​As we prepare to welcome 2024, perhaps it’s time to pause and take stock.

​In the beginning was the Word.
Let your presence be known to be me now, dear God, by the grace of the words, the music,
the silence and the reflection of this time of worship.
As you were made known to us in the presence of Christ,
May I know your presence amongst me this day,
In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen

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.
 Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen

Glory be to God on high Stf 199

​
Luke 2:22-40 New International VersionJesus Presented in the Temple
22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him
to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to
be consecrated to the Lord” 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair
of doves or two young pigeons.
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for
the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that
he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple
courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 
28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”
33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said
to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that
will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your
own soul too.”
36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived
with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never
left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of
Jerusalem.39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to
Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and
​the grace of God was on him.

​stf 330 joy to the world.

​Reflections on the reading
Simeon and Anna are similarly blessed by their encounter with the infant Jesus – ‘newness’
reaches them, in their old age.
As we stand on the cusp of a new year, today’s Gospel story bring to mind a line from
Psalm 85:
I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people.
But let them not return to their foolish ways.
Do you start the year with the best intentions, and set yourself the loftiest of goals? Are you
going to lose half your body weight by May? Or start a punishing gym routine? Are you
going to start keeping a journal, committing to at least five full pages per day? In the vast
majority of cases, it’s not too long before we “return to our foolish ways,” and settle back
into old habits.
No doubt, we all have improvements we can make to the way we live, and it’s good to use
the beginning of the year as an opportunity to do just that; we have a ‘clean slate’, and a
duty to begin a new year on the right footing. However, how many of us set the bar far too
high?
In today’s reading, Simeon and Anna encounter a radical change in their lives very late –
but it doesn’t motivate a ‘fad diet’ in them, rather a deep contentment with who they are and
their ministry coming to an end.
I can’t help but feel that our shame takes the wheel at this time of year. We use the notion
of, ‘New Year, New Me’ to pick ourselves apart and jab at the aspects we’re ashamed of.
These things become sticks we can beat ourselves with, driving our self-esteem into the
ground as we bemoan our apparent lack of willpower.
As we prepare to welcome 2024, perhaps it’s time to pause and take stock. Let’s take a
moment to hear this verse from the psalmist again:
I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people.
The Lord speaks peace to his faithful people.
Peace.
Peace be with you.
My peace I leave with you.
May the Lord look upon you with favour, and grant you peace.
Let us learn to be at peace with ourselves.
Let us learn to be at peace with one another.
Amen.

190 STF – Angels, from the realms of glory -

Blessing
As you go out into this new year, may you be encouraged and inspired by your encounter
with the Spirit of God,
As you face difficult times and joyful moments in 2024, may God be your guide and your
companion
And may you know the miracle of Immanuel, God with us.
Amen.

​We are all a little Christmas story, “Be born in us today”. God lives in each of us; each birth is a new incarnation. Every encounter with a person can be an encounter with God. 

Opening Prayer 
​Here we are, Jesus, on this Christmas Day Here you are, Lord Jesus, always ready for us. Here I am God, ready for you Here you are Emmanuel, always with us Grant us your Spirit of joy and peace.

stf 166 christmas is coming

Four candles have been lit along our Advent way and now our final candle reveals to all the world
​God is with us, God is in us.
​Emmanuel,
God is with us, God is in us.
New life is celebrated this day, Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, Saviour, the babe in a manger, Redeemer of
the world light and life and love for the world. Emmanuel,
God is with us, God is in us.
​Jesus born for us, each and every one of us. Not just for shepherds and for wise men, not just for those he
knew then, oh yes, for them and us and evermore. Emmanuel,
God is with us, God is in us.
The extraordinary transforming the ordinary. The extraordinary making sense of the ordinary. The
extraordinary giving purpose and meaning. The extraordinary making me and making you. Emmanuel,
God is with us, God is in us. Christmas God, you have led us through Advent and brought us to the dawning of
this Christmas Day. You have transformed us and remade us, changed us, repurposed us, enlightened
and envisioned us. Our ordinary selves made new in you. We marvel, overwhelmed and speechless, at the gift of
a child who transformed the world, who offered and offers such love, such joy, such goodness, such purpose
and such life. Christmas God, we can’t now or ever thank you enough for all you have been, all you are and all you will be; transforming your people, making all things new, redeeming and blessing each one of us. Amen.

