 Welcome & Announcements
Call to Worship A new day has dawned, a new year begun O Lord, call us so we may hear Your voice The world turns to hopes and dreams of the future O Lord, keep us in Your ways and on Your path We enter this new year with hope and excitement Lead us and guide us, as we worship with all our heart. Carol 322 – Good Christians all rejoice Prayer Lord of the passing years, in you all time and space are perfectly at one: we lift up our hearts to you, with gratitude for your faithfulness to us. We look back over a year that is gone and celebrate that you have been with us each step of the way: the times you were closer than breath, nearer than hands or feet; the times when your love carried us through the darkest of deep valleys and your light shone brightly; the times when we were not so conscious, but deep in our hearts knew you were there. We confess we have not always walked with you: we have turned aside and found other paths. We confess we have not always listened to you: we have tuned our hearing to other sounds. We confess we have not always been faithful: we have not shown your love for your world. We ask forgiveness. So hear our prayers, asked and offered in the name of him who stands at the door of the New Year: even Jesus Christ our Lord. In Jesus Christ, God makes all things new. The former things have disappeared. God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Sisters and Brothers, your sins are forgiven; be at peace. Lord’s Prayer All age Talk Hymn 530 – One more step Readings – Isaiah 63: 7-9 Matthew 2; 13-23 Carol 324 – Angels from the realms of glory Weekly Prayer Heavenly Father as we rejoice in the gift of this new day and this new year, may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you. As we enter 2023 grant us all the wisdom to follow the Star of Bethlehem until we find Jesus for ourselves. Amen. Sermon Do you like a happy ending? When we watch films like ‘It’s a wonderful life’ or ‘Love Actually’ over Christmas, we are always glad that there is a happy ending or at least some kind of resolution. Same with books. We don’t want to finish on a depressing note. But what about the Christmas story? I think for most people they see the stable scene, with baby in the manger and proud parents behind with shepherds and animals and even some exotically robes strangers from the east as the climax of the story. But of course it isn’t, and we read the aftermath in Matthew’s Gospel, and it makes hard reading, dark reading. It upsets the cosy feeling we have at Christmas, for it talks of the massacre of the innocents and how the holy family had to flee for their lives and ended up as refugees in Egypt. As such, it speaks to our world today. We will be looking at the Wise men next week for Epiphany, and they were wise. Wise enough to know something was happening in the heavens and see the star and to know something momentous was happening. Wise enough to follow it. Wise enough to know after finding the stable that they should return by another route away from Herod. But inbetween, they lost the star and asked for directions at Herod’s palace. Every Christmas story needs a bad guy, and Herod was the archetypal bad guy, and Herod was fuming when he learnt that another king would be born. Such was his rage that he despatched his crack troop of soldiers to slaughter any rival to his power. You can hear the cries of anguish of parents whose children have dies; you can hear their grief. Truly Rachel was weeping for her children, as she does where there is ethnic cleansing, as she does where there is war and mothers grieve their children who don’t return. We still have Herods in the world today, intent to hold on to power; we need to confront them with Christ’s message of love. Every action has consequences, and the innocent asking for directions by the Magi had inadvertently set off this trail of jealousy and tragedy. Fortunately Mary and Joseph had taken the child and fled to Egypt, always a place of refuge, and the Egyptian Church goes to town with all the stories of miracles performed by the infant Jesus, none of which have any foundation in Scripture. Though as refugees would they have been welcome? It must have been difficult, away from the familiar, seeking to cope in another culture. But then if everything had gone well, this perfect child born in a perfect family would only speak to perfect people. But rather this child came to love and serve and save everyone. People like the Magi in their ivory towers but also to the parents of Bethlehem lamenting their children. He has come to love and serve and save people who suffer from violence and hatred and discrimination and to those who have to flee their homelands. He comes to love and serve and save those whose dreams are snatched from them, but also to teach us how to love and serve and care for others. In Isaiah, we read of the exiles returning to Jerusalem. Over the generations in Babylon they had dreaned of returning to Zion, but but they quickly realised their dreams of a Golden age were not to be realised. They had to get down to the hard graft of living. So it is for us as we enter another year; it will be a year of ups and downs like any other, but we know that God is in the beautiful, but also is there with us in the dark times too. I ever hold onto the simple words from Desmond Tutu that Goodness is stronger than evil; Love stronger than hate, light stronger than darkness and life stronger than death. That is at the heart of our faith. We pray that 2023 will be a good year for all. Covenant Prayer I am a child of God, made in your image