MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE.

Christmas Day 2020 APC (Online)
 
Part 1
Welcome and Introduction          
Good morning everyone and welcome to our Christmas Morning worship.  May I begin by wishing you and your family a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.  In a moment our virtual choir will lead us in the beautiful carol ‘Silent Night’, but first, let us light our fifth advent candle, the Christ Candle, as we celebrate God’s gift of His Son to our world…(End Part 1)
 
Video       Lighting of the Christ Candle
 
Virtual Choir                ‘Silent Night’
  
Part 2
My thanks to everyone who has helped us with our candle readings and our singing and music during the month of December.  It is your contributions that have made our services so special.  Let us pray…
  
A Prayer for Christmas Day
 
Loving God we thank you for Christmas and all it speaks of- your promise of old to send a Messiah to your people, the fulfilment of that promise through the sending of your Son, the realization of those long years of expectation, the glad tidings proclaimed by the angels, the wonder and mystery of that first Christmas.
For all this time means and will always mean;        We praise you
We thank you for this season’s power to move, inspire and challenge, to gladden the hardest hearts and most broken of spirits, to stir our minds and capture our imaginations
For all this time means and will always mean;        We praise you
We thank you for the special things we associate with Christmas – the spreading of goodwill, the sharing of friendship, the longing for peace and the expressing of love.
For all this time means and will always mean We praise you
But above all we thank you for the truth behind this day- the message that you have come to us, that you love us, that you have shared our humanity and that you want us to share in your everlasting life.
For all this time means and will always mean We praise you
Loving God, accept our praise and receive our thanksgiving, bless our celebrations, and may the wonder of the gospel come alive in our hearts this Christmas time, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
  
Introduction to Reading and Carol
Let us listen to God’s word now as Luke describes for us the birth of Christ that first Christmas…
Lesson     Luke chapter 2 verses 1–14                   The Birth of Jesus
2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
 
 
Introduce the Kid’s Animation (“At Home for Christmas” Series)
If you haven’t already got your children with you now’s the time to pause the recording and to encourage them to join you because I’m going to show them the last part of our animation series “At Home for Christmas”.  PAUSE
It’s great to see you boys and girls.  A very happy Christmas. I hope you got a visit from Santy this morning and that you are already enjoying the gifts that he brought you.  Today for a few moments we are going to think about the greatest gift that has ever been given or received.  It is God’s gift of His Son the Lord Jesus on Christmas Day.  But why is Jesus the greatest gift?  Well, sit back and watch our last At Home for Christmas animation to find out…(End Part 2)
 
Video       Kid’s Animation      ‘The Birth of Jesus’
(PCI Website under At Home for Christmas, ‘Resources’)
 
Part 3
 
I hope you enjoyed that boys and girls.  I hope you’ve been able to do some of the craft activities at home to help you follow the journeys of all the characters in the Christmas story each week.  So far you should have been able to make your advent wreath out of card.  Then you should have cut out and coloured in your stable to remind you of Mary and Joseph and the sheep to remind you of the shepherds and the star to remind you of the wise men.  Today you can cut out and colour in the crown to remind you that Jesus is the King of Kings.  You’ll find all these things on the PCI website in the section ‘At Home for Christmas’ and click on the link for resources.  Once you’ve cut and coloured in the stable, the sheep and the star you can stick them on your advent wreath.
I hope you and your family have a really, really special Christmas even though we can’t have as many people this year as we might like.  And at some point in your day, take a few moments, stop, and say, “Thank you God for giving us the gift of Jesus.”
Before I go, let me encourage you not to rush away because Xander and April are going to sing a beautiful carol for us that’s called Away in a Manger.  I think you might know it so feel free to join in.  So Bye for now, I’ll see you at the beginning of January and I hope you enjoying singing with Xander and April...
(End Part 3)
 
Virtual Kids Choir      Away in a manger       Zander and April
  
Part 4
 
All-Age Christmas Message       ‘At Home for Christmas’
Of course we all expect to be at home for Christmas. But what if we can’t be? Recently an opportunity has opened up for Emma to teach English to migrants entering Ireland from countries such as Syria and Somalia.  Having to leave their countries because of conflict and danger means that they won’t be at home for this Christmas and perhaps for many Christmases to come. But thankfully they have been able to find a safe place in Ireland and have begun to make this their new home.  Just learning to speak English means so much to these children and young adults.  It enables them to understand what’s being said in class, to communicate more meaningfully with their friends and is the first step in being able to find employment in the future.  For them Ireland has become Home because home is a place of acceptance.
The church always needs to have this to the forefront of its outreach. People come to us from every conceivable background. If we cannot welcome them in sincerity, then we have missed out on something central which Jesus himself said. “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me.” (Matthew 11:28 – The Message.)
Home is a place of love. Love means saying sorry when we mess up, so that relationships can be repaired. Love means laughter and tears, in equal measure. Love means saying “no” as well as “yes”. Love means putting the defenseless at the top of the pile. “So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.” (1 Corinthians 13:7 – The Message.)
Home is a place of hospitality. Over the last number of years Emma and I have been privileged to welcome students from Asia into our home in Belfast.  When the students left we always felt that we had received so much more from them than what we had given.  How powerful it is to discover that it is more of a blessing to give than to receive. “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:2 – NIV.)
Sometimes, home is a place we cannot be. That first Christmas Mary and Joseph were not at home. They were told there was no room in the inn, until one innkeeper offered them temporary shelter with his animals. Out in the fields the shepherds watching their sheep weren’t at home – possibly they were homeless. And neither were the wise men, who had left their home to follow a star, looking for a promised king. “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” (Mathew 2:11 – NIV).
I know it will be difficult for many of us this year.  We will not be able to welcome everyone we would wish to our home for Christmas.  We will not be able to travel and family members will not be able to travel to us.  For some of us this will be the first Christmas without someone we have loved so deeply.  All of these things will bring us much sorrow.
But mercifully we will be able to welcome some people and more than we have been able to see over the last 6 months.  As we prepare to welcome family and friends to our homes today - ‘bubbling’ safely within the necessary restrictions - let us be open-handed so that the blessings we have received can be generously shared with the poorest of our world.  Just as God has shared Jesus the light of world with us, today gives us another opportunity to share with those who have been most affected by the Covid 19 Pandemic.  To help you understand how together we can do this, sit back and listen to our Moderator Rev David Bruce as he explains a little more about his Christmas Appeal…(End Part 4)
 
Video         Moderator’s World Development Appeal
                             
Part 5
 
I want to thank you all for your wonderful generosity to so many charitable causes throughout this year.  I would encourage you if you can one more time to be as generous as you are able to our Moderator’s Christmas Appeal. You can also donate online using the Church bank details on our website, just mark your donation for the Moderator’s Christmas Appeal.  You can also contact our treasurer Aleida Van der Flier to pay using a mechanism that is more suitable for you.
 
Prayer for Others
 
Lord we bless you that you came not only to deliver us from our sins but to help people in their suffering.  So take our offerings along with our lives and use them in fulfilment of your will, that the poor may receive good news, the eyes of the blind will see, and those who are oppressed will be set free. With our gifts we also bring you our prayers for others…
Prince of peace, we pray for peace in our world: for all national leaders that they may have wisdom to know, and courage to do what is right; for all men and women that their hearts may be turned to you in the search for righteousness and truth; for those who are working to improve international relationships, that they may find the true way of reconciliation; for those who suffer as a result of war; the injured and the disabled, the mentally distressed, the homeless and the hungry, those who mourn and for all who are without hope or friend. 
We pray for the poorest of our world and those whose lives have been most deeply affected by the Covid 19 Pandemic.  We pray that through our Moderator’s Appeal that many of these people will be enabled to rebuild their lives and their communities in the days ahead.
We think of everyone who will spend today in hospital and for their families.  We pray for everyone who is working today to ensure that vital services can bring assistance to all in need.  Be close to all who will not be able to meet with their loved ones in the way that they normally would.  Be particularly near to those who have lost family members in the year that has passed.  We remember everyone in our world who will find this day to be a day of sadness and conflict rather than joy and peace.  Help us to look out for those who will feel that sadness most acutely and to be there for them.
Lord, despite our restrictions, help us to truly appreciate all that we have.  Make us channels of Your peace this Christmas and help us always to do our part to bring peace in the world and happiness to all people. This we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
  
Closing Words
 
It’s been a joy and privilege to share with you again today. Thanks again for logging on.  I do hope you found this morning’s service an encouragement.  Let me take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.
 
I also want to take this opportunity to say a special thank you to Aleida van der Flier for all her work behind the scenes during this very difficult period.  It is Aleida who has kindly signed everyone in to our services and who has then set out all the chairs each week so that we are safely distanced.
 
The government has just announced this week that from the 26th December church services will only be able to happen online until further notice.  I would like to thank Aleida who has kindly agreed to record her service for Sunday 27th online.  So please do tune in again on Sunday for that.  Then on Sunday 3rd January you will be able to enjoy a specially recorded service led by our Moderator who will help us to reflect on the year that has past and look forward to the year that is ahead.  I’m so grateful to Aleida and our Moderator as this will enable me to get a little break.
 
In a moment, our Virtual Choir will close our worship in the traditional way by playing ‘Hark the Herald angels sing’, but first let me lead you in a Benediction after which I will invite you as always, to say the grace together…
 
  
The Benediction
 
May you be filled with the wonder of Mary, the obedience of Joseph, the joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherd, and the determination of the Magi…
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and for evermore, Amen.”
 
Virtual Choir    Hark the Herald angels sing
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

APC 23rd Dec 2020                “Mind your Head!”    (Part 5)
 
Welcome and Introduction          
Good morning everyone and welcome to our Midweek worship.  Today we continue with the final part of our Wednesday Morning Series for Advent called, “Mind your Head!”
But first let’s take a moment to pause and to talk to our heavenly Father, let’s pray…
 
Opening Prayer
Eternal God, you came to our world not in a blaze of publicity, surrounded by pomp and show, nor to the frenzied acclaim of crowds gathered to greet your coming, but quietly unassumingly almost unnoticed, in the quiet of the night in the little town of Bethlehem- born in a manger to the virgin Mary, your coming first witnessed by shepherds out working in the fields.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so our ways are not your ways nor our thoughts your thoughts.
 
Time and again, you have chosen the small, the humble, the insignificant and worked out your purposes through them.  You have shown your strength in what the world counts weakness, you have made the last first and the least the greatest.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so our ways are not your ways nor our thoughts your thoughts.
Teach us what that means today- that you can use us beyond our imagining, that you can take what seems unimportant and turn it into something wonderful, that you can work among us in ways that exceed our wildest expectations.  Teach us to see life not merely from our own perspective but from yours, and so may your strength be made perfect in our weakness.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so our ways are not your ways nor our thoughts your thoughts.
Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
 
Join me as we say the Lord’s Prayer thoughtfully and sincerely together…
 
Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name,
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us,
And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil,
For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
For ever and ever, AMEN.
 