StF 330 - Joy to the World

Isaiah 9:2-7
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on
them light has shined. You have multiplied exultation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with
joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden and the bar across
their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For all the boots of
the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has
been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders, and he is named Wonderful
Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Great will be his authority, and there shall be
endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and
with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Born in the night, Mary’s child (StF 193)

Luke 2:1-14
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the
first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be 
registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called
Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary,
to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver
her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a
manger, because there was no place in the guest room. Now in that same region there were shepherds living in
the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of
the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I
am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in
a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!”

​​O little town of Bethlehem (StF 213)*

“I’d like to invite you now to watch a short film called ‘Far From Home’. This film has been made by Sanctuary Foundation, a charity that supports refugees, to show the link between the Christmas story and the lived experience of the 100 million people around the world who have been displaced. You may well recognise the family in this story!” ​

“Did you recognise the family in this story? Who do you think the baby was?
“It is easy to forget that Jesus was a refugee, born far from home in rather unsuitable temporary accommodation. But this is the story we celebrate at Christmas.  Let’s spend a moment praying for those who are far from home this Christmas, those who have lost their homes for whatever reason, and those who are currently homeless.”

Prayer: 
Lord Jesus
Thank you for the hope of Christmas. 
Even though the world can be a difficult place, 
Thank you that you understand our struggles.  
You know what it is like to live far from home,
You know what it is like to be vulnerable,  
You know what it is like to rely on others,
Thank you that you were born to become the Saviour of the World
Who now offers love, compassion and welcome to all. 
Help us, Lord Jesus, to be welcoming to those around us 
And especially to those who are far from home, or don’t have a home.  
Help us to open our hearts and homes to those who need it. 
Amen ​

Holy Jesus,
by being born one of us,
and lying humbly in a manger,
you show how much God loves the world.
Let the light of your love always shine in our hearts,
until we reach our home in heaven,
and see you on your throne of glory.
Amen.

​The Lords prayer
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.
 Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen

Love came down at Christmas (StF 210)

Advent Liturgy:
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you I am the Lord your God, who
saves you.
​​The third candle is lit
Jesus, light of the world, prepare us  Come Lord Jesus, come.

Praise – Advent
Loving and gracious God,
Creator and Sustainer of life, Mother and Father of all that is,
Christmas is coming, and we are waiting. Waiting for:
 Your Son, the saviour of the world.
 Your Holy Spirit who brings her life to the whole world,
brings your life to us.
Help us to use this time to prepare, to prepare to meet you.
Meet you on Christmas Day.
Meet you today, and every day.
Meet you in each other.
We praise you for all the wonderful things you have done for us
We praise you for all the wonderful things you are still doing for us.
We praise you for all the wonderful things you will do for us.
You created each one of us, and a universe for us to live in.
What a wonderful creation, full of love.
We praise you for all you have made.
You show your love for us every day and give us so much.
We praise you especially for the gift of your Son.
 For his life, his death, his resurrection and exaltation.
We wait and look.
 To see the baby Jesus.
 To see you at work in the world.
 To see your kingdom come.
We praise you for all you are.
Amen.​

Lords Prayer - Modern
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 forever.
Amen.

StF 330 Joy to the world.

​Advent. Advent Hope.
To trust in, and act on, the promises of this week’s Scriptures is a radical act of hope and defiant
faithfulness in the face of devastating reality and superficial, saccharine seasonal wishes.
 Good news for the oppressed;
 Comfort for those who mourn;
 The repair of ruined cities;
 That the earth will again bring forth its shoots and that what has been sown will spring up;
 That peace is possible.
These are a radical act of hope and defiant faithfulness despite what the news overwhelms us with
every day.

