Order of Service – 22nd December 2024

The Order of Service follows below.

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Advent 4:
A Peaceful Christmas

Emmanuel: God’s Holy Darkness

Brougham Place Uniting Church
Kardlayirdi Karnungga
A Light on the Hill

December 22, 2024
Advent 4. Purple

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

Welcome! As you wait for worship to begin, please turn your phone to silent.

Prelude

Welcome and Acknowledgment of Country

Naa marni?
(Are you all good?)
Marni Ai!
(Good I am)

Since time immemorial, the Indigenous people have been caring for this land. They watched for the seasons, knowing when to harvest and when to plant, knowing when to stay and when to move, knowing how to read the signs of the time. As we gather today, we acknowledge the wisdom of the traditional owners of this land, the Kaurna people.

We pay our respects to their elders, past and present, and acknowledge that sovereignty has never been ceded.

We commit to listening to Indigenous wisdom, and walking together for truth, reconciliation and justice for all.

We Sing: Light One Candle

Light one candle for peace
one bright candle for peace.
He brings peace to every heart.
He comes! He comes!

Lighting of the Candles

Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world’.

We are waiting for the day when we will celebrate the Christ child born in the night.
As we light the first candle, we pray for the world to know hope.
As we light the second candle, we remember that God’s love surrounds us.
As we light the third candle, we bring to mind times of joy and happiness.
As we light the fourth candle, we pray for peace on earth and goodwill between all people.
God of peace, may we know your presence in the light and the holy darkness.

We Sing: Jubilate Deo

Jubilate Deo, omnis terra.
Servite Domino in lætitia.
Alleluia, alleluia, in lætitia;
Alleluia, alleluia, in Lætitia!

(Latin translation – Rejoice in God, all the earth: serve the Lord with gladness)

Opening Prayer

Prayer of Confession

Word of Grace

Our God is a God of graciousness, of love and truth. With peace, may you lift your head in worship and praise.
Amen.

Passing of the Peace

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

Community News and Notices

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Children’s Time

From: God’s Holy Darkness by Sherei Green, and Beckah Selnick and illustrated by Nikki Faison. Reproduced by Permission of Augsburg Fortress.

Children may go downstairs for Sunday School with Alex. 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.

We sing: In God Alone my Soul can find Rest and Peace

In God alone my soul can find rest and peace,
in God my peace and joy.
Only in God my soul can find its rest,
find its rest and peace.

Scripture Readings

Genesis 1:1-5

When God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Luke 1:26-55

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.

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

“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.

We sing: Magnificat

Magnificat, Magnificat,
Magnificat anima mea Dominum.
Magnificat, Magnificat,
Magnificat anima mea!

Offering

To give electronically towards the ministry of Brougham Place, please go to bpuc.org/give

Alternatively, there is an offering bowl near the lectern on the left-hand side at the front of the church.

Offering Prayer

We Sing: The Kingdom of God

The kingdom of God is justice and peace
and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Come, Lord, and open in us
the gates of your kingdom.

Prayers of the People

We sing: 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.

Keep us from temptation, and deliver us from evil. Amen!

We sing: Our Darkness is never Darkness

Our darkness is never darkness in your sight:

the deepest night is clear as the daylight.

Message

Extroit

When you are ready, 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. You are welcome!

This service has been prepared with assistance from Liturgy Learning & (Purposeful) Life (L3)

The Scripture Readings are taken from the New Revised Standard Version (Updated Edition)