CALL TO WORSHIP:
"Come, let
us sing to the Lord a new song, for God does marvellous things.
God hears us and
remembers us, with steadfast love and faithfulness.
Make a joyful noise
to the Lord, all the earth.
Glory to God in
the highest heaven, and on earth –
good news for
all."
PRAYER:
"Loving
God, we come today with our hearts alight with anticipation; our spirits
rejoice in you, for you have done, and will continue to do marvellous things.
We rejoice that
you offer hope to those who are captives; sight to those who cannot see;
liberty to those oppressed by burdens too heavy to bear; and acceptance for
those spurned by society.
Lord we cannot
help but feel the stirrings of your coming – as we prepare to celebrate –
so come to us Lord
Jesus – come!"
SONG TiS 272:
"Come thou
long-expected Jesus." Following the prayer, we sang with great enthusiasm,
inviting Jesus into our hearts knowing that only he can meet that great longing
and bring about that genuine freedom we all seek.
PRAYERS OF PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING AND CONFESSION:
Sandra led us in
this prayer: "Merciful God your plans are so much bigger than we can ever
imagine – we still dream dreams that are far
too small – dreams which reach no further than
the corners of our own small comfort zone." Sandra went on, confessing our inability to comprehend fully what we
seek or the gift that is offered to us. And then:
"Remind us
O God that you have come into your world –
and that you are with
us now and to the end of time. Amen."
WORDS OF ASSURANCE:
Remember – that if we confess our sins, God is faithful
and just, and will forgive our sins, and restore us to a right relationship
with him. Hear then Christ’s
word of grace to us: Your sins are
forgiven. Thanks be to God.
OFFERING:
We returned just
a little of God's bountiful blessing to us...we have so much to be thankful for
and asked that it be used to spread the news of God's coming into the world and
the blessing that offers.
The men's group sang Rise up Shepherds, a message not only to the
shepherds of old and their call to seek out the God-Child but also a call to
us, to which we must respond.
SCRIPTURE:
Norma read Luke
1: 39-55 This reading
incorporates the well known Mary's Song of Praise, evoking the sense of
wonder and awe she experienced, allowing each of us to experience the same,
along with a sense of expectancy and hope that the promise of Jesus' birth
brings.
MESSAGE:
Can you hear
the Music?? Sandra
began by asking: "How are you?" The answers were varied, many
connected with the work attached to preparing for family celebrations.
For me, I'm
anticipating Christmas by thinking about how I can have an authentic experience
of the time that celebrates the bringing of hope and joy into this broken
world. Christmas services always have a joyful ring, with carols and hymns sung
with enthusiasm and the familiar stories told in familiar ways, but is that the
same as experiencing that unique hope and joy that the birth of Jesus of
Nazareth brought?
Saying the same
thing but in a different way, Sandra asked us: Can you hear the Music? She
spoke of her love of the Advent readings with the promise they carry. Readings
that have their own special music.
She spoke of
HOPE -
"Are we not living
in the midst of times when the world needs HOPE like never before? Every news bulletin shouts of death and
destruction – fear and hatred – and the name of God is invoked to justify all
of it?
The world lives
with a “fingers crossed” kind of hope – surely some world leader –
some Government agency – some Council of Nations will solve the crisis
human kind has brought upon the world.
That is not HOPE –
that is wishful
thinking."
"Advent 1 responds with resounding bass
notes – it is GOD in whom we hope – God to whom we must turn – God in whom we must trust for the salvation of
the world – his world.
The 2nd week of
Advent – opened with the crashing chords from
Handel’s Messiah!
“The Lord whom ye seek, will suddenly
come to his temple”...we feel the stirrings of
anticipation..."
Sandra then
spoke of John the Baptist who was given the job of announcing the coming of the
Lord and as we hear in the Messiah, making the way straight for the
coming of the Lord.
She asked if we
were beginning to feel the music. I was, and the Peace and the Joy, the themes
of the next two weeks of Advent.
"To-day as
we reflect upon the nature of our hope, see through the shallowness of the kind
of peace the world offers –
and feel our souls
begin to sing for joy, we are brought to our knees at the unexpectedness of love – for today in Advent 4 the music bursts out of
one ordinary young, unmarried, pregnant woman – and from her heart and soul comes one of the most treasured songs in all
of scripture:- Mary's Song of Praise or as many of us know it, The Magnificat.
Sandra spoke to Mary in response opening up the story of Jesus and what his
coming meant for Mary, Jesus and the world. How dangerous it was and would be.
How disturbing Jesus would be. And how we want to be part of that disturbing,
dangerous, joyful song.
"So sing,
Mary. Go right ahead and sing. Despite the risk, Despite the danger – despite of all that is yet to come. Despite the pain. Sing, Mary.
And lead us in your song."
Amen.
SONG TiS 161:
Tell out my
soul, the greatness of the Lord. It was as though the congregation had been
waiting to tell the world as we stood and sang with full hearts and voice,
constrained to do justice the words we
were singing.
MUSICAL INTERLUDE A quiet time while each of us searched our hearts and minds.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE:
As people of
every generation prepare for the birth of a newborn child into their lives, so
we too O God would prepare for your coming: We bring today our prayers for your
world. You laboured and brought forth the earth and all its goodness. Help us
to cherish all that you have made. May your new life in us be brought to birth
in justice and righteousness, that the earth may be set free from destruction
and death, and all your people live in freedom, safety and peace. You brought
the church into being and commissioned us to bear your love to the world. Help
us to be faithful to our calling. May be feel the stirrings of new life within
us, as we wait in joyful expectation of the mystery of your coming – help us to proclaim your glory to the world. At
your birth there was no room for you with the rich and powerful, and so you
came to the lowest and the poorest; help us to find room in our hearts for the
lonely and the forgotten; the sick and all who suffer. Show us how to be your presence in
transforming their grief, despair and pain into new dignity, comfort and hope.
Sandra then prayed for the concerns of the congregation and led us in the
Lord's Prayer.
SONG –
TiS 276:
"There’s a light upon the
mountains." By this time the congregation had heard the music and it
reverberated throughout the church in the words and music of his hymn.
And may the
blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you, and remain
with you always. Amen."
BLESSING SONG:
TiS 779 May the
feet of God walk with you. An opportunity for us to offer God's help to our
neighbours.
© 2015 by Sandra Batey
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