 Welcome, Cheviot churches! We worship together on the Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday.
Notices:
God of hope, who brought love into this world, be the love that dwells among us. God of hope, who brought joy into this world, be the joy that dwells among us. God of hope, the rock upon which we stand, be the centre, the focus of our lives always, and particularly in this Advent time. Hymn 277 – Hark the glad sound (1,3,5) Prayers of Adoration and Confession Loving God, we gather in this season of promise to worship you and sing your praise. We praise you for your love and faithfulness, for you are the source of all hope, and from you all joy springs. You are the one we expect, but your coming is always unexpected. You are the one who turns everything upside down and you make all things new. Advent God of surprise, we worship you and we wait for you to awaken our wonder and astound us with your arrival. In this season of excitement and weariness, open our hearts to your presence, for we know you meet us and hold us: in and beyond the business; in and beyond the glitter; in and beyond the rush. When we are tired and frayed and lose sight of what it is all about, when we put ourselves first and forget that you come to bring love, come close and forgive us and restore us. Mend our broken hearts and help us to know ourselves forgiven and loved. Lord’s Prayer Lighting of Advent crown We light this candle for love. God, as we wait for your promise, Give light, give hope. Hymn 284 – Love is the candle (v3) Readings – Philippians 4:4–9 Luke 3:7–18 Hymn 291 – When out of poverty is born Weekly Prayer Merciful God, who sent John the Baptist to proclaim the Good News, help us to be true heralds of the coming of Christ and to proclaim the Gospel through all we do and say. We ask that in this special season of Advent we may experience the peace of God which transcends all our understanding, guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen Reflection I feel for politicians or anyone giving press conferences. There are always certain topics they want to avoid like the plague, but inevitably these topics that the journalists present will home in on. Boris Johnson the other day was intent on focusing on Covid restrictions, but all the journalists wanted to hear about was about parties in Downing Street last Christmas and ‘the video’. That was a video of staff members practicing how they would explain away parties that may have broken guidelines – that’s if they happened at all. They were practising how to gloss over something unpleasant, something that wouldn’t go down well with the public. There was no gloss for John the Baptist. He had missed the sermon preparation class at theological college. Rather he launches straight in and addresses his audience with ‘You brood of vipers’. How to win friends and influence people! But at least it would have caught their attention. John was direct, he saw things in black and white terms and he didn’t mince his words. He called people to repent. They couldn’t rely on being descended from Abraham, on religious pedigree, on past glories. They had to bear responsibility for themselves. Understandably the people asked, ‘What then should we do?’ It was a fair question, and John answered by telling people to share what they had. If you have two coats, give one away. That’s quite a thought. How many coats do you have? I am sure I have quite a number and would do my best to justify them – this is for summer, this is for wet weather at the cemetery, this is for something more formal, but all the time knowing that maybe I could share some of my coats and shoes. John is telling us to share, and we should and so should governments, especially the vaccines. John then tells people like the tax collectors and soldiers not to overcharge or to extort. He doesn’t tell them to give up their jobs but rather to live fair and simple lives and live justly. Paul says something similar in his letter to the church in Philippi, telling them to focus on all the positive things – whatever is true or noble, just or lovely, think on these things – the best, not the worst, the beautiful and not the ugly. Paul was writing this from a prison cell, but encouraged the early Christians to think on the positive and put it into practice. Moreover, he told them to rejoice. The Message has ‘celebrate God every day. I mean, revel in him’. Let your whole life be a thanksgiving. There is a song by Leonard Cohen, the Canadian songwriter, called ‘Hallelujah’. I can never quite understand what the song is about, but I always feel that the hallelujahs are defiant. Despite all the problems in the world, I will still hope and I am going to say Hallelujah. It is like Mary’s Magnificat. Mary’s teenage life is being radically disrupted and she is danger of being exposed to shame, but still her heart glorifies the Lord. Despite all the uncertainties of life, and there are many, we should say Hallelujah and look to the future in hope, living kindly and generously and looking outwards to those in need around us. Not paying lip service, but life service. John lastly pointed to the Messiah who would come, maybe sooner than John expected. Jesus would have a less abrasive manner, but would tackle the barrage of questions of Scribes and Pharisees, and show the way of love and sacrifice and commitment, and his whole life a massive Hallelujah. Hymn Christ is coming! Yes He's coming to show God is with us. As a child He'll dwell among us to live out God's love. Like the sun in the morning every new day adorning, His light shines with beauty to make us His own. Christ is coming! Yes He's coming, and asks if we're ready, with our arms spread wide in welcome, and hearts filled with love. Like the sun … Christ is coming! Yes He's coming! His Kingdom is dawning. With the precious gift of Jesus we know God is love. Like the sun … (Rev Tom Gordon) Prayers of Intercession As we have lit candles to celebrate Advent and as we have reflected on your words so, Lord God, our thoughts turn now beyond our needs, whose cries and anguish trouble and disturb us. News seems to surround us piling one tragedy on top of another, the world seems a hard place and our tears are for those whose pain is etched deeply within their being, for those cast out of their own lands, cast adrift from family and friends, thrown into the arms of strangers, some of whom are caring and some who are not. Merciful, caring God Hear our prayers. For those who trudge through strange lands looking for guidance with hope for a better future, straddling borders, hoping; for those who have nothing but what they stand in and walk with; for those who risk life and limb in fragile boats seeking escape from poverty and tragedy but so often finding both and left seeking safety, welcome, warmth and security. Merciful, caring God Hear our prayers. For the homeless nearer to home who have no walls to shelter them, no place to cocoon them, no safety to protect them, no warmth from the winter weather, no family to support them and little hope for a settled future. Merciful, caring God Hear our prayers. For those who live with hunger, not just of the spirit, but of the body; for those families who can’t manage proper meals and nutrition, who eek out the pennies the best they can; for those who have the courage to seek foodbank help and for those who greet and meet them when they stretch out for the food that is given; for those who are cold and hungry, not just of body because they can’t afford heating and food, but cold of friendship and the warmth of love. Merciful, caring God Hear our prayers. For families impacted by Covid and all its ramifications; for those for whom the illness itself has deprived them of health and well-being, short and long term; for those who have seen family and friends lose their battles for life and who have not been near at the time of death and those who will have an empty seat at the Christmas table; for those who are separated by the miles, by country and continent, who have missed so much growing up and growing old; for those who are fearful of vaccines, those unable to have vaccines, those deprived of vaccines, those who develop and deliver vaccines. Merciful, caring God Hear our prayers. For countries at war with others and with themselves, where peace is a distant memory and a very distant prospect; for those who keep the candle of hope burning believing that in the end peace will prevail. Merciful, caring God Hear our prayers. For those who have never heard the message of Advent hope, who have never encountered the presence of the Christ child, who have never felt their hearts moved by the Christmas story of Emmanuel, God with us. May their lives be touched by those of us who meet them, whose lives touch ours and ours theirs. Merciful, caring God Hear our prayers. And let our cries come unto you. Amen Hymn 286 – Tell out my soul (1,3,4) Benediction The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God; and may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you and those whom you love and those whom we are called to love, this day and even forevermore. Amen
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