You can watch the bible readings and sermon here, or scroll down to read the rest of the Sunday prayers and content, and watch this video at the point it occurs during worship.
WELCOME & ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY
If a cattle trough in a small village can become a sacred place then all of this land carries the footprint of God’s engagement with humanity for just as the Dharawal people saw the Creator at work in all places; we long for God to be present and alive where we live and work too. As we acknowledge their elders past and present we join with the Dharawal people in working for reconciliation and justice making. In that spirit of reconciliation you are invited and welcome here. For the story of God discovered at Bethlehem is more inclusive, affirming and welcoming than we can ever imagine. In that place there was room for the Christ, in this place there is room for you and me, so welcome! You too are loved.
ADVENT LITANY
In the bright heat of summer
we thirst for new life
longing for peace with Creation
as it cries out in suffering.
Jesus, we wait again for you
for the birth of your hope in us
as we look forward to the story
of your birth, your coming to Earth.
We light our 1st Advent candle
HYMN
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 you O Israel
O come, O come, great Lord of might
Who to the tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times did give the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
O come, O key of David, come
And open wide our heavenly home
Make safe the way that leads on high
And close the path to misery.
O come, O dayspring come and cheer
Our spirits by your advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Anon Latin 9th C Translated John Mason Neale 1818 – 1866 Public Domain CCLI Licence # 31951
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
We have fallen asleep. We have not watched, not paid attention – oh, we waited, but we waited
for you to act rather than acting with you in this time, this place, in response to the needs that will not, that cannot, wait. Pause…
Forgive us, LORD each one of us and together as your fellowship of faith, for the ways our inattentiveness has left people, your Creation, those in need that we might have eased.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
Wake up! Listen! God’s ways are not our ways. God forgives.
Wake up! Get up! Live out that grace by sharing grace now and in every encounter. Amen
BIBLE READINGS Loraine & Ross
ISAIAH 64: 1 – 9 (CEV) Rip the heavens apart! Come down, Lord; make the mountains tremble. Be a spark that starts a fire causing water to boil. Then your enemies will know who you are; all nations will tremble because you are nearby. Your fearsome deeds have completely amazed us; even the mountains shake when you come down. You are the only God ever seen or heard of who works miracles for his followers. You help all who gladly obey & do what you want, but sin makes you angry. Only by your help can we ever be saved. We are unfit to worship you; each of our good deeds is merely a filthy rag. We dry up like leaves; our sins are storm winds sweeping us away. No one worships in your name or remains faithful. You have turned your back on us & let our sins melt us away. You, Lord, are our Father. We are nothing but clay, but you are the potter who moulded us. Don’t be so furious or keep our sins in your thoughts forever! Remember that we are your people.
MARK 13: 24 – 37 (CEV) In those days, right after this time of suffering, “The sun will become dark,
and the moon will no longer shine. The stars will fall, and the powers in the sky will be shaken.”
Then the Son of Man will be seen coming in the clouds with great power and glory. He will send his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the earth. Learn a lesson from a fig tree. When its branches sprout and start putting out leaves, you know summer is near. So when you see all these things happening, you will know that the time has almost come. You can be sure that some of the people of this generation will still be alive when all this happens. The sky and the earth will not last forever, but my words will. No one knows the day or the time. The angels in heaven don’t know, and the Son himself doesn’t know. Only the Father knows. So watch out and be ready! You don’t know when the time will come. It is like what happens when a man goes away for a while and places his servants in charge of everything. He tells each of them what to do, and he orders the guard to keep alert. So be alert! You don’t know when the master of the house will come back.
It could be in the evening or at midnight or before dawn or in the morning. But if he comes suddenly, don’t let him find you asleep. I tell everyone just what I have told you. Be alert!
HYMN Cloth for the cradle Verses 1 & 2
Chorus: Cloth for the cradle, cradle for the child
The child for every joy and sorrow:
Find him a shawl that’s woven by us all
To welcome the Lord of each tomorrow.
Darkness and light and all that’s known by sight
Silence and echo fading
Weave into one a welcome for the Son
Set earth its own maker serenading.
Hungry and poor, the sick and the unsure
Wealthy whose needs are stranger
Weave into one a welcome for the Son
Leave excess and want beneath the manger.
Copyright © 1997, Wild Goose Resource Group. Used with permission. CCLI Licence # 31951
BAPTISM
MESSAGE Something has to change! Rev Paul Bartlett
HYMN
All my hope on God is founded
All my trust God will renew
through all change and chance God guides me
Only good and only true.
God unknown, God alone
Calls my heart to be God’s own.
God’s great goodness lasts forever
Deep God’s wisdom, passing thought
Splendour, light and life attend God
Beauty springing out of naught.
Evermore, from God’s store
New-born worlds rise and adore.
Still from earth to God eternal
Sacrifice of praise be done
High above all praises praising
For the gift of Christ God’s Son
Hear Christ’s call, one and all
those who follow shall not fall.
Joachim Neander 1650 – 1680 By permission Oxford University Press. Licence # CCLI 31951
OFFERTORY PRAYER
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Karen R
LORD’S PRAYER Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace—hallowed be your name. Immanuel, God with us—hallowed be your name.
In us, through us, and around us, your kingdom come where the wolf will live with the lamb and the lion will feed with the calf. Bread of life, feed us with your truth. For our indifference to the wonder of your coming, forgive us. Protect us from the constant dangers and enticing temptations we face each day. Word who became flesh and lived among us, we have seen your glory, full of grace and truth. As You come to us now, and You will come to us again in glory, when we will join all heaven and earth in giving you blessing and honour and glory and might forever! Amen
HOLY COMMUNION Elder – Irene
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
INVITATION
This is the table won at great cost – a place where broken bread and wine outpoured remind us how to live and love. A table where we recognise that the One for whom we wait is also the one who is ready and always here with us. So come, whether you are watching for the dawn, or dreading first light, whether you are waiting with hope, or hiding your face, come with confidence because here Christ Jesus crucified and Risen watches for our coming, and waits with love and joy.
This is the story of Jesus – waiting to be betrayed, who shared supper with his friends blessing and breaking bread and pouring and sharing wine so that we might re-imagine love lived in this world.
BREAD BROKEN, WINE POURED & INVOCATION
SHARING
The table is set; the morning sky announces the Bridegroom’s return and bread and wine declare
That our waiting in hope is not time frozen in time past but set free to be our food this day.
DISTRIBUTION
BLESSING & BENEDICTION Christ be our Light
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.
Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has power 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.
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