Welcome to our service today. Hope you have had a blessed Christmas. Today Simon reflects on finding restoration at the end of a year that has thrown everything up in the air! The zoom room will be open after the service at 12.15pm for anyone who would like to gather for coffee and left over turkey sandwiches. The link is here
As we come to worship we give thanks to God for the birth of Jesus, light of the world, Emmanuel, whose coming signalled a new beginning - restoration is here.
Worship
"Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn" - Isaiah 60:1-3
Songs for Worship
Click on the link for a youtube playlist of songs for today. You might want to save the last two for before and after the sermon.
We've been telling the Christmas Story over the last few weeks, but how much do you really know about what happened that first Christmas?
Here is a quiz to test your knowledge.....
Here are some downloadable puzzle pages as you reflect on the story of Jesus. Or you could make up your own Christmas Quiz and test your family and friends...! https://reflectionary.org/2016/12/14/puzzle-pages-christmas-jn-11-14/
Prayers
God, you hear the calls,
the cries,
the voices raised,
the silent whispered prayers.
Israel, in her exile, crying out for a messiah.
Elizabeth, in her barrenness, calling out for a son.
Shepherds, in their poverty, praying for a saviour.
Mary, in her innocence, searching for a safe place to give birth.
And still today the voices cry out.
In the Middle East,
in Europe, in the US, in the whole world
and here in the UK as we face together the pandemic and the steps towards Brexit
The homeless, in their vulnerability, asking for a welcome.
The rich, in their emptiness, longing for acceptance.
The lonely, in their busyness, crying for community.
The families, in their arguments, praying for peace.
God, you hear the calls,
the cries,
the voices raised,
the silent whispered prayers.
Hear our prayers today,
and help us, where we can, to be the answer to someone else's prayer.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Word
Simon's sermon is based on Revelation 22. You might want to read it here first.
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