Order of Service – 24th December 2023

The Order of Service follows below.

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Brougham Place Uniting Church

Kardlayirdi Karnungga
A Light on the Hill

December 24th, 2023. 10.00am
Preacher: Rev Linda Driver
Advent 4
Liturgical colour: Purple

Prelude

Welcome

Niina marni!
Marni’ai!

Acknowledgment of Country

Lighting of the Candles and Introit

Now the star of Christmas – Murray/ Gibson (Hope 105)

Lighting of the Advent Wreath

I will sing of God’s loyal love.
We sing God’s love together!

I will sing of God’s faithfulness.
We sing God’s love together!

God’s love creates and sustains the world.
We sing God’s love together!

God has come among us in love. God is coming again. And so, as we wait, we light the candle of love.

We Sing: He Came Down that We May Have Love

He came down
that we may have love;

He came down
that we may have love;

He came down
that we may have love;
hallelujah for evermore.

(Sing song twice)

Opening Prayer

Trinity of Love, we long for you. Meet us here, fill our lives and transform our world. Trinity of Love, we bring our praise, today and every day.
Hallelujah! Amen!

Prayer of Confession

We offer our sorrow for our part in all that is not good and is not just and is not beautiful in the world, and ask for God’s mercy.
God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.

Words of Grace

Children of God, will you work for a world where all are loved and valued, where justice and peace flourish, where the earth and its creatures find life and rest?
With God’s help, we will.

Children of God, beloved of God, we are forgiven through God’s grace. Our task is to love God’s world. Let us do this with the help of the Spirit.
In the name of Christ,
we will bear God’s love. Amen!

Passing of the Peace

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

We Sing: Love Came Down at Christmas

Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
star and angels gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead,
Love incarnate, Love divine;
worship we our Jesus:
but wherewith for sacred sign?
Love shall be our token,
love be yours and love be mine,
love to God and neighbours,
love for plea and gift and sign.

Together in Song. 317 Christina Georgina Rossetti, 1830-94 alt. Public Domain.

Community News and Notices

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

Children’s Time

Children may go downstairs for Sunday School. Parents, you are welcome to join your child in Sunday School if you feel your child may need your assistance. Alternatively, you may wish for your child to remain with you for the duration of worship. Activity packs are available at the entrances.

Choral Anthem

The Angel Gabriel – Together in Song 302

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26–38 and Luke 1:46–55

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
    Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name;
indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
    and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

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

Message

We Sing: Love Makes a Way

Love makes a way to open the door,
love spreads the welcome mat down on the floor,
love feeds the hungry and sits with the poor,
the greatest of all is love.
Love clothes the cold and tends to the frail,
visits the sick and the pris’ner in jail,
love sees a need and answers the call,
the greatest of all is love.

Bridge:
Love isn’t jealous, impatient or proud.
Love keeps no record of wrongs that are done.
True love rejoices when goodness prevails
love never fails.
Love sees a stranger and acts as a friend,
love breaks down walls, finds bridges to mend,
love chooses life and sticks to the end,
the greatest of all is love.
The greatest of all is love.

Prayers of the People

God who met Mary and called her blessed, we join our hearts and our prayers with hers.
We sing to you.

We celebrate because you see us, you notice us, you call us.
We rejoice in you.

Your grace abounds throughout creation and from one generation to the next.
Your mercy is for all.

You turn the world upside down:
You scatter the arrogant.

You pull the powerful from their thrones;
You lift up the lowly.

You fill the hungry with good things.
The rich are empty-handed.

You come to our help again and again, You keep the promises of old.
You are present in the world.

Teach us to be your people:
to live as Jesus lived.

Teach us to work for justice:
to love as Jesus loved.

God who met Mary and called her blessed, we join our hearts and our prayers with hers.
We sing to you. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

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

Offering

To give electronically please go to bpuc.org/give

Alternatively, there is an offering bowl near the lectern on the left-hand side as you exit the church.

Offering Prayer

God’s love overflows into our hearts, our hands, and our lives.
May these offerings be a sign and symbol of God’s love in the world. Amen.

We sing: Star Child

Star-child, earth-child, go-between of God,
Love child, Christ-child, heaven’s lightning rod:
This year, this year let the day arrive
When Christmas comes for everyone, everyone alive.
Street child, beat child, no place left to go,
Hurt child, used child, no one wants to know:
This year, this year let the day arrive
When Christmas comes for everyone, everyone alive.
Grown child, old child, memory full of years,
Sad child, lost child, story told in tears:
This year, this year let the day arrive
When Christmas comes for everyone, everyone alive.
Spared child, spoiled child, having, wanting more,
Wise child, faith child, knowing joy in store:
This year, this year let the day arrive
When Christmas comes for everyone, everyone alive.
Hope for peace child, God’s stupendous sign,
Down to earth child, star of stars that shine:
This year, this year let the day arrive
When Christmas comes for everyone, everyone alive..

Shirley E Murray, Carlton R Young © Hope Publishing Co. Administered by Copycare Pacific PTY LTD/Lizard Tunes, PO Box 314, Ourimbah NSW 2258 Australia Words used with permission under copyright CCLI Licence No 137219. Copyright cleared music for churches.

Sending Forth and Benediction

As we go from this place, may your hearts glorify God! May you join in God’s work of renewing the world. And may you watch for signs of God’s love. The time is close. The Christ child is coming.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
We will celebrate God’s love!

Choral Blessing:

Peace I leave with you – Phillip Young

Postlude

Come and share morning tea together, 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: L3 Liturgical Resource. Writer: Bec Lindsay. Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition.