Gathering God’s People
Acknowledgement of
First Peoples
From river to ocean,
from campfire to hearth,
May the First People
who have cared for this Land be blessed.
From breath to song,
from step to dance,
May those who follow
Your Song lines guide us on the journey of living honourably in this place.
From greeting to
Amen, from silence to chorus.
In making this
acknowledgement we are declaring our awareness that God has been available to
all people throughout all time. The first people knew of God’s intention for
Creation long before they heard the word “God” and because of their authentic
response to the Voice they heard were able to act in the way God wanted. That's
all God asks. We don't need deep theological training. We simply need to be
genuine in our seeking and in our response to the Voice wherever we find it.
First Sunday of Advent (Promise)
Advent is here,
and the wait for the birth of the Christ has begun
As we light the first candle, we are reminded of
God’s promise of a Saviour.
The days are
surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the
house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will
cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice
and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem
will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord
is our righteousness.” (Jeremiah 33:14-16)
God’s promise of hope is for all people;
together, we anticipate the day of his coming.
Holy God, you have
promised to bring salvation and justice to your creation. As we wait for
the arrival of the Saviour, may we live as those who have already been saved by
your grace – and may we share that grace with others. Amen.
Hymn: TIS 289
“Christmas is Coming” – Verse 1 In joining in this short liturgy we
focused our minds on the coming pivotal event in the History of the world and
the Human race. With the birth of Jesus of Nazareth everything changed.
Call to Worship - (David N Mosser and other
Sources)
The time is coming and now is when God’s
promises will be fulfilled. Rejoice, the time is here.... even if it is
not yet fully realised. Into this time, we come—ready to listen, ready to open,
ready to love. The time is coming and now is when we will be part of God’s
promise fulfilled.
It’s time to
get ready. It’s time to worship. It’s time to get ready. It’s time to
be strong.
It’s time to get
ready. It’s time to love.
Let’s worship
together, that God may strengthen our love this day.
The service proceeded
as usual: we approached God in prayer. We confessed our sins and asked for
forgiveness. And then we worshipped with our offerings, after which we entered
into the Communion service. The
lines that jumped out and grabbed me were these:
“Because our bread
has come from one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of
the one loaf.
The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.
The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.
The cup over which we
give thanks is a sharing in the blood of Christ.”
It is our
responsibility to remember that we are one body. We are the Church and whatever
we expect of the church, we are asking of ourselves. Not just as we, as an
individual want to see things done or events take place but as part of that
body, the church. That needs wisdom. Holy wisdom. From God.
Rev. John spoke of: Seasons of Hope:
Hoping Against Hope
He conceded that hope
seems beyond us if our focus is on all the twisted behaviour of people.
“When we look at the
darkness that surrounds us—when we consider all the violence and wars and
hatred and disease and poverty and, well, hopelessness that is the canvas upon
which God intends to paint—then hope itself seems absurd. We are easily
convinced that God simply can’t cover that much darkness.”
However, we are not
hoping for the successes of this world, we are seeking the things of the Spirit.
“What we are talking
about is a hope that reflects the power of the Resurrection. As Christians, we
celebrate everything throughout the year against the backdrop of the
Resurrection. At this time of year, when we are contemplating the birth of
Christ, we do so with the clear message that this is one who has come to defeat
the darkness, to drive back the powers of evil and to bring victory in the face
of death.”
This was reflected in
the Prayers for the People as Caroline prayed “Thank you for Your
faithfulness to guide us and see us through times of uncertainty, for lifting
us up, and setting us on high.” Caroline also reminded us that scripture is
a treasure trove of promises and hope. She then referred to this season of
expectation when we prepare to welcome Jesus once again, the author of all
hope. And having faith in that hope, Caroline laid out the needs of our friends
and family, asking, in that hope, for God’s comfort and support during the
difficulties these people are experiencing.
Signs are all around Christ
is coming soon. Signs are all around.
Christ has come to
earth. Signs are all
around. Christmas is almost here.
Signs are all around.
Christ’s love is needed now. Signs are all around.
Calling us to love. Signs are all
around. Leading us forth with love. Sending us forth in peace.
Hymn TIS 780: May light come into
your eyes.
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