and likeness, I am included in the heart of your love. You know me completely, My faults and weaknesses, My gifts and my strengths. You call me to live in the fullness of your love, Abundantly, generously, inclusively. You call me to empty myself, to serve as Jesus served, willingly, humbly, selflessly. You call me to bear witness to your presence Boldly, courageously, gently. You are the potter: I am the clay. Shape me, reshape me, Give me purpose and meaning, energy and vision. May your covenant be written on my heart. May my life reflect your promises. What is true in heaven, may it be seen in me Within the dance of the Trinity of Love, father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen Carol 319 – Of the Father’s love begotten Prayers of Dedication and Intercession On this edge of years the crossroads between past and future we come as who we have been and offer you who we might yet be Take this offering of ourselves a new promise to be your people here holding a renewed vision of your reign here We thank you for the year that has passed and for the many ways you touched our lives, in moments of great happiness and in times of deep distress. You have been present in Christ, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. We thank you for people who matter to us, those who have given themselves to us and through whom you have been present. We thank you for your church, the community of faith in whose company we have journeyed, whose challenge we welcome and whose wide boundaries are not defined by time or space or by death. God of the past, the present and the future, we bring our prayers of concern to you at the beginning of this new year, recognising that you are the God of endings and new beginnings. We remember those who are glad to leave the old year behind - those individuals for whom 2022 was a difficult year: perhaps a year of loss or bereavement perhaps a year of illness perhaps a year of broken relationships perhaps a year of distance from loved ones perhaps a year when dreams did not become reality. We pray for the coming year. We give thanks for those who use their influence for good: those who work for peace; those who challenge our lack of care for the planet; those who challenge the status quo; those willing to risk their own lives and livelihoods for the good of others; those who campaign for a fairer world. We pray for those who have influence, but do not always use it wisely: politicians who put short term popularity before the common good business leaders who put profit before all other concerns those who are powerful in the media and online; those whose celebrity status can be used for good or evil. We pray for those who feel powerless: those who have lost home, work, family, dignity... those struggling with addictions; those suffering from chronic illness, mental or physical; those whose only way of being heard is to withdraw their labour; those who feel that there is no point in continuing to live. those for whom Christmas and New Year is a particularly painful time. Those who are refugees; all children and especially those at risk. God of endings and new beginnings, of death and resurrection, as we begin this new year, we bring both ourselves our prayers to you, asking that in some small way, we might be a sign of your kingdom. Amen Hymn 237 – Look forward in faith Benediction Go forward in faith; go forward in hopefulness; walk in the light of God. And the blessing of God Almighty Father, Son and Holy Spirit be amongst us and remain with us this day and for evermore. Amen.
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 Carol 284 – Christ is the light (v5)
We light this candle for the new-born Christ, re-awakening hope and faith As we receive your promise, you are light, you are hope Welcome & Announcements
Call to Worship Christmas Day is a time for rejoicing! Arise and shine for our light has come. The time of waiting is over. Amid all that is still wrong in the world, we proclaim the God comes to us in Jesus Christ. Arise and shine for our light has come. The glory of God is revealed. We gather on this joyful day to celebrate the mystery of Christ’s love that will never let us go. Arise and shine for our light has come. Our Saviour is born. Carol 306 – O come, all ye faithful Prayer Holy and loving God, You stir in our hearts and bring joy to our lives; you stir in our minds and bring wisdom to our thoughts; You stir in the world and bring hope to our future. You came as a little child, and so we come to adore you with the angels; to bow before you with the shepherds; to kneel in wonder with the magi; to ponder the mystery with Joseph; to have and to cherish you with Mary. We come with humble hearts full of joy, because you came first to us. O, God, whose glory shines upon us in this season of long nights, whose light flickers in the darkness and cannot be put out, whose love warms even the coldest of hearts, we sometimes lose our way, our bearings, as we journey on your path. For the times in our lives when we fail to reflect your glory by our words and by our actions: forgive us. For the times we diminish the light of others, pushing ourselves forward instead of encouraging them to shine: forgive us. For the times when we withhold your love from those who make us uncomfortable, forgive us. May the star that shone above the stable in Bethlehem reorient us and lead us back to you. May we be your people of peace, proclaiming your kingdom of justice and righteousness with joy, with hope, and with love in our hearts. And may the message of the child in the manger be born in us this day. Lord’s