 
Psalm 42
 
1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
    so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember
    as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
    under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise
    among the festive throng.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.
6 My soul is downcast within me;
    therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
    the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
    in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
    have swept over me.
8 By day the Lord directs his love,
    at night his song is with me--
    a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock,
    “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
    oppressed by the enemy?”
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
    as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”
11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
 
 
 
Reflection               “Be realistic, patient and firm”
Today is the 5th and final part of our series ‘Mind your head’ as we reflect on how we might care for our emotional and mental well-being.  We’ve been using Psalm 42 and 43 as our text because it’s a poem written by someone with strong faith who was experiencing a period of deep depression. 
So far we’ve discovered that it’s normal for all of us to get discouraged at times especially when we experience loss, or become socially and physically isolated from the people we love and the things we love to do.  So it’s important that we go easy on ourselves during these difficult days and look out for each other. 
We reflected on the importance of having the courage to be open and honest about our feelings.  When we are feeling depressed its good for us to share those feelings with someone we trust.  It’s also helpful to be completely honest with God even if we feel angry or frustrated at the circumstances, He has allowed in our lives.
We’ve also looked at the importance of trying to address our feelings by asking the question, “Why?” – “Why am I depressed?”  If we do that prayerfully and listen for God’s answer, we may just discover that there are very legitimate reasons for our discouragement.  Reflecting on the causes of our depression may enable us to find a way forward.
Last week we considered the benefits of looking back at our lives and remembering some of the good times.  The Psalmist found that reflecting on the happy times when he had sung in the temple choir was a real encouragement because he knew that someday in the future he would experience those happy times again.  It’s a great encouragement to know that despite all the restrictions a day will come in the near future when we will be able to enjoy everything that we are unable to currently.
Today I want to show you how well as asking himself ‘why’ and ‘do you remember the good old days?’ the Psalmist also talks to himself by asking, ‘won’t the future be better?
He exhorts himself by saying, “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Saviour and my God.”  Again I think there are a couple of really important lessons for us to learn here.  The first is that we need to be realistic about our situation when we are depressed.  The Psalmist is hopeful of a brighter future but he acknowledges that it may be some time before that day is realised.  That’s why he says, “I will yet praise Him.”  You know, the bible never tells us to pretend to be happy when we aren’t. 
But as well as being realistic, it’s also important to be patient with ourselves and with our circumstances.  That’s why the Psalmist says, “Hope in God.”  The Hebrew word translated ‘hope’ here literally means ‘Wait for God’.  That’s really important to remember when we are depressed or when we are helping someone else through depression.  There are no short cuts.  You can’t just snap out of it.  You need to be patient and to be willing to hang on in there until things start to improve.  Even with counselling, making the necessary life changes or taking anti-depressant medication, it takes time for the black clouds of depression to drift away and for the sunshine of joy to return.
In addition to being realistic and patient as we wait for improvement the Psalmist reminds us that we still need to be firm with ourselves.  That’s why he robustly tells himself to “Put your hope in God!”
You know, when we are helping someone else who is suffering from depression it won’t do any good to tell them to pull themselves together.  But there is every reason when we are suffering from depression to say that to ourselves.  We must remember that we are never helpless victims of our own emotions.  We must remind ourselves that God is with us and that with His help we will overcome this illness in time.  We need to cultivate that steely determination to keep coming to church or logging on, to keep meeting with God’s people and singing His praises even when it is the last thing that we feel like doing.  We must also remember to put our hope in God- the God who knows what it is like to suffer the darkness and depression of Gethsemane and the Cross.  The God who through that suffering was vindicated and raised from the dead.  The God who is ascended into heaven and who, even now, is praying for us.  The God who has put His Holy Spirit within us and who promises to help us.  The God who promises us this Advent season that even though we may have great trouble and pain in this world- a day is coming when He will wipe away every tear and will give us a new and perfect resurrection body.  The God who promises us that one day He will invite us to share the new heaven and the new earth with Him where we will experience constant joy, forever and ever.
 
 
Conclusion
Thankfully most of us may never experience the depths of depression that the Psalmist here went through.
But if you do let me encourage you that it in no way means that you are any less of a Christian than anyone else.
It may well be that if someone else was born with your temperament and had to cope with your life experiences that they would be battling with depression as well.
Let me also encourage you that it may just be that in God’s wisdom your proneness to depression may give you the potential of knowing God more deeply and more intimately than those people who have never known the struggles that you have known.  That’s why your Christianity isn’t about glib clichés, modern sales talk or trite formulae.  You know what’s it is like to feel spiritually thirsty, to have wrestled violently, to be moved profoundly and to have prayed desperately.  And your faith is all the more real for that.
But let me also encourage you to learn the lessons from this Psalmist so that you may be better equipped to cope with your depression.
Don’t seek an escape or try to bottle up your feelings.  Talk to someone you trust and talk to God.  Be completely honest about how you are feeling.
As well as talking to God and others, talk to yourself.
Ask yourself why you feel the way you do, you may just find there is a logical explanation.
Try to remember times in the past when you were happy and enjoying life, that may just give you an encouragement that there will be days like that to come.
Be realistic, don’t pretend you’re happy when you’re not.
Be patient.  Even with help it will take time for this depression to lift.
But be firm.  Don’t allow yourself to wallow in self-pity.  Put your trust in God.  Remember that He is with you and can help you.  Remember all that he has done for you and that He the promises you a bright future with Him in heaven forever.
And may God bless to each of us this meditation on His word.  Amen.
 
Prayer
God of love, we pray for all the people who will be celebrating Christmas this year, enjoying presents, food and fun, yet not having heard or accepted or understood what Christmas is all about. Speak to them now and help them to respond.
We pray for those who have never heard the gospel or received a distorted picture of its message, or failed to recognize it is good news for them. Speak to them now and help them to respond.
We pray for those who have closed their hearts and minds to Christ, refusing to listen or consider further, rejecting your Son as so many rejected Him at His coming. Speak to them now and help them to respond.
We pray for those who have come to faith but barely realized what that means, seeing perhaps just a small part of all you have done, or seeking to know more but troubled by doubts and questions. Speak to them now and help them to respond.
God of love, come to our world again this Christmas.  Be especially close to all who will not be able to meet with their loved ones in the way that they normally would.  Be particularly near to those who have lost family members in the year that has passed.  Help us to look out for those who will feel that sadness most acutely and to be there for them.
Help us and all people to glimpse the wonder of your awesome love- a love revealed in the Christ who came and lived among us, who suffered and died on the cross, who rose and reigns with you and who shall come again to draw all things to Himself. Speak to them now and help them to respond.
 
Closing Words
It’s been a joy and privilege to share with you again today. Thanks again for logging on.  I do hope you found this morning’s service an encouragement.
 
Next Friday will be Christmas Morning.  Thank you to all of you who have booked your place with Aleida.  The good news is that there is enough room at the Inn for everyone to be socially distanced in just the one service.  The service will begin at our usual time of 10 am and will only last about 35 minutes.  Then there will be a Sunday service on the 27th December led by Aleida at the usual time of 10am.  If you haven’t already done so, please let us know as soon as possible if you hope to attend the service on Sunday 27th. 
 
As is our tradition, on Christmas Day we will have a special collection for the poorest and most vulnerable in our world who have been especially affected by the Covid 19 pandemic.  The money that is raised will be channeled directly through our Partner Agencies ‘Tear Fund’ and ‘Christian Aid’.  I will show a little video clip on Christmas Morning when our Moderator will explain about this in a little more detail.  But for now, I just want to give you a heads up and encourage you to come prepared and to give as generously as you can.  You can also donate online using the Church bank details on our website, just mark your donation for the Moderator’s Christmas Appeal.  You can also contact our treasurer Aleida Van der Flier to pay using a mechanism that is more suitable for you.
 
And don’t worry, if you can’t make church on Christmas Day or on Sunday 27th there will be services online on both days at the usual time of 10am.  On Sunday 27th, you will be able to enjoy a specially recorded service led by our Moderator who will help us to reflect on the year that has past and look forward to the year that is ahead.
 
In a moment, I will lead you in a Benediction after which I will invite you as always, to say the grace together…
 
Benediction   
Like Mary, have the faith to believe that nothing is impossible with God, Like the shepherds, go in heart and mind again to Bethlehem to see what God has done, like the wise men offer Christ your worship and bring him your gifts, and like the angels, sing joyful songs of praise to God…And
 
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and for evermore, Amen.”
 
 

​20th Dec 2020  APC - 9 Lessons and Carols (Online)
 
Part 1
Welcome and Introduction          
Good morning everyone and welcome to our Sunday Morning worship.  Today is the Fourth Sunday of Advent.  It is a very special Sunday because it is also our service of 9 Lessons and Carols.
But let us begin our journey to Bethlehem as Laudimar and Magnus light our 4th Advent Candle to remind us of the peace that Christ brings.  (END PART 1)
 
Video       Laudimar and Magnus light the Advent Candle
 
Part 2
 
Thank you so much Laudimar and Magnus. Let us pray…
 
Opening Prayer      Michael
 
Father God, we thank you for this day of praise and celebration – this day on which we set aside time to relive that first Christmas long ago, on which we remind ourselves of the wonder of the birth of Christ, on which we remember once more the glad tidings proclaimed to the shepherds, witnessed by the wise men, made possible through Mary.
Loving Father, we come to give thanks for this season- to rejoice at your great love in sending your Son, to see for ourselves the truth discovered by the shepherds, to worship Christ and offer our gifts as wise men came before us.
We come asking you to use us, just as you chose your servant Mary to enter our world.  Take our faith, small though it is, take our gifts, few though they are, take our love, poor though this seems, take our lives weak though they may be.
Loving father, speak to us through this service.  May all we hear draw us closer to you, may all we share remind us of your love, and so may the message of Christmas come alive in our hearts to the glory of your name.  Amen.
 
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name,
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us,
And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil,
For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
For ever and ever, AMEN.
 
Introduce the Kid’s Animation (“At Home for Christmas” Series)
If you haven’t already got your children with you now’s the time to pause the recording and to encourage them to join you because I’m going to show them the third in our animation series “At Home for Christmas”.  PAUSE
It’s great to see you boys and girls.
I hope you’ve enjoyed watching the animations I have shown you over the last few weeks as we follow the journeys of all the people in the Christmas story.  Today we’re going to hear about the wise men who followed a bright star in the sky that led them to where the baby Jesus was born.  (End Part 2)
 
 
Video       Kid’s Animation      ‘The Wise Men’
(PCI Website under At Home for Christmas, ‘Resources’)
 
Part 3
 
I hope you enjoyed that boys and girls.  I hope you’ve been able to do some of the craft activities at home to help you follow the journeys of all the characters in the Christmas story each week.  So far you should have been able to make your advent wreath out of card.  Then you should have cut out and coloured in your stable to remind you of Mary and Joseph and the sheep to remind you of the shepherds.  Today you can cut out and colour in a star to remind you of the wise men.  You’ll find all these things on the PCI website in the section ‘At Home for Christmas’ and click on the link for resources.  Once you’ve cut and coloured in the stable, the sheep and the star you can stick them on your advent wreath. Next week is our final part of the story because next week is Christmas day!  That’s the most important day of the year because that’s the day we celebrate the Birthday of Jesus.  So hopefully I’ll see you in church for that but if not, don’t forget to tune in online to find out why Jesus being born in Bethlehem is the most amazing day in the whole of history.  Thanks so much for tuning in.  Have a great week in school.  Bye for now!
 
