Service for Sunday 28th November 2021, conducted by Mr Geoffrey Webber

Servicing the Bald Hills and nearby Communities

Service for Sunday 28th November 2021, conducted by Mr Geoffrey Webber

Welcome:  –

Liturgy for the First Sunday in Advent:  –

Narrator: Today we light the candle of Hope.

[light the candle]

A reading from the Book of Galatians 4: 4 & 5:

“But when the right time finally came, God sent His own Son.  He came as the son of a Human mother and lived under the Jewish Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might become God’s children.”

  The Prophet Daniel wrote of a time in his future when God would act to set free the People of Israel, when sin would be forgiven and eternal justice established, a time when God’s chosen leader would come and would be unjustly killed.  (Daniel 9: 24 to 26) 

  Looking backwards into the recent past, the Apostle Paul writes of God acting when the time was right, acting at a time of His choosing, acting in such a way as to demonstrate God’s control over historical events and over the actions of historical figures.  Paul writes that God’s chosen leader, Jesus, was born as the son of a Human mother.  Here, Paul is making it clear that though Jesus was the Son of God and shared the nature of God, he was also the son of a Human mother and shared our Human nature.  Paul also writes that Jesus lived under the Law.  Here, Paul is making it clear that unlike every other Human being, Jesus “perfectly kept the Law”.  Though Jesus was vulnerable to all the conditions of Human life, as we are, he did not sin, as we do.

  Paul is reminding his readers that the celebrations of the angels and of the Wise Men at the birth of Jesus, should be balanced with the sombreness associated with the cross and the tomb, for Christ’s purpose on being born a Human was that, 30 odd years later, through his “unjust death” on the cross, Jesus brought about the forgiveness of sins and the establishment of eternal justice, about which Daniel had written, that Jesus redeemed all people from the curse of the Law, so that we could be adopted by God as His children and enjoy a close relationship with God.

  The hope of the people of Israel for the fulfillment of Old Testament prophesy relating to the coming of the One through whom God would achieve all that He had planned for Humanity, was fulfilled in Jesus, the baby born of a Human mother.

The hope of Christmas is the song

Of angels in the sky,

And Christ within the manger laid

To bring salvation nigh.

Let us continue on the theme of Hope as we sing:  “To us a Child of Royal Birth”   

[sung to the tune Melcombe]

Verse 1 of 3

To us a child of royal birth,

Heir of the promises, is given;

The invisible appears on Earth,

The Son of Man, the God of Heaven.

Verse 2 of 3

A saviour born, in love supreme,

He comes our fallen souls to raise;

He comes his People to redeem

With all the fullness of his grace.

Verse 3 of 3

The Lord of Hosts, the God most High,

Who quits his throne on Earth to live,

We welcome now with holy joy,

With faith into our hearts receive.

Charles Wesley

Prayer  

(from World Environment Day worship material & Uniting in Worship Red Book p567 &Prayers for god’s People Year A p114 & 115 & Invocations p163 & Opening Prayers p50 & 51 & The Book of Worship p184) 

  Almighty God, you bring into being all that we see around us through your breath of life.  We see the way that you sustain all things and hold all things together.  There is a mystery about Creation that we cannot comprehend, and we gaze around us in wonder.  We praise You.

  Loving God, you give us new life through the breath of your Holy Spirit.  Your gift of the Spirit empowers us to be witnesses for you to the ends of the Earth.  Our lives are enriched and our spirits are released from the bondage to darkness and liberated to shine in your glory and honour.  We praise You.

  Wondrous God, we proclaim how great you are in raising Jesus on the third day so that our sins can be forgiven.  We proclaim how great you are in raising Jesus to your right hand side, to live and reign with You.  We proclaim how great you are by sending your Holy Spirit so that we not left alone in a World that turns its back upon you.  We praise You.

  We rejoice in your mercy, O God, in the way that You have welcomed us into your family, in the way that you have blest us by being here amongst us.  We rejoice in the wonder of your love and kindness.  We celebrate your goodness to us and that we are no longer alienated from you but are united with you.  We praise You.

  Yet, Merciful God, we find ourselves so set in our ways that we have stopped dreaming of what could be.  We find ourselves never expecting anything new to happen in our lives nor in the life of the Church.  We find ourselves feeling powerless and overwhelmed by an increasingly oppressive world.  Open our eyes, our ears and our hearts, to the vacuum in our lives, and to the blessings and enriching that are ours through Your Holy Spirit.