Our readings this week remind us that preparing for Christmas is not simply preparing for our private
reflections on Jesus come to earth for me,
 Not our personal memories of Christmases past when life was easier or sweeter - although I too
remember with nostalgia when my child was small and so easily excited.
 Advent, our preparing for the coming of God, is holding a sacred space for hope and change even
in the broken and jaundiced parts of our personal and shared life;
 Advent is being awake to all that is and giving ourselves over to the shaking apart of the known
world so what is promised might come; and
 Advent is about courage, hope and desire for peace and restoration even when we are wearied
and worried.

We have 2 readings: From John’s gospel and the prophet Isaiah both followed by a short talk. We start
with John.

​John 1:6-8, 19-28

John 1:6-8
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning
that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness
to the light.
John 1:19-28
19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask
him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Messiah.’
21 They asked him, ‘Then who are you? Are you Elijah?’

He said, ‘I am not.’
‘Are you the Prophet?’
He answered, ‘No.’
22 Finally they said, ‘Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say
about yourself?’
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, ‘I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, “Make
straight the way for the Lord.”’
24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, ‘Why then do you baptise if you are not the
Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’
26 ‘I baptise with water,’ John replied, ‘but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one
who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’
28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.

Talk 1 Who are you?
Who are you?
 How would you answer that question?
 Mother, father? Child? Brother, sister? OR by your job? Or ex job? By your allegiance to a
football team? Maybe by your faith?

23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, ‘I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, “Make
straight the way for the Lord.”’
 So, how did John “Make straight the way for the Lord.”?
 How do we “Make straight the way for the Lord.”?
 John pointed away from himself and towards Jesus, the coming Messiah. With his words and his
actions.
 With his humility.

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning
that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness
to the light.
 Christmas is a wonderful time for children, for families.
 For getting together, having fun. For joy, rejuvenation and relaxation.
 At least is is for some, maybe most.
 But all that misses the deeper point. The coming of Jesus. Not just as a baby in a manger, but his
whole life. And his death, resurrection and ascension.

That is what we must witness to.
 Not just “Mary and Joseph in stable bear watching over the child beloved and fair, sleeping in
heavenly rest.”

 But also verse 2 “Christ the Redeemer is here”.
 Our Christmas carols are packed with meaning:
“Hark! The herald angels sing glory to the new-born King, peace on earth and mercy mild, God
and sinners reconciled.”
 Listen as you sing this Christmas, listen for the message we are called to share.
Point to Jesus. Get ready for his coming. And the challenge that brings.

Confession – Christmas & Epiphany
(Based on Methodist Worship Book p 129).
In the silence and stillness
let us open our hearts and lives to God,
and welcome Jesus coming as Light and Word.
Ready for him coming into our lives and the life of the world.
​
​Loving God,
you have searched us and know us.
You know our blindness and our frailties,
our fears and our selfishness.
In sorrow we confess
that we have failed to follow fully your command to love.
Forgive us for the sake of your Son, Jesus the Christ,
who lived like us that we might become like him.

The true light that gives light to everyone
has come into the world, and into our lives.
To all who receive him,
he gives the gift of knowing we are children of God.
This is God;s gracious word:
& We are forgiven, loved and free.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
​
StF 182 On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry.

​Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

The year of the LORD’s favour
61 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favour
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion –
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendour.

8 ‘For I, the LORD, love justice;
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
and make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their descendants will be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the LORD has blessed.’
10 I delight greatly in the LORD;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the soil makes the young plant come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness
and praise spring up before all nations.

​Talk 2 Radical Hope
Note: Much of this talk is based on Companions on the Way
Why are you here? Here today, here in this life? What is your purpose in this broken world?

