The birth of Jesus foretold

(words for hymns and bible readings can be found below the order of service)

Welcome & Intimations
Call to worship
Lighting the 3rd candle – Peace
Prayer
MP 162 : From heaven you came
Reading Luke 1 : 26–38 & 46-55
Prayer & Lord’s Prayer
Video: Mary did you know
Reflection
CH4 300 : The virgin Mary had a baby boy
Prayer for others
MP 393 : Joy to the world
Blessing

Call to Worship

Dare we reimagine the world.
Dare we speak of hope in the silence.
Dare we pour colour into the shadows.
Dare we gather in such promise,
on the cusp of Incarnation.
Let us worship the one who brings us here
and whose word is the poetry of hope

MP 162 : From heaven you came

1 From heaven you came, helpless babe,
entered our world, Your glory vieled,
not to be served but to serve,
and give Your life that we might live.

Chorus
This is our God, the Servant King,
He calls us now to follow Him,
to bring our lives as a daily offering
of worship to the Servant King.

2 There in the garden of tears
my heavy load he chose to bear;
His heart with sorrow was torn,
‘Yet not my will but yours,’ He said.
Chorus

3 Come see His and and His feet,
the scars that speak of sacrifice,
hands that flung stars into space
to cruel nails surrendered.
Chorus

4 So let us learn how to serve
and in our lives enthrone Him,
each other’s needs to prefer,
for it is Christ we’re serving.
Chorus

Luke 1:26-55

The birth of Jesus foretold

 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 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, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants for ever; his kingdom will never end.’

 ‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’

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.  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. For no word from God will ever fail.’

‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’ Then the angel left her.

Mary’s song

⁴⁶ And Mary said:
‘My soul glorifies the Lord    and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me –
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants for ever,  just as he promised our ancestors.

CH4 300 : The virgin Mary had a baby boy

1 The Virgin Mary had a baby boy,
the Virgin Mary had a baby boy,
the Virgin Mary had a baby boy
and they say that his name is Jesus.

Chorus
He comes from the glory,
He comes from the glorious kingdom;
He comes from the glory,
He comes from the glorious kingdom.
Oh yes, believer!
Oh yes, believer!
He comes from the glory,
He comes from the glorious kingdom.

2 The angels sang when the baby was born,
the angels sang when the baby was born,
the angels sang when the baby was born,
and they sang that his name is Jesus.
Chorus

3 The shepherds came where the baby was born,
the shepherds came where the baby was born,
the shepherds came where the baby was born,
and they say that his name is Jesus.
Chorus

MP 393 : Joy to the world

1 Joy to the world, the Lord has come!
let earth receive her King;
ler every heart prepare Him room
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing!

2 Joy to the earth, the Saviour reigns!
your sweetest songs employ
while fields and streams and hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

3 He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of His righteousness,
the wonders of His love,
the wonders of His love,
the wonders, wonders of His love.