Each Sunday we post online worship resources when Tier 3 restrictions only allow 50 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:
Away in a manger Click here
Prayer of Reflective confession
Dreams and angels, prophecies,
mystery and magi, choirs and shepherds,
we make our way to the star-blessed stable,
to the light shining miraculously
in human misery and darkness.
We are almost there.
Let us pray.
God of Eternity,
Creator of the cosmos,
creation conceived from eternity,
we pause and ponder
the birth of space and time, and
the evolution of things seen and unseen.
We wait for the joy and celebration
of a greater birth,
of a life surrendered to You.
We pause and ponder
the perspective our faith offers:
the place of prayer and selflessness
in a culture of frantic busyness,
in a world of emptiness and excess.
Each day we balance
love of neighbour and love of self;
each day we wrestle
with moral complexities and compromises;
each day we need
Your love, compassion and forgiveness.
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: Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26: Luke 1:26-45 Click Here
The Reflection: Click Here
If you wish to read more about the BBC news item in the reflection Click here
The Second Hymn: Silent Night (Andrea Bocelli) Click here
Prayers of Intercession
Eternal Lover,
You know the burdens we carry,
the pain, loneliness and fears.
Bless us anew;
restore and refresh us.
May we stand before the Forgiving Father
and feel God’s embrace.
Divine Essence,
grant us Your strength as we journey
through this sacred season;
be our companion as we make our way to the cave,
to that place of birth, and death and rebirth;
may we encounter Eternity’s secret
and in simple silence hear the angels’ sing.
Holy God,
Father, Mother, Eternal Lover,
we praise You for the magnificence of the cosmos,
the complexities of our evolving universe,
the beauty we find in the far-flung stars,
the wonder in the tiniest creatures, and
the tender transcendence of love, divine and human.
In meditation,
we gaze upon the face of Jesus,
His eyes concealing the Invisible God, and
His soul seeping the still shalom of the Sacred.
We praise You, O God, for Jesus:
His birth, teaching, healing, and selfless death.
In Him, we are born anew:
refreshed, restored and raised to new life.
God of mercy,
whose steadfast love and faithfulness
have accompanied Your people down the generations,
we lift up before You
those in need at this time:
bless our Queen,
her governments in Holyrood and Westminster.
Grant wisdom and discernment to our leaders
in the complex challenges which they face:
balancing the demands of
economics and health,
physical and mental.
May Your Spirit overshadow
our health professionals;
nurses, doctors, chaplains and all who serve
in our hospitals, care homes, hospices
and in the community.
Son of Mary,
who sees the struggles and sufferings of mothers,
their burdens of love,
uphold those broken by life’s demands
through the support of prayer,
family, friendship,
and caring agencies.
In our meditations, we are mindful
of children without mothers,
of people across the world who each day
live without money, adequate education,
drinking water, nourishing food or the assurance of personal safety.
Son of Mary,
like You,
may we sit with those denied respect and dignity.
Be present, O Christ,
with those who are dying;
hold the hand of those who are bereaved; and
sooth those who are anxious, alone or fearful.
Accompany us on our journey,
Pilgrim God:
sustain us through the sublime solace of nature,
friendship, Scripture and service of others.
We give You thanks,
God of all,
for the apostles, saints, mystics and martyrs,
who lived and died with the name of Jesus
written indelibly on their hearts;
we give thanks for those we love and have lost
but who have entered the cloud,
the mystery of Your nearer Presence,
life beyond this life.
Amen
Closing Hymn: O Come all ye faithful Click here
Closing Blessing
May hope, peace, joy and love be in abundance at this season of advent.
Hope that is eternal
Peace that is beyond understanding
joy unspeakable and love that is merciful
Through Father Son and Holy Spirit. For now and always
Amen
Amen
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St. James’ Pollok Parish Church 