Prayer Jesse Tree Carol 312 – Away in the manger Reflection 1 - Christmas gifts Readings – Isaiah 9: 2-7 (pg 693) Luke 2; 1-20 (pg 1027) Carol 303 – It came upon the midnight clear Weekly Prayer Lord God, you sent your angels singing " Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favour rests", to bring to shepherds the good news of Jesus’ birth. May he fill us all with joy to bring this good news to others today and into the New Year beyond. Amen. Reflection 2 ‘If a house has enough love, there is always space. It is where there is no love that there’s no room’. Stefan’s mother has died and he is sent away to school to develop his talent for singing and the organ. He is bullied and feeling rejected and lonely, but his teacher takes him into their home, even though the family has several children, and he wonders where on earth he will sleep. It is then that the teacher’s wife says that where there is love there is always space. I should mention that it is 18th Century Leipzig, and his teacher was the composer Johann Sebastian Bach. It is from a book by James Runcie of Grantchester fame, which I am still reading, but that sentence jumped out at me. ‘If a house has enough love, there is always space. It I where there is no love that there’s no room’. At the heart of the Christmas story there is rejection, but also welcome and love. There is the rejection of the message of the prophets about the coming of the Messiah. There is a definite rejection by Herod, who didn’t want any kings-to-be born in his block and he would tolerate no rival, even if they were only newly born. There is also the rejection of Joseph and the heavily pregnant Mary as they sought a place to stay the night. The poor innkeeper – he was only doing his job, and the inn was full, and no doubt he was rushing around doing 101 things, but I like to think he pointed the way to the stable where Mary gave birth to a baby boy. What if the innkeeper had said, ‘Yes, there is one room left. Come on in’. It would change the Christmas message entirely. A baby born in a hotel room doesn’t have the same ring to it. The Magi would have been welcomed with open arms by the night porter, but I doubt whether he would have let the shepherds across the threshold. Somehow it seems right that the baby was born in such vulnerability of a cold and draughty stable amid the smells of the animals. It is somehow right that he was born in poverty and rejection, for it means that he can speak to us whatever our situation in life. Being homeless and soon to be a refugee, he speaks to so many in our world today, affected by war or discrimination or threat to their lives. To all, the angel message of peace on earth, goodwill to all resounds clear. But of course, there is welcome in the Christmas story too – the welcome of the shepherds coming from the fields, the ordinary people; the welcome of the Magi, intellectuals, scientists, people of influence, yet bowing down to worship. And there is love. For truly love was born at Christmas. This was God’s massive message to the world, that the little baby with the wrinkled face was God’s own son, for God loved the world so much he gave his own son to be born among us and live our lives and speak to our situation. And where there is love, there is room, there is always space, there is always a welcome. Have a lovely Christmas but know that God loves each and every one of us and showed it by being born amongst us. Carol 316 – Love came down at Christmas Prayer Generous and loving God, your gift to us in Christ Jesus still draws us to the manger and opens our hearts with wonder. Bless our gifts in his name, so that they may draw others to your love and the blessing we have found in the One born for us. God of beginnings and endings, O God in whom we live and move and have our being, In this season of Christmas, we give you thanks that your love took flesh in the Christ child and that his story still fills us with wonder. With all the to-ing and fro-ing between family and friends this season, we remember Mary and Joseph and their journey. Watch over all who travel at this time of year. May they find your peace in the midst of their journeys. As we remember the innkeeper who found space for Mary and Joseph, we are grateful for the spaces we call home, whether simple or sophisticated. We pray for all those who are homeless, and those who seek a welcome in strange places. May they find an open door and kindness within. As we remember the shepherds watching over their flocks, we give you thanks for those who watch over us this night. We pray for all those who must work on holidays, tending the well-being of others. May they know a blessing in the services they provide and our gratitude for their efforts. As we remember the angels and their message of peace and goodwill, we are grateful for peace and order in our communities. We pray for all those who work to establish and maintain peace in troubled places and troubled lives, knowing trouble rarely takes a holiday. As we remember the Magi and the gifts they brought to honour the Christ Child, we thank you for the generosity that overflows at this time of year. May it touch the lives that need it most. May each of us find ways to offer you what we value most in the year ahead. Carol 301– Hark the herald angels sing Benediction May the song of the Angels, the joy of the Shepherds, the wonder of the Magi, and the peace of the Christ Child be in your hearts this Christmas and forever. And the blessing… Amen  What a week it has been weatherwise! The roads are still bad, so please don’t venture out if you are unsure.