As I said at the beginning today is a very special Sunday because it is our Carol Service. 
 
The Service of Nine Lessons with Carols was first drawn up by Edward Benson then Bishop of Truro for use in that cathedral, and was later simplified and adapted for use in the Chapel of King's College, Cambridge, in 1918 by the then Dean, Eric Milner-White.  Since then it has become one of the highlights of the Christian year for followers of Christ throughout the world.  Through the reading of Holy Scripture and the singing of Christmas Carols we trace the story of humankind from their creation and fall.  We hear the promise of God’s redemption through the Old Testament prophets.  We celebrate the fulfilment of that promise by listening to the stories of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem through the Virgin Mary.  We rejoice that through this Jesus we know that our sins are forgiven, we have peace with God and we have become sons and daughters of the King of Kings…So sit back and enjoy as members of our congregation take us on this journey through scripture readings and Carols.
(End Part 3)  Videos-
 
Genesis 3 V 8-19    ‘The Downfall of Humanity’             Elizabeth
 
Genesis 22 v 15-18                ‘The Promise of God’              Lara
 
VIRTUAL CAROL ‘It was on a starry night’  Rebecca, Kate, Laura                        
Isaiah 9 v 2, 6 and 7       ‘Christ’s birth foretold’             Joshua
 
Isaiah 11 v 1-9        ‘Prediction of Christ’s Life’               Robert
 
VIRTUAL CAROL    ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’   Hannah, Micah
       
Luke 1 v 26- 35, 38 ‘Mary is visited by the Lord’s Angel ‘   Denise
 
Luke 2 v 1-7           ‘The Saviour is born’                       Isobel
 
VIRTUAL CAROL            ‘O Holy Night   ‘       Sharon and Elaine  
 
Luke 2 v 8-16         ‘Angels appear to the Shepherds ‘ Erika
 
Matthew 2 v 1-12    ‘The wise men bring their gifts’               Tara
 
John 1 v 1-14         ‘Jesus the Light of the world’   Jean
 
Part 4
 
Reflection                        ‘The Light of Peace’
The word ‘peace’ is common in most languages.  People can talk about ‘peace treaties’ or ‘times of peace’.  It means the absence of war.  In the bible, the word ‘peace’ can refer to the absence of conflict but it also points to the presence of something better in its place.  In the OT the Hebrew word for peace is ‘Shalom’.  And in the NT the Greek word is ‘Eirene’.  The most basic meaning of ‘Shalom’ is ‘complete’ or ‘whole’.
The word can refer to a stone which has a perfect whole shape with no cracks.  It can also refer to a completed stone wall- one that has no gaps and no missing bricks.  Shalom refers to something that is complex with lots of pieces, that’s in a state of completeness (wholeness).  It’s like Job who says his tents are in a state of Shalom because he counted his flock and no animals were missing. 
This is why Shalom can refer to a person’s wellbeing.  Like when David visited his brothers on the battlefield he asked about their Shalom.  The core idea is that life is complex, full of moving parts and relationships ad situations.  And when any of these is out of alignment or missing, our Shalom breaks down and life is no longer whole – it needs to be restored. 
In fact, that’s the basic meaning of Shalom when you use it as a verb.  To bring Shalom literally means to make complete or restore.  So Solomon brings Shalom to the unfinished temple when he completes it.  Or if your animal accidentally damages your neighbour’s field you Shalom them by giving them a complete repayment for their loss.  You take what’s missing and you restore it to wholeness. 
The same goes for human relationships.  In the book of proverbs to reconcile and heal a broken relationship is to bring Shalom.  And when rival Kingdoms make Shalom in the bible it doesn’t just mean they stop fighting – it also means they start working together for each other’s benefit.  This state of Shalom is what Israel’s Kings were supposed to cultivate, but unfortunately it rarely happened.
So the prophet Isaiah, looked forward to a future King, a prince of Shalom.  His reign would bring Shalom with no end – a time when God would make a covenant of Shalom with His people.  When he would make right all wrongs and heal all that has been broken.  This is why Jesus’ birth in the NT was announced as the arrival of Eirene. That’s the Greek word for peace. 
Jesus came to offer His peace to others like when He said, “My peace I give to you all.”  The apostles claimed that Jesus made peace between messed up human beings and God when He died and rose from the dead.  The idea is that Jesus restored to wholeness the broken relationship between humans and their creator.  This is why the apostle Paul can say, “Jesus Himself is our Eirene.” 
Jesus was the whole, complete human being that we are made to be, but have failed to be.  And now Jesus offers me His life as a gift.  This means that Jesus’ followers are now called to create peace.  Paul instructed local churches to keep their unity through the bond of peace which requires humility and patience and bearing with others in love.  Becoming people of peace means participating in the life of Jesus who ‘reconciled all things in heaven and on earth’ restoring peace through His death and resurrection. 
So peace takes a lot of work because it’s not just the absence of conflict.  True peace requires taking what’s broken and restoring it to wholeness whether it’s in our lives, our relationships or in our world.  And that’s the rich biblical concept of peace.
 
 
Closing Words
It’s been a joy and privilege to share with you again today. Thanks again for logging on.  Do tune in again this Wednesday as I share the last part of our Midweek series called, “Mind your head.”
Next Friday will be Christmas Morning.  Thank you to all of you who have booked your place with Aleida.  The good news is that there is enough room at the Inn for everyone to be socially distanced in the one service.  The service will begin at 9.30am and will only last about 40 minutes.  Then there will be a Sunday service on the 27th December led by Aleida at the usual time of 10am.  If you haven’t already done so, please let us know as soon as possible if you hope to attend the service on Sunday 27th. 
 
As is our tradition, on Christmas day we will have a special collection for the poorest and most vulnerable in our world who have been especially affected by the Covid 19 pandemic.  The money that is raised will be channeled directly through our Partner Agencies ‘Tear Fund’ and ‘Christian Aid’.  I will show a little video clip on Christmas Morning when our Moderator will explain about this in a little more detail.  But for now, I just want to give you a heads up and encourage you to come prepared and to give as generously as you can.  You can also donate online using the Church bank details on our website, just mark your donation for the Moderator’s Christmas Appeal.  You can also contact our treasurer Aleida Van der Flier to pay using a mechanism that is more suitable for you.
 
And don’t worry, if you can’t make church on Christmas Day or on Sunday 27th there will be services online on both days at 9.30am on Christmas Day and the usual time of 10am on Sunday the 27th.
 
In a moment we will conclude our Carol service in the traditional way as our virtual choir members leads us out with Hark the Herald.  But first let me lead you in a Benediction after which I will invite you as always, to say the grace together…
 
Benediction

Be people of peace.
Let peace live in your heart and share the peace of Christ with all you meet.
Share peace by acting out of compassion and not fear.
Share peace by listening to all sides of the story.
Share peace by praying for our world.
In this Advent season, we need to see, feel, and share peace.
As you go out into the wonder of God’s creations, share peace and hope with those you meet. Amen.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and for evermore, Amen.”   (End Part 4)
 
 
VIRTUAL CAROL    ‘Hark the Herald’     Rebecca, Kate, Laura
 
 

​APC 16th Dec 2020                “Mind your Head!”    (Part 4)
 
Welcome and Introduction          
Good morning everyone and welcome to our Midweek worship.  Today we continue with the fourth part of our Wednesday Morning Advent series called, “Mind your Head!”
But first let’s take a moment to pause and to talk to our heavenly Father, let’s pray…
 
Opening Prayer
Living God, we thank you for this glad time of year, this Advent season which reminds us of so much, and which reveals so wonderfully the extent of your love. 
For your coming and coming again in Christ, we thank you.
 
This is a time for looking back and remembering the birth of your son, light into our darkness; a time for looking forward and anticipating his coming again, as he returns to establish your Kingdom and rule in your name; but above all a time for the present moment, for examining our lives, searching our hearts, exploring your word and renewing our faith; a time for recognising more fully that Jesus is with us each moment of every day, now and always.
For your coming and coming again in Christ, we thank you.
 
Loving God, you came to our world in humility, born of Mary in a stable.  You will come once more in glory, through the risen and ascended Christ.  You are with us now even as we speak, here through your Holy Spirit making Christ real.  We praise you for the great truth of Advent.
For your coming and coming again in Christ, we thank you.
 
Join me as we say the Lord’s Prayer thoughtfully and sincerely together…
 
 
Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name,
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us,
And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil,
For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
For ever and ever, AMEN.
 
 
Psalm 42 and 43
 
1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
    so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember
    as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
    under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise
    among the festive throng.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.
6 My soul is downcast within me;
    therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
    the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
    in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
    have swept over me.
8 By day the Lord directs his love,
    at night his song is with me--
    a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock,
    “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
    oppressed by the enemy?”
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
    as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”
11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.
 
1 Vindicate me, my God,
    and plead my cause
    against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me from those who are
    deceitful and wicked.

2 You are God my stronghold.
    Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
    oppressed by the enemy?

3 Send me your light and your faithful care,
    let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
    to the place where you dwell.

4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
    to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the lyre,
    O God, my God.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.
 
