Fourth Sunday of Advent
What follows is a worship service which, I pray, you can participate in at a time(s) that are convenient to you. This 'service' will take about forty five (45) minutes.
I pray that you will feel called to ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE in this service.
The text that is in regular typeface (that is what you are reading at the moment) is to be read quietly, while the text that is in bold face (like you are reading right now) is meant to be read aloud.
Opening Hymn:
Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we commence our praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
A Call To Worship:
We meet in the name of God,
Creator of the universe,
source of true humanity,
mother and father of all. Amen.
An Assurance of Forgiveness:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
The Sentence For Today (let us say aloud):
And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
The Special Prayer For Today (let us pray aloud):
Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Our first reading for today:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
Our second reading for today:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
Gradual Hymn:
Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we raise out voices in praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
A reading from the holy gospel according to Saint Luke.
Listen to David speak to this gospel.
or, if you prefer, you can read the sermon, below:
Sermon for Advent 4, Sunday, 22nd Dec 2024
Grace and mercy are yours, now and forever, through Jesus the Christ. <Amen>
Welcome friends. Peace be with you.
Today we hear about the mother of Jesus and her cousin, Elizabeth, and I want to talk to you today, very briefly, about these two unique women; both of them in very unusual, very difficult circumstances.
Mary just learned that she is with child, without a husband, putting her in an unconscionable situation in the society of that time. Elizabeth, an older woman who also finds herself pregnant and gossip would have been spreading.
Two women, both pregnant, and both chosen by God.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. So I have wondered: Why? Why did God choose Mary and Elizabeth? Well, I think the Scripture has a lot to tell us about why God made those choices … but … that’s a longer sermon for another day.
Let me just summarise my thoughts. Both these women:
were incredibly courageous, facing the stigmas and trials and Mary’s travels,
had great strength of character, again dealing with the stigma of the two situations that they were in and the people ‘whispering behind their backs’,
were women of integrity and held their heads high,
Were women who were obedient to God. Mary never argued with the angel. When he told her what was going to happen, she accepted it immediately. When it was time for Elizabeth to announce the name of the new baby, and she said his name was going to be John, she endured a great deal of ridicule from family members who said, "You can't do that. You have no name like that in your heritage." Yet she was firm. She was obedient. God had spoken, and the boy’s name would be John.
I think that we would find that they were prayerful women, women who were used to having an intimate, relationship with the Lord.
Read those beautiful words spoken by Mary to God when she found out that she was going to be in this incredible, difficult set of circumstances. Mary raised her voice in praise, as did Elizabeth, raising their voices in praise of God, thanksgiving, magnifying the name of God in the midst of difficult situations.
I think the lives of Mary and Elizabeth have a lot to teach us in our own personal relationships with the Lord.
The importance of courage,
the importance of standing up for what we believe,
the importance of walking in integrity,
the importance of always having the praise of God on our lips, and
the importance of being obedient because we are accustomed to hearing and obeying the voice of God.
I runga e te Ingoa o te Atua, te Matua, te Tama me te Wairua Tapu. <AMINE>
In the name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit <AMEN>
Pause and Reflect
Just take a moment now to pause. Bow your head, close your eyes.
Allow these words of Holy Scripture and this interpretation of them today to speak to you.
An Affirmation of Our Faith
Let us affirm our faith by saying aloud, and together, "The Apostles Creed":
... and now let us pray for the Church, the World, and Ourselves, giving thanks for God's goodness.
Let us pray aloud, and together:
In response to the call today “Lord, in Your mercy” Our plea is, “hear our prayer”
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy : Hear our prayer.
Everlasting God, we share today with Mary and Elizabeth their love and joy as the waiting for Jesus’s birth nears its end. Quieten our hearts and lives so that we can hear your voice amongst the hustle and bustle of everyday life as Christmas approaches.
(LONGER pause for silent, personal reflection)
In response to the call today “Lord, in Your mercy” Our response is, “hear our prayer!”
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Holy God, we give you thanks for all of Carol Services and singers, Christmas concerts, and Social events that have been held during Advent and we pray that all who have attended will have had a glimpse of the life of the Gospel. We pray for all who will be leading and attending Christmas worship, giving thanks for the work they do for God’s people.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Father God, as we approach Christmas we so often fail to hear You; we are busy with so much that we go about the things we do as though trapped in household routine, hardly giving a thought to what our lives and the season of Advent are all about.
If our spirits grow tired and You, Father God, can seem far away. Help us to hear Your voice today and every day.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Creator God, we pray for our world leaders; and we also remember before you all those from aid organisations who will spend the Christmas period away from home bringing aid to those in conflict in Syria, the Middle East and Ukraine, praying earnestly for an end to war and terrorism.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Father God, we give you thanks for our community leaders and for the way that they make our towns and villages so beautiful and bright with colourful lights and decorations at this time of celebration. Thank you too for the shopkeepers, for their seasonal produce and nativity displays; for hotels, restaurants and bars that provide seasonal and special menus for our delight and for all the staff who serve and cater to us.
Help us also to hold in our hearts the less fortunate as we give thanks for the work of charitable organisations and animal rescue groups.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Gracious God, we call to mind all those who we know who are struggling with life. We especially ask for your comfort and healing for all those who are coping with terminal illness and ask you to be close to those who care for them. We give you thanks for those who have been healed or are in the process of recovery and recuperation.
We especially raise before You now all those who have asked for our prayers from around the world … those we know in New Zealand, in Singapore, in Argentina, in France, in Australia, in the US, in Canada, in Austria, in Ukraine, in China and any others we now name aloud, or in the silence of our hearts, and those who are known only by You.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Merciful God, we remember those who have departed this life and thank you for the good that you have worked in their lives. Comfort all whose lives are saddened by the death of a loved one, be with them in their loneliness and help them to know that Jesus born in Bethlehem is the light of the world which no darkness can quench.
May all the faithful departed now rest in peace as they most surely have risen in glory.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your Mercy: Hear our prayer
In a moment of silence we pray for ourselves, our families, friends, for all whom we love and for our personal ministries. Make the things that we choose to do worthy of the life, death, and rising again of Your Son.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Son of God, your mysterious coming is beyond our understanding. Yet like your holy mother, Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, we pray that you come to us, as you promised. Help us to serve you in any way that we can knowing that you are with us day by day, through the joys of Christmas and into the uncertainty of the New Year whatever it might bring.
O come, O Come, Emmanuel and fill the hearts of Your faithful people and kindle in them the fire of Your love.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Forth in the peace of Christ we go; Christ to the world with joy we bring; Christ in our minds, Christ on our lips, Christ in our hearts, the world’s true King.
Merciful father: accept these prayers for the sake of Your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN.
Remembering that we are confident to pray this day, and every day, because Jesus Christ continues to teach us:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as 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 for ever. Amen.
Let us conclude our prayers by praying together and aloud:
God of mercy,
you have given us grace to pray with one heart and one voice,
and have promised to hear the prayers
of two or three who agree in your name,
fulfil now, we pray,
the prayers and longings of your people
as may be best for us and for your kingdom.
Grant us in this world to know your truth,
and in the world to come to see your glory. Amen.
The Blessing
May The Risen Lord Christ turn His face towards each and every one of you.
May He cause His light to shine upon you, and
may He grant you His peace, and
The blessing of Almighty God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you and all of those whom you love,
on this day and forever more.
A Closing Hymn:
Let us conclude our worship today by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we unite in another hymn our praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
The Dismissal
Go now, go out into the world
to love and serve The Lord.
Go in peace.
AMEN, we go in the name of Christ.
