Sunday, 9.15am Holy Communion see also Readings
LITURGICAL NOTE
From the start of Advent we follow the YEAR B readings in the three year lectionary cycle.
Lectionary
The full text of the readings for Sunday are available in our Sunday's Readings section.
Other Resources
Textweek The Text This Week - Revised Common Lectionary, Scripture Study and Worship Links
Online Revised Common Lectionary Vanderbilt Divinity Library
Earlier Thoughts Year B 05/06 Year C 06/07 Year A 07/08
Sunday, 9.15am Holy Communion
LITURGICAL NOTE
From the start of Advent we follow the YEAR A readings in the three year lectionary cycle.
Before entering the sanctuary or the vestry…
Please allow the Choir to complete the ‘postlude’ and any additional songs that are part of our offering in worship – Our holding the sacred space is part of our common union - our being together in communion.
First Sunday after Christmas 28 December 2008
You shall be a crown of beauty
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD
How great for us to be told this as we contemplate the mystery of Christmas….. ‘Me’, a crown of beauty…. In the hand of the Lord…….
But then… do we always [ever] listen to what we are told……
As we move toward the unfolding of a new calendar year… we have a chance to look again at the direction in which we move… to look again at our unfolding…
For Christ the orientation was always born out of ‘giving’…. It starts we hear from the offerings of those who loved him…. ‘two turtle doves” and it unfolded into the giving of his wholeness into the Divine hand……
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
So too us
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
May the blessing of light be upon you,
light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine upon you
and warm your heart
till it glows like a great fire
and strangers may warm themselves,
as well as friends.
And may the light shine out of the eyes of you,
like a candle set in the window of a house,
bidding the wanderer to come in
out of the storm
(Celtic Blessing)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I would love to live
like a river flows,
Carried by the surprise
of its own unfolding.
John O’Donohue
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
We participate in the birth of tomorrow: not just in the day after today but in the birth of every tomorrow
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Man at the Gate
I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year,
“Give me a light that I may
Tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied, “Go out into the darkness
and put your hand into the hand of God
That shall be to you better than the light
And safer than a known way!”
So I went forth and finding the hand of God.
Trod gladly into the light. (M. Louise Haskins)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
2009 New Year’s Resolutions
Some biblical resolutions worth considering:
(Deu 30:19) “Choose life, so that you and your children may live"
(Job 42:6) "Repent in dust and ashes.""
(Psa 37:7) "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently”
(Mic 6:8) Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God."
(Mat 3:8) "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance."
(Mat 6:33) "Seek first the kingdom and God’s righteousness.”
(Mat 22:37-39) “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, Love your neighbour as yourself."
(Mat 28:19) "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,"
(Mark 13:34-35) "Keep watch.”
(Rom 12:1) "Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and
acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship”
(Rom 12:2)“.Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God--what is good and acceptable and perfect."
(2Cor 13:11)Put things in order agree with one another, live in peace.
(Phil 1:27)Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ,
(James 3:18) "Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of
righteousness."
(James 4:8) "Come near to God and he will come near to you. ..and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
(2 Pet 3:11-12) "Live holy and godly lives as you look forward to
the day of God and speed its coming.”
(Rev 22:17) "Take the water of life as a gift."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
January 6th Epiphany
Epiphany comes from the Greek word which means appear, it also means be revealed and give light. As we move into the New Year as a community we seek to make Christ present.
Our appearance, as we reveal our identity, our truth, and our being will enable us to give light for we are THE BODY OF CHRIST.
Epiphany - Chalking the door
The custom of chalking the door, which seems to be familiar in some parts of Europe is reported as follows:. On Epiphany, children dress as the three kings and go door to door, sometimes singing a carol, and collecting donations for a good cause. On each house that welcomes them they write in chalk on the lintel over the front door the year and the initials of the 3 kings:
20 C M B 09
C,M,B stand for Caspar, Melchior & Balthasar of course, however these initials have also been interpreted as the latin phrase "Christus mansionem benedicat" ("May Christ bless this house").
The ‘chalking” is left on all year.. and therefore serves as a reminder to those within of the constant presence and indwelling of Christ, and also to visitors that this home is a place where Christ may be found
Those who wish to chalk their doors this year may like to do so with the following prayer, and make it an Epiphany ritual on Thursday 6th January
May Christ bless this house
May all who come to our home this year rejoice to find
Christ living among us;
and may we seek and serve, in everyone we meet,
that same Jesus who is Lord for ever and ever. Amen.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Blessings for 2009
The Church began a new liturgical year on the First Sunday of Advent, The world begins a new year on January 1st - Thank God that we got a head start.
2009…. A year that opens a new bracket………. If you mistype it!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
We participate in the birth of tomorrow: not just in the day after today but in the birth of every tomorrow
Fourth Sunday of Advent 21 Dec 2008
Let it be with me according to your word
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Old Testament reading today sets the scene for some of the Nativity narrative... We learn of the “House of David”...... This is however not a place to visit... even though it “shall be established forever.”... It is a place to find within ourselves..... The place where the Divine forever dwells........