 
Reflection                       “Remember the good times…”
Today is the 4th part of our series ‘Mind your head’ as we reflect on how we might care for our emotional and mental well-being.  We’ve been using Psalm 42 and 43 as our text because it’s a poem written by someone with strong faith who was experiencing a period of deep depression. 
So far we’ve discovered that it’s normal for all of us to get discouraged at times especially when we experience loss, or become socially and physically isolated from the people we love and the things we love to do.  So it’s important that we go easy on ourselves during these difficult days and look out for each other. 
We reflected on the importance of having the courage to be open and honest about our feelings.  When we are feeling depressed its good for us to share those feelings with someone we trust.  It’s also helpful to be completely honest with God even if we feel angry or frustrated at the circumstances, He has allowed in our lives.
Last week we looked at the importance of trying to address our feelings by asking the question, “Why?” – “Why am I depressed?”  If we do that prayerfully and listen for God’s answer, we may just discover that there are very legitimate reasons for our discouragement.  Reflecting on the causes of our depression may enable us to find a way forward…
Today I want to consider how, as well as asking ‘why’, another important way to speak to ourselves when we are depressed is to look back at our lives and remember some of the good times.  Again we see the Psalmist employing this strategy.  He writes in Psalm 42 v 4, “These things I remember as I pour out my soul, how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.”
Here the Psalmist remembers the good times back in the day when as part of the choir he would lead the whole congregation through the gates and into the temple.  These were times of great joy when God felt really close and he was surrounded by his friends.  Of course, it is always possible for good memories to make our present situation feel worse.  It can make us feel, ‘will I ever see those days again?’  ‘Will I ever feel that way again?’  ‘Life will never be the same without him..’
But I think it’s worth the risk.  Certainly in the Psalmist’s case, thinking back to the good old days seems to give him a ray of hope that he will see that day again, when he will praise God with his friends in the temple.  That’s why immediately after recalling these happy times in the past he writes, “Put your hope in God for I will yet praise Him.”
So let me ask you as I’ve asked myself this week…
 
Reflect
Can you think back to the days before Covid 19?
What did you love to do that currently you can’t?
Where did you love to go that you are unable to at the moment?
Who did you love to see that you haven’t seen for ages?
Now think about the truth that we now have vaccines and soon the vaccination program will begin…
Think about the truth that soon life will be back to the way it was before.
What will you do?  Where will you go?  Who will you visit or invite over to your house?
Let me encourage you in these discouraging days to think back to good times you’ve had and to keep reminding yourself that one day in the future you will experience those happy times again.  Let us pray…
Prayer
Living God, we thank you today for those who have the courage to stand up and speak out against evil and injustice; those who are ready, if necessary, to stand alone for their convictions, enduring mockery and rejection, sacrificing status and security, willing to risk everything for what they believe to be right.  We thank you for their vision, their determination, their willingness to be a voice in the wilderness.
May your glory be revealed and all people see it together.
Living God, we thank you for those who have the compassion and concern for others to reach out and bring help- ministering to the sick, comforting the bereaved, visiting the lonely, providing for the poor, giving hope to the oppressed, bringing laughter to the sorrowful.  We thank you for their dedication, their understanding, their goodness, their willingness to speak your word in the wilderness.
May your glory be revealed and all people see it together.
Living God, you call us to reach out to your broken world- to those walking in darkness, wrestling with despair, craving affection, thirsting to find purpose in their lives.  Give us faith, wisdom, tenderness and love to meet the challenge.  Help us to venture into the wilderness ourselves, and there, gently but confidently, to speak your word of life.
May your glory be revealed and all people see it together, in the name of Christ, Amen.
Take a moment now to bring your own prayers for one or two people to God…
All these prayers we offer in the name of Jesus Christ, the joy of all the earth, Amen.
 
Closing Words
It’s been a joy and privilege to share with you again today. Thanks again for logging on.  I do hope you found this morning’s service an encouragement.
 
Do tune in again this Sunday for our service of 9 Lessons and Carols as we light our fourth candle and reflect on the Peace of Advent.
 
On Christmas Morning we will be planning two services, if required, to facilitate as many people who wish to attend – one at 9.30am and one at 10.45.  This will allow for deep cleaning in between the services.  Then there will be a Sunday service on the 27th December led by Aleida.  If you haven’t already done so, please let us know as soon as possible if you hope to attend a service on Christmas morning and if you have friends or family members who will be joining you.  Once everyone has got back to us we will be able to allocate everyone a time and space so that we are all socially distanced. 
We hope that as many of you as possible can join us this Sunday for a very special service of 9 Lessons and Virtual Carols at our normal time of 10am. Don’t forget, if you want to join us at our Carol service on Sunday you need to book your place by Friday evening at the latest.
Don’t worry if you can’t make it, there will be an online service of 9 lessons and carols recorded by our virtual choir and members of our congregation.  It will be also be at our usual time of 10am.
 
Just before we say the words of the grace together, I want to share with you the words of the poet Henry Wandsworth Longfellow. In the midst of personal tragedy and the American Civil war, he penned these words to the familiar Christmas Carol “I heard the Bells on Christmas Day.”  He writes,  
“And in despair, I bowed my head / ‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said / For hate is strong, and mocks the song / Of peace on earth, goodwill to men.” But even in anguish, Longfellow expressed godly hope: “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep / God is not dead, nor doth He sleep / The wrong shall fail, the right prevail /With peace on earth, goodwill to men.”
 
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and for evermore, Amen.”
 
 
 
 
 
 

​APC Sunday 13th Dec 2020 (Online)             “The Light of Joy”
 
Part 1
Welcome and Introduction          
Good morning everyone and welcome to our Sunday Morning worship.  Today is the Third Sunday of Advent.
Advent means “Coming”.  It’s the season when we remember how Jesus God’s Son came to earth to redeem us and how He will come again to set up His new perfect Kingdom.  So far we have lit the first two purple candles symbolizing ‘Hope’ and ‘Love’.  Today we’ll be lighting our pink candle and reflecting on how God in Christ can give us great ‘Joy’ in life.
In a moment I’m going to lead us in prayer but first as is traditional at this time of year, the Quinton family are going to read the joyful news the angel brought to the Shepherds and light our second candle, the ‘Light of Joy.’ After that Sharon and Elaine will lead us in our opening Carol, Peace is only a starry night…
(END PART 1)
 
 
Video       The Quinton family read and light the Advent Candle
 
Virtual Choir      Peace is only a Starry Night          Sharon/Elaine
 
Part 2
 
Thank you so much Quinton Family and to Sharon and Elaine.  Let’s pray…
 
 
Opening Prayer + Lord’s Prayer
Loving God, you have told us to look forward to a time when your Kingdom will come and your will be done a time when there will be an end to sin and evil suffering and sorrow when all your people will live together in peace and harmony when Christ will come again in glory.
 
Living God, Come to us now we pray.
 
Loving God, forgive us that so often we have lost our sense of expectation, content simply to get by, settling for the way things are, failing to believe you can change our lives or transform the world.
 
Living God, Come to us now we pray.
 
Forgive us that we have been too full of our own expectations, believing we know all there is to know, pushing you into little boxes we have made for you, presuming your thoughts and your ways are the same as ours.
 
Living God, Come to us now we pray.
 
Forgive us that our expectations have been small and limited, tied down by our own limited vision, restricted to our own narrow horizons, shaped by looking at life from an immediate rather than an eternal perspective.
 
Living God, Come to us now we pray.
 
Loving God, help us through all this season of Advent, to gain a new sense of expectation and new confidence in the future.  Help us to be open to all you would do among us and to gladly respond.  Help us to catch sight of the wonder of your coming in Christ and so may we be ready to greet Him with joy when He comes again.
 
Living God, Come to us now we pray.
 
 
The Lord’s Prayer          (All say together, on screen)
 
Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name,
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us,
And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil,
For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
For ever and ever, AMEN.
 
If you haven’t already got your children beside you then I’d like to give you a moment to pause the service and to invite them to join you as we show them our second and third advent animations as we journey with Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem…
 
Introduce the Kid’s Animation (“At Home for Christmas” Series)
It’s great to see you boys and girls.
Today is the third Sunday in this special season of Advent.  Advent means ‘coming’.  It’s the time of year we remember God’s Son, Jesus coming to earth.  So far we have lit our first 2 purple candles which symbolise ‘Hope’ and ‘Love’.  Today we light the Pink candle which reminds us of the ‘Joy’ that God can bring to our lives when we trust in His Son Jesus.  Each Sunday between now and Christmas I want to show you a short animation.  Each week we will follow the journey made by people in the Christmas story.  You know, this Christmas will be a little different for all of us because of Covid.  Like us, for most of the people in the bible that first Christmas was a very different time for them too.  In fact we will discover that all of the people in the story were not at home for Christmas that year.  Why did they have to leave their homes?  Where did they have to go in such a hurry?  And what amazing gift did they find when they got to where they were going? Well that’s what the animations will tell you.  But before I press play, I have a confession to make- last week I showed you the wrong video!  I showed you the shepherds travelling to Bethlehem when I was supposed to begin with Mary and Joseph!  So today I’m going to show you a short little animation which explains how Mary and Joseph travelled to Bethlehem where Jesus was born.  So sit back and watch to find out why Mary and Joseph were not at home for Christmas…
(End Part 2)
 
Kid’s Animation      ‘Mary and Joseph’
(PCI Website under At Home for Christmas, ‘Resources’)
 
Part 3
 
I hope you enjoyed the animation boys and girls.  To help you follow the journeys of all the characters in the Christmas story each week there will be something online for you to cut out and colour in and stick together. You can find the link to these things on our Facebook page and Website or on the PCI Website under the heading at Home for Christmas, teaching resources.  So far I hope you have made your advent wreath out of card. Once you’ve done that you can cut out and colour in different things to remind you of all the different people who journeyed to Bethlehem.  Today I want you to cut out the stable where Mary and Joseph stayed for the birth of Jesus.  Colour it in then stick it on your wreath.  Last week you could cut out a sheep to remind us of the shepherds who came to visit Jesus.  There’s also a Map you can print off and trace the journeys made by Mary and Joseph and the Shepherds.  Next week we’ll watch an animation about the Wise Men and there’ll be something else to cut out, colour and stick on your wreath.  I really hope you enjoy following the story of the birth of Jesus that first Christmas and you enjoy making your wreath to remind you of the story.  Thanks so much for tuning in.  Have a great week in school.  Bye for now!
 
