Welcome We sing:
O come all ye faithful,joyful and triumphant.
O come ye, O come ye
to Bethlehem.
Come and behold him
born the king of angels.
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord. / See how the shepherds,
summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks
draw near with holy fear.
We too will come and
bend our joyful footsteps:
O come … / Sing choirs of angels,
sing in exultation,
sing all ye citizens of
heaven above;
glory to God in the highest:
O come …
Act of Confession and Reconciliation
It is the season of Advent. Advent means “coming”. We celebrate the coming of God to earth when Jesus was born as a baby, to sort the world out. But we know that not all is well with the world. So we look forward to Jesus coming back at the end of time to bring in fairness and justice.
Alleluia, alleluia. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we have seen his glory. Alleluia. [John 1.14]
God our Father, you sent your Son full of grace and truth: forgive our failure to receive him. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Jesus our Saviour, you were born in poverty and laid in a manger: forgive our greed and rejection of your ways. Christ, have mercy.Christ, have mercy.
Spirit of Love, your servant Mary responded joyfully to your call: forgive the hardness of our hearts. Lord, have mercy.Lord, have mercy.
The angels told Joseph: ‘You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ Let us seek the forgiveness of God through Jesus the Saviour of the world. [A time of silence to reflect on our sins]
Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and his name is the Prince of Peace. We have peace with God. [Isaiah 9.6]
The Word We hear Jesus, the Word. [Read and discuss Bible]
The Creed
We Believe:In you, Creator of the Universe
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Lover, Guardian and Soulmate
Born for us. Suffering with us.
Dying for us. Risen for all. / We, united in baptism, celebrate your presence in your Body, the Church.
We remember that heaven is our home and our destiny. We await, in joyful hope, your return in Glory, and our union with you. Amen.
We hold hands to pray, in response to God's word
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.
[We offer individual prayers, for leaders, church, world, country, area, ourselves, and the sick] Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
[Carol]
The Agape Meal
Jesus, you came from heaven to be with us, to be born among us as a baby in a rough stable. Now you come again in the bread and cup, to bless us with your presence. And once more, you will come again to judge us. Thank you.
We are to eat and drink in a worthy manner, and to be at peace with others.
Let us have a time of silence to let God examine our hearts. [Silence]
On the night the Lord Jesus was handed over to be killed, he took bread. When he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this to remember me.”
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you. But only say the word, and I shall be healed. ... The body of Christ
In the same way, after they ate, Jesus took the cup. He said, “This is my blood, an agreement between God and people, poured out for the forgiveness of the sins of many. Do this, whenever you drink it, to remember me.” ...
The blood of Christ
Thanksgiving and Blessing
Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth!
May the joy of the angels who worshipped outside,
the eagerness of the shepherds on the hills,
the perseverance of the wise men who travelled far,
the obedience of Joseph and Mary,
and the peace of the Christ-child
be with you and all who you pray for, both now and at the end of time;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.