Order of Service - 18th December 2022

Brougham Place Uniting Church

2022-12-18

Order of Service - 18th December 2022

Kardlayirdi Karnungga
A light on the hill

Advent 4
December 18th, 2022

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

Welcome

Lighting of the Candles and Introit

The Angel Gabriel – Basque Traditional

Call to Worship

Today we celebrate the birth of the Christ child with the children and all who are young at heart.
We rejoice in the wonder of the ancient stories of the birth of Jesus.

This day, let us enter once more into the wonder of the birthing of our own faith.
To God be all glory and honour through Christ who is our gift of life.

Prayer

God of the large and the small, we long to see you at work in the promise of a new Earth and this new day. Today, we seek to quieten our minds, so we do not miss your blessings.
We open ourselves today to the smallest of blessings.

Lighting of the Advent Wreath

As we prepare to light the fourth candle of the Advent Wreath, let us remain seated as we sing: Christ Be Our Light.

♪ Longing for food, many are hungry.
Longing for water many still thirst.
Make us your bread, broken for others,
shared until all are fed.

♪ Christ, be our light!
Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness.
Christ be our light!
Shine in your Church gathered today.

Responsive Litany:

Love is patient and kind. Love is bold and passionate. Love is gentle and tender.
In places where love is fragile,
may we provide nurture;
protecting life and possibility.

Love can create revolutions, bring down the mighty from places of power; love can speak truth and bring change.
In places where love is absent,
may we be God’s hands and feet
becoming agents of change in the world.

Love can bring joy and wholeness, delight and intimacy. Love is the birthplace of God’s presence,
and so may we join with all creation
to welcome love in our lives again this Christmas.

God of love, open our hearts to love so that all people may know that they are of worth. Open our hands to love to share what we have so that no one goes without. Open our lives to love
so that love is born in us and through us
and shared with all the world.
Amen.

♪ Christ, be our light!
Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness.
Christ be our light!
Shine in your Church gathered today.
Christ be our light!

All Together OK, 313. Words and music: Bernadette Farrell. © 1993 Bernadette Farrell. Published by OCP Publications. All rights reserved. ONE LICENSE. License #A‑604444.

Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:18-25

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

The Gospel of Christ, Light of the World.
Thanks be to God.

Passing of the Peace

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

Community News and Notices

Current or previous BP E-news and to sign up to receive BP E-news

Christmas for Everyone: God is with us

written by Rev Jennifer Hughes

Choral Anthem

Magnificat – Rosemary Nairn

Songs to sing through our story

Little Donkey

Little donkey, little donkey
On the dusty road
Gotta keep on plodding onward
With your precious load

Been a long time little donkey
Through the winter’s night
Don't give up now little donkey
Bethlehem's in sight

Ring out those bells tonight
Bethlehem, Bethlehem
Follow that little star tonight
Bethlehem, Bethlehem

Little donkey, little donkey
Had a heavy day
Little donkey, carry Mary safely on her way
Little donkey, carry Mary safely on her way

Little donkey, little donkey
Journey's end is near
There's a guiding star up in the
Heaven shining clear
Little donkey, carry Mary safely on her way
Little donkey, carry Mary safely on her way

Words and music by Eric Boswell 1921-2009

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Hark! the herald angels sing
glory to the new-born King,
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled.
Joyful, all you nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with the angelic host proclaim,
‘Christ is born in Bethlehem’.

Hark! the herald angels sing
glory to the new-born King.

Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of a virgin’s womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail the incarnate Deity,
pleased in human flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.

Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the new born King.

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings:
mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more need die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.

Hark! the herald angels sing
glory to the new born King.

Together in Song 303. Charles Wesley 1707-88 and others. Public Domain.

As with Gladness

As with gladness those of old
did the guiding star behold,
as with joy they hailed its light,
leading onward, beaming bright,
so, most gracious Lord, may we
evermore be led by thee.

As with joyful steps they sped,
Saviour, to thy lowly bed,
there to bend the knee before
thee, whom heav’n and earth adore,
so may we with willing feet
ever seek your mercy seat.

As they offered gifts most rare
at your cradle, rude and bare,
so may we with holy joy,
pure and free from sin’s alloy,
all our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to you, our heav’nly King.

Together in Song 314 vs 1-3 William Chatterton Dix 1837-98 alt. Public Domain.

Away in a Manger

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head;
the stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
but little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love you, Lord Jesus; look down from on high,
and stay by my side until morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask you to stay
close by me for ever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in your tender care,
and fit us for heaven to live with you there.

Together in Song 318 vv 1-2 Anon. ? 1885 v3, Anon. ? 1892. Public Domain.

Joy to the World

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive its King;
let ev’ry heart prepare him room
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.

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

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.

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

Offering

To give electronically please go to bpuc.org/give

Prayers of the People

The Lord’s Prayer

And now with the confidence of the children of God, let us pray the prayer Jesus taught us saying…

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins,

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours

now and forever. Amen.

Sending forth and benediction

Go your way free of fear.
Go your way in peace.
Go your way in hope.
Go your way.
Emmanuel
God is with us!
Emmanuel
God goes before us!
Emmanuel
God goes beside us!
Emmanuel
God is for us!
Emmanuel
God dwells in us!
Emmanuel
Emmanuel.

Choral Blessing

The Miracle of Christmas – Anne Till

Postlude

Lee Parker

Please come and share morning tea in the basement. There are stairs behind the organ and a ramp between the church and the car park leading to the basement.

Compiled with the assistance of A Sanctified Art, Spill the Beans and Words for Worship.