 
Bible Reading         Romans 8 v 28-39
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[b]
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[c] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
 
 
 
 
 
Reflection               ‘The Light of Joy’
Being in a good mood is really great, and most languages have many words to describe the experience Eg. Happy, cheerful, joyful etc. The same goes for the languages of the bible.  In Ancient biblical Hebrew there are a variety of words like- Simca, Sason, Giel.
In the Greek New Testament there are words like- Cara, Euphorsume, Agalliasis.
Each of these words has its own nuance but they all basically refer to the feelings of joy and happiness.
Now, what makes these biblical ‘joy’ words interesting is noticing the context in which they are used, seeing the kinds of things that are said to bring happiness and also seeing how joy is a key theme that runs through the whole story of the bible.  Let’s start with sources of joy-
On page 1 of the bible, God says that this world is very good and so naturally the bible describes people finding joy in the beautiful and good things of life like-raising animals and seeing an abundant harvest on the hills.  The writer of Psalm 104 says a good bottle of wine is God’s gift to bring joy to people’s hearts.  People find joy at a wedding or in their children.  There is even a Hebrew proverb that compares the joy that perfume brings to your nose with the joy a good friend brings to your heart….Proverbs 23 v 24 and 25.
So God is no kill joy!  He has arranged so much of life just to give us joy – whether it’s the smell of a rose, the song of a bird, the exhilaration of surfing a wave, the pleasure of a good book or even the satisfaction of solving a quadratic equation.  We also experience joy when we use the talents that God has given us and very often in using them God brings joy to others – just think of how our virtual choir have blessed us during these Covid days.
Another proven way of experiencing deep happiness is by deliberately making time every day to stop and say ‘thank you’ to God for specific things.  That sounds really easy but I know from personal experience that it is possible to be so busy in a day or be so caught up in its difficulties and frustrations that we can fail to see and say thank you for the gifts of God in our day.  So let me encourage you to do something – Buy a notebook and before you go to bed at night, open it and write down 3 things that were positive about your day.  Then before you close your eyes deliberately take a moment and say to God – ‘Thank you!’
Despite all that God gives us to enjoy, human history isn’t just one big joy-fest.  The biblical story and the story of our own lives, shows us how we live in a world that’s been corrupted by our own selfishness and that is marked by suffering and death and loss. (That’s why Christmas is a time of year that people will really look forward to and others will find deeply difficult).  This period of Covid has been anything but joyful.
And this is where biblical faith offers a unique perspective on joy.  You see Christian joy is an attitude God’s people adopt not because of their happy circumstances but because of their hope in God’s love and promises.
Let me give you an example- when the Israelites were suffering from slavery in Egypt, God raised up Moses to lead them across the Red Sea.  Even though they were in the middle of the desert, they were vulnerable and the Promised Land was still far away, the first thing that they did was to sing for joy because they had been delivered from their slavery. 
Later, biblical poets looked back on this story and they remembered how God called His people to leave Egypt with joy – His chosen ones with shouts of joy (Psalm 105 v 43).  This joy in the wilderness was a defining moment, a way of saying that the joy of God’s people is not determined by their struggles but by their future destiny – a promised land.
This redemptive hope of a promised land, and a better future also appears later in Israel’s story when the nation suffered under the oppression of foreign Empires.  At that time the prophet Isaiah looked forward to a day when God would raise up a new deliverer like Moses.  That’s when “those who are redeemed by the Lord will return to Zion with glad shouts, with eternal joy crowning their heads, happiness and joy will overtake them.” (Isaiah 51 v 11)
And while the Israelites waited, they chose joy to anticipate their future redemption. 
This is why it was so significant that when Jesus of Nazareth was born it was announced as “good news which brings great joy”. 
You see Jesus is God’s final and perfect Redeemer or Rescuer.  He would bring the world great joy by setting them free.  Looking back thousands of years later we now understand that when Jesus died on the cross, His sorrow was to bring us great joy.  Because when He died He took the punishment that we deserve for all the wrong things we will ever say or think or do!  That means that if we believe in that and if we are sorry for our sins, God will forgive us completely and will never punish us as we deserve.  That is the greatest news you’ll ever hear!  It’s the greatest way of overcoming our feelings of guilt.  If we stop long enough in the busyness of life to think about it, it’s a truth that can bring us great joy.
But even that’s not the icing on the cake!  You see after His resurrection, Jesus commissioned his followers to go out and announce the good news that he was the risen King of the world. And as they did so the early Christian communities were known for being full of joy even when they were being persecuted.  For example, when the apostle Paul was sitting in a dirty Roman prison he could say that he had chosen joy.  Even if he was to be executed.  He called this ‘the joy of faith’ or ‘joy in the Lord’.  He believed it was the gift of God’s spirit – a sign that Jesus’ presence is with you inspiring hope in the midst of hardship.
It's the same for us.  Like those early disciples knowing that Jesus is not dead but alive can bring us great joy!  Now that we have put our faith in Him, we have the Holy Spirit living inside us.  Isn’t that amazing!  The Spirit of the living Christ is inside us!  He will guide us. He will comfort us.  He will give us wisdom and strength and help for every circumstance!  He Himself is our joy!
Like Paul, when you and I believe that Jesus’ love has overcome death itself, joy becomes a reality for us even in the darkest of circumstances, even in the midst of a pandemic.
Now of course, none of this means that we should ignore or supress our sorrow, that’s not healthy, nor is it necessary.  It doesn’t mean that as a Christian it is wrong to grieve or to experience depression.  It is very common for Christians to suffer depression, after an operation or a traumatic event or because their brain chemistry isn’t functioning effectively or because they have inherited a melancholic personality.  If you or a friend goes through something like this, please do not feel guilty.  Go to your GP and talk to someone you trust.  Through medication, counselling and prayer, depression can be healed or managed.  Eventually the darkness of depression will give way to the sunshine of joy.
Despite his eternal joy, Paul often expressed his grief about missing loved ones or losing friends or his own freedom.  He called it ‘being full of sorrow and yet rejoicing’.  As he acknowledged his pain he also made a choice to trust Jesus that His loss wouldn’t be the final word.  Jesus wept at the graveside of his good friend Lazarus and he asked His Heavenly Father to give him a way out of having to go to the cross.  Despite this suffering he was still able to keep on keeping on and to set his face to the task that God had given him.  This is very different from the trite advice to ‘turn that frown upside down’. 
Christian joy is a deep and profound decision of faith and hope in the power of Jesus’ own life and love.  It is something that we can only experience through the help and power of the Holy Spirit and it doesn’t make us immune from pain.  It is fuelled by the assurance that everything in life whether good or bad can ultimately be used by God to shape and mould us to be more like His Son Jesus.  It is the hope that whatever happens to us, nothing can separate us from God’s love and one day we will live with Him forever in a perfect new universe where there will no longer be any tears or pain or suffering. And that is what biblical joy is all about…
Christian joy is a great mystery.  The twists and turns of the invisible hand of God and the circumstances of life will mean that we often will experience feelings of great sorrow and deep joy at one and the same time.  That is not something that is easily explained.
But what we do know is that God is real.  God is love.  And that one day Christ will come to earth to restore this universe to its former glory.  On that day, all our tears will be wiped away, my glasses and my inhalers will be thrown away.  The lion and the lamb will lie down together and we will live together in the beautiful new heaven and earth for ever and ever.  And that is why every day, and especially when the days are dark and difficult we can pray with joy…. “Even so, come Lord Jesus, come!”
 
Prayer for others
Heavenly Father we thank you for all the things that are sources of joy in our lives.  Thank you for the beauty of our surroundings and all the lovely forest and beach walks that we can enjoy.  We thank you for the talents that you have given us and how using those brings us such satisfaction.  Thank you that through our talents we can also bring happiness to other people.  Thank you for the great news that the vaccination programs have begun and for the hope that soon we will be able to get Covid under control and return to normal living.  Thank you for the good news in Jesus and that through Him we can experience much joy in our lives.  Thank you that through Christ we can know that you accept us and that our sins are forgiven.  Thank you that you have given us your Holy Spirit and for all the help and joy He brings us.  Thank you for the assurance that for all that is painful and difficult about life, it is not the end of the story.  Thank you that one day Christ will return to make everything perfect.  Thank you that nothing, not even death, can separate us from your love and from the promise of a future that is without suffering or sorrow.  Yet Lord we are conscious that for many people in this world life is currently full of much pain and hardship.  So we remember all who are poor, all who still find it difficult just to have the basics of food, fresh water, a roof over their head, the chance of education or access to good medical care.  Lord, help us never to forget that much of our world still struggles to enjoy these things.  Help us never to forget that much of our world lives in situations of great conflict.  Father, help us to live in ways that are generous and sensitive to the needs of others.  Give us wisdom to know how we can make a difference even in the daily choices that we make.
Take a moment now to bring your own prayers for one or two people to God…
All these prayers we offer in the name of Jesus Christ, the joy of all the earth, Amen.
 
Closing Words
It’s been a joy and privilege to share with you again today. Thanks again for logging on.  Do tune in again this Wednesday as we continue with our new Midweek series called, “Mind your head.”
Next Sunday we are having a beautiful service of 9 Lessons and Carols.  On Christmas Morning we will be having two services to facilitate as many people who wish to attend – one at 9.30am and one at 10.45.  This will allow for deep cleaning in between the services.  Then there will be a Sunday service on the 27th December led by Aleida.  If you haven’t already done so, please let us know as soon as possible if you hope to attend a service on Christmas morning and if you have friends or family members who will be joining you.  Once everyone has got back to us we will be able to allocate everyone a time and space so that we are all socially distanced.  Don’t forget as always, once church services do start up again, they will be at our normal time of 10am and you need to book your place by Friday evening at the latest.
 
Arklow Presbyterian Church has a longstanding relationship with Springboard.  This year because of Covid restrictions Springboard are unable to receive and deliver the Christmas hampers that we provide for struggling families.  But we would still like to support them as a church by giving them a donation.  I know there are many good causes that we have been announcing in recent weeks.  Please don’t feel guilty or pressurized that you have to support all of these.  But if you have supported Springboard in the past and would like to do so again, then you can transfer a donation directly into the church bank account using the details on our website. Simply mark it for the “Springboard Appeal”.  Alternatively you can contact our treasurer Aleida van der Flier to arrange a payment mechanism that is more suitable for you.
 
At the end of the service you will be able to enjoy Holly Prestage as she sings the beautiful Carol The First Noelle.  But first let me lead you in a Benediction after which I will invite you as always, to say the grace together…
 
 
Benediction   
Be people of joy.
Let joy live in your heart and share the joy of Christ with all you meet.
Share joy by seeing the good in each other.
Share joy by remembering good times and hoping for good times to come.
Share joy by praying for our world.
In this Advent season, we need to see, feel, and share joy.
As you go out into the wonder of God’s creations, share joy, peace, and hope with those you meet. Amen.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and for evermore, Amen.”
 
Virtual Choir Piece         The First Noelle       Holly Prestage
 
 
 
 

APC 9th Dec 2020                  “Mind your Head!”    (Part 3)
 
Welcome and Introduction          
Good morning everyone and welcome to our Midweek worship.  Today we continue with the third part of our new Wednesday Morning Series for Advent called, “Mind your Head!”
But first let’s take a moment to pause and to talk to our heavenly Father, let’s pray…
 
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, you came to our world sharing our humanity, identifying yourself with us, expressing through actions and self-sacrifice your love for all.
Teach us to follow in your footsteps.
 
Yours was the way of service, compassion and reconciliation.  Despite the rejection of so many, you saw the best in people, the good, the worth that others overlooked.
Teach us to follow in your footsteps.
 
You loved all, without prejudice, without passing judgement, without any strings attached.
Teach us to follow in your footsteps.
 
Lord Jesus Christ, you come to our world each day, but to do that fully you need our cooperation, our willingness to be used for your purpose.
Teach us to follow in your footsteps.
 
You need us to speak for you, to act for you, to show your love and share your life.
Teach us to follow in your footsteps.
You need us to take that way of service, to break down barriers, to bring people together.
Teach us to follow in your footsteps.
 
You need us to take the way of the cross- valuing people for what they are, offering them trust and encouragement, helping them to believe in themselves
Teach us to follow in your footsteps.
 