Advent is a time of Radical Hope
Radical hope is to both deeply acknowledge the reality of our present world – the hunger and the harm,
the devastation and the despair – and to hold in our hearts and imaginations the world that the prophet
Isaiah speaks of.
 It is not one or the other but both truths.
 And maybe even more importantly it is to see the shoots of the promised world in this one even
now.
When we have lamented the way it is.
 When we have raised our clenched fists heavenward and sighed or screamed “Why” then our
radically defiant hope stirs us into action.
 To make our way to the ruins of our time and fall to our knees to search the rubble for life, to
comfort those who mourn, and to do what can be done for the wounded.
 This is our call at every level – physically for some, financially for those of us who can, spiritually
for all who pray, and using our imagination for all who have the courage to do so.
 True hope and faith require that we not look away but hold the image of what is and the vision
of what is meant to be and with the prophet’s gaze see the emergence of the kingdom even
now.

Our readings this week also remind us that we are preparing not simply for survival, for getting by, but
we are making way for justice and joy.
 Not the artificial joy of decorated shop windows and homes (even though these can be
delightful) but for the mercy of God in every part of life and of the world.
 We are called to prepare for justice even as we see new atrocities being added to the horrifying
ledger of human activity
 as children and health workers are bombed;
 as people and creatures starve or drown in the face of our struggling planet; and
 as too many leaders avoid eye contact with the real challenges of our time.
 We are called to prepare for the coming of God’s justice for all even at this time when it seems
to recede from us for it is now that it is most desperately needed.
 We the faithful must hold the hope now when it is most needed and others are weary.
And most radical of all we are called to practice joy in the midst of all that is happening and not
happening.
 We are not to wait until a good time or a convenient time to know joy but, crazy with hope and
love, we are called to experience joy now in whatever measure we can and to assert the right of
all humanity and creatures to know joy.

​​ Joy is not simply the reward of a happy life or some would never get to experience it.
 Joy is a response of wonder, gratitude, pleasure and delight in the moment. It is a response of
faith to allow joy even in the presence of loss and fear and weariness.
 We can and must choose to practice joy so that the world remembers it is possible.
 Joy in the angle of sunlight at certain times of the day.
 Joy in being remembered and remembering.
 Joy in hearing of a neighbour’s good news.
 Joy in an overheard refrain.
 Joy in a shared meal.
 Joy that the image of the universal child in a manger still speaks of hope, peace, and love as
possible.

So let us be radical claimers of hope, of peace, and of joy so that we are ready for the season of love.
Even so, come Lord Jesus Christ, come awaken us to the joy that is now.

I Thessalonians 5:16-24
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in
Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what
is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and
body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he
will do it.

StF 404 God’s spirit is in my heart.

​Prayers for people and situations.
Year B 3rd in Advent David Adam, Radiance of his glory.
Holy Lord, you come to us, you inspire us, you enable us;
grant that we may proclaim your loving presence
and show your saving power.
Let your church be seen to be working for justice and
righteousness, for liberty and peace;
Lord, that we may live at peace and oppress no one.
Make us instruments of peace within our communities and within our homes.
Lord of freedom,
hear us.
We remember before you all who are seeking freedom:
we pray for nations burdened with great debt,
for families who have lost their homes, peoples denied justice.

We pray for all who are suffering from violence or tyranny.
We pay for the work of Amnesty International, we remember
all who care for prisoners
We pray for any who are hostages at this time.
Lord of freedom,
hear us.
Lord teach us to appreciate what we have and to be aware of
all that is done for us.
Let us not take each other for granted.
Let us hold fast to all that is good and abstain from every form of evil.
May our homes be homes of holiness and hospitality, of grace and goodness.
Lord of freedom,
hear us.
We remember in your holy presence, God of liberty,
all whose lives have been diminished by poverty or neglect,
all whose confidence has been lost through harsh treatment or scorn.
We pray for those who have been betrayed,
especially those betrayed by loved ones.
We remember all who have suffered through robbery or slander
We pray for all who have lost their dignity through illness.
We remember friends and loved ones in their troubles, especially ……
We pray that all who are bereaved at this time may be strengthened.
Lord of freedom,
hear us.
Lord, you have done great things for us already, and yet, greater things are to come.
We ask you to guide and strengthen all who make major decisions that affect others. Give them wisdom
to make the right choices fo rus and future generations on such issues as:
 Climate change;
 Economic fairness/fair trade; poverty – lack of food, water, shelter;
 Struggle with cost of living;
 War/civil war/unrest;
 Refugees;
 Disadvantaged – ethnicity, gender, sexuality/LGBTQ+, class/upbringing.
We pray for all who have departed from us, especially …...
May they be numbered with your saints and know the glorious
liberty of the children of God.
Lord of freedom,
hear us.