  Merciful God, you left your mark of perfection upon the Heavens and the Earth, but the marks we leave are ones of destruction and death.  You created an environment that was self-sustaining and full of life and renewal.  We use the same environment in wasteful and wanton ways, consuming life as if it is limitless, and interfering in natural processes in ways that spoil and poison the very things that are needed to sustain your Creation.  Open our eyes, our ears and our hearts, O God, to the pain experienced by your Creation for which we are responsible, and to the hope for change in our actions and behaviours that can bring healing.

  Merciful God, we complain about the traffic and of not finding a handy car park at the shopping centre, yet spare little thought for those who cannot afford a car.  We complain about the lack of choices on the supermarket shelves and of having to queue at the registers, yet spare little thought for those who cannot afford a meal.  We dream of the next digital TV we desire or of faster internet access, yet spare little thought for the communities who have nothing.  Open our eyes, our ears and our hearts, O God, to the pain experienced by so many others, near and far away, and to the possibilities that are available for us to alleviate their suffering. 

  Merciful God, we bring all things before You that grieves you, our sins that have hurt you, our sins against others that do not reflect the love that You have for them, and our sins that have resulted in a degradation of the beautiful World around us.  Gracious and merciful God, grant us your forgiveness, and refresh and renew us with the Holy Spirit so that we become eager, strong, and vital Disciples of Jesus Christ.  To your glory we pray.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

In God we find love and life.  Know, therefore, that we are beloved children of God; forgiven, renewed and made whole through the sacrifice, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination

Holy God, through your Holy Spirit, instruct us that we might rightly understand the Word of Truth, and find ourselves as People who reflect the Living Word, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Bible Readings

Jeremiah 23:

5  The Lord says, ‘The time is coming when I will choose as King a righteous descendant of David.  That King will rule wisely and do what is right and just throughout the land.  6  When

he is King, the people of Judah will be safe, and the people of Israel will live in peace.  He will be called The Lord Our Salvation.’”

Jeremiah 33:

14  The Lord said, ‘The time is coming when I will fulfill the promise that I made to the people of Israel and Judah.  15  At that time I will choose as King a righteous descendant of David.  That King will do what is right and just throughout the land.  16  The people of Judah and of Jerusalem will be rescued and will live in safety.  The city will be called The Lord Our Salvation.’”

Titus 1:

1  From Paul, a servant of god and an apostle of Jesus Christ.  I was chosen and sent to help the faith of God’s chosen people and to lead them to the truth taught by our religion,  2  which is based on the hope for eternal life.  God, who does not lie, promised us this life before the beginning of Time,  3  and at the right time he revealed His message.  This was entrusted to me, and I proclaim it by order of God our Saviour.”

1 Peter 1:

3  Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  Because of His great mercy He gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death.  This fills us with living hope,  4  and so we look forward to possessing the rich blessings that God keeps for His people.  He keeps them for you in Heaven, where they cannot decay or spoil or fade away.  5  They are for you, who through faith are kept safe by God’s power for the salvation which is ready to be revealed at the end of Time.”

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Luke 1:

67  John’s father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he spoke God’s message (concerning his son):  76  ‘You, my child, will be called a Prophet of the Most High God.  You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his road for him,  77  to tell his people that they will be saved by having their sins forgiven.  78  Our Lord is merciful and tender.  He will cause the bright dawn of salvation to rise on us  79  and to shine from Heaven on all those who live in the dark shadow of death, to guide our steps into the path of peace.”

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

Passing the Peace

We are one in fellowship and in worship of our God, whether we gather together in the Church building on Sunday morning or whether we worship in the ‘digital sphere’.  It is important that we recognise that, together, we remain one in Christ Jesus.  With that thought, let us uplift our hands and greet those both here and in their homes: May the peace of God be with you all.

And also with you.

Hymn

“The People who in darkness walked”  AHB202  TiS274

John Morison

Sermon

I did some searches on the Web on the theme of “the hope of Christmas”.

  I came across this item written in 7/12/2020 by Rev Denise Liersch, the Moderator of the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania.

In Advent, we hear the cries of the prophets, and are invited to join in their hopes for a world restored,” Denise Liersch says.

  We are aware of the disconnect between our real life experience and the happiness and exultation we’re supposed to feel at Christmas.  Maybe we’re grieving a loved one.  Maybe we’re estranged from family.  Maybe we have no home in which to gather.  Maybe we have insufficient money to put food on the table, let alone bonbons and Christmas lights.  Maybe we’re just not in a space to sing out loud and strong, full of joy and exultation, as if we’ve got it all together and on top of things.  But is this what Christmas is about?  We all would hope to be different.  There’s no sense of triumph or trust in the security of human achievement.  It seems to acknowledge our fragility, the precariousness of life, the need for humility and how we reach out in hope from a deep sense of need.

  This is exactly what the seasons and the stories of Advent and Christmas are about:

knowing that our world and our lives are not the way they ought to be; hoping for a different future; and seeing that happen in the birthing and living, and the dying and rising of Jesus.  In Advent, we hear the cries of the prophets, and are invited to join in their hopes for a world restored – where broken hearts are mended, prisoners released, the oppressed brought good news, the dispossessed returned to their land.  We hear the visions and hopes of the psalmists in their songs, longing for a world where “righteousness and peace”.

  These are stories that tell who God is interested in – and it’s those same ones the prophets and the psalmists cried out for. The dispossessed or exploited, those overlooked or filled with heartache.  The unemployed and under-employed and night-shift workers.  Maybe now we could add people marginalised by racist attitudes, those living with mental illness or disability, First Peoples seeking a voice to Parliament, and a groaning planet.

  God is willing to give all for this, coming in Jesus – so deep and profound is God’s love for this world and all who dwell in it.  In Advent and Christmas, this immense vision and hope is what we are invited into.  We are invited to touch into our own hopes, to know they are the hopes of generations and to see their fulfilment in Jesus as the One who is God-with-us, who brings us into the dream of God for a flourishing world.

Screen 1

Hope = “the dream of God for a flourishing World”?

  These are nice words, and true to some extent, but, is this all that there is to a sense of “hope”, that God identifies with your pain and that God has a dream of a flourishing World?  How does this equate with the message of the baby in the manger?

  I came across another item on the Web from Ringwood Uniting Church:

http://ringwood.unitingchurch.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Peace-on-Earth.-The-Hope-of-Christmas.pdf

  This year our church chose as its theme for Christmas – ‘Peace on Earth  The Hope of Christmas’.  Speaking about peace in a world as brutal as ours is a daunting, if not foolish task.  It is a great temptation, as my friend said, to ‘draw the veil of celebration over everything’.  But in our hurting anxious world we may still celebrate.  The story about the birth of Jesus in the stable says something immensely important about our world, and our place in it.  It says God draws near.  It says that God cares.  It says that God does not practice border protection.  In the stable we meet a God who reaches out crosses the street and waits for the one left behind.  In the stable we meet a God who loves the widows and orphans and tax collectors and the drug addicts.  In the stable we meet a God who hears the cry of the poor.  And in this, hope is found.

  In a world where wealth promises freedom and power assures influence, the Christmas story says we might discover our hope in surprising places.  I choose to place my hope in a God who draws near.  I choose to place my hope in the one born in a stable.  I choose to place my hope in the Nazarene carpenter who knew peace within himself.  Peace that made it possible for him to live a radically simple life accumulating no wealth, no nest egg, hardly travelling at all, and yet was completely himself; speaking truth to power, showing us another way of being human.

Screen 2

Hope = “showing us another way of being Human”?

  Again, very nice words, but was the essence of the ministry of Jesus just to “show us another way of being Human”?  Was this all for which he was born as God’s chosen King?  True, he did reveal the means to live a radically simple life, and a way to relate to others that was not based on acknowledging the influence of wealth or power or prestige, but was that it?

  Jessica McPherson, on her webpage writes:

https://christiantoday.com.au/news/christmas-brings-the-hope-we-all-need.html

  Things were tough for the Israelite people around the time Jesus was born.  Their country had been taken over by the Romans whose greed was only outdone by their violence.  There were many who were working unceasingly yet who were struggling to even feed their families because of the huge tax burdens placed upon them by their Roman overlords and by the corrupt Temple rulers.  Not only were the Romans their enemies, but the corrupt religious leaders also made their lives a misery by demanding more and more money from them, and burdening them with more rules than God ever intended them to live by.

