The 4th Sunday of Advent is all about love; God’s love for the world and our love for one another. Once again, our doors will be open, but we recommend that you worship with us online this week as the COVID cases continue to rise. You’ll find the words for worship below or you can download and print a copy from here.

Prelude               Sunshine Christmas Carol Medley

Call to Worship – Luke 1:46-55

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

’Song – Forever  #578

Prayer of Confession

Most high and holy God, we confess to the pride within us. We confess the allure of the power of the throne over the power of the cross. We confess that the hungry surround us. Do not scatter us or bring us down or send us away empty. We humble ourselves so that we might find your favor. Remember your mercy, according to the promise you made to the world through Jesus Christ. Bless us with your Holy Spirit so that the life that is in us would fade away even as the life of Christ grows within us.  Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.

Anthem – Breath of Heaven

Words of Assurance

For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; 

and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.

And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

Song – Joy to the World #92

Scripture – Luke 1:26-45

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

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

Sermon – “Advent Love”

Song – Angels, From the Realms of Glory #81

Prayers w/ Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who 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.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen.

Offertory –

Benediction

Sending Song – Jesus, Jesus, Oh, What a Wonderful Child  #99