Come, Holy Spirit of God, come upon us,
that you may send us out in your power,

Fill us with your grace and goodness,
that we may be able to bring the good news to the oppressed,
to comfort the broken-hearted,
and to bring liberty and freedom to your people;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.

Out of the Father;s glorious riches may he strengthen us with power through his Spirit in our inner
being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith.
And I pray that, being rooted and established in love, we may have power to grasp how wide and long
and high and deep is the love of Christ. And to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that we may
be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power
that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for
ever and ever!
Amen.

Stf 169 Come, thou long expected Jesus.

Prayer of Offering, Dedication & Thanks
Loving God, Father & Mother of all that is.
Thank you for the many good gifts you grant us, esp. your love shown in Jesus.
Thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen us day by day.
Thank you that we are called to be your children - to grow more like you every day.
We bring our offerings to you and ask that you bless them.
We bring our gifts and talents to you and ask that you bless them.
We bring our lives to you and ask that you bless them.
Thank you for your grace today and every day.
Amen.

Blessing
The God of peace sanctify you entirely;
may your body, soul and spirit be kept sound and blameless.
Rejoice in the Lord: pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances.
Do not quench the Spirit. Hold fast to what is good, abstain from all evil.
And the blessing of the Holy One be with you today and forever. 

Christmas message from President and Vice President of the Methodist Church

​We are all familiar with the place of prophets in the Old Testament. They held positions of status
in royal courts, and in the temples.

​Light of the world,
This Advent season comes to us as an annual reminder that you are not a God of distance, of
high-heavens and of power,
Rather, you are a God of presence, of earthly-ordinariness and of poverty.
If you have a candle, find it and something to light it. Put it somewhere you can see it. If you do
not have a candle, use a lamp.
As you light the candle, or light the lamp, say these words:
The light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never put it out.
Sit in silence and notice the light and the shadows in the room.
When you are ready, offer this time of worship to God:
Jesus, you are the light of the world, the light of my life, I offer this time to you in worship and
prayer and praise.
Amen.

StF 530 to be in your presence

​StF 628 Faithful One

​Mark 1:1-8 New International VersionJohn the Baptist Prepares the Way 
1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God,2 as it  is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.
4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness
of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins,
they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt
around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one
more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize
you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit

Message
We are all familiar with the place of prophets in the Old Testament. They held positions of status
in royal courts, and in the temples.
In the book of Isaiah – we have the Lord directing Isaiah’s actions, and even what he will say to
the people.
On this occasion there are no harsh words – just word of comfort and tenderness.
However, in the wilderness Isaiah is to cry out, because the Lord is going to do something
amazing and personal. He will be like a shepherd to them.