  It is no wonder then that the news of the birth of the Saviour, the one who had been promised who would come to save and to rescue them, was greeted with such joy by the shepherds.. “And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the peopleFor unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”  (Luke 2: 10 – 12) 

  But the good news of the angels was not about saving the shepherds from the Romans nor from the corrupt religious leaders, nor from global pandemics, but from something even worse – Humanity’s sin and rebellion towards God which leads to death.  Yet the wonderful news in the wake of that is that we don’t have to control our lives and destiny on our own – there is someone much greater and more powerful who has stepped in to save us!  The good news that there is someone who has come to rescue us from sin and suffering, good news which produces eternal hope that goes far beyond the joy of spending time with friends, eating food and exchanging gifts!

Screen 3

Hope = the rescue from sin and suffering that leads to death!

  Chip Ingram, in a Web page titled The Hope of Christmas Is the Hope of Eternity asks:

  What do you count on in your life?  In other words, in what do you put your hope?  Your family?  Your career?  Your physical health and vitality?  Your bank account?  All those things are good, but they’re temporal.  Wishing for them to be the foundation of your life is not a good plan because they don’t last.

  What lasts?  Things that are eternal.  Biblical hope is a guarantee from God concerning a future outcome for your good.  It’s anchored in who Jesus is.

  All over the world people acknowledge the birth of Jesus, born in a shabby manger.  That little baby was God Incarnate: the Son of God, who came to Earth to show us what love looks like.  He came to be the very physical revelation of the invisible God, the creator of all.  He came also to take the penalty of sin and to give us a way to be reconciled with God and to have eternal life.  How do we know this?  The Apostle John tells us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16) 

  The Apostle Paul, writing to the Ephesians, says that their faith in Christ Jesus springs “from the hope stored up for you in Heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the Gospel.”  (Ephesians 1:5-6)  .  What is this hope “stored up in heaven”? The absolute certainty of eternal life with Christ for those who believe in Him.  What amazing hope is that!

Screen 4

Jesus came to take the penalty of sin and to give us a way to be reconciled with God and to have eternal life.

  Avery Foley, writing on the theme of Jesus, the Hope of Christmas, states:

https://answersingenesis.org/christmas/jesus-the-hope-of-christmas/

  For many people Christmas is exactly that: a happy time of family, fellowship, food, and merry gift giving.  But for others, Christmas is just the exact opposite.  It can be an intense reminder of lost loved ones or that they have no close family with whom to celebrate.  Instead of feeling joy, many people feel overwhelming, seemingly unbearable anxiety and depression.  Christmas can potentially be a time of hopelessness and loneliness.

  It is important for us to remember that Christmas isn’t essentially about whether or not we celebrate with family and food, Christmas is essentially about Jesus Christ.  It is important for us to remember the hope that Jesus brings.  The Incarnation, God becoming a man, is the very reason why we have hope.  Without Jesus, we have no hope and only death to look forward to (1 Thessalonians 4:13–14).  But for those of us who are in Christ Jesus, we are no longer hopeless!  Scripture says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).  This living hope is the hope and promise of eternal life (Titus 1:2) through Jesus Christ, who is “our hope” (1 Timothy 1:1).  We have hope because Jesus came as a human, lived, died, and rose again.

  In Genesis we read that God originally created a perfect world (Genesis 1:31), but it was soon marred by Adam and Eve’s sin.  The consequence for sin was death (Genesis 2:17Romans 6:23).  However, even during the darkest day in History, God offered a message of hope, when He cursed the Serpent saying “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15).  God promised that He would send a Saviour who would conquer Satan and deal with the problem of death and suffering.

  Jesus came in the flesh as a little baby that first Christmas, so that He could bear our punishment at the Cross, and then conquer death by rising from the dead.  The first man Adam brought death, suffering, and the Curse into the world through his sin, but the last Adam, Jesus Christ, will do away with those things.  Someday we can dwell with Him eternally in a place where “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

Screen 5

Jesus is right there with us – Christ dwells in our hearts through faith  (Ephesians 3:17

  Loneliness and depression will be done away with forever.  What a blessed hope for us to eagerly look forward to!  But sadly, until then, we have to struggle with the suffering that came into the world because of Adam’s sin and its consequences.

  Jesus’ Incarnation, death, and Resurrection also brings believers into God’s family (John 1:12Romans 8:11–17).  Although some of us may not have or may be isolated from our families, those who have placed their faith in Christ are part of God’s family.  All around the world we have brothers and sisters in Christ to fellowship with.  We find examples of this throughout the New Testament.  During the time of Jesus, Gentiles were considered unclean and no Jew would eat or stay with a Gentile (Acts 10:28); yet, in Christ, such barriers were broken down (Ephesians 2:14–17) and Jews and Gentiles could openly fellowship with one another.  Indeed, Christians can fellowship together whether they are Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, slave or free, male or female (Galatians 3:28).  Because of Christ, we are never without family!

  Even if we are far away from our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are still never alone. Jesus is right there with us.  The Lord promises, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5).  Jesus came to Earth to be our Immanuel, the “God with us”, promised in the Old Testament (Isaiah 7:14), and He is still with us today (Galatians 2:20).  No matter how lonely we may feel, we are never truly alone because Christ dwells in our hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:17).  Someday those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as their Saviour will spend eternity with the entire family of God in His very presence!  If you have repented and trusted in Christ, then you will be there too!  Surely that is the best reason to smile and have a merry Christmas filled with hope this year.

Screen 6

God gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death.  This fills us with living hope.

  1 Peter 1: 3

  The Prophet Jeremiah foresaw a time when God would raise a descendant of David as a new King who would bring about God’s salvation for the people of God.  Zechariah saw in his son, John, a messenger who would announce the news that God will imminently cause the bright dawn of salvation to rise on the people of God, the fulfillment of the hope about which Jeremiah had written so many years previously.

  It was the Apostles who shared the good news that Jesus Christ was the King about whom the Prophet Jeremiah and Zechariah were referring, and that it was in and through Jesus Christ that we have the hope of sins forgiven, the hope of being reconciled to God and, at the end of Time, the hope of an eternity spent in the presence and fellowship of God and with one another.   This is the hope represented by the baby in the manger, the infant born of Mary.  Amen.

Hymn

“Angels, from the realm of glory”  MHB119  AHB235  TiS309

[sung to the tune Iris – there is a short introduction]

Verse 1 of 5

Angels, from the realms of glory

Wing your flight o’er all the Earth,

You, who sang Creation’s story,

Now proclaim Messiah’s birth:

Come and worship Christ, the newborn King,

Come and worship, worship Christ the newborn king.

Verse2 of 5

Shepherds, in the fields abiding,

Watching o’er your flocks by night,

God with Man is now residing,

Yonder shines the infant Light:

Come and worship Christ, the newborn King,

Come and worship, worship Christ the newborn king.

Verse 3 of 5

Wise Men, leave your contemplations,

Brighter visions beam afar,

Seek the Great Desire of Nations,

You have seen his natal star:

Come and worship Christ, the newborn King,

Come and worship, worship Christ the newborn king.

Verse 4

Saints, before the alter bending,

Watching long in hope and fear,

Suddenly the Lord descending,

In his Temple shall appear:

Come and worship Christ, the newborn King,

Come and worship, worship Christ the newborn king.

Verse 5

Though an infant now we view him,

He shall fill his Father’s throne,

Gather all the nations to him;

Every knee shall then bow down:

Come and worship Christ, the newborn King,

Come and worship, worship Christ the newborn king.

James Montgomery

Offering

Offering Prayer    

“For the life that you have given”  TiS774  [to be sung to the tune ‘Austria’ – refer to TiS772]

[disregard the words – only the one verse is needed]

For the life that you have given,

For the love in Christ made known,

With these fruits of time and labour,

With these gifts that are your own:

Here we offer, Lord, our praises;

Heart and mind and strength we bring;

Give us grace to love and serve you,

Living what we pray and sing.

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Prayers for Others

  Let us come before God with our cares and our concerns.

  We pray for the Church, that we may be attentive to your presence and action in our lives so that we may be ready to act as you direct us.  Inspire us to grow in holiness and in our service for others.  Purge the Church of all that is contrary to the Truth of Christ and subversive of good teaching and faithful service

  We pray for unending hope, that we may live with an awareness of your abundant compassion and look to the future with childlike expectancy for the fulfillment of your promises.

  We pray for renewal of prayer in our lives, that you will help us to quiet our minds and hearts, listen to the movement of the Spirit in our lives, and enlighten us to live the Gospel more fully.  Guide us to those parts of our lives that are dishonourable and unholy, and not useful to building up our character and soul.

  We pray for the grace of vigilance, that we may take your Word to heart and never be numbed into complacency nor trapped by worry.

  We pray for the gift of patience, that you will teach us how to wait and allow your plan to unfold in our lives and our relationships.

  We pray for courage in facing suffering, that you will fill our hearts with courage and give us the strength to remain faithful even when tragedy and suffering enter our lives.

