Sunday 29th November - 1st Sunday of Advent
In Preparing for Advent & Christmas 2020 we are using the theme of Comfort & Joy. This is to hold together the hope that Christmas will bring joy and celebration after a uniquely difficult year with an acknowledgement that – for those who have lost loved ones or livelihoods, or who are potentially still not able to be together with loved ones – it may be a time of consolation as well as jubilation.
Good Morning & welcome all to our virtual Sunday Gathering
This morning’s service comes will be lead by Lee with, music, readings & prayers and the talk from Nick, all streamed Live on Facebook at 10:30am.
Our bible readings for today are 1 Corinthians 1.3-9 and Mark 13.24-37
The words for the service will be on the screen for you to follow along this week. A copy of these words (liturgy) are in the slides linked below.
If you are watching from home and missing seeing people from church, is there someone you can make contact with to see if they fancy joining you for a chat on WhatsApp / Zoom / Facetime or the telephone after the Live Stream service? Grab a coffee and have a catch up much like you would in church on a Sunday morning. If you are not sure who you could make contact with please speak to Vicar Lee or one of the churchwardens (Dave, Jeanette, Maria or Alan) and we will see what we can arrange for you.
***UPDATE: a recording of the service has been added below***
JUNIOR & SMALL CHURCH
Click on the link for this week’s worksheet and activities to do with the kids (associated with the readings in today’s service). This includes ideas for an active Advent . . .
Here are some extra resources to use over the coming weeks for family preparations for Advent & Christmas. . .
You will also find more useful links for families on the Junior & Small Church Resources page.
Personal Prayer - preparing for advent and christmas 2020
Here are some suggested resources for personal prayer and reflection as we prepare for Advent and Christmas this year.
The Church of England will be sharing Comfort and Joy reflections for each Sunday of Advent and each day from Christmas Day to 2 January. These will be freely available via social media, app and smart speakers or you can sign up here to receive these reflections by email.
Lectio 365 from 24-7 Prayer International is a daily devotional resource that helps you pray the Bible every day. Join their O Come Emmanuel reflections as they explore the hope of Jesus arriving into our uncertain world. This is published as an app, available here.
Tearfund invite us to be encouraged, inspired and uplifted each day in the lead up to Christmas by opening the windows on their virtual advent calendar and spending a few moments each day exploring Our present: hope through reflections, thoughts, prayers and creative contributions from around the world. You can sign up for this here.
Or join our own Daily Prayer Gathering. This is an opportunity for our church communities (or anyone else who would like to join us) to meet for informal prayer online from 9am - 9.25am, Monday to Friday. Here’s the link to the meeting: https://zoom.us/j/757618106
For our closing prayer this Sunday
the Collect for Advent Sunday
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 both 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.
