Those dear tokens of his passion still his dazzling body bears; cause of endless exultation to his ransomed worshippers: with what rapture gaze we on those glorious scars. Yea, amen, let all adore Thee, high on Thine eternal throne; Saviour, take the power and glory, claim the kingdom for Thine own: Alleluia! Thou shalt reign, and Thou alone. Advent Carol Service BLESSING Go in the light and peace of Christ Thanks be to God Copyright information Advent Candles - 2002 Mark Earey The light of the world - Stuart Townend & J K Jamieson Thankyou music 2009 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world John Chapter 1 verse 9 12
During Advent we prepare to celebrate the coming of the Christ. As he comes, he fulfils God s promise to us: a covenant of relationship, forgiveness and healing. We experience his coming in the gift of the Spirit seen among us in the joy of shared human lives. We experience his coming in the bread of the Eucharist when we look forward to the fulfilment of his universal purposes. We anticipate the experience of him in the mystery of his birth as the Child of Bethlehem. We see him in suffering children of conflict. We see him in the poor and the outcast and we see him in those who work tirelessly for peace and justice. We welcome his coming into a world torn by war and conflict. We prepare for this great season in our Service tonight with music, hymns, scripture readings, prayers, poetry and light, symbolising God s holiness and our journey away from darkness and despair towards the light of Christ. As Christians we pray for those who experience very little light at this time - whether through sickness, doubt or despair. We ask you to pray for our world so in need of love and forgiveness. Together we offer ourselves and our community to God s healing touch as he comes to us throughout all time awaiting our response again this Advent. WE WELCOME YOU A single candle is carried in to the church, which is otherwise in darkness, and placed at the front. The leader lights their own candle from this candle and passes the light to the congregation who give the light to each other. As we meet to celebrate anew the coming of God s Kingdom, we hear revealed the mystery of God s loving purpose for us - how, that when we were far off, he met us in his Son and brought us home; how he humbled himself to take our human nature, that we might share his divine glory. Let us then celebrate this coming with our carols and hymns of praise, that our lives may be charged with his life; that we may bear witness to his glory and so bring light to those who sit in darkness. "Advent is concerned with that very connection between memory and hope which is so necessary to humankind. Advent s intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within us, namely, the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope. The purpose of the 2 We leave the final candle unlit. It is the sign that although, when Christ was born in a stable 2000 years ago, he did bring God s light into our dark world, and although he comes into hearts and minds that are open to receive him today, yet we still wait for him to come again. So let us pray. Thank you, Father God, for the gift of our Saviour and King. Help us as we wait during this Advent period to mark the people that you put on our way. We thank you for Abraham and Sarah, for the prophets, for John the Baptist and for Mary. Help us, like them, to believe your promises, to seek your kingdom, to repent of our sins, and to be so filled with your love that we rejoice in the life transforming hope of the return of the King. Amen. HYMN (the collection will be taken during this hymn) Lo, he comes with clouds descending, once for favoured sinners slain; thousand thousand saints attending swell the triumph of his train: Alleluia! God appears on earth to reign. Every eye shall now behold him robed in dreadful majesty; those who set at naught and sold him, pierced and nailed him to the tree, deeply wailing, shall the true Messiah see. 11
HYMN Longing for light Longing for light, we wait in darkness. Longing for truth, we turn to you. Make us your own, your holy people, light for the world to see. Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness. Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today. Longing for peace, our world is troubled. Longing for hope, many despair. Your word alone has power to save us. Make us your living voice. Longing for food, many are hungry. Longing for water, many still thirst. Make us your bread, broken for others, shared until all are fed. Longing for shelter, many are homeless. Longing for warmth, many are cold. Make us your building, sheltering others, walls made of living stone. Many the gifts, many the people, many the hearts that yearn to belong. Let us be servants to one another, making your kingdom come. SERMON FIFTH CANDLE: The Candle of Jesus, Light of the World those who lived in a land of deep darkness, on them light 10 Church s year is continually to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart s memory so that it can discern the star of hope. It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope." Memory Awakens Hope - Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, 1986 The grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. And also with you. Hymn Deep in darkness we begin (tune Heathlands) Deep in darkness we begin, dark outside and deep within. Now ignite a single flame, shadows form, let light remain. Flaming brightly, let love shine, flaming out through space and time. As they gleaned the word of life, narrative of love and strife, people through each age have known yet more light: God's glory shown. John the Baptist spoke out loud, challenged that discordant crowd, In this service, we join with brothers and sisters around the world, and light candles to mark the signs that God has given to his people as we journey through Advent. FIRST CANDLE: Abraham and Sarah, to whom the promise was first given. READINGS Genesis 1:1-5 & Genesis 12:1-3 called each one toward the light, see it growing, gleaming bright. Mary wondered at her lot, blessed? Or cursed? Or loved? Or not? Angels came and glory shone Feel the love, let light shine on Look! a star is shining there See the stable stark and bare. Christmas dawns, all darkness gone! Christ has come, the light shines on! Andrew Pratt Stainer & Bell Ltd. We light our first candle to recall the men and women of faith in the Old Testament, to whom the promise would be given. 4000 years before the birth of Christ, God told Abraham and Sarah that one of their descendants would destroy sin and death, rule the world and bless all nations. 3