Lighting of Advent Crown – Hymn 284 (v4) In the darkness of these days, O Most High, we dare to light candles; Candles to represent Joy, candles to represent your light in our dark world, that we might be lights in the darkness of our world. Call to Worship As God’s people, we draw ever closer to Christmas: we go on waiting – and not for presents under a tree, we go on hoping – and not for more cards than last year, we go on preparing – and not the ingredients for Delia’s Apricot and Orange Turkey stuffing. We wait and we hope and we prepare: with bright angels, shocked shepherds and star-gazing kings, with expectant Mary and her swollen ankles and hurting back, with Joseph, whose world is about to change. We wait for a Child – God’s Christmas Gift. Hymn 320 – Joy to the world Prayers of adoration and confession Emmanuel, God with us, We praise you for your presence throughout the amazing universe you have made. The shining stars sing your praise which echoes in the depth of space. The smallest snowflake and a baby’s tiny fingers reflect your intricate love for the details of each and every life. In Jesus Christ, you were born among us to show us how your great love is lived out day by day. Inspire us with your loving Spirit as we move through Advent toward Christmas Day, so that our celebrations of love made flesh in Jesus will share the presence of your love with those who need it most. So may we live the praise we offer to you, Emmanuel, God with us, now and evermore. You called Joseph to honour his love for Mary, even when custom called him to break his engagement. You call us to love our neighbour, but we resist your call if our neighbours annoy us. You call us to love our enemies, too, but that seems impossible in these contentious times. Forgive us for loving only in the safest situations. Dare us to love as Jesus loved so he will be born again in us. We hear words that Jesus spoke to so many: ‘Be at Peace’. May we be alert to God’s mercy and grace; signs that the Spirit is already at work in us. God believes in us, and is prompting us to grow into the full wholeness God desires for us. Thanks be to God! We pray together that prayer that gave strength to Jesus and his disciples… Lord’s Prayer Jesse Tree – Leaving a trace Hymn 321 – Come and join the celebration Readings – Isaiah 7: 10-16 Romans 1: 1-7 Talk 1 – Christmas Adverts Hymn 313 – See in yonder manger low (vv 1,2,5) Readings – Matthew 1: 18-25 John 1: 1- 14 Hymn302 – It was on a starry night Weekly Prayer Gracious God, who chose Mary to be the mother of the promised Saviour: fill us with your grace, that like Mary we might rejoice in your salvation. Send us out to finish our Advent journey filled with love, joy and peace ready to receive that promise afresh into our lives. Amen Talk 2 Bing Crosby may well be dreaming of a white Christmas, but I will be quite glad with a grey one with no snow on roads or pavements. What are you dreaming of this Christmas? A big family get-together after these Covid years? Or peace in Ukraine and other areas of conflict? We all have our dreams. Mary and Joseph had their dreams too. They were engaged and maybe were dreaming of creating a home together and children and raising them to be good people. But then their dreams lay shattered, at least as far as Joseph was concerned. Luke tells the story from Mary’s point of view, but in Matthew we get Joseph’s side, and you can feel his disappointment, his sense of shame, for he had become aware that Mary was pregnant – and he knew that he wasn’t the father. He had worked so hard, put so much effort into the marriage contract, had such dreams for the future – but now everything lay in ruins. It didn’t seem fair. Just like all the plans we had which went by the board because of Covid in the last two years. For joseph, the dream had become a nightmare, and it could be the scandal of the year, but being a decent man, he planned to divorce her quietly. But then Joseph has a dream, and in his dream an angel told him not to be afraid, because angels were quite terrifying. But also not to be afraid to take Mary as a wife, to love the child, to look to the future and to dream again. For the child would save the world and would be the symbol of Emmanuel, God with us. Joseph’s dream was small, but God’s dream was bigger, was world changing. Joseph’s whole future seemed to be unravelling, but he was told to trust, for God is with us, always and everywhere. And if God is with us, how can we be afraid. We too have to learn to trust. We live in a world where we are worried about the cost of living and strikes. There is war and rumour of war. In our anxiety we are told to trust, for God is with us. There is a story of a farmer, who wasn’t a churchgoer. His wife had gone off to church one Christmas Eve night, and the farmer was alone beside the fire. Then there was a racket, for some birds were hitting against the window, longing for the warmth and the light. He put off the lights, but still they tried. He went out and opened the door of the barn, so they could go inside, but to no avail. ‘if only I were a bird , I could encourage them to follow me into the barn,’ he thought. Then the meaning of Christmas dawned on him. God came into the world to show us the way, to show that God was truly with us through thick and thin. Hymn 291 – When out of poverty is born Dedication Holy One, in this Advent Season we wait in hope and we give in hope. Hope for your coming Kingdom; hope because of your presence with us now; hope because light is banishing the dark. Receive these gifts and use them, we pray, for your work of healing and hope in the world. Amen Prayers of Thanksgiving & Intercession ‘Tis winter now; the fallen snow Has left the heavens all coldly clear; Through leafless boughs the sharp winds blow, And all the earth lies dead and drear. Gracious God, at this time we feel the snap of winter cold and sharp winds blow throughout the land. Days are short, nights are long, temperatures painfully low. Hear us, then, as we pray for others and for ourselves. God of winter time: enfold us all and warm us with your love. We give you thanks for our homes and we pray for those who do not have a home at this time; for those fleeing their homelands and living in tents; for those in our land who are living on the streets. Encourage and guide those who work to find homes for refugees and shelter for the homeless. God of winter time: enfold us all and warm us with your love. We give you thanks for homes that are warm and secure. And we pray for those who struggle to keep their homes warm; for those trying to pay increased gas and electricity bills; for those stuck in poor quality accommodation. Give to governments, power providers, and landlords a strong sense of responsibility for citizens, customers, and tenants. God of winter time: enfold us all and warm us with your love. We give you thanks that our society keeps moving and we pray for those who work to make this happen; for gritters and road-clearers; for electricity workers and emergency service staff. Give them strength in hard times and encouragement through appreciation from others. God of winter time: enfold us all and warm us with your love. We give you thanks for your Church and we pray for our life and witness as Christmas approaches. Through our service, witness and worship may we and others come to know you better. God of winter time: enfold us all and warm us with your love. We give thanks for your gift of life in all its richness, from birth to death, through ups and downs. And we pray for others and ourselves; for health and healing, for strength and courage; for comfort when times are hard. God of winter time: enfold us and warm us with your love. O God you give the winter’s cold, As well as summer’s joyous rays, You warmly in your love enfold And keep us through life’s wintry days. Amen Hymn 286 – Tell out my soul Benediction Let us bless each other as we enter this last week of Advent, and as we prepare to receive again, the Gift of God – Immanuel: THE LIGHT OF THE CHRISTMAS STAR TO YOU THE WARMTH OF HOME AND HEARTH TO YOU THE CHEER AND GOOD WILL OF FRIENDS TO YOU THE LOVE OF THE SON AND GOD’S PEACE TO YOU. And the blessing of God, Creator, Child and Spirit be with us all today, through this Christmas season, and always. Amen 
Lighting of Advent Crown – Hymn 284 (v3) In the darkness of these days, O Most High, we dare to light candles; Candles to represent hope, candles to represent your light in our dark world, that we might be lights in the darkness of our world. Call to Worship We come together in this place. To be together as God's people. Gather us, O God And we shall celebrate our variety and our uniqueness. Gather us, O God that we may worship and adore you. Hymn 291 - When out of poverty is born Prayers of adoration and confession Eternal God, we come to meet you in worship, knowing you give us strength in our weakness, water in the dryness of our lives and strength in our fear. O Most High, you give us hope as you gave assurance to John the Baptist of old. In our dungeons of despair, you assure us of your love and truth; in our confusion, you show us the way – a holy way where we can’t get lost. Merciful God, we come confessing our sins and shortcomings. Though we try to put the past behind us, all too often we are haunted by mistakes. Though we try to make amends for the wrongs we have done, we find it hard to escape a sense of guilt. Often, we ask You for forgiveness, but find it hard to forgive those who treat us badly. Rejoice, O People of God, as the desert shall rejoice and blossom, as the people will see God’s glory, as the dry places shall break forth with water, so you are forgiven, so find the strength to forgive yourself! Lord’s Prayer Jesse Tree Readings - Isaiah 35: 1-10 Matthew 11:2-11 Hymn 1. Hills of the north, rejoice; river and mountain spring, hark to the advent voice; valley and lowland, sing; though absent long, your Lord is nigh; he judgment brings and victory. 2. Isles of the southern seas, deep in your coral caves pent be each warring breeze, lulled be your restless waves: he comes to reign with boundless sway, and makes your wastes his great highway. 