1. Welcome and Intimations

  2. Prayer and Lord’s Prayer

    Our Father, who art in heaven,
    hallowed be thy name;
    thy kingdom come;
    thy will be done;
    on earth as it is in heaven.
    Give us this day our daily bread.
    And forgive us our trespasses,
    as we forgive those who trespass against us.
    And lead us not into temptation;
    but deliver us from evil.
    For thine is the kingdom,
    the power, and the glory
    for ever and ever.
    Amen.

  3. CH4 543 Longing for Light

    1. Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
      Longing for truth, we turn to you.
      Make us your own, your holy people,
      light for the world to see.

      Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
      Shine through the darkness.
      Christ, be our light!
      Shine in your church gathered today.

    2. Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
      Longing for hope, many despair.
      Your word alone has pow’r to save us.
      Make us your living voice.

      Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
      Shine through the darkness.
      Christ, be our light!
      Shine in your church gathered today.

    3. Longing for food, many are hungry.
      Longing for water, many still thirst.
      Make us your bread, broken for others,
      shared until all are fed.

      Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
      Shine through the darkness.
      Christ, be our light!
      Shine in your church gathered today.

    4. Longing for shelter, many are homeless.
      Longing for warmth, many are cold.
      Make us your building, sheltering others,
      walls made of living stone.

      Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
      Shine through the darkness.
      Christ, be our light!
      Shine in your church gathered today.

    5. Many the gifts, many the people,
      many the hearts that yearn to belong.
      Let us be servants to one another,
      making your kingdom come.

      Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
      Shine through the darkness.
      Christ, be our light!
      Shine in your church gathered today.

    © Bernadette Farrell

    1. Jeremiah 33:14-16 (Rita Hearty)
    2. Luke 21:25-36

  5. Children’s Address - Lighting of the Advent Candle

    One:
    The Gospel of John speaks of Christ as the true light coming into the world. In commemoration of that coming, we light candles for the four weeks leading to Christmas and reflect on the coming of Christ.  It is significant that the church has always used that language—the coming of Christ—because it speaks to a deep truth. Christ is coming. Christ is always coming, always entering a troubled world, a wounded heart. And so we light the first candle, the candle of hope, and dare to express our longing for peace, for healing, and the well-being of all creation.

    All:
    Loving God, as we enter this Advent season,
    We open all the dark places in our lives and memories to the healing light of Christ.
    Show us the creative power of hope.
    Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you,
    That we may walk in the light of Christ.

    LIGHTING OF THE CANDLE OF HOPE

    One:
    Take time, in the busyness of this season, for quiet reflection—
    For the light of God’s love is discernible everywhere.

    All:
    We will let ourselves be surprised by wonder,
    And set aside time to offer quiet thanks.

    One:
    The good news of Advent is this:
    Christ is coming. Christ is always coming.

    All:
    We will welcome Christ into our hearts.
    We will let ourselves be guided by his ministry.
    We will go forth from this place in hope.

  6. CH4 284 Hope Is a Candle

    1. Hope is a candle, once lit by the prophets,
      never consumed, though it burns through the years;
      dim in the daylight of power and privilege —
      when they are gone, hope will shine on.

    2. Peace is a candle to show us a pathway,
      threatened by gusts from our rage and our greed.
      Friend, feel no envy for those in the shadows —
      violence and force their dead-end course.

    3. Love is a candle whose light makes a circle,
      where every face is the face of a friend.
      Widen the circle by sharing and giving —
      God’s holy dare: love everywhere.

    4. Joy is a candle of mystery and laughter,
      mystery of light that is born in the dark;
      laughter at hearing the voice of an angel,
      ever so near, casting out fear.

    5. Christ is the light that the prophets awaited,
      Christ is the lion, the lamb, and the child.
      Christ is the love and the mystery and laughter —
      candles, make way! Christ is the day.

    © Richard Leach

  7. Meditation

  8. Known Unknowns The First Miracle

    (Tune: O Little Town of Bethlehem)

    1. There travelled Joseph and his bride
      towards the numbering,
      and on each bough the turtle doves
      and birds were chorusing.
      The two walked slowly through the groves
      till, deep inside a wood,
      they saw a tree which bore a fruit
      rasp red and very good.

    2. Then spoke fair Mary to her love
      in words both low and sweet,
      ‘Fetch me the fruit that I desire
      that I may taste and eat.’
      But Joseph faltered to respond,
      confused and in despair,
      ‘Before I stretch to pull the fruit,
      tell me whose fruit you bear?’

    3. Then from the womb in which he dwelt
      the babe gave this command:
      ‘Bow down you fair and generous boughs
      to reach my mother’s hand.’
      And from the tallest to the least
      they bent to Mary’s knee,
      so she could taste her favourite fruit
      from the obedient tree.

    4. Then Joseph spoke as Mary ate
      to show that he now knew
      that what an angel once foretold
      had actually come true.
      ‘It’s Him you carry in your womb —
      the glorious Lord of grace.
      Among all women, blessed are you
      who brings God face-to-face.’

    © Known Unknowns, John L. Bell and Graham Maule, 2018, Wild Goose Resource Group. Based on an ancient Celtic poem

  9. Offering

  10. Prayer of Intercession

  11. CH4 273 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

    1. O come, O come, Emmanuel,
      And ransom captive Israel,
      That mourns in lonely exile here,
      Until the Son of God appear.

      Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
      Shall come to thee, O Israel.

    2. O come, o come, thou Lord of might,
      Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
      In ancient times didst give the law
      In cloud and majesty and awe.

      Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
      Shall come to thee, O Israel.

    3. O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
      Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
      From depths of hell Thy people save,
      And give them victory o’er the grave.

      Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
      Shall come to thee, O Israel.

    4. O come, Thou Key of David, come
      And open wide our heav’nly home;
      Make safe the way that leads on high,
      And close the path to misery.

      Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
      Shall come to thee, O Israel.

    5. O come, Thou Dayspring, from on high,
      And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;
      Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
      And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

      Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
      Shall come to thee, O Israel.

  12. Blessing