The First Candle is lit God of Abraham and Sarah and all the Patriarchs, we thank you for the promise that you have given us. Help us, like Abraham, to listen to your word and put our trust in your promises. We ask this in the name of the one born in Bethlehem as our Saviour and King, and who will return in his glory, Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen. Hymn O come, O come, Emmanuel, O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear: Rejoice! rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan s tyranny; from depths of hell thy people save, and give them victory o er the grave: O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by thine advent here; disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death s dark shadows put to flight: Author of the earth s creation Formed from God s own hand. Promise of a fruitful nation, Guided to their land. Abraham and Sarah s sadness turned to gladness by God s plan. so that we might be filled with your peace, love and joy, and declare your praises. We ask this in the name of the one born in Bethlehem, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Reading: ADVENT (On a theme by Dietrich Bonhoeffer) Look how long the weary world waited, locked in its lonely cell, guilty as a prisoner. As you can imagine, it sang and whistled in the dark. It hoped. It paced and puttered about, tidying its little piles of inconsequence. It wept from the weight of ennui, draped like shackles on its wrists. It raged and wailed against the walls of its own plight. But there was nothing the world could do to find its own freedom. The door was shut tight. It could only be opened from the outside. Who could believe the latch would be turned by a pink flower - the tiny hand of a newborn baby? by Pamela Cranston, 2011 4 9
once more upon your people shine and fill the world with love divine. All praise to you, eternal Son, whose advent has our freedom won; whom with the Father we adore and Holy Spirit evermore. FOURTH CANDLE: Mary the Mother of Jesus READING Luke 1:45-55 Charles Coffin tr John Chandler those who lived in a land of deep darkness, on them light As we light the fourth candle we remember Mary. When the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would be the mother of the Saviour and King, she said Yes. And so Christ was born in her, and she declared your praise with joy. O come, thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heavenly home; make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery: O come, O come, thou Lord of Might, who to thy tribes, on Sinai s height, in ancient times didst give the law in cloud and majesty and awe: SECOND CANDLE: The prophets foretell the birth of Jesus READING Isaiah 2:1-5 All those who lived in a land of deep darkness, on them light As we light our second candle we remember the prophets, who spoke of the coming of Christ, of a Saviour who would be born, a king in the line of King David. They told us he would rule the world with wisdom and establish his kingdom of righteousness, justice and peace. The Fourth Candle is lit Mary s gift, beyond all telling, was to give Christ room. She gave God a human dwelling in a mother s womb. Who could guess the final story? cross and glory; empty tomb! The Second Candle is lit Prophet voices loudly crying, making pathways clear; glimpsing glory, self-denying, calling all to hear. Through their message - challenged, shaken hearts awaken: God is near! Thank you, Father God, for the gift of your Saviour and King. Help us to be like Mary and to say yes to you. We ask that through your Holy Spirit, Christ would live in us, 8 Father God, we thank you for speaking to us through the prophets. Help us to listen to your word and to seek your kingdom above all things. We ask this in the name of the one to whom they pointed us, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 5
Hymn Hills of the North, rejoice, Hills of the North, rejoice, river and mountain-spring, hark to the advent voice; valley and lowland, sing. Christ comes in righteousness and love, he brings salvation from above. Isles of the Southern seas, sing to the listening earth, carry on every breeze hope of a world s new birth: In Christ shall all be made anew, his word is sure, his promise true. Lands of the East, arise, he is your brightest morn, greet him with joyous eyes, praise shall his path adorn: THIRD CANDLE: John the Baptist READING John 1:5-9 those who lived in a land of deep darkness, on them light As we light our third candle, we recall that God called John the Baptist to prepare the way for the coming Saviour and King. John denied his own comforts and gave up his life in obedience to his call. John preached that because God s ruler is coming, we should repent, turn back to God and show God s love to others. The Third Candle is lit 6 your seers have longed to know their Lord; to you he comes, the final word. Shores of the utmost West, lands of the setting sun, welcome the heavenly guest in whom the dawn has come: he brings a never-ending light who triumphed o er our darkest night. Shout, as you journey home, songs be in every mouth, lo, from the North they come, from East and West and South: in Jesus all shall find their rest, in him the universe be blest. Lord God, Your witness John the Baptist prepared the way for your Son by calling people to turn to you. Help us to prepare ourselves to receive you again. Forgive us our love of things more than people, our wilful self-centredness, and our rebellion against you; and help us to live by putting our trust in you, today, tomorrow and always. Amen HYMN On Jordan s bank the Baptist s cry On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry announces that the Lord is nigh; awake and hearken, for he brings glad tidings of the King of kings. Then cleansed be every heart from sin; make straight the way for God within, prepare we in our hearts a home where such a mighty Guest may come. For you are our salvation, Lord, our refuge and our great reward; without thy grace we waste away like flowers that wither and decay. Stretch out your hand to heal our sore, and make us rise to fall no more; John the Baptist, by his preaching and by water poured, brought to those who heard his teaching news of hope restored: Keep your vision strong and steady, and be ready for the Lord. 7