1st Sunday of Christmas Readings: 1 Samuel 2v18-20&26; Psalm 148; Colossians 3v12-17; Luke 2v41-end. Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. A Word : In the readings from Samuel and Luke we hear how God calls children into his service. In the reading Samuel was a child who had been handed over to the priest Eli for training in the service of God. Samuel was the son of Hannah and Elkannah, a child that Hannah had prayed for over many years. A child that she wanted and loved and continued to provide for, even though she had handed him over to the service of God. As a child gifted from God, Samuel was blessed by God and became a prophet and guide who accepted by God and the people. Elsewhere in the Book of Samuel we hear that when he was a child that he heard God calling to him, even though Eli the priest had not yet taught him that God makes his presence known to some people in supernatural ways. In the gospel of Luke we hear that Jesus went to Jerusalem every year with his parents for the feast of the Passover. However, when he was 12 years old, Jesus lingered in the temple and was left behind when his parents and those they were travelling with set off for home. After a search of three days, Mary and Joseph found Jesus in the temple and because of their anxiety, Mary complained to Jesus when they found him. However, instead of apologising, Jesus questioned why they had not first come to the temple because he thought his parents knew that he had to be in his father’s house. As Jesus’ parents did not understand what he meant, Jesus left with them and returned to Nazareth where he was obedient and grew in wisdom as well as growing in favour with God and those who knew him. I believe that these readings are a reminder to us that children are God’s people, they are the Church of today and the ministers of God’s people as they grow up. Paul’s letter to the Colossian people, tells us how we should live and how we should raise the children of the world if we and they are to live as God’s blessed, much-loved and chosen people. Pauls says that In our dealings with others we are to be: gentle and modest; caring and kind; patient and forgiving; loving and peaceful and agreeable. And as one body of people serving Christ we are to: study God’s word; teach and correct one another wisely; gather for worship and live our lives in the service of Jesus. This is an important calling for all of us who believe in God and follow his son Jesus, for from ancient scriptures such as Psalm 148, we have been taught we have a God who created us and is to be exalted for from his glory he raised up a Saviour for his people. For we have a God who the whole of heaven and creation is called to pray to, praise and give thanks to. The God of creation who is worshipped by: angels and the heavenly multitude; the sun, the moon and stars; the earth, the waters and the weather; the mountains, the hills and the trees; the birds of the air, all wild and domesticated animals, all creatures that live in fresh and salt waters and all the creepy crawlies of the earth. Alongside all creation, there is a special call to humankind: the kings, princes and rulers of the earth; the young and old – both male and female; all God’s faithful people and his chosen people Israel. I pray we take this calling to heart and live by it as best we can, each day of our lives. Let us Pray: Heavenly Father, redeeming God we thank you for sending your son into the world to show us the way to heaven. Fill us with your grace, teach us how to be obedient and show us the way you have designed to be – for the love of Jesus. Amen Thanks for joining us today.
During Advent, we hosted a lovely Christmas Fayre with free visits to Santa Claus, good quality inexpensive refreshments, a tombola and raffle, toys and books and lots of other items for sale. It was a delightful and happy time with lots of chatting with all of you who visited us. Thankyou for supporting us as we made some money to support our Church funds. So, thank you so much to all you who came, all you who hosted and all you who contributed to such a lovely time.
Fourth Sunday of Advent Readings: Micah 5v2-5a; Psalm 80v1-8; Hebrews 10v5-10; Luke 1v39-55. Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. A Word : The prophet Micah tells us that God , the ancient one from the days of old, is sending his Messiah into the world in the town of Bethlehem to rule Israel, to bring peace, to be known across the whole of the earth, to feed the people of God’s flock and help them to live securely. This is the Messiah that the psalm is praying for during a time of great difficulty. This is the Messiah that we hear is coming into the world in the meeting between Mary and Elizabeth. The Messiah that Mary has agreed to bear and that Elizabeth declares is the Lord of all, the fulfilment of a long awaited promise from God. The Messiah that Mary says will lift up the lowly, feed the hungry and bring mercy to all who put their trust in him in every generation by turning the world upside down and bringing down the powerful, scattering the proud, and sending away the rich. The letter to the Hebrews tells us that through Jesus, the Messiah, the anointed one, the Christ that God’s will was done. First by abolishing the burnt offering and sin offering that God did not want and in its place establishing real sanctification through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. This is the wonder and joy of Christmas – that God the son came into the world to do for us that which we are unable to do for ourselves: to clean us from our sins; and to make us fit to live with God in heaven. But this gift came to us at a terrible price – the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross. A price that we did not deserve to have paid for us. A price already paid for us even if we ignore or reject it. For this is the only price that can sanctify us – no matter how bad we are or have been. A price paid that I believe only the hard of heart can ignore and the foolish reject. For in Jesus we are shown how much we are loved by God. For Jesus came to save all who dare to put their trust in him. And, one day all of us will face our maker, and when we do we will have chosen either to accept or reject God’s gift. Today, those of us who know the Christian story need to put our trust in the God of love, the God of our Salvation, the God who came to save us. We also need to do as Mary did and follow God’s call into a world that needs to hear the wonderful news of God’s love, for the salvation of everyone depends on each one of us accepting God’s gift and the sanctification that comes with it. Let us Pray: Heavenly Father, redeeming God we thank you for choosing Mary who agreed to be the mother of Jesus, your son and our saviour. Fill us with your grace that like Mary we will embrace your holy will and look for the coming of your son. Help us to rejoice in your gift of the salvation that Jesus offers us and to be ready to meet him when he returns to judge us at the end of time. Amen Thanks for joining us today.
We hope you will be able to visit or join us for the Advent to Candlemas Season. All are welcome, whether Christians, of other faiths or non. Our new Church Year begins on Sunday 1st December, when we light the 1st Candle on our Advent Wreath during our 10am Communion service. Each Sunday we shall light the other Advent candles during our 10am Communion services.On Saturday 14th December we are holding a Christmas fete with free visits to see Santa Claus (St Nicholas). This will take place in Church between 11am and 2.30pm. There will also be sales of clothes, toys and books as well as a tombola stall and raffle. Light refreshments at reasonable prices will also be on sale. On Sunday 22nd December we are holding a Free Family Film Show in Church, doors open at 1pm and all are welcome.Our Christmas Season will begin on Tuesday 24th December with our 6pm short Family Service of readings and carols, in Church, followed by light refreshments. On Wednesday 25th December we shall be holding a short family Communion service at 10am - all are welcome.On Sunday 29th December we shall be holding a short family Communion service at 10amOn Sunday 5th January 2025 we shall be holding a short family Communion service to celebrate the Epiphany and remember the visit of the Magi (three Kings) at 10am. Come and see our simple pageant. Each Sunday during Epiphany, we shall be holding 10am Communion services.Our Christmas season will end at our candle lit, family friendly, short and simple Candlemas service on Sunday 2 February 2025 at 6pm.