Compare that with the New Testament – there are not many prophets in the gospels – Anna,
Simeon, and John.
In the urgency of Mark’s Gospel, we have the Messiah announced, and John the Baptizer doing
his thing in the wilderness. In other gospels, he is confused with the Prophets of old, with his
message of repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

And today? Who are the prophets in 2023?
I think we’re more likely to have consultants than prophets. They give us forecasts, risk
assessments, and the like.
We would not use the language of prophets (other than when talking about ‘prophets of doom’).
As a society we are suspicious of people speaking confidently about God and their relationship
with God.
People who say ‘God says’; ‘The word of the Lord came to me and told me …’, or ‘This is the
will of God …’.
Gone are the days when God’s messengers could speak out. Today, messengers come in
many forms – Vicars, priests, lay leaders, and ministers; World leaders, community
leaders/politicians; kings and queens, the poor and the ordinary.
These people no longer have the status they had.
They are no longer listened to by right – they must earn the right to be listened to. WHY?
Because today everyone has their own direct access/channel to God.
And so it should be.
The result is that anyone brave enough to stand up and be prophetic – speak out against
something or for something in the name of God, need to be prepared to have their message
challenged and tested.
Unfortunately, today, the message will not be tested on its community-building impact, but on
‘what’s in it for me?’

So, for some - the thought that God might want those of us who are working, and earning above
a certain amount to contribute more in tax so that more nurses or teachers can be trained and
employed - this can’t be the will of God, ‘because there is nothing directly in it for me’!!
Also, we’re not a single community anymore – with one community leader (like the communities
Jesus and John were born into).
The last time we saw anything like united communities was during the covid pandemic, when
we caught glimpses of communities sharing the same experiences and goals (unless, that is,
you worked at Downing Street).

For us as Christians of different traditions, we need to acknowledge that people are confused by
dis-unity, and don’t know what to believe.
No wonder Jesus prayed for the unity of his followers – that we all may be one – so that the
world might believe.

So, unlike John, who said it clear and plain, we are often reduced to a series of well-rehearsed,
well tried & tested platitudes, quotes and sayings that we can all agree on, in our attempt to
avoid upsetting anyone.
As a result, we agree ‘God is love’.
We agree that God’s will is that we live in peace?
We agree God’s will is that we repent and turn back to him and his ways?
But we can’t agree on how to work these things out in our daily lives.
Yet we can firmly believe that God’s will is that we drastically change the way we live (maybe by
adapting our structures and moving Justice issues further up our agendas?) in order that we set
an example for the rest of the community.
People are very selective about which prophetic voices they listen to. It has always been so.

But if we are restricted to the well tested platitudes, let them be words of thanks to God for his
faithfulness in and through them – his love, and his promises to love us and be generous to us,
(as we regularly do in the sharing of bread and wine).
I thank God for his promises fulfilled.
I thank God for the promises of Advent and Christmas – Emmanuel – God with us, in our
neighbourhoods, in his messengers, in our hearts, always. Amen.​

​255 STF – The kingdom of God is justice and joy -

Lords prayer
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.
 Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen

StF 157 God has spoken

Blessing
Go out and meet a God who is already out there,
Step forward and find a Christ who is already at work in your community,
Be bold and discover a Spirit who is willing to take risks.
As you prepare, may the Christ-child make himself known to you in the extraordinary
ordinariness of each day.
Amen.

Call to Worship
As the adventure of Advent begins,
let us prepare to meet with God.
Let us bring our hopes and expectations.
Let us prepare ourselves for what God wants of us.
Let God find us ready and waiting.
Come and worship.

​Our Advent ring stands waiting ,for candle light to lead us on.
We’ll open up traditions, with challenge and with change.
Advent God,
challenge us today.
Our box of decorations stands ready to be explored.
We reassess the treasures in this bulging cardboard box.
Let’s sort the treasure from the trash the needed from the not.
Advent God,
challenge us today.
Our living is refocused with preparations underway.
Our ordinary and everyday will be challenged along the way.
Letting go of stuff to do God’s will, is here to stay.
Advent God,
challenge us today.
In the mundane and ordinary, stars will start to fall,
challenging and changing us with holy goodness breaking through.
Advent God,
challenge us today.
​
Prayer
Advent God, as we light this, our first Advent candle
may we let go of what swamps us
and serves no purpose for us,
so that we can meet the challenges that lie ahead of us.
May our ordinary lives be enriched by your extraordinary love for us.
Amen.