3. Lands of the East, awake, soon shall your sons be free; the sleep of ages break, and rise to liberty. On your far hills, long cold and gray, has dawned the everlasting day. 5. Shout, while ye journey home; songs be in every mouth; lo, from the North we come, from East, and West, and South. city of God, the bond are free, we come to live and reign in thee! Weekly Prayer Gracious God, our hearts desire the warmth of your love and our minds are searching for the light of your Word. Increase our longing for Christ our Saviour and give us the strength to grow in love. May everlasting joy crown our heads with gladness. May the dawn of his coming find us rejoicing in his presence and welcoming the light of his truth. Amen Reflection It was around this time 29 years ago that I sang for Nelson Mandela. I was studying at Selly Oak in Birmingham before going out to work in Zambia, and the College was asked to provide a choir to sing as he was given the freedom of the city. It was my one chance to be in his presence, so I joined the choir – fortunately no audition. It was a marvellous occasion, and he turned and shook hands with each one of us. Books have been written about Mandela, films have been made. But now there is a musical on his life in London. I am sure it would be harrowing, but the music would be so uplifting. It is a sign of the immense impact Mandela has had on the world. His life spanned the best part of ten decades and saw him rise from the relative obscurity of a small village to become the first black president in a very racially divided South Africa. Why am I thinking about Mandela? Because most of us remember the 27 years he spent in prison for speaking out against the oppression and injustices of the ruling white elite. He suffered for sharing his vision of a rainbow nation and for speaking out for the cause of freedom. It is something of a miracle that during these years of forced labour his heart didn’t turn as hard as the limestone rocks he was forced to hew. While we are amazed by his sense of graciousness – his ability to forgive his captors. Yet in these years in prison, he must have wondered what was going on in South African society. Was it truly changing? Was freedom and equality of all races progressing without him? Were those he left to carry on his work faithful to his vision? I am sure there would have been times when doubts must have crossed his mind. Our Gospel reading today has John the Baptist also in prison for speaking out against injustice and immorality, and especially against the king. But he too must have wondered what was going on outside his prison walls. Were things in the world really changing? And what of this new leader, his cousin Jesus of Nazareth – was he taking up the cause of justice and ushering in God’s kingdom? Was Jesus really the one they had been waiting for? You can see how doubts would begin to cross his mind. So he sent some people to ask Jesus if he really was the Messiah. The reply was that the deaf hear and the blind can see; those who are sick are healed and the good news is preached. In many ways similar to the passage from Isaiah, where all good things are happening. As well as the blind seeing and the feeble made strong, , water would gush in the desert and streams in the wilderness. It was a vision of exiled Israel returning to Jerusalem, full of hope. A new society would be created. Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and gladness and joy would replace sorrow. Jesus was saying that the Kingdom was drawing near. We may not be anything like Nelson Mandela or John the Baptist, but we too can have our doubts. There isn’t so much hope in our world today, with wars and economic crises and climate change and prices rising. That tension is part of our Christian life. Yet Jesus is still at work, bringing the good news and saying, ‘Be strong. Do not fear’ and ushering in the kingdom. We are involved, for we can be avenues of God’s peace and mercy breaking into the world. So we reach out, we care, we give, we pray. We seek to be lights in the dark world. As markets rise and fall, we know that God remains constant. As wars and rumours of wars enfeeble us, we know that God is our refuge and strength. As bills rise, as we battle with despair, we know that God gives hope. John needed to hear good news in his prison; let us be good news in the world. Hymn 281 – People look East Dedication All good gifts come from you, Eternal One, help us to let go and give away some of our time, some of our talents, and some of our treasure - that in our giving, we may become rich, and your world may become whole. Amen. Prayers of Thanksgiving & Intercession God of hope, in this season where we watch and wait for your return and we celebrate that you took on our mortal form to live among us to show us your way, we acknowledge how little has changed. The poor remain marginalised, the needy are ignored, and we think about peace and harmony being about an easy life rather than bringing about radical change in the world. Therefore, as we prepare for the change that you will bring, we pray for ourselves and the world. Our God, we are surrounded by what seems impossible. In