Morning Service ~ 4 December 2022
The congregation are asked to stand as the Bible is placed into the pulpit
Welcome & Intimations
🕯 Lighting of Advent Candles 🕯
A Candle is burning, a candle of peace,
a candle to signal that conflict must cease:
for Jesus is coming to show us the way;
a message of peace humbly laid in the hay.
Call to Worship
Hymn: CH4 472 Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
1. Come, thou long-expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
2. Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.
3. Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
4. By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all-sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.
Baptism
The Lord bless you and keep you,
The Lord make his face
to shine upon you
And be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you
And give you peace.
Prayer & Lord’s Prayer
Hymn: CH4 312 Away In A Manger;
1. Away in a manger no crib for a bed
the little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay;
the little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.
2. The cattle are lowing the baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes
I love thee Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
And stay by my side until morning is nigh.
3. Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me for ever and love me I pray.
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there.
Readings: Isaiah 2:1–5
Matthew 1:18-25;
Read by Jim Thomson
Reading 1: Isaiah 7:10-17
10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11 ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.’
12 But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.’
13 Then Isaiah said, ‘Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 15 He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, 16 for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. 17 The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah – he will bring the king of Assyria.’
Reading 2: Luke 1:26-38
The birth of Jesus foretold
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants for ever; his kingdom will never end.’
34 ‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’
35 The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.’
38 ‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’ Then the angel left her.
Hymn: Christmas Comes Anew, O Let Us Sing Noel!
Tune: Noel Nouvelet
1. Christmas comes anew, O let us sing Noel!
Glory to God! Now let your praises swell!
Chorus
Sing we Noel for Christ, the newborn King,
Christmas comes anew, O let us sing Noel!
2. Angels did say, “O shepherds come and see,
Born in Bethlehem, a blessed Lamb for thee.”
Chorus
Sing we Noel for Christ, the newborn King,
Christmas comes anew, O let us sing Noel!
3. In the manger bed, the shepherds found the child;
Joseph was there, and the Mother Mary mild
Chorus
Sing we Noel for Christ, the newborn King,
Christmas comes anew, O let us sing Noel!
4. Soon came the wise men, following the star.
Bearing costly gifts from Eastern lands afar
Chorus
Sing we Noel for Christ, the newborn King,
Christmas comes anew, O let us sing Noel!
5. Brought to Him gold and incense of great price.
Then the stable bare resembled Paradise.
Chorus
Sing we Noel for Christ, the newborn King,
Christmas comes anew, O let us sing Noel!
Sermon:
“Mary – Faces At the Manger”
Hymn: CH3 314 Child in the Manger
1. Child in the manger,
Infant of Mary
Outcast and stranger,
Lord of all
Child who inherits
All our transgressions
All our demerits
on Him fall.
2. Once the most holy
Child of salvation
Gentle and lowly, lived below
Now, as our glorious
Mighty Redeemer
See Him victorious
O’er each foe
3. Prophets foretold Him
Infant of wonder
Angels behold Him
On His throne
Worthy our Saviour
Of all their praises
Happy forever
Are His own
Offering Brought Forward
Prayer of Dedication & Thanksgiving
Hymn: CH4 286 Tell Out, My Soul, the Greatness of the Lord!
1. Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word;
in God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.
2. Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age to same;
his holy Name, the Lord, the Mighty One.
3. Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
4. Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children’s children and for evermore!
Benediction
Threefold Amen
May the God of peace go with us
As we travel from this place.
May the love of Jesus keep us
Firm in hope and full of grace.
The congregation are asked to stand
as the Bible is removed from the pulpit