Lord Jesus Christ, you came to our world to establish a new Kingdom, a new era, a new dimension to life. Help us through who we are and all we do to bring that Kingdom nearer.
Teach us to follow in your footsteps.
 
Join me as we say the Lord’s Prayer thoughtfully and sincerely together…
 
 
Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name,
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us,
And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil,
For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
For ever and ever, AMEN.
 
 
Psalm 42 and 43
 
1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
    so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember
    as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
    under the protection of the Mighty One[d]
with shouts of joy and praise
    among the festive throng.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.
6 My soul is downcast within me;
    therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
    the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
    in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
    have swept over me.
8 By day the Lord directs his love,
    at night his song is with me--
    a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock,
    “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
    oppressed by the enemy?”
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
    as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
    “Where is your God?”
11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.
 
1 Vindicate me, my God,
    and plead my cause
    against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me from those who are
    deceitful and wicked.

2 You are God my stronghold.
    Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
    oppressed by the enemy?

3 Send me your light and your faithful care,
    let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
    to the place where you dwell.

4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
    to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the lyre,
    O God, my God.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.
 
Reflection               “Address your feelings - ask, Why?..”
Today is the 3rd part of our series ‘Mind your head’ as we reflect on how we might care for our emotional and mental well-being.  In the first part of the series we discovered that it’s normal for all of us to get discouraged at times especially when we experience loss, or become socially and physically isolated from the people we love and the things we love to do.  It’s no wonder then that this pandemic is causing emotional trauma for so many of us.  So it’s important that we go easy on ourselves during these difficult days and look out for each other. 
Then last week we thought about how we might help ourselves when we are feeling down.  We discovered that one of the best things to do is not to bottle up our feelings but to be open and honest about them with our spouse, a close friend or colleague.  We also reflected on how important it was to be completely honest with God, even if we feel angry or frustrated at the circumstances, He has allowed in our lives.
Today I want to consider how, as well being honest about how we are feeling when we are suffering from depression, we also need to address those feelings.  What do I mean by that?  Well in a nutshell it means that when we are discouraged we need to speak to ourselves.  This is what the Psalmist who wrote Psalm 42 and 43 does.
He begins this process of addressing his feelings by asking himself, “Why?”  Three times in these two Psalms the writer expresses exactly the same words.  He says, “Why are you so downcast, O my soul?  Why so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him my Saviour and my God.”
You know, one of the greatest dangers of depression is that we can begin to wallow in self-pity.  We can feel so sorry for ourselves that we may even begin to enjoy being miserable.  Frankly the only way that we can overcome this danger is to stop listening to ourselves and start talking to ourselves.  One of the best places to start is to ask ourselves, “Why?”  “Why am I depressed?”  As we do that, we may soon discover that there is a perfectly good reason for why we feel the way we do.  It may be that we are putting ourselves under too much pressure.  It may be that our circumstances are particularly stressful.  It may be that a bereavement, a chronic illness or even a new medication is affecting our mood.  Maybe we will discover that our distress is based on a misunderstanding or that we are over-reacting to a situation.  Maybe someone has hurt us and with God’s grace we need somehow to let go and forgive.  Maybe we just need to start getting out into some daylight and get a bit more exercise.
So can I gently ask you?...
Reflection
Are you feeling low at this time?
Take some time to reflect on the question, ‘Why?’
Ask God to speak to you in the quiet.
Take a note book and pen and write down some of the things that come into your mind as you are listening to God.
Once you’ve finished, read through some of the things that you have noted down.
How do they make you feel?
It’s my prayer that as you engage in this process of asking why that you will begin to see that often there can be reasons for your depression.  Reasons that will help you to accept and not be too hard on yourself.  Reasons that might help you to find a way forward.
Let’s pray…
 
Prayer
Lord, this has been a very difficult time for all of us.  We can’t understand why you have allowed the enemy to create such misery in our world through this Pandemic.  We can’t understand why it’s gone on so long despite our best efforts and despite all our prayers.
We understand there are many lessons for us to take from this difficult period of history.  In many ways it has shown us how often we forget you.  We’ve realized how much we take for granted and how often we forget to say ‘Thank you’.  We’ve been reminded of our own fragility, our own mortality and that life is very much a preparation for the life that is to come.  We’ve seen how the environment has been able to breathe and to recover from the way our lifestyles have damaged it.  We’ve had time to reflect on who and what really matters to us.
But Lord, these lessons and so many others have been tough.  Many people are really feeling the strain.  So we pray today for everyone who is feeling discouraged and depressed.  Help us to see the signs in our friends and family.  Give us wisdom to know how to look after ourselves and to know how best to support one another.  May no one feel so isolated that they contemplate taking their own lives.
We pray for all who are sick or who have been bereaved.  Comfort them with your presence and bring healing to their minds and bodies.  We thank you for all who provide care in so many different ways for those who are suffering.  Give them strength, patience and wisdom in all that they do.  Help them as they care for others to look after themselves and may they find family, friends and work colleagues to be a source of real encouragement.
Give us wisdom to know how we might best support those who are grieving.  Comfort each one in their loss and enable them to find hope and new purpose in life even though it may never be the same as it was.
We pray for our government in all the difficult decisions they have to make.  Give them wisdom, perseverance, sensitivity and fairness.  We pray that infection rates will remain at manageable levels and that our new freedoms will allow all of us to regain our sense of emotional well-being.  As we enjoy those freedoms help us to do so wisely and safely.  May the times we enjoy together with family and friends be special and bring us great joy.
We thank you for all those who have been working so hard behind the scenes to produce vaccines that are safe.  Lord, grant wisdom to all those involved in planning the logistics of how the vaccination program will be rolled out.  We pray that through these efforts that you will enable this virus to be eradicated from our world.  Grant that very soon we will all be able to return to life as we know it with all the freedoms and pleasures it affords us. 
And when that day comes may we never forget those in our world who still struggle just to make ends-meat, or whose lives have been torn apart by conflict.  Lord may we not return to a life of selfish-living but a life of thankfulness for all you have given and a life of doing all we can to improve the quality of life for others.
This we ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.
 
Closing Words
It’s been a joy and privilege to share with you again today. Thanks again for logging on.  I do hope you found this morning’s service an encouragement.
 
It was wonderful for those of us who were able to meet again in church last Sunday.  This Sunday we are planning to celebrate Holy Communion together.  On your way in you will receive a sealed package that we have purchased containing bread and grape juice, so there will be no risk whatsoever.
 
Could I also ask you to take extra care if the weather is icy on Sunday.  Thankfully Mary is back home safely after her fall on Sunday and she would like to thank everyone for all their help.  We will inspect and salt the car park and steps as usual, but please do still take extra care at this time of year entering and exiting the church premises.
 
We do hope as many of you as possible will be able will join us.  Just remember to tell Aleida that you are coming by Friday evening at the latest to enable her to organise the socially-distanced seating plan.  The service will start at the normal time of 10.00am.  Please use the hand sanitiser on the way in and on the way out and please wear your face coverings as usual.  We will have a Christmas animation for the children and pre-prepared crafts for them to do which will have been sitting for in church 3 days before the service.  We’ll be lighting our advent candle and reflecting on the theme of ‘Joy’.  We’ll also have some beautiful recorded carols from our virtual choir.  So please do plan to join us.  If you are unable to, don’t worry because there will be a recorded online service at 10am as normal with candle lighting, kid’s animation, the same prayers and reflections and the some beautiful carols form our virtual choir.
We have also planned some wonderful services for remainder of December.  On Sunday 20th there will be a service of 9 lessons and carols.  On Christmas day we are planning to facilitate two services with a deep clean in between to facilitate as many people as possible. One will be at 9.30am and the second will be at 10.45 am. If you would like to attend one of our Christmas morning services and you have family or friends joining you, please do let Aleida know as soon as possible so that we can provide everyone a slot.  Finally Aleida will be leading the service on Sunday 27th December to give me a little break.  For those of you who can’t attend any of these services an alternative will be provided online at 10am as usual.
 
Arklow Presbyterian Church has a longstanding relationship with Springboard.  This year because of Covid restrictions Springboard are unable to receive and deliver the Christmas hampers that we provide for struggling families.  But we would still like to support them as a church by giving them a donation.  I know there are many good causes that we have been announcing in recent weeks.  Please don’t feel guilty or pressurized that you have to support all of these.  But if you have supported Springboard in the past and would like to do so again, then you can transfer a donation directly into the church bank account using the details on our website. Simply mark it for the “Springboard Appeal”.  Alternatively you can contact our treasurer Aleida van der Flier to arrange a payment mechanism that is more suitable for you.
 
In a moment, I will lead you in a Benediction after which I will invite you as always, to say the grace together…
 
Benediction   
Remember Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest…”  So go now as Christ’s followers and be a good listener, a refuge for all those who feel tired, anxious, afraid or discouraged.  And
 
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and for evermore, Amen.”
 

APC 6th Dec 2020                   “The Light of Love”
 
Part 1
Welcome and Introduction          
Good morning everyone and welcome to our Sunday Morning worship.  Today is the Second Sunday of Advent.
Advent means “Coming”.  The Advent season includes the 4 Sundays leading up to Christmas morning.  Last week we lit our first candle and reflected on the Hope that we have in Christ.  Today we’ll be lighting our second candle and reflecting on God’s love for us in Christ.
In a moment I’m going to lead us in prayer but first as is traditional at this time of year, Lara, Caleb and April are going to read the promise of the prophet Micah and light our second candle, the ‘Light of love’ after which Alison and our virtual choir will lead us in our opening Carol, Silent Night…
(END PART 1)
 
 Video       Lara, Caleb and April read and light the Advent Candle
 
Opening Carol          ‘Silent Night’          (Tara, Elaine, Pauline)
 
Part 2
 
Thank you so much Lara, Caleb and April and to our choir.  Let’s pray…
 
Opening Prayer
Loving God, we praise you again for this season of Advent, this time of preparation, thanksgiving, challenge and reflection.  Open our hearts to all you would say now, and help us to listen.
We praise you that in fulfilment of your eternal purpose you came to our world in Christ, revealing the extent of your love, showing us the way to life, allowing us to know you ourselves.  Open our hearts to all you would say now, and help us to listen.
We praise you that you came again in Christ to His disciples after His resurrection, bringing joy where there had been sorrow, hope where there had been despair and faith where there had been doubt.  Open our hearts to all you would say now, and help us to listen.
We praise you that through your holy spirit you make Christ real to us each day, filling us with His power, His peace, His love.  Open our hearts to all you would say now, and help us to listen.
And we praise you for the promise that Christ will come again to establish His Kingdom, to begin a new era, to bring us and all your people life everlasting.  Open our hearts to all you would say now, and help us to listen.
Loving God forgive us that so easily we lose sight of the message of Advent, allowing its wonder to be swamped by our busy preparations for Christmas, by concerns which are so often unimportant, by our carelessness and disobedience in discipleship.  Open our hearts to all you would say now, and help us to listen.
Forgive us that we forget your promises, we frustrate your spirit, we lose sight of your love.  Open our hearts to all you would say now, and help us to listen.
Meet with us we pray through this time of worship, through your living word, through the fellowship we share, and through the risen Christ.  Open our hearts to all you would say now, and help us to listen.
So may we truly celebrate the Advent of your Son, and be equipped to serve Him better, to the glory of your name.  Amen.
 
