The Light on the Hill

Order of Service – 13th December 2020

The Order of Service follows below. If you are attending in person and haven’t done so already, please book for the all ages nativity so seating can be managed in a COVID-safe way.

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December 13th, 2020 Advent 3

We acknowledge the Kaurna people as the traditional carers of the land on which our church is built.

Prelude: Walking in the Air

Howard Blake

Welcome

Introit and Lighting of the Candles: Noel Time

James/Wheeler (P30)

Call to Worship

Come in, find a seat.
Today we remember the greatest story ever told.
It is filled with ordinary things and ordinary people,
but it’s not an ordinary story.

We gather in love,
we gather in hope,
we gather as we are,
to praise God and bear witness
to the light shining through all darkness.

Let us sing and dance,
laugh and pray,
one people, God’s people.
Let us come together and worship.

Opening Prayer

We Sing: Joy to the World

  1. Joy to the world! The Lord is come;
    let earth receive its king;
    let every heart prepare him room,
    and heaven and nature sing,
    and heaven and nature sing,
    and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

  2. Joy to the earth! The Saviour reigns;
    let us our songs employ;
    while fields and streams, rocks, hills and plains
    repeat the sounding joy,
    repeat the sounding joy,
    repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

  3. He rules the world with truth and grace,
    and makes the nations prove
    the glories of his righteousness
    and wonders of his love,
    and wonders of his love,
    and wonders, wonders of his love.

Isaac Watts, 1674 – 1748 alt. Based on Psalm 98. Public Domain. Together in Song 268.

Lighting of the Advent Candles

Everything is a bit out of the ordinary this year – even Christmas.
Yet here, Christ meets us.
In the middle of the merry and the messy,
in the ordinary places of our living,
Christ comes.

Passing of the Peace

The peace of our God be with you.
And also with you.

Community News and Notices

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26-38

The Gospel of Christ, light of the world.
Thanks be to God.

Offering

To give electronically please go to bpuc.org/give

Musical Reflection: Sing Gloria

James/Wheeler

NATIVITY – A Very Merry Messy Christmas

… Mary said: “It sounds a bit messy, but we’ll make it work.”

… Joseph said: “Well, that’s unprecedented.”

… The angel Gabriel whispered: “You can do this. Don’t be afraid.”

… Donkey said: “It’s fake news.”

… The shepherds said: “Could this be the new normal?”

… The sheep said: “We’re all in this together.”

… The angels said: “Can you hear me now?”

… The travellers said: “That’s not what we had planned.”

… The camels said: “We’ve got you covered.”

… The star said: “One step at a time.”

… The innkeeper said: “A little bit of kindness goes a long way.”

We Sing: Things Feel a Little Bit Strange

Things feel a little bit strange.
Things feel a little bit strange
but I know that God is here with me.
I know that God is here with me.

Jennifer Hughes © 2020. Used with permission.

We Sing: Merry Christmas

… Merry, messy Christmas!
… Merry, merry, messy Christmas!

James/Wheeler

Sending Forth and Benediction

Postlude: Trumpet Tune

Robert Lau

In order to avoid crowding at the exits, please wait for a steward to indicate it is time to leave. There are sign-up sheets for morning tea at the welcome desk to share coffee in cafés in North Adelaide.