December 18, 2022

WELCOME TO ST ANDREW’S ON THE TERRACE

Today’s service is led by Rev Dr Fei Taule’ale’ausumai

PRELUDE

CALL TO WORSHIP

The Christmas spirit is the hope

which tenaciously clings to the hearts of the faithful

and announces in the face of any Herod

the world can produce,

and all the inn doors slammed in our faces,

and all the dark nights of the sou,l

that with God all things still are possible;

that even now: Unto us a child is born!

SILENCE

GATHERING

We gather to announce that love is about to be born.

We hear the ancient word looking forward to this announcement.

We proclaim that light is about to overcome darkness.

Peace and justice shall be possible for all humanity.

The heralding is for us.

We prepare so we can participate in this rebirth of Love.

Our worship together separates the wilderness from the wasteland.

We affirm the hand of God in the movement of life.

Let us celebrate life in the presence of God.

 

 

 

 

PROCESSIONAL HYMN                          CHC 403 ‘It came upon the midnight clear’

Words: Hope Publishing Co, Music: Public Domain

1. It came upon the midnight clear,

that glorious song of old,

from angels bending near the earth

with news of joy foretold.

“Peace on the earth, good will to all

from heaven’s all gracious King.”

The world in solemn stillness lay,

to hear the angels sing.

 

2. Still through the cloven skies they come,

love’s banner all unfurled;

and still their heavenly music floats

o’er all the weary world.

Above its sad and lowly plains

old echoes plaintive ring,

and ever o’er its Babel sounds

the blessed angels sing.

 

3. For lo! the days are hastening on,

by prophets seen of old,

when with the ever-circling years

shall come the time foretold;

when peace shall over all the earth

its ancient splendours fling,

and the whole world send back the song

which now the angels sing.

 

 

WELCOME 

 

E te whānau a Te Karaiti. Ngā mihi aroha ki a tātou katoa.

Kia ora tātou.

 

Talofa lava

Talofa

 

LIGHTING THE ADVENT CANDLE OF LOVE      (Invite the most senior person)

On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we remember the love we find in God, and the gifts of love we offer to others.

 

Partner Story: In September Luqman was marooned by the flood waters that covered one third of Pakistan. When the water rose too high, he sought safety with his mother in his great grandmother’s house which was only partially flooded. The weather was hot and the water polluted. They could not cook their food properly. There was no school, no friends to play with and nowhere to go. Luqman’s grandmother carefully rationed the fresh drinking water her brother delivered to the household. In this climate crisis, we can support partners like Community World Service Asia with our gifts and prayers so they can help families recover. Together we share love with families facing the long-term effects of flooding.

 

SING:                   A candle is burning a candle a flame warm and bright

a candle which brings HOPE and offers delight.

While we await our expectations are high;

our hearts rejoice gladly for Jesus is nigh.

A candle is burning, a candle of PEACE,
a candle to signal that conflict must cease.
For Jesus is coming to show us the way,
a message of peace humbly laid in the hay

A candle is burning, a candle of JOY,
a candle to welcome brave Mary’s new boy.
Our hearts fill with wonder and eyes light and glow
as joy brightens winter like sunshine on snow

A candle is burning, a candle of LOVE,
a candle to point us to heaven above.
A baby for Christmas, a wonderful birth;
for Jesus is bringing God’s love to our earth.

Tune: Away in a manger alternative tune.

 

Together: God of love and surprises; may we love one another, embracing your generous spirit and ways of justice. Give us perseverance to bring love to the world in word and in action.

 

PRAYER

Source of Life – who called the rich to travel toward poverty,

the powerful to know their own frailty;

who gave to strangers a sense of homecoming in an alien land

and to stargazers true light and vision as they bowed to earth –

we lay ourselves open to your signs for us.

Stir us with holy discontent

over a world which gives its gifts to those

who have plenty already,

whose talents are obvious,

whose power is recognized;

and help us both to share our resources

with those who have little,

and to receive with humility

the gifts they bring to us.