The Lord’s Prayer          (All say together – ON SCREEN)
 
Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name,
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us,
And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil,
For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
For ever and ever, AMEN.
 
If you haven’t already got your children beside you then I’d like to give you a moment to pause the service and to invite them to join you as we show them our first advent animation as we journey with Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem…
 
Introduce the Kid’s Animation (“At Home for Christmas” Series)
It’s great to see you boys and girls.
Today is the second Sunday in this special season of Advent.  Advent means ‘coming’.  Last week we lit our first purple candle on our advent wreath to remind us of the Hope that one day Jesus will return to make this world perfect again.  Today we have lit our second candle to remind how God loved us so much He sent Jesus to die for our sins so that we could be God’s friends.
 
Each Sunday between now and Christmas I want to show you a short animation.  Each week we will follow the journey made by people in the Christmas story.  You know, this Christmas will be a little different for all of us because of Covid, but it will still be fun and Santy will still be coming.  You know, for most of the people in the bible that first Christmas was a very different time for them too.  In fact we will discover that all of the people in the story were not at home for Christmas that year.  Why did they have to leave their homes?  Where did they have to go in such a hurry?  And what amazing gift did they find when they got to where they were going?  Well over the next few weeks as you watch the animations you will find out.  Today we are going to hear about the journey of Mary and Joseph….So sit back and watch to find out why they were not at home for Christmas…
(End Part 2)
 
Kid’s Animation      ‘Mary and Joseph’
(PCI Website under At Home for Christmas, ‘Resources’)
 
Part 3
 
I hope you enjoyed that animation boys and girls.  To help you follow the journeys of all the characters in the Christmas story each week there will be something online for you to cut out and colour in and stick together. You can find the link to these things on our Facebook page and Website or on the PCI Website under the heading at Home for Christmas, teaching resources.  Today I want you to make an advent wreath out of card.  Then I want you to cut out and colour in the stable where Mary and Joseph stayed and where the baby Jesus was born.  Once you’ve done that you can stick it on your advent wreath.  There’s also a Map you can print off and trace the journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  Next week we’ll watch an animation about the shepherds and there’ll be something else to cut out colour and stick on your wreath.  I really hope you enjoy following the story of the birth of Jesus that first Christmas and you enjoy making your wreath to remind you of the story.  Thanks so much for tuning in.  Have a great week in school.  Bye for now!
 
 
Bible Reading         James 2 v 1-17
“My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”[a] you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”[b] also said, “You shall not murder.”[c] If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
 
Reflection               Advent 2 - ‘The Light of love’
 
Last week online we reflected on our First Advent Candle which symbolises ‘Hope’.  We saw that in the bible Hope is not just being optimistic.  It is choosing to wait for God to fulfil His promises to us no matter what our current circumstances are like.  It is to know that one day Christ will return to make us and this entire universe perfect again.   It is this Hope which enables us to bear so much of what is currently painful in life with faith.
Today I want us to spend a few moments reflecting on our Second Advent Candle which symbolises ‘Love’.  One day a man asked Jesus a very important question.  He said, “Master, which is the greatest commandment?”  In response Jesus said something very interesting.  He said, “The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart and to love your neighbour as yourself.”  It’s a beautiful thought.  But what does Jesus mean when he says the greatest thing we can do in life is “to love God and to love other people like ourselves?” 
I ask that question because in the English language ‘love’ can have so many different meanings depending on the context.  We say we ‘love’ our mam or Man Utd or pizza, but clearly, we mean different things, even though we use the same word in each case.  So what did Jesus mean when he used the word ‘love’ in his language?
Well, the first thing to note is that when he said, “Love your neighbour” Jesus was quoting directly from a phrase that’s found in the Hebrew or OT scriptures.  There the word for love is the Hebrew word ‘Ahavah’.   However, the language Jesus spoke and taught in from day to day is a cousin language of Hebrew, called Aramaic.  In Aramaic, the word for love is ‘Rakhmah’.  To complicate matters further, as Jesus’ followers spread his teachings around the world they translated his words into Greek so instead of using ‘Rakhmah’ they used a different word ‘Agape’ for love.  So what does ‘agape’ mean?
Well here’s what is most fascinating of all - the earliest followers of Jesus who wrote the books of the NT didn’t learn the meaning of the word ‘Agape’ by looking it up in ancient dictionaries.  Rather they looked to the teachings of Jesus and the example of His life to completely redefine the very concept of love. 
So what can we learn from Jesus’ teaching about the definition of love?
When Jesus said that the most important thing was to love God He was quoting from an ancient prayer in the OT law called the Shema.  In the Shema it says, “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart.”
But then almost immediately, Jesus follows up by saying that another command from the OT Law is equally as important – “To love your neighbour as yourself.”  So which is the most important?  Loving God or loving your neighbour?  If you’d asked that question, Jesus would have answered “Yes.” 
You see for Jesus, loving God and loving people are two sides of the same coin.  Our love for God will be expressed by our love for people and vice versa.  The two concepts are inseparable.
All of this makes it clear that for Jesus ‘Agape’ love is not primarily a feeling for someone else that happens to us, like when we use the phrase “I fell in love.”  For Jesus love is Action.  It’s a choice that we make to seek the wellbeing of others.  Jesus also went on to teach that genuine love for God and other people means seeking the wellbeing of others without expecting anything in return.  This is especially true for people who are in difficult situations who can’t repay us even if they wanted to.  According to Jesus, this kind of generous and sacrificial love reflects the very heartbeat of God.  In fact, Jesus took this concept even further.  He said that the ultimate standard of authentic love is how well you treat the person that you can’t stand.  Or to put it in His words, “You shall love your enemy and do good to them, expecting nothing in return.”
For Jesus, this kind of enemy-embracing love imitates the very character of God.  We wouldn’t still be talking about Jesus today if he had only said things like “love your enemies.”  Jesus is followed all over the word today because this was how he actually lived.  Throughout the gospels, we discover that Jesus was constantly helping and serving people around him in very practical and tangible ways.  He healed the sick, he fed the hungry, he welcomed the stranger and he embraced those whom society despised.  Jesus consistently moved towards poor and hurting people who couldn’t benefit him in return.  He showed love for the forgotten ones, the people who usually fell through the cracks. 
When Jesus eventually entered Jerusalem he made himself an enemy of the leaders of his people by accusing them of hypocrisy and corruption.  But then, instead of attacking his enemies to try and overthrow them, he allowed them to kill him.  Jesus died on the cross for the selfishness and corruption of his enemies because he loved them.  That includes you and me, for all of us, if we are honest, at times ignore the advice of God, we live for ourselves, we do not love God and at times we hurt other people by the things we say or do.  The truth is none of us deserve the love of God.  We only deserve His judgement.
After Easter morning Jesus and his followers claimed that it was the power of God’s love for the world that was revealed in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.  The apostle Paul put it like this- “God demonstrated His own ‘agape’ love for us in this- while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”  Or in the words of the apostle John – “God’s own ‘agape’ love was revealed when he sent His one and only Son into the world so that through Him we could have eternal life.”  The amazing thing is, even though we don’t deserve God’s love, God in Christ Jesus, took the just judgement we deserve for all the wrong things we have ever said or done.  Through that sacrificial act of love we are freed from our guilt and our relationship with God is restored. 
For the apostle John, it was clear that if we really understand how much God loves us in Christ, then it will cause us to respond in the same way.  He writes, “Beloved, if this is how God loves us, then we ought to show love for one another.”
That’s what advent and Christmas is all about.  It’s the season when we remember that at the very centre of this universe there is an amazing intelligent and powerful being who is overflowing with love for all that they have created.  That means that the main purpose of our human existence is to receive this love that has come to us from God through Jesus Christ.  And as we receive this gift, not just once, but every day, we are then to share it with the people around us in the way that we treat them and the things that we say to them.  As we live in this way, God creates an ecosystem of other-focused, self-giving love which points back to Himself, the one who is love.  This is the meaning of Christian love.  The love sent down at Christmas….
 
Prayer for others
Gracious God, you call us to love you with all our hearts and minds and souls.  You challenge us to love our neighbours as ourselves.  You tell us through Christ that the whole law is summed up in one single commandment – to love.  It all sounds so easy, so straightforward, but we know in reality it is so very difficult.
Gracious God forgive us the weakness of our love.
Too often we love only ourselves, our every thought for our own welfare, our own ends, our own self-esteem, our own pleasures.
Gracious God forgive us the weakness of our love.
Too often we reserve our love for the exclusive few – our families, closest friends, our church fellowship.  And too often we are forgetful of others, indifferent to them, even hostile.
Gracious God forgive us the weakness of our love.
Yet worse than that, even when we think we love we are sometimes deceiving ourselves.  We are impatient with other’s mistakes.  We are slow to give help when it is needed, especially if it means putting ourselves out.  We are envious of others good fortune, more concerned with our own well-being than that of those around us.
Gracious God forgive us the weakness of our love.
We are careless in what we say and self centred in the way we think, even prone to take offence, bearing grievances and harbouring resentment, even distorting or deceiving to get our wat r to avoid facing truths we would rather ignore.
Gracious God forgive us the weakness of our love.
All too easily our love is destroyed. Instead of holding fast through difficulties, we automatically find ourselves believing the worst, feeling ourselves betrayed, giving up on love instead of working to nurture it.
Gracious God forgive us the weakness of our love.
Lord of all it is hard to love, especially when love is thrown back in our faces or when those we are faced by seem unlovely or when love is costly and demanding.  We confess we wonder at times  whether love is the righty way at all or simply a naïve illusion, a pleasant but foolish fantasy.
Gracious God forgive us the weakness of our love.
But you have shown us the way of love, made flesh in Christ – love that came to our world despite rejection, that reaches out to us in all our unloveliness, that was willing to pay the highest price and make the ultimate sacrifice.  And trough that love you offer life, not only to us but to all people – a life that can one day be free from all things that divide and hurt and frighten us.
So now we pray, take the little love we have- nurture deepen and expand it, until we have learnt what love really means, until your love flows through our hearts, until love is all in all.
Take a moment now to bring your own prayers for one or two people to God…
All these prayers we offer in the name of Jesus Christ, the hope of all the nations, Amen.
 