this silence of our hearts, give us courage to look back at those times in our lives and in our societies where the impossible lost its threat. Thank you for the events we travelled through, for the grief we managed, for successes we never thought we’d achieve. You stirred people to unlock prison doors for people who had lost hope, you empowered people to give other people homes, you stirred law makers to make lives more fair. There is work to do, but you show us by your eternal and local activity that we can always trust you. Thank you. Move in us, God. Move in Ukraine and Ethiopia. In Myanmar and Somalia. Move in the increasingly divided nations. Raise up advocates who will give others room to speak and act. Give respite and safety to the people in Haiti’s Port-au-Prince where gang warfare violates people in their way. We pray for nations ruled by corruption rather than justice; where free speech is controlled and persecuted against; where being different is outlawed. We pray for your church in all these situations and grappling with its own divisions. We pray for the counsel and wisdom of the Holy spirit, that we might be true messengers of hope in those places without hope. In a moment of silence we bring before you those who are on our minds and hearts. Sound your horn in our ears, engage our hearts, fire our minds. Nothing is impossible with you. In the name of Jesus Christ and in the power of Holy Spirit, Amen and Amen. Hymn 286 – Tell out my soul Benediction 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  We welcome all visitors to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Linton (11.15am) this Advent Sunday. Please take time to sign the visitors’ book.
Lighting of Advent Crown – Hymn 284 (v2) Call to Worship A time to prepare, a time to get ready. A time to reflect, a time to repent. A time to begin again, a time to start afresh. A time to worship and adore. Hymn 277 – Hark the glad sound Prayers of adoration and confession Loving God, we gather at this season of promise to worship you. We praise you for your love and your 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 turn everything upside down and make all things new. Advent God of surprises, we worship you and wait for you to awaken our wonder and astound us with your arrival. We live in a chaotic world, Lord, for though you have shown us the way of life, we have not walked in it. We have gone our own separate ways, done our own things. We thought we could live without you. We have pretended not to need you. We have tried our independence. Now loving God, forgive what is past; renew what is, and lead us into the future of your Son, for he only is Lord, and there is no other. He is the truth that sets us free. God of our lives help us to walk in his ways. Receive the Good News in peace. With great mercy, God forgives and offers us new life in Christ. Receive the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and be at peace with God, with yourself and with one another. Lord’s Prayer Jesse Tree Readings - Isaiah 11:1-10 Matthew 3:1-12 Hymn 241 – Isaiah the prophet Weekly Prayer Eternal God, we sing with joy in anticipation for the coming of God to earth at Christmas. Help us to sow peace around us, live like Jesus and like the Baptist pave the way for the King as he comes to reign as the Prince of Peace, giving people a glimpse of his kingdom. Amen Reflection I attended two services during the week. The first was by Zoom and was from Linlithgow where I had been locum before coming to Cheviot Churches. It was the commissioning of an old friend, Rev Stewart Gillan, as a mission partner. Stewart is the new minister in Jerusalem. He was supposed to fly out this week, but there is a problem with his visa, so he is stuck in Edinburgh. In the sermon, there was a passionate plea for justice for the Palestinians. The 2nd service was on Wednesday and was the St Andrew’s Day service at St Cuthbert’s Church in Edinburgh, organised by the Friends of St Andrew’s Jerusalem and Tiberias, so I saw a lot of people I knew and hadn’t seen for three or more years. The focus at that service was on the Parents Circle, a group of bereaved parents, both Israeli and Palestinian, who had lost sons and daughters in shootings or bomb attacks. They came together and their grief as a mother, say, overcame their suspicion of someone from the ‘other side’ and they were able to process their grief together. Their grief helped them to understand each other and offered hope. Often we think of Israelis and Palestinians fighting each other, but there are so many cases of them trying to live with each other in justice and peace. Advent is about hope and peace. On my way to St Cuthbert’s for the service, I passed another church, St John’s on Princes Street, and on the railings outside were photographs of a number of young Iranian women and men who had been killed in the recent protests. It was really quite meaningful to see them, cut off in the prime of their lives. These were protests against the rigid religious authorities who were inflexible in allowing any freedom or anything other than their own