Week 2 of Advent<\/p>\n
(words to hymns and bible readings follow the Call to Worship)<\/p>\n
Welcome and Intimations \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Call to Worship MP 249 :How lovely on the mountains 1 How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him 2 You watchmen, lift your voices joyfully as one, 3 Waste places of Jerusalem break forth with joy, 4 Ends of the earth, see the salvation of your God, JP 144 : Joy is the flag Joy is the flag flown high from the castle of my heart, Luke 1:57-64\u00a0 & 68 \u2013 79 Good News Translation<\/strong><\/p>\n The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son.\u00a0\u00a0<\/sup>Her neighbours and relatives heard how wonderfully good the Lord had been to her, and they all rejoiced with her. Luke 1 : 57 \u2013 64 New International Version<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. Luke 1 – 68 \u2013 79 New International Version \u2013 UK<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2018Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn\u00a0<\/sup>of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), \u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>salvation from our enemies MP 210 : Hark the glad sound 1 Hark, the glad sound! the Saviour comes, 2 He comes, the prisoners to release 3 He comes to free the captive mind 4 He comes the broken heart to bind, 5 Our glad hosannas, Prince of peace, CH4 662: Jesus thou joy of loving hearts 1 Jesus, thou joy of loving hearts, 2 Thy truth unchanged has ever stood; 3 We taste thee, O thou living bread, 4 Our restless spirits yearn for thee, 5 O Jesus, ever with us stay; <\/p>\n MP211: Hark the Herald 1 Hark the herald – angels sing, 2 Christ, by highest heaven adored, 3 Hail, the heaven-born Prince of peace! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Week 2 of Advent (words to hymns and bible readings follow the Call to Worship) Welcome and Intimations Call to Worship MP 249 :How lovely on the mountains All age talk Lighting the second candle Prayer JP 144 : Joy … Continue reading
\nCall to Worship
\nMP 249 :How lovely on the mountains
\n<\/em>All age talk
\nLighting the second candle
\nPrayer
\nJP 144 : Joy is the flag
\n<\/em>Advent video
\n<\/em>Giving Service thoughts
\nPrayer
\nIntroduction to reading
\nReading Luke 1 : 57 \u2013 64 & 68 – 79
\nMP 210 : Hark the glad sound
\n<\/em>Reflection
\nPrayer
\nCH4 662: Jesus thou joy of loving hearts
\n<\/em>Communion
\nMP211: Hark the Herald
\n<\/em>Benediction<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Let us hear the word
\nComfort, comfort\u00a0my people,
\nLet us hear the word
\nA voice of one calling: \u201cIn the wilderness prepare the way\u00a0for the\u00a0Lord
\nmake straight in the desert a highway for our God.
\nEvery valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill\u00a0made low;
\nthe rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
\nAnd the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em><\/p>\n
\nwho brings good news, good news proclaiming peace,
\nannouncing news of happiness,
\nour God reigns, our God reigns!
\nour God reigns, our God reigns,
\nour God reigns, our God reigns!<\/p>\n
\nshout for your King, your King,
\nSee eye to eye the Lord restoring Zion:
\nyour God reigns, your God reigns!
\nyour God reigns, your God reigns,
\nyour God reigns, your God reigns!<\/p>\n
\nwe are redeemed, redeemed.
\nThe Lord has saved and comforted His people;
\nyour God reigns, your God reigns!
\nyour God reigns, your God reigns,
\nyour God reigns, your God reigns!<\/p>\n
\nJesus is Lord, is Lord
\nBefore the nations He has bared His holy arm:
\nyour God reigns, your God reigns!
\nyour God reigns, your God reigns,
\nyour God reigns, your God reigns!<\/p>\n
\n<\/em><\/p>\n
\nfrom the castle of my heart,
\nfrom the castle of my heart,
\nJoy is the flag flown high from the castle of my heart,
\nwhen the King is in residence there.
\nSo let it fly in the sky, let the whole world know
\nlet the whole world know
\nlet the whole world know
\nSo let it fly in the sky, let the whole world know
\nThat the King is in residence there.<\/p>\n
\nWhen the baby was a week old, they came to circumcise him, and they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father.\u00a0But his mother said, \u201cNo! His name is to be John.\u201d
\nThey said to her, \u201cBut you don’t have any relative with that name!\u201d\u00a0Then they made signs to his father, asking him what name he would like the boy to have.