StF 166 Christmas is coming

​Prayer of Adoration
Advent God,
you prepared your people for your coming,
you gave your Word to us through prophets and priests,
through stories told and retold,
through the history of time,
through the written word,
through the spoken word,
but always your word.
As Christmas lights begin to dazzle us,
we know that your glory is way beyond their transfixing power.
Advent God, we adore you,
and we bring ourselves before you just as we are. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
God of all the world, our world is lost without you.
We make war with each other.
Some have too much while others have little.
Our differences confuse us, and we lack understanding.
Come amongst us, God, and help us.
God of the Church, we have lost the excitement of pilgrimage.
We avoid adventure and sharing in challenging service.
We shrink from mission and evangelism.
Come amongst us, God, and help us.
God of our life, you have called us and we have not heard well.
You have real things for us to do, and we have not always done them.
You call us to a life of Christian love and discipleship
and we have fallen from your ways.
Come amongst us, God, and help us.
For the sake of Jesus Christ.
Amen.

 StF 706 – Longing for light

Prayer of Thanksgiving
We thank you, God, for your richness.
We thank you for the way your light lets us see the world and its people.
We thank you for diversity and difference in people and places.
We thank you for signs and symbols and glimpses of your kingdom.
We thank you for bolts out of the blue that reveal you to us
and for the tiny flame that offers us assurance.
We thank you for your care through the hands of others,
hands of family, hands of friends and hands of strangers.
We thank you that in others we see you
and that through seeing you we see them in different ways.
We thank you that in the hustle and bustle of this season that you come to us,
in word & deed, in touch & gift, in noise & in the quiet.
We are all your people, all your children, all your flock,
and for us all you care – to you we give our thanks and praise.
Amen.

​
Isaiah 64:1-9 New International Version
​]Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
    that the mountains would tremble before you!
2 As when fire sets twigs ablaze
    and causes water to boil,
come down to make your name known to your enemies
    and cause the nations to quake before you!
3 For when you did awesome things that we did not expect,
    you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.
4 Since ancient times no one has heard,
    no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
    who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
5 You come to the help of those who gladly do right,
    who remember your ways.
But when we continued to sin against them,
    you were angry.
    How then can we be saved?
6 All of us have become like one who is unclean,
    and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
    and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
7 No one calls on your name
    or strives to lay hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us
    and have given us over to our sins.
8 Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
    We are the clay, you are the potter;
    we are all the work of your hand.
9 Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord;
    do not remember our sins forever.
Oh, look on us, we pray,
    for we are all your people.

 StF 161 – Speak, O Lord, as we come to you

​Luke 1:5-25 New International Version The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division
of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of
God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth
was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen
by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And
when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When
Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not
be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call
him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great
in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the
Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And
he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children 
and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and
to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens,
because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 
22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he
kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant
and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has
shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

Advent 1 – What are we waiting for?

