Worshipping at Home 28th November 2021
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Advent Sunday                    28th November 2021

The Service

The above video is 20 minutes & 26 seconds long
The First Hymn
Welcome!

Advent Sunday marks the beginning of the Church’s year. We begin with the build up to Christmas. These days are usually busy and fun, but Advent invites us to pause and remember why we look forward to welcoming a Saviour on Christmas Day. A Saviour! To save us from what? To save us for what? As we find the answers, it is like a light slowly growing stronger in the darkness. 


Psalm 37: 1-9

Fret not because of evildoers; be not jealous of those who do wrong. For they shall soon wither like grass and like the green herb fade away. Trust in the Lord and be doing good; dwell in the land and be nourished with truth. Let your delight be in the Lord and he will give you your heart’s desire. Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him, and he will bring it to pass. He will make your righteousness as clear as the light and your just dealing as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait for him; do not fret over those that prosper as they follow their evil schemes.
Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; do not fret, lest you be moved to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait upon the Lord shall possess the land. 

Acclamation

Hail to the Lord’s anointed;
Great David’s greater Son!
Hail, in the time appointed,
His reign on earth begun!

He comes to break oppression,
To set the captive free,
To take away transgressions,
And rule in equity.

The Collect Prayer

Almighty God, give us grace 
to cast away the works of darkness 
and to put on the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life, 
in which your Son Jesus Christ 
came to us in great humility; 
that on the last day, 
when he shall come again 
in his glorious majesty 
to judge the living and the dead, 
we may rise to the life immortal; 
through him who is alive 
and reigns with you, 
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Sharing the Peace

We are the Family of God;
In the one Spirit we were all baptised
into one body.

Let us then pursue all that makes for peace
and builds up our common life.

(At this point please think of others
and in your heart send them
the message: Peace be with you.)

Bible Reading

Luke 21: 25-36 (A chilling vision of a world in turmoil.)

 

[Jesus said] “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”



He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

Thought for the Day

Oh dear. Here we are – Advent Sunday - at the start of a new Church Year, expecting some uplifting and inspiring Bible Reading. Instead we get doom and gloom. These dark passages are referred to as apocalyptic writings. ‘Apocalypse’ refers to the final destruction of the present era, and the accompanying thought is ‘Run to the hills. Run for your life’. But it’s worse than that! Apocalyptic writings (and sorry for going on about it) not only talk of disaster, but they also talk of our helplessness in the face of impending doom. In other words, we can’t even run to the hills. Our only hope is the arrival of a Saviour. Ah, now we can see why we get these readings in the lead up to Christmas when we welcome the Christchild – the Saviour of the World. Advent stirs us up so that by Christmas time we are ready to welcome Jesus and say, ‘Thank God you are here!’. 

On a particularly stormy day a hymn writer found himself sheltering from a storm amongst some rocks. The experience inspired him to write a now famous, and typically apocalyptic, hymn: Rock of Ages. Some of the lyrics talk of being helpless, with nothing in our hands to bring. I am not keen on this hymn, and I would like to tell you why:

It is true that Jesus doesn’t pull his punches about troubles ahead, and it’s true that occasionally it seems that his advice is ‘Brace yourselves for the storm’. But Jesus’ teaching overwhelmingly challenges our sense of helplessness. He certainly has very harsh warnings for the powerful people of his time, but his message to the rest of the crowd was different. Do you remember some years ago a television series ‘Citizen Smith’? The main character’s slogan was ‘Power to the People’! And that is Jesus’ message to us. No, he doesn’t tell us to pull ourselves together and get on with it’; instead he nurses us with his compassion and strengthens us with his love. In the face of apocalyptic fears Jesus somehow convinces us that our little boat will weather the storm. 

Advent prepares us for Christmas, so that when we welcome the Christchild we can say, ‘Thank God you are here…to silence the miserable doomsayers, and to renew of faith and hope.’ That’s salvation!

Let us Pray

A prayer for you: May God enliven you so that you may sense his hand upon you. May God direct your thoughts as he makes himself known to you. As God raised the expectations of his people through the words of the prophets, may God raise your hopes and help you to look forward to his daily blessings. May God so fill your life that goodness and peace may flow from you and become a blessing to others. In the darkness of this winter time, may your light shine and brighten the lives of those you meet. Amen.

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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

(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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.)
The Blessing

Christ the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you and scatter the darkness from before your path; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always.


Amen.

 The Second Hymn

Bible Readings for the Week

Monday: Numbers 17:1-11; 2 Peter 3:1-18

Tuesday: 2 Samuel 7:18-29; Revelation 22:12-16

Wednesday: Isaiah 1:24-31; Luke 11:29-32

Thursday: Malachi 3:5-12; Philippians 1:12-18a

Friday: Malachi 3:13-18; Philippians 1:18b-26

Saturday: Malachi 4:1-6; Luke 9:1-6

If you have any thoughts, questions or concerns, please contact us

Henley in Arden The incumbent/priest in charge John Ganjavi
telephone 01564 792570 or email Incumbent/ Priest in charge

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I believe if you keep your faith, you keep your trust, you keep the right attitude, if you're grateful, you'll see God open up new doors.
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