(Silence)

Rise within us, like a star,

and make us restless

till we journey forth to seek our rest in you.

JESUS’ PRAYER                                                                             Jim Cotter paraphrase

 

Eternal Spirit

Life-Giver, Pain-Bearer, Love-Maker,

source of all that is and that shall be,

Father and Mother of us all,

loving God, in whom is heaven:

the hallowing of your name

echo through the universe!

The way of your justice be followed

by the peoples of the world!

Your heavenly will be done

by all created beings!

Your commonwealth of peace and freedom

sustain our hope and come on earth.

With the bread we need for today, feed us.

In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.

In times of temptation and test,

strengthen us.

From trials too great to endure, spare us.

From the grip of all that is evil, free us.

For you reign in the glory

of the power that is love, now and for ever.

Amen.

LIGHTING THE RAINBOW CANDLE  

We light the rainbow candle as an inclusive community and also for our children.

FAMILY TIME                                                                    Rev Dr Fei Taule’ale’ausumai

BLESSING THE CHILDREN (All stand)

We send you to the Rainbow Room to hear stories, ask questions

and have fun together. 

We bless you. Amen.   

PASSING THE PEACE

Traditionally we shake hands to pass the peace and say “peace be with you.”  Now that COVID-19 is here we ask that you pass the peace without shaking hands.                                                                               

THE WORD IN TEXTS                                                                                                 Valerie Rhodes

Hebrew Bible                                                                                             Isaiah 7:10-16

Gospel/New Testament                                                                     Matthew 1:18-25

Contemporary reading         “The Advent”            Wellsprings – a book of spiritual
                                                                          experiences by Anthony de Mello, S.J

The events of history were controlled

for my coming to this world

no less than for the coming of the Saviour.
The time had to be ripe…

the place just right…

the circumstances ready…

before I could be born.

 

God chose the parents of his Son

and endowed them with the personality they needed

for the Child that would be born.
I speak to God about the man and woman that he chose

to be my parents…

until I see that they had to be

the kind of human beings they were

if I was to become

what God meant me to be.

 

The Christ child comes, like every other child,

to give the world a message.

What message have I come to give?

I see guidance from the Lord to express it

in a word…

or image…

 

Chirst comes into this world

to walk a certain path,

fulfil a certain destiny.

He consciously fulfilled what had been “written” for him.

As I look back I see in wonder what was “written”

and has thus far been fulfilled

in my own life…

and for each part of that script,

however small;
I say, “Thanks”…

to make it holy with my gratitude.

 

I look with expectation

and surrender

at all that is to come…

and, like the Christ,

I say, “Yes. Let it be done.”…

Finally I recall the song the angels sang

when Christ was born.
They sang of the peace and joy

that give God glory.

 

Have I ever heard the song the angels sang when I was born?

 

I see with joy what has been done through me

to make the world a better place…

and I join those angels

in the song they sang

to celebrate my birth.

RESPONSE

For the Word in scripture,

for the Word among us,

for the Word within us,  

we give thanks.

 

CAROL                                                                      WOV 228 ‘O come all ye faithful’
                                                                      Music: John Francis Wade Words C. Frederick Oakeley (alt)words

 

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels:
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore him,

O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

 

See how the shepherds summoned to his cradle,

leaving their flocks, draw nigh with holy fear;

we too will thither bend our joyful footsteps:

O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore him,

O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

 

Lo, star led chieftains, wise men, Christ adoring,

offer him incense, gold and myrrh;

we to the Christ child, bring our hearts’ oblations:

O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore him,

O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

 

Sing choirs of angels, sing in exultation,

sing all ye citizens of heaven above.

Glory to God, glory in the highest:

O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore him,

O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

 

REFLECTION                ‘The elves and the shoemaker’                       Children’s play

 

HYMN                                                                       COC52 ‘You are born in us again’

                           Words © 1996 Mark Wilson. Music arr. Shona Murray, descant Colin Gibson

1. You are born in us again.

Like the warmth of the summer wind you come,

to melt away the icicles of vanity and pride;

you come to blow the very doors of loving open wide.

