Distributions: As the end of the year approaches, this may apply to some of our members:
“A Qualified Charitable Distribution is a way for individuals age 70½ or older to donate directly from a traditional IRA to a qualified charity, which can satisfy Required Minimum Distributions and reduce taxable income. QCDs are not reported as taxable income, meaning they provide an upfront tax exclusion and do not require itemizing deduction. The QCD must be completed by December 31st of the current calendar year” [source: Google AI].
Should you desire to make a year-end donation to Christ Church Anglican for 2025, please see Austin Chestnut, our Senior Warden and Treasurer, for details. Many thanks!
Christian Education: John Fesq is facilitating the viewing of a series of Sunday School class videos from Holy Trinity Reformed Episcopal Church in Fairfax, VA. The class is an introduction to one of the works of Richard Hooker, who was an an important and influential English Reformer in the mid to late 1500’s. In particular, we will be exposed to Book Five of his “Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity.” The class will look at the Anglican underpinnings and viewpoints of such topics as:
- Worship
- Church buildings and settings
- Preaching
- The Book of Common Prayer
- Liturgy
- Sacraments (in 5 classes); this Sunday’s lesson is Week 13
- Traditional ceremonies and services
- Ministry
The class will be viewed after Sunday service outside the sanctuary on our big television screen, after we’ve had time to fellowship for a little bit. The classes tend to run 45 minutes to an hour, not including any discussion we’d like to have afterwards.
We encourage you to plan to make time after Sunday services to stay and learn with us!
The video (and handout if there is one) for each week’s lesson is posted on the website in our News and Announcements section. If you can’t be here for a lesson, or if you just want to go back over it, go to that Sunday lesson’s page. At the bottom of each lesson’s page, there’s an area to leave comments and questions…we’d love to hear from you if you have either!
Midweek (Wednesday) Eucharist: Unless otherwise noted, we offer a service of Holy Communion – also known as the Holy Eucharist, the Lord’s Supper, or the Mass – at 10:00 on Wednesday mornings. This service includes an opportunity for the laying on of hands and anointing with oil for healing, for those who may desire this ministry.
Rector’s Ramblings: Gaudete Sunday and the “Great ‘O’ Antiphons”
Gaudete Sunday
You may have noticed that the third candle in the Advent wreath this Sunday is pink – or more precisely, “rose.” And if you don’t know already, you may have wondered why! Well, read on, and you shall find out:
This Sunday, the Third Sunday in Advent, is traditionally known in the Western Church as “Gaudete Sunday.” Like “Laetare Sunday” in Lent, it is also known as “Rose Sunday,” and like its Lenten counterpart, it is a time when the more penitential aspects of the season are relaxed, in favor of rejoicing – and indeed, “Gaudete” (and “Laetare”) both mean “Rejoice!”
The “Gaudete” in this Sunday’s name is taken from the traditional Introit, with which we started this service: “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice,” from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, the 4th verse of the 4th chapter, and from the first verse of Psalm 33, “Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; for it becometh well the just to be thankful.”
Advent originated as a 40-day, Lent-like period of penitential preparation for the Nativity of Christ, beginning on the day after Martinmas (the 11th of November) and often known as “St. Martin’s Lent”; but in the 9th century it was reduced to four weeks – or more specifically, a period beginning on the fourth Sunday before Christmas.
Though it retained many of the penitential characteristics of Lent, that penitent character was and is moderated by the fact that Advent is also the season of joyful anticipation of our Saviour’s birth – and that is a particular feature of Gaudete Sunday, when the penitential purple is replaced with the more joyful colour of rose: at least in the third candle of the Advent wreath, and in some places, the vestments and altar hangings, as well.
Some people may know Gaudete Sunday, whether they realize it or not, from a traditional song made popular by the folk-rock band Steeleye Span, entitled, of course, “Gaudete.” Its words and melody date back at least to the 16th century, and perhaps much further back into the Middle Ages, and its refrain, “Gaudete, gaudete! Christus est natus, ex Maria Virgine: Gaudete!” is translated, “Rejoice, rejoice! Christ is born, of the Virgin Mary: Rejoice!” The song, like this day in the Church’s Calendar, calls upon us to rejoice in the coming of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
But there is another feature of these closing weeks of Advent which are worthy of note, and that is the sub-season of Advent known as “Sapientiatide.” Much as Holy Week causes us to focus with even more laser-like intensity on the Passion of Christ, leading up to His Crucifixion, Sapientiatide directs our attention to the Messianic prophesies and titles He was given in the Old Testament.