\nZechariah asked for a writing pad and wrote, \u201cHis name is John.\u201d How surprised they all were!\u00a0At that moment Zechariah was able to speak again, and he started praising God.
\n\u201cLet us praise the Lord, the God of Israel! He has come to the help of his people and has set them free. He has provided for us a mighty Saviour, a descendant of his servant David. He promised through his holy prophets long ago that he would save us from our enemies, from the power of all those who hate us. He said he would show mercy to our ancestors and remember his sacred covenant.
\nWith a solemn oath to our ancestor Abraham he promised to rescue us from our enemies and allow us to serve him without fear, so that we might be holy and righteous before him all the days of our life.
\n\u201cYou, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God.
\nYou will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his road for him, \u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>to tell his people that they will be saved by having their sins forgiven. Our God is merciful and tender. He will cause the bright dawn of salvation to rise on us and to shine from heaven on all those who live in the dark shadow of death, to guide our steps into the path of peace.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nOn the eighth day they came to circumcise\u00a0the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,\u00a0but his mother spoke up and said, \u201cNo! He is to be called John.\u201d
\nThey said to her, \u201cThere is no one among your relatives who has that name.\u201d
\nThen they made signs\u00a0to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.\u00a0\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone\u2019s astonishment he wrote, \u201cHis name is John.\u201d\u00a0Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak,\u00a0praising God.<\/p>\n
\nand from the hand of all who hate us \u2013 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear\u00a0in holiness
\nand righteousness before him all our days.
\nAnd you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation
\nthrough the forgiveness of their sins, \u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>because of the tender mercy of our God,
\nby which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness
\nand in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace<\/p>\n
\n<\/em><\/p>\n
\nthe Saviour promised long;
\nlet every heart prepare a throne,
\nand every voice a song.<\/p>\n
\nin Satan’s bondage held;
\nthe chains of sin before Him break,
\nthe iron fetters yield.<\/p>\n
\nwhere evil thoughts control;
\nand for the darkness of the blind,
\ngives light that makes them whole.<\/p>\n
\nthat wounded soul to cure;
\nand with the treasures of His grace
\nto enrich the humble poor.<\/p>\n
\nYour welcome shall proclaim;
\nand heaven’s eternal arches ring
\nwith Your beloved name.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em><\/p>\n
\nthou light of life, thou fount of grace;
\nfrom the best bliss that earth imparts
\nwe turn unfilled to seek thy face.<\/p>\n
\nthou savest those that on thee call:
\nto those that seek thee thou art good,
\nto those that find thee, all in all.<\/p>\n
\nand long to feast upon thee still;
\nwe drink of thee, the fountain head,
\nand thirst our souls from thee to fill.<\/p>\n
\nwhere’er our changeful lot is cast,
\nglad when thy gracious smile we see,
\nblest when our faith can hold thee fast.<\/p>\n
\nmake all our moments calm and bright;
\nchase the dark night of sin away:
\nshed o’er the world thy holy light.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em><\/p>\n
\n‘Glory to the new-born King!
\nPeace on earth, and mercy mild,
\nGod and sinners reconciled’
\nJoyful, all you nations rise,
\njoin the triumph of the skies;
\nwith the angelic host proclaim,
\n‘Christ is born in Bethlehem!’
\nChorus – Hark! the herald-angels king,
\n“Glory to the new-born King!’<\/p>\n
\nChrist, the everlasting Lord,
\nlate in time behold Him come,
\noffspring of a virgin’s womb!
\nVeiled in flesh the Godhead see!
\nHail, the incarnate Deity!
\nPleased as man with man to dwell
\nJesus, our Immanuel.<\/p>\n
\nHail, the Sun of righteousness!
\nLight and life to all He brings,
\nrisen with healing in His wings.
\nMild He lays His glory by,
\nborn that man no more may die;
\nborn to raise the sons of earth
\nborn to give them second birth.<\/p>\n