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<H3 align=center>The Lessons Appointed for Use on the</H3></TD>
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<H1><FONT size=4>Third Sunday of Advent</FONT></H1></TD></TR>
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<H4 align=center><FONT size=4>Year
C<BR>RCL</FONT></H4></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><FONT size=4> </FONT>
<H4></H4>
<P><FONT size=4>Zephaniah 3:14-20</FONT><BR><FONT size=4>Canticle
9</FONT><BR><FONT size=4>Philippians 4:4-7</FONT><BR><FONT size=4>Luke
3:7-18</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4><IMG alt="The Collect" align=bottom
src="http://www.io.com/~kellywp/Art/Collect.gif" width=576 height=22
NATURALSIZEFLAG="3"></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us;
and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and
mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with
you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.</FONT></P>
<P><A name=OLDTEST></A><BR><FONT size=4><IMG alt="Old Testament" align=bottom
src="http://www.io.com/~kellywp/Art/OldTestament.gif" width=576 height=22
NATURALSIZEFLAG="3"></FONT></P>
<H3>Zephaniah 3:14-20</H3>
<DL>
<DT><FONT size=4>Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>shout, O Israel! </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>Rejoice and exult with all your heart, </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>O daughter Jerusalem! </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>he has turned away your enemies. </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>you shall fear disaster no more. </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>Do not fear, O Zion; </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>do not let your hands grow weak. </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>The LORD, your God, is in your midst, </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>a warrior who gives victory; </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>he will rejoice over you with gladness, </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>he will renew you in his love; </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>he will exult over you with loud singing </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>as on a day of festival. </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>I will remove disaster from you, </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>so that you will not bear reproach for it. </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>I will deal with all your oppressors </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>at that time. </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>And I will save the lame </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>and gather the outcast, </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>and I will change their shame into praise </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>and renown in all the earth. </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>At that time I will bring you home, </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>at the time when I gather you; </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>for I will make you renowned and praised </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>among all the peoples of the earth, </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>when I restore your fortunes </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>before your eyes, says the LORD. </FONT></DD></DL>
<P><A name=PSALM></A><FONT size=4><IMG alt="The Psalm" align=bottom
src="http://www.io.com/~kellywp/Art/Response.gif" width=576 height=22
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<H3>Canticle 9 Page 86, BCP</H3>
<H3>The First Song of Isaiah <I>Ecce Deus</I></H3>
<H4><I><FONT size=4>Isaiah 12:2-6</FONT></I></H4>
<P><FONT size=4><!--NOEDIT--></FONT></P>
<DL compact>
<DT><FONT size=4>Surely, it is God who saves me; * </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>I will trust in him and not be afraid. </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, * </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>and he will be my Savior. </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing * </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>from the springs of salvation. </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>And on that day you shall say, * </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name; </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>Make his deeds known among the peoples; * </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>see that they remember that his Name is exalted. </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, *
</FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>and this is known in all the world. </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, * </FONT>
<DD><FONT size=4>for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of
Israel. </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4></FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
* </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4>as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever.
Amen. </FONT>
<DT><FONT size=4></FONT></DT></DL><!--/NOEDIT-->
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<P><A name=EPISTLE></A><BR><FONT size=4><IMG align=bottom
src="http://www.io.com/~kellywp/Art/Epistle.gif" width=576 height=22
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<H3>Philippians 4:4-7</H3>
<P><FONT size=4>Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your
gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything,
but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests
be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4></FONT></P>
<P><A name=GOSPEL></A><FONT size=4><IMG align=bottom
src="http://www.io.com/~kellywp/Art/Gospel.gif" width=576 height=22
NATURALSIZEFLAG="3"></FONT></P>
<H3>Luke 3:7-18</H3>
<P><FONT size=4>John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him,
"You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits
worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our
ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to
Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore
that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" In reply he
said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and
whoever has food must do likewise." Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and
they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He said to them, "Collect no more
than the amount prescribed for you." Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what
should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or
false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>As the people were filled with expectation, and all were
questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,
John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is
more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his
sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork
is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his
granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to
the people.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4><BR></FONT></P>
<DIV><FONT size=4>
<HR align=left SIZE=4>
<CITE>Optional parts of the readings are set off in square brackets.</CITE>
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><EM><FONT size=4></FONT></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://www.io.com/~kellywp/YearC_RCL/Advent/CAdv3_RCL.html"><FONT
size=4>http://www.io.com/~kellywp/YearC_RCL/Advent/CAdv3_RCL.html</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<H4><FONT size=4>Kelly W. Puckett</FONT></H4>
<P><B><FONT size=4>E-mail to:</FONT></B></P>
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<LI><A href="mailto:kellywp@io.com"><FONT
size=4>kellywp@io.com</FONT></A><FONT size=4> </FONT></LI></UL>
<P><B><FONT size=4>Snail Mail to:</FONT></B></P>
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<LI><FONT size=4>1802 Cedar Ridge Drive </FONT>
<LI><FONT size=4>Austin, Texas 78741 </FONT>
<LI><FONT size=4>USA </FONT></LI></UL>
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