  We pray for our Church community, that Christ may increase our love for one another and help us to be overflowing with generosity toward all who are in need.

  We pray for all who live in fear and confusion, that whether they are rich or poor, refugee or famous, they may encounter the light of Christ that will show them the way forward to a fuller life.

  We pray for freedom from numbness and self-centeredness, that you will help us understand our true calling and focus on loving and serving you each day.

  We pray for those who have suffered abuse, that your loving embrace will free them from fear, heal their deepest selves, and bring forth a fuller life within them.

  We pray for those enslaved by any kind of addiction, that you will set them free and heal the damage that they have done to themselves and to others.

We pray for all who are experiencing the collapse of social, political, and economic structures, that they may seek first your reign and find their security in you.

  We pray for all whose hopes are unfulfilled and whose dreams are dying, that you will inspire them with a new vision and a new opportunity to use their gifts to build up the human community.

  We pray for all who are ill, that they may know your healing presence and entrust themselves to your loving care.

  We pray for all who are traveling this day, that you will guide them on their way home or back to school, preserve them from harm, and help them arrive without delay.

  We pray that you will guide the leaders of Nations, that they will govern with true judgement and right dealings.

  We pray for those who are weary, worn and sad, for those troubled in mind and soul, that you may lead them to rest and restoration.  Give to them healing and strength to face daily life and its struggles with patience and endurance.

Copyright © 2021. Joe Milner. All rights reserved.<br> Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use.  https://liturgy.slu.edu/ 

[Raymond Chapman in Leading Intercessions p86, David Hostetter in Prayers for the Seasons of god’s People Year C p 11 & 12]

  We pray for our teachers in schools across the State, as they approach the end of the School year.  Give to them the energy and clarity they need to support their pupils to make the most of their opportunities for academic learning and development.

  We pray for the Governments in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Timor Leste, that they will eradicate corruption, establish justice and peace, and work effectively for the wellbeing of all their people.  We pray for victims of violence, torture, drug and human trafficking, and human rights violations, that those responsible might be held accountable.  We pray for those affected by earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural disasters, for compassion and the rebuilding of communities and livelihoods.  We pray for the vital witness of churches in this region, for ecumenical and interfaith cooperation to bring justice, peace and sustainability to these lands.

  We pray for families in Indonesia who have been uprooted by Climate Change and the Pandemic.  We pray that you will help communities to build resilient livelihoods, and reclaim their hope for the future.

    We ask that you Spirit will work in the minds and hearts of all the children who attend religious instruction classes at Bald Hills State School.  May these children be open to you leading them into right living and a loving relationship with you.  Bless the efforts of Ian and the other volunteers as they seed the souls of these children with the Gospel message.

  We ask that you will refresh and enthuse Kylie Conomos as she continues her work among the children, families and teaching staff at Bald Hills State School.  Please guide her as she determines how to meet the needs of children and their families.

  Loving God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your compassion and care.  To your glory we pray.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil,

For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,

Now and forever.  Amen.

Hymn

“Come thou long expected Jesus”  MHB242  AHB200  TiS272

[sung to the tune Stuttgart – there is a short introduction]

Verse 1 of 4

Come, thou long expected Jesus,

Born to set your people free,

From our fears and sins release us,

Let us find our rest in thee.

Verse 2 of 4

Israel’s strength and consolation,

Hope of all the Earth thou art,

Dear Desire of Every Nation,

Joy of every longing heart.

Verse 3 of 4

Born thy People to deliver,

Born a child and yet a King,

Born to reign in us for ever,

Now thy gracious Kingdom bring.

Verse 4 of 4

By thine own eternal Spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone,

By thine all-sufficient merit

Raise us to thy glorious throne.

Charles Wesley

Benediction  (There’s More to Christmas in The Greatest Gift p66) 

There’s more, much more, to Christmas

Than candlelight and cheer,

It’s the spirit of sweet friendship

That brightens up the year,

It’s thoughtfulness and kindness,

It’s hope reborn to fall,

For peace and understanding

And for goodwill to all.

And may the blessing f God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, rest upon you and remain with you always.  Amen.

Benediction Song

“Rejoice and be Merry”  Carols for Choirs 1 number 32

(only the one verse is needed – a verse is played as an introduction)

Rejoice and be merry in songs and in mirth!

O praise our Redeemer, all mortals on Earth!

For this is the birthday of Jesus our King,

Who brought us salvation, his praises we’ll sing.

Traditional English Carol