So as we look at the figure of Mary we find a key to the “House of David”..... For Mary, like us. receives the Divine invitation.... The call of baptism... to bring to birth The Divine in the world...
And Mary’s response.....
"Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word."
As we look forward to Christmas........ Can we find the place where we can make the same response?
We, and all people, are called to bear the Divine and birth the Divine in response to God’s creative calling in Love.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
HOPE PEACE JOY LOVE
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
As our Advent pilgrimage draws to completion,
grant us the courage to share your love.
Love for the unexpected challenge in our lives,
Love for the vulnerable one in our midst.
Love for the presence of God in all creation.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Third Sunday of Advent 14 Dec 2008
Make straight the way of the Lord
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Isaiah
They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, to display his glory. 4 They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.
Paul
But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labour among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; 13 esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them.
John
"I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,'"
We listen to three voices as we prepare for Christmas.... and as we prepare for the Rebuilding of the East Wall of the Church........
And the voice from our wilderness is crying for us to straighten our resolve.... and be confident in our commitment..........
As we build in a new direction ...
we can have faith that it is in Giving that we Receive
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
In the height of our Advent walk,
grant us the courage to experience joy.
Joy in the face of apathy,
Joy in the face of sorrow,
Joy in the face of uncertainty.
We participate in the birth of tomorrow: not just in the day after today but in the birth of every tomorrow
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
HOPE PEACE JOY LOVE
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
We are the meeting place of heaven and earth,
soul and body, breath and blood,
and we celebrate you with every part of our being.
You are Eternal, while we remain within the passage of time
measuring our span in numbers.
Jesus our Brother,
whose incarnation was the meeting place of time and eternity,
teach us to take joy in the earth and the heavens.
Let us rejoice in our mortality and its loves,
and sing aloud when our soul reaches out for the stars,
for by both we prove we are God's children.
St Hilda Women Included Liturgy
Second Sunday of Advent 7 Dec 2008
ADVENT Candles
Last Sunday – HOPE - we lit the first Advent candle, representing our mothers and fathers in faith from ancient times and distant places, matriarchs and patriarchs who sought God and were found by God.
As spiritual children of Sarah and Abraham, we thank God for their other children, Jews and Muslims, and in a world of many faiths we pray for grace to cherish the disclosure of God in the Child of Bethlehem and the Christ of the Cross.
Today we light a second candle – PEACE -for all God’s prophets, those who see the truth and have courage to tell the truth. Their witness is almost always very costly, and often they pay the price with their lives. The prophets are candles in our darkness, little lights and little Christs, flames gathering to a singular brilliance in the birth of the Light of the world.
Adapted from Advent Candlelighting by Rev David Wood
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Christ has no body on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion is to look out to the world. Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which he is to bless us now." Teresa of Avila
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Take time to dream ? to find the vision of which you are a part
Christmas is the Nativity of Consciousness. It is a time for us all, we who have lost touch with the tale, to rediscover the wondrous, the miraculous, the unspeakable; the wild, the odd, the strange; the impossible world of the child, the improbable faith of the believer.
"The Crime of Christmas," Commentary, Animating Illustrations, Quotations, and Children’s Sermon. Homiletics Online, 1991.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Prepare the way of the Lord
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Peace is not the product of terror or fear.
Peace is not the silence of cemeteries.
Peace is not the silence of violent repression.
Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution of all to the good of all.
Peace is dynamism. Peace is generosity.
It is right and duty.
Oscar A. Romero
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
What shall I Give?
Christmas, a time for us to reflect on our Giving and Receiving
There is an expectation, implicit in Christmas, that we shall once again Receive God’s promise, and realise the trust that is Given to us, a trust that we can contribute to the abundance of creation by the sharing of ourselves…. The community of St Paul’s is a community of faith, a faith that is realised in loving action…. Please reflect on your Giving to the continued ministry of this community so that we may become the realisation of promise.
We will be asking all members of the St Paul’s Community to “Give” again toward the East End project... We have received planning approval, and so need to secure another $200,000 to see the Restoration completed.
HOPE PEACE JOY LOVE
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Promise of Advent: Stir up our hearts, we beseech you, to prepare ourselves to receive your Son. When he comes and knocks, may he find us not sleeping in sin, but awake to righteousness, ceaselessly rejoicing in his love. May our hearts and minds be so purified, that we may be ready to receive his promise of eternal life. Gelasian Sacramentary c.50
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Children who have died call us to look at the nature of life and to see the eternal nature of life.
Today we remember those close to us who have died young.
In faith we give thanks for their lives, for the love they gave and received, for all they shared with us, and for their eternal light.
We look to the eternal light of the Christ-child, the gift of love that we receive as God gives his child into our care.
So too we know the eternal light of those children who we remember today.
Love is forever born, we are created for life that stretches beyond our temporal seeing and so we also rejoice that our children forever shine.
|