Closing Words
It’s been a joy and privilege to share with you again today. Thanks again for logging on.  Do tune in again this Wednesday as we continue with our new Midweek series called, “Mind your head.”
Next Sunday we are planning a communion service which will be very special because it is so long since we have been able to have one.  We will have taken every precaution to make this a completely safe experience.  So you don’t need to worry in the slightest.  Then on Sunday 20th we will be having a Carol Service.  On Christmas Morning we will be having two services to facilitate as many people who wish to attend – one at 9.30am and one at 10.45.  This will allow for deep cleaning in between the services.  Then there will be a Sunday service on the 27th December led by Aleida.  We’ll be sending you out a request to let us know if you hope to attend a service on Christmas morning and if you have friends or family members who will be joining you.  Once we have done that we will allocate everyone a time and space so that we are all socially distanced.  Don’t forget as always, once church services do start up again, they will be at our normal time of 10am and you need to book your place by Friday evening at the latest.
 
Arklow Presbyterian Church has a longstanding relationship with Springboard.  This year because of Covid restrictions Springboard are unable to receive and deliver the Christmas hampers that we provide for struggling families.  But we would still like to support them as a church by giving them a donation.  I know there are many good causes that we have been announcing in recent weeks.  Please don’t feel guilty or pressurized that you have to support all of these.  But if you have supported Springboard in the past and would like to do so again, then you can transfer a donation directly into the church bank account using the details on our website. Simply mark it for the “Springboard Appeal”.  Alternatively you can contact our treasurer Aleida van der Flier to arrange a payment mechanism that is more suitable for you.
 
At the end of the service you will be able to enjoy our Virtual Choir as they lead us in the most beautiful of advent songs, O Come O Come Emmanuel.  But first let me lead you in a Benediction after which I will invite you as always, to say the grace together…
 
Benediction   
Be people of love.
Let love live in your heart and share the love of Christ with all you meet.
Share love by loving those you see regularly. Start by loving your community.
Share love by loving those you do not know. How do your actions affect the rest of God’s creation?
Share love by praying for our world.
In this Advent season, we need to see, feel, and share love.
As you go out into the wonder of God’s creations, share love, joy, peace, and hope with those you meet. And…
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and for evermore, Amen.”
 
Recording       ‘O Come O Come, Emmanuel’  (Virtual Choir)

​APC 2nd Dec 2020                 “Mind your Head!”    (Part 2)
 
Welcome and Introduction          
Good morning everyone and welcome to our Midweek worship.  Today we continue with the second part of our new Wednesday Morning Series for Advent called, “Mind your Head!”
But first let’s take a moment to pause and to talk to our heavenly Father, let’s pray…
 
Opening Prayer
Gracious God, Lord of all, we thank you that we can come to you in prayer, that for all your greatness and wonder and holiness we can speak with you as to a friend.
 
Hear now our prayer.
 
We thank you that we can open our hearts to you, that we can pour out our innermost souls and share our deepest thoughts, in the knowledge that you are there always ready to listen and to understand,
 
Hear now our prayer.
 
So now once more we lay our lives before you, open to your gaze – the bad as well as the good, the doubt as well as the faith, the sorrow as well as the joy, the despair as well as the hope.
 
Hear now our prayer.
 
We bring the anger as well as the peace, the hatred as well as the love, the confusion as well as the certainty, the fear as well as the trust.
Hear now our prayer.
 
Gracious God we bring these, not with pride or any sense of arrogance, but honestly, recognising that you know us through and through.
 
Hear now our prayer.
 
Help us to be truthful to ourselves and truthful to you and so may we discover the renewing love which only you can offer- a love that frees us to live as you would have us live and allows us to be the people you would have us be!
 
Hear now our prayer.
In the name of Christ…
 
Join me as we say the Lord’s Prayer thoughtfully and sincerely together…
 
 
Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name,
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us,
And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil,
For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
For ever and ever, AMEN.
 
 
Bible Reading         Psalm 43
 
1 Vindicate me, my God,
    and plead my cause
    against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me from those who are
    deceitful and wicked.

2 You are God my stronghold.
    Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
    oppressed by the enemy?

3 Send me your light and your faithful care,
    let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
    to the place where you dwell.

4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
    to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the lyre,
    O God, my God.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.
 
Reflection               “Express your feelings honestly…”
Christmas is coming and it was such a relief for us all to receive news from our Taoiseach last Friday that we can go back to church, go to the gym or cinema, and do some shopping.  And yet I’m conscious that many of us are still struggling emotionally at this time.  So it’s important that we continue to Mind our Heads.’  Last Wednesday we began this series on how we can manage our mental health by reflecting on Psalms 42 and 43.  Together these form one poem.  They were written by someone with a very strong faith but who was obviously experiencing a period of depression caused by social and physical isolation.  We discovered many parallels with our own experiences and were encouraged to go easy on ourselves and to accept that it’s normal for us all to feel flat in these difficult days.
Now that we have looked at why the Psalmist was depressed let’s see how he attempts to cope with that depression and see what lessons we can learn from his experience.
The first thing I want you to notice is how the Psalmist expresses his feelings honestly.  He doesn’t try to escape his feelings by turning to alcohol.  He doesn’t try to pretend that everything is fine when it isn’t.  Wisely the Psalmist turns to someone who he can trust and talks to them honestly about how he is feeling.  That person, in his case, is God.  He tells God that he feels spiritually dry, that he feels as if he is drowning and that his circumstances are making him deeply discouraged.   He tells God that he feels far away.  He tells God that he is angry with Him.  In Psalm 42 v 9 he writes, “I say to God my rock, Why have you forgotten me?” and in Psalm 43 v 2 “You are God my stronghold, why have you rejected me?  Why must I go about mourning oppressed by the enemy?” 
To put it bluntly he says, “God, you’re supposed to be my rock but you’ve crumbled!  You’ve let me down when I needed you most!  My enemy is mocking my faith and you don’t even care!”
And in the middle of pouring out all his anger at God the Psalmist asks a very important question, “Why?”  It’s really important that he asks this question, not just so that he can get some answers from God, but so that he can get all the anger that has built up inside him off his chest.  It’s as if at the end of expressing all his anger and disappointment at being let down by God that he says, “So come on now God, tell me, what’s the story?”
In his book, ‘A Grief Observed’, C.S. Lewis describes his experiences after the death of his wife in these starkly honest words.  He writes,
“Meanwhile where is God?  Go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is in vain and what do you find?  A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside.  After that, silence.”
When we are grieving, when we are battling with depression, it’s essential that we express how we are really feeling.  It’s important that we confide in the people closest to us.  It’s important that we tell God exactly how we feel, even if we need to tell him that we are angry with Him or if we feel that He doesn’t care or has abandoned us!  Of course, deep down we know that God will never abandon us, but if that’s how we are honestly feeling, we need to be honest with Him.  To bottle our anger up inside is only likely to prolong our depression.  Getting those feelings of anger and frustration out may just be the first thing that begins to release the pressure valve and allow us to begin to recover.
You know, the pressures of this pandemic have created a wave of emotions inside us.  For those of us who have had our businesses or livelihoods deeply affected those emotions are particularly strong.  As people of faith it’s natural for us to ask God, why have you allowed this to happen?  And God, why despite our prayers has this virus not gone away yet?
 
Reflect
How are you honestly feeling about this Pandemic or life in general right now?
Have you told anyone how you really feel?
Let me encourage you to talk to your spouse or your best friend or a colleague in work about these emotions.
How does this Pandemic or your life circumstances make you feel towards God?
Have you told Him those things?
Let me encourage you to tell God honestly what you think of Him or how confused this Pandemic or your current circumstances make you feel in relation to Him.
 
Prayer
Lord of all, we pray for all who are searching for peace in their lives – those burdened with anxiety either about themselves or their loved ones, facing difficulties and problems to which they can see no solutions.
God of peace, reach out and still the storm.
We pray for those wrestling with inner fears and phobias, torn apart by emotional and psychological pressures.
God of peace, reach out and still the storm.
We pray for all of us as we live among the change and upheaval that the Covid 19 pandemic continues to bring.  We pray especially for all whose lives are threatened by violence and warfare.
God of peace, reach out and still the storm.
To all of those in chaos and turmoil, all who are restless and troubled, grant your calm, your tranquillity, your quietness, and your peace which passes all understanding.
God of peace, reach out and still the storm.
Father give all of us the courage to be honest about our feelings, especially when we are discouraged or depressed.  Give each of us a confidante that we can talk to without fear.
Help us also to be completely honest with you in the assurance that you will not judge us or think badly of us for doing so.
Take a few moments now to pray for yourself and for others you know who need God’s help particularly at this time…
 
Closing Words
It’s been a joy and privilege to share with you again today. Thanks again for logging on.  I do hope you found this morning’s service an encouragement.
 
The good news is that following our Taoiseach’s announcement, church will reopen again for services this Sunday – that’s Sunday 6th December.  We do hope as many of you as possible will be able will join us.  Just remember to tell Aleida that you are coming by Friday evening at the latest to enable her to organise the socially-distanced seating plan.  The service will start at the normal time of 10.00am.  Please use the hand sanitiser on the way in and on the way out and please wear your face coverings as usual.  We will have a Christmas animation for the children and pre-prepared crafts for them to do which will have been sitting for in church 3 days before the service.  We’ll be lighting our advent candle and reflecting on the theme of ‘Love’.  We’ll also have some beautiful recorded carols from our virtual choir and a live duet.  So please do plan to join us.  If you are unable to, don’t worry because there will be a recorded online service at 10am as normal with candle lighting, kid’s animation, the same prayers and reflections and the some beautiful carols form our virtual choir.
 
We have also planned some wonderful services for remainder of December.  On Sunday 13th there will be a service of communion.  On Sunday 20th there will be a service of 9 lessons and carols.  On Christmas day we are planning to facilitate two services with a deep clean in between to facilitate as many people as possible. One will be at 9.30am and the second will be at 10.45 am. If you would like to attend one of our Christmas morning services and you have family or friends joining you, please do let Aleida know as soon as possible so that we can provide everyone a slot.  Finally Aleida will be leading the service on Sunday 27th December to give me a little break.  For those of you who can’t attend any of these services an alternative will be provided online at 10am as usual.
 
Arklow Presbyterian Church has a longstanding relationship with Springboard.  This year because of Covid restrictions Springboard are unable to receive and deliver the Christmas hampers that we provide for struggling families.  But we would still like to support them as a church by giving them a donation.  I know there are many good causes that we have been announcing in recent weeks.  Please don’t feel guilty or pressurized that you have to support all of these.  But if you have supported Springboard in the past and would like to do so again, then you can transfer a donation directly into the church bank account using the details on our website. Simply mark it for the “Springboard Appeal”.  Alternatively you can contact our treasurer Aleida van der Flier to arrange a payment mechanism that is more suitable for you.
 
In a moment, I will lead you in a Benediction after which I will invite you as always, to say the grace together…
 
Benediction   
As we await our coming Saviour, go in peace to love and serve
the Lord.  And…
 
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and for evermore, Amen.”