Each Sunday we post online worship resources when Tier 4 restrictions only allow 20 people to attend church. We provide these to stay in touch and stay safe.
The links to the hymns can be accessed by clicking on “Click here” beside the hymn title. These take you to Youtube and we have no control over the adverts you see.
The prayers are taken from the Church of Scotland Weekly Worship.
Opening prayer (If there is more than one in your household one person reads through the prayer with the others joining in with the response “Emmanuel, God with us”)
Even if we cannot gather in person
Emmanuel, God with us
Even if some Christmas traditions have had to go
Emmanuel, God with us
Even if we might not get to hug family and friends
Emmanuel, God with us
Even if we cannot sing carols beside each other
Emmanuel, God with us
Even if Christmas cheer is harder this year
Emmanuel, God with us.
Amen
The First Hymn:
Tell out my soul Click here
Prayer of Reflective confession
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
To children’s children and forever more!
Approach
Lord Jesus,
You came
And come
To all
You came
And come
Especially to the poorest
And the most vulnerable
Come to us here, Lord Jesus
To help and to heal the poverty of our souls
To refresh and inspire us
Even through the weakness of our faith…
Come – to love and to hold us –
To give us the courage
in the stopping
in the pausing
in the quiet
where we cannot avoid what we are not
Our faults
our lack of faith
our lack of vision
and of action
our lack of trust in You – all bubble to the surface
You, Father God,
see what we are
and still stand by us
offering us hope
and above all, forgiveness
Help us here
Help us now – to recognise that it was with us in mind that You sent the baby Jesus
It was with us in mind that He grew to live and die and to rise again
Because that’s what You think we are worth
May Your love set us free this day and always –
these things we ask in the name of that Son,
whose praise we sing
and who taught us when we pray to say together:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever.
Amen
Bible Reading: Isaiah 61: 8-11 and John 1: 6-8, 19-28 Click Here
The Reflection: Click Here
The Second Hymn: Behold the lamb – communion hymn Click here
Communion: Before looking at this video please ensure you have appropriate elements to represent the bread and wine so you are ready to participate at the end. Click Here
Prayers of Intercession
Creator God,
we thank You, for Your Son – the Light of the world.
We thank You too, for those in every generation
who have faithfully pointed to Him
and who have spread His light in even the darkest times.
Lord Jesus,
May we find the courage to point to the hope
and comfort and peace You offer,
especially in times of difficulty and sorrow.
May we witness to Your love and Your goodness
Your presence and Your compassion.
And thank You –
thank You for the family of Your people meeting throughout the world this day –
all of us gathered only too aware of our faults
and our limitations,
but knowing too, that You, Lord Jesus,
can take the tiniest spark and fan it into a raging fire.
Give us the courage and the desire
to seek to serve You as best we can –
and in that service may we reflect the life You lived.
We offer You our prayers for those who struggle with this season.
We think of the bereaved,
of those who cannot afford to celebrate as they might want,
of those with no one to share a table,
and of those for whom childlessness is accentuated at this time.
Lord God,
You understand
and share
tears and silences,
disappointments and regrets.
Bring Your comfort,
fill with Your strength,
and grant all Your peace…
We pray too, for places in the world
where conflict and violence are rife…
For places where nature has been harsh –
and we have been thoughtless in caring for Your creation:
Give us greater concern for one another
and an even greater willingness to do whatever we can for each other
and for the world itself.
So may we work with You, Lord God,
to make this world, the world You intended it to be –
a world where people care and love and laugh
a world where justice reigns and peace is evident
and where all know they belong.
These prayers, along with our gratitude for the birth of Your Son,
we offer You in His name and for His sake.
Amen
Closing Hymn: Joy to the world (new rendition) Click here
Closing Blessing
Comfort, joy and peace be Yours.
Know how blessed You are
and go to be that blessing to all around You.
May God Almighty hold you and all whom you love
in the palm of His hand
this day and always.
Amen
Amen
Stay in touch and stay safe. This is why we provide the above.
Thank you for time in taking part by using these resources. If you have any messages you would like to share with us, please connect with us below.
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