narrow outlook. Does that ring any bells? In many ways, John the Baptist’s ministry was a protest against the religious authorities of his day, and on the 2nd Sunday of Advent we traditionally think of John. Crowds came from all over to hear John, and included in the crowd were Pharisees and Sadducees, and John lambasted them, calling them a brood of vipers and saying that an axe was ready to cut them down. John wasn’t exactly the most welcoming of people. There isn’t much mercy or forgiveness in John in this passage. He saw things in black and white terms and spoke directly and bluntly, and this would ultimately lead to his death when he spoke out against the King. But even our Isaiah reading is a protest. Like last week’s reading, it gives a vision of a world at peace where creation lives in harmony. The difference is that here a little child will lead them. It was a prophecy from a time when things were not going well in Israel. The king, Ahaz, was unpopular, and no-one had a good word to say about him, even though he was from the line of David. The glorious tree which was David’s line had become a stump, almost dead – but not quite. The kings had departed from the ways of the Lord, but here was a shoot from the stump of Jesse, who would bring wisdom and understanding, who would rule with justice and compassion. We immediately see this as referring to Jesus, though Ahaz had a son, Hezekiah, who people hoped would be a good thing. Could life come out of the tree that had fallen? There was hope. As Christians we see that hope in Jesus. The one who brings wisdom to every situation and guides us in the paths of peace; the one who offers mercy and hope to even the worst of people, who brought a Zacchaeus back to the fold and spoke forgiveness from the cross. John the Baptist spoke words of judgement, and maybe sometimes we need to hear that. But Jesus is the one who speaks of hope and salvation, self-sacrifice and new life. In him all things are possible. John was the forerunner; he did his job and pointed to Christ. Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the light in our darkness and the one we can trust. There is hope. In all the tensions in our world – the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, the war in Ukraine, the tensions in Iran- people sacrifice themselves or, like the Parents Circle, work together, looking for hope to prevail. There is ever hope. Hymn 336 – Christ is our light Dedication God, our Peace and our Promise, receive our gifts as seeds of gratitude for your gift to us in Christ Jesus. Bless these seeds with growth so that peace will take root in people who face conflict and danger, and places seeking to establish peace in the face of violence. Be their peace and their promise, through Christ our Lord. Prayers of Thanksgiving & Intercession For every good meal we have shared, for every kind word we have received, for every good book on our shelves, for every good idea in our heads, for every good message on our phone may our good Lord be thanked. For the nights of good company, for the music of Advent, for inspiring speech and positive writing, for the wisdom of age and the smiles of children, may our wise and bountiful Lord be thanked. For people who have taught and nurtured us, for thoughts which have helped and restored us, for friends who have listened to us and stayed alongside, for the work of Your Spirit in our lives and in the lives of others, may our gracious God be thanked and praised We remember those for whom Advent is a difficult time – those on their own, those with difficult memories, those anxious about the stresses of the Christmas season. We pray for those who are cold and hungry because of fuel poverty, and all who seek to help them. We pray for the sick in body and mind, for the lonely and the fearful, for the bereaved. John worked in the wilderness baptizing people with water. We pray for the people without safe drinking water. We ask that you will give strength to groups such as Christian Aid who are working to provide access to safe water to those without it. We also pray for the victims of flooding, some far away in Pakistan and others nearer to home. Isaiah wrote about branches sprouting from a stump. We pray for your world where forests are being destroyed. We pray that all humankind will respect your world. We ask that the decisions made at COP27 will become actions. We must stop destroying what you created, and we pray that politicians worldwide will see the need to act now. We pray for those who lead our nations – for members of Parliaments and Councils, for Governments at home and abroad, and for all who have the power to make a difference in people's lives. We join a great company around the world who seek peace and justice, and long for a kinder world. And we pause to pray quietly for the particular people and needs which we carry on our hearts . . Amen Hymn 476 – Mine eyes have seen the glory Benediction Go in eager expectation, awaiting and watchful for the coming of Christ. 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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