So, the Season of Advent begins today but for many the truth of Advent is easily
overwhelmed by Christmas – in buying presents, stocking up on food, parties etc;
and that process seemed to start earlier and earlier each year.
It’s all too easy for us to forget what the Season of Advent should really be about –
I’m as guilty as the next person. That we should be preparing to celebrate the
coming of Jesus – firstly as a baby (which we all enjoy), and then the more
challenging return of Jesus in glory.
Thankfully, our Advent lectionary readings can help us to take time out of the
madness that December becomes & help us to reflect on what we celebrate.
Today we’re thinking about the place of Zechariah and Elizabeth, parents of John
the Baptist who will feature in coming Sundays. Luke begins his account of the life
of Jesus by describing some of the circumstances around his birth that will
underline for his listeners the significance of who Jesus is.
Firstly, a little background. Zechariah was a priest and in Jewish tradition
priesthood was passed down family lines. Priests were leaders of worship, and
they offered sacrifices on behalf of the Jewish people. There were 24 priestly
families and each family offered a sacrifice at the Temple in Jerusalem twice a
year. When it was their family’s turn many family members would go to Jerusalem
to do their priestly duty.
Once at the Temple lots would be cast to decide who would burn incense in the
sanctuary at the heart of the Temple. This was a privilege that could be performed
only once, and many priests never got chosen.
Now Zechariah was an old man. We are told that he carried to Jerusalem the
disappointment that they had no child to pass on the family’s priestly inheritance.
Zechariah is chosen by lots to burn incense which would have been a moment of
mixed emotions for him - the joy of his being chosen & the sorrow because he had
no heir.
He enters the sanctuary alone and puts the grains of incense into the fire. And as
the incense rises, we presume that Zechariah would have rested in the presence
of God. And in that moment an angel appears to him. Unsurprisingly Zechariah is
gripped with fear.
The angel calms him and tells him that God has heard their prayer and that
Elizabeth will bear a son. They are to call him John (gift from the Lord), and he will
make the people ready to receive the Messiah.
Zechariah’s response to this astonishing new is, to us, a statement of the
blindingly obvious. ‘How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well on in years’.
His human response elicits no sympathy from the angel. His lack of trust provokes
the angel to silence him so when he emerges from the sanctuary to bless the
people, he couldn’t speak. The crowd at least realise that something serious had
happened; Zechariah remains silent until John is born.
This is an extraordinary story with points for reflection as we enter this Advent.
1. God fulfils his promises in his good time
Zechariah learns that God fulfils his promises in his own good time - and not ours.
It was not unusual for God to promise a child to an elderly couple (Abraham &
Sarah). These births, point us to God’s rule where the flow of the story is
controlled by God - not us.
The coming of Jesus had been long promised in the Old Testament. God’s people
had been waiting but God’s promises are fulfilled in his good time.
2. God can bring life from the most unpromising material
The second lesson is that God can use even the most unpromising situations to
draw life - even when to us it seems impossible. T
Let’s be honest, we are all unpromising material - as human beings, as a church
even. We can be self-obsessed & anxious; desperate to make the Kingdom of
God in our own image, determined to be in control of events. Like Zechariah we
look for guarantees and signs that God is with us in our actions.
Reassuringly, we can also see that God chooses such unpromising people as his
own – like Zechariah & Elizabeth, and like us perhaps? This is a hopeful sign.
3. At Advent we can reflect and wait on God’s promises
In truth, December is not a good time to find quiet. Everywhere we go is hustle &
bustle. Our conversations even reflect this – are we ready for Christmas?
But just stop for a moment and think about what that question means? ‘Are you
ready for Christmas?’
Does it mean have we bought the presents, organised the food, invited the guests
etc. etc.? Or does it mean that we have taken time to prepare ourselves, to be
ready to welcome the Son of God when he comes?
Maybe Zechariah’s punishment (if that is what it was) was actually a blessing?
Maybe, being silenced for 9 months meant that he must contemplate what he had
discovered; what his son would be called to. His silence means that he cannot
respond to the angel’s message in any active way; he must watch and wait on the
unfolding promise of God – which came to pass, as promised.
Watching & waiting is not something that we find easy. In some respects, we might
consider it to be a waste of time when we could be active & achieving. So, maybe
during Advent we need to be reminded that it is God who calls us into being, and
that we need to watch and wait; to learn to listen and not to talk over it.
God’s promises are fulfilled in God’s good time, even with the most unpromising of
material, because God is merciful and caring and wise. And in this Season of
Advent, if we need to find some for silence & reflection, so that we can
comprehend this wonder, and say that we are ready.
Thanks be to God.
Amen​

StF 176 – Like a candle flame

The Lords Prayer
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.
 Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen
​
StF 167 – Colours of Day

Blessing
Lord, we begin our Advent,
waiting for you with love and patience.
Help us to remember that you will return for us
and for those yet to know you.
Help us to be patient and alert,
but help us also to be doing and serving
and building your kingdom.
Your kingdom come on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Amen.