Best known, in somewhat altered form and decidedly altered order, as the stanzas of John Mason Neale’s classic carol, “O Come, O Come, Immanuel” – which we are using as our Gradual anthem, bracketing the Gospel reading, this Advent – the “Great O” antiphons were originally antiphons used with the Magnificat (“Song of Mary”) at Vespers (Evening Prayer) during the last days of Advent.
Antiphons are short passages drawn from Scripture, or sometimes non-scriptural devotional materials, which provide seasonal or other appropriate emphasis to the theme being celebrated on that particular day. They typically form brackets to psalms or canticles, being said or sung before and following the psalm or canticle in question – in this case, as I say, the Magnificat.
Each of the “Great O” Antiphons is a name or attribute of Christ as recorded in Scripture: “O Root of Jesse,” “O Key of David,” etc. The first is, in Latin, O Sapientia – “O Wisdom” – and thus gives its name to this season-within-the-season of Advent, Sapientiatide.
In the general use of the Western Church, Sapientiatide begins on December 17th, and so “O Sapientia” would be used with the Magnificat, this year, on Vespers or Evensong of this Sunday, the Third Sunday in Advent. However, in the old English “Sarum Use,” Sapientiatide begins on the 16th, and concludes with a final antiphon on the 23rd which is not found elsewhere in the West: “O Virgo Virginum” – “O Virgin of Virgins,” devoted to Mary. Here are these great and ancient Advent antiphons:
December 17th (Sarum – December 16th): O Sapientia
“O Wisdom, which camest out of the mouth of the Most High, and reachest from one end unto the other, mightily and sweetly ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence.”
December 18th (Sarum – December 17th): O Adonai
“O Adonai, and Leader of the house of Israel, who appearedst in the Bush to Moses in a flame of fire, and gavest him the Law at Sinai: Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.”
December 19th (Sarum – December 18th): O Radix Jesse
“O Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at whom kings shall shut their mouths, to whom the Gentiles shall seek: Come and deliver us, and tarry not.”
December 20th (Sarum – December 19th): O Clavis David
“O Key of David, and Scepter of the house of Israel, that openest and no man shutteth, and shuttest and no man openeth: Come and bring the prisoners out of the prison-house, them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death.”
December 21st (Sarum – December 20th): O Oriens
“O Dayspring, Brightness of Light Everlasting, and Sun of Righteousness: Come and enlighten them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death.“
December 22nd (Sarum – December 21st): O Rex Gentium
“O King of the Nations, and their Desire; the Cornerstone who makest both one: Come and save mankind, whom thou formedst from clay.“
December 23rd: O Emmanuel
“O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the Desire of all nations and their Salvation: Come and save us, O Lord our God.“
Sarum Use Alternative:
According to the use of Old Sarum, e.g., Salisbury in England, which was the root of much of the Common Prayer tradition in Anglicanism, Sapientiatide actually began with O Sapientia on the 16th of December, and the following antiphon – O Virgo virginem, saluting Mary – served for December 23rd:
“O Virgin of virgins, how shall this be? For neither before thee was any seen like thee, no shall there be after. Daughters of Jerusalem, why marvel ye at me? The thing which ye behold is a divine mystery.“
This, however, represents a departure from the pattern of the other “O” antiphons, which are prophetic titles and attributes of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Christmas Eve:Most folks will probably be involved with family festivities, and/or be attending one of the services, on Christmas Eve. But for those who may be required by circumstance to celebrate at home, or who have time to say First Vespers of Christmas at home before coming to church, here is the traditional antiphon (no longer a “Great O”) for the Magnificat, First Vespers of the Nativity:
“Or ever the sun be risen, ye shall see the King of Kings, who proceedeth from the Father, and cometh forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber.“
Use of the Antiphons
For those who may not be familiar with the traditional use of antiphons in liturgy, here is the Magnificat (the Song of Mary, the first canticle at Evening Prayer in the BCP 1928) with the first Advent Antiphon, O Sapientia:
Antiphon: O Wisdom, which camest out of the mouth of the Most High, and reachest from one end unto the other, mightily and sweetly ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence.
✠ My soul doth magnify the Lord, * and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
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 be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost:
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Antiphon: O Wisdom, which camest out of the mouth of the Most High, and reachest from one end unto the other, mightily and sweetly ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence.
———-
Compiled and edited by Tom Harbold from a variety of sources, including Lesser Feasts and Fasts 1994 and the late James Kiefer’s Christian Biographies (http://elvis.rowan.edu/~kilroy/JEK/). Traditional translations for the “Great O” Antiphons are taken from The Anglican Breviary, originally published by the Frank Gavin Liturgical Foundation.
+ Ad majorem gloriam Dei. +