Like the warmth of the summer wind you come, (repeat last line)

 

2. You are born in us again.

Like the scent of the summer rain you come.

You come to quench the thirsty and to freshen up the land;

you come to clean away the dust that’s settled in our hand.

Like the scent of summer rain you come, (repeat last line)

 

3. You are born in us again.

Like the light of the summer sun you come,

to give light to the places that have never seen the Son:

you come now to embrace us, you’re the holy, holy one.

Like the light of the summer sun you come, (repeat last line)

 

 

OFFERTORY MUSIC                                                                                                        

OFFERING HYMN

 

 

HYMN OF DEDICATION                                Words© Shirley Murray; Music© David Dell COC 48

Where is the room,

where is the house of Christmas?

Where shall we welcome Jesus,

where are the signs of home?

 

Let Christ have space,

place at the heart of living,

centre for birth’s new breathing,

cradle for hope and peace.

 

Let there be room,

room for the friend and stranger,

room without hurt or anger,

room for whoever come.

 

Let love be here,

love for the Christmas stable,

love at our open table,

love to be shared all year.

 

We recognise and bless the gifts brought to the table, and those which wing their way electronically from our banks to the church’s account.

LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY OF ST ANDREW’S

People share notices and visitors are welcomed.  If you have a notice, please move to the front row, ready to speak briefly from the lectern. 
For the benefit of newcomers, please introduce yourself before you begin.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE                                                                        Barrie Keenan

CIRCLE OF PRAYER

We think today of the people of Ukraine and the Eastern Orthodox Church in Ukraine and throughout the world. We hold all refugees in our hearts. We pray in particular for the refugees still detained in Nauru. We give thanks for progress that has been made and pray that their calls for justice might yet find a compassionate response. In New Zealand, we remember those in Parliament, and today we name Deborah Russell (New Lynn) and Eugenie Sage (List). Here in the Central Presbytery, we pray for the leaders and people of Takapau Norsewood-Ormondville Presbyterian Church.

PRAYER FOR ST ANDREW’S

Renew your people, God,

and renew our life in this place.

Give us a new spirit of unity

with all who follow the Way of Jesus

and new bonds of love

with people of other faiths.

 

Bless the city in which we live

that it may be a place

where honest dealing,

good government,

the desire for beauty,

and the care for others flourish.

 

Bless this church

that what we know of your will

may become what we do,

and what we believe

the strong impulse

of our worship and work.

Amen

 

 

 

HYMN                                                                               CH314 ‘Child in the manger’
                                                   Words: Mary Macdonald, Music: David Evans, Tune: Bunessan

 

1. Child in the manger,

    infant of Mary;

    outcast and stranger,

Lord of all!

    Child who inherits

    all our transgressions,

    all our demerits

on him fall.

 

2. Once the most holy

    child of salvation

    gently and lowly

lived below;

        now, as our glorious

        mighty Redeemer,

        see him victorious

o’er each foe.

 

3. Prophets foretold him,

    infant of wonder;

    angels behold him

on his throne;

        worthy our Saviour

        of all their praises;

        happy for ever

are his own.

 

THE SENDING OUT (standing) (Poem by Joy Cowley)

This year, this year, who comes

in form of God’s befriending?

What voice to cry for peace?

A child with human face will plead compassions case,

entreat our conflicts’ ending –

Bless this child, O bless this child!

Make way, make way for signs of angel visitation!

What daughter or what son may be the coming One,

new Christ, in love begun, new light of revelation?

Bless this child, O bless this child.

Make room, make room!

The time is near to be awaking,

for in creation’s womb the Word has made a home –

the seed for summer bloom within the earth is breaking.

Bless this child, O bless this child.

BLESSING

 

SING

May the God of new beginnings, start with you and me

May the God of continuing story, speak through you and me,

May the God of infinite wisdom shine through you and me

May the God of safe homecomings, welcome you and me. 

SUNG AMEN

POSTLUDE          

 

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