December 24th 

Luke 1:67-79

67 Then Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, 
68 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he came and set his people free. 
69 He set the power of salvation in the center of our lives, and in the very house of David his servant, 
70 Just as he promised long ago through the preaching of his holy prophets: 
71 Deliverance from our enemies and every hateful hand; 
72 Mercy to our fathers, as he remembers to do what he said he'd do, 
73 What he swore to our father Abraham - 
74 a clean rescue from the enemy camp, So we can worship him without a care in the world, 
75 made holy before him as long as we live. 
76 And you, my child, "Prophet of the Highest," will go ahead of the Master to prepare his ways, 
77 Present the offer of salvation to his people, the forgiveness of their sins. 
78 Through the heartfelt mercies of our God, God's Sunrise will break in upon us, 
79 Shining on those in the darkness, those sitting in the shadow of death, Then showing us the way, one foot at a time, down the path of peace.

 

December 23rd 

Luke 1:57-66

57 When Elizabeth was full-term in her pregnancy, she bore a son. 
58 Her neighbors and relatives, seeing that God had overwhelmed her with mercy, celebrated with her. 
59 On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child and were calling him Zachariah after his father. 
60 But his mother intervened: "No. He is to be called John." 
61 "But," they said, "no one in your family is named that." 
62 They used sign language to ask Zachariah what he wanted him named. 
63 Asking for a tablet, Zachariah wrote, "His name is to be John." That took everyone by surprise. 
64 Surprise followed surprise - Zachariah's mouth was now open, his tongue loose, and he was talking, praising God! 
65 A deep, reverential fear settled over the neighborhood, and in all that Judean hill country people talked about nothing else. 
66 Everyone who heard about it took it to heart, wondering, "What will become of this child? Clearly, God has his hand in this."
 

December 22nd 

Luke 1:46-56

46 And Mary said, I'm bursting with God-news; 
47 I'm dancing the song of my Savior God. 
48 God took one good look at me, and look what happened - I'm the most fortunate woman on earth! What God has done for me will never be forgotten, 
49 the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others. 
50 His mercy flows in wave after wave on those who are in awe before him. 
51 He bared his arm and showed his strength, scattered the bluffing braggarts. 
52 He knocked tyrants off their high horses, pulled victims out of the mud. 
53 The starving poor sat down to a banquet; the callous rich were left out in the cold. 
54 He embraced his chosen child, Israel; he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high. 
55 It's exactly what he promised, beginning with Abraham and right up to now. 
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months and then went back to her own home.
 

December 21st 

Luke 1:39-45 

39 Mary didn't waste a minute. She got up and traveled to a town in Judah in the hill country, 
40 straight to Zachariah's house, and greeted Elizabeth. 
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby in her womb leaped. She was filled with the Holy Spirit, 
42 and sang out exuberantly, You're so blessed among women, and the babe in your womb, also blessed! 
43 And why am I so blessed that the mother of my Lord visits me? 
44 The moment the sound of your greeting entered my ears, The babe in my womb skipped like a lamb for sheer joy. 
45 Blessed woman, who believed what God said, believed every word would come true!

December 20th 

Luke 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth 
27 to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin's name, Mary. 
28 Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her: Good morning! You're beautiful with God's beauty, Beautiful inside and out! God be with you. 
29 She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. 
30 But the angel assured her, "Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: 
31 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus. 
32 He will be great, be called 'Son of the Highest.' The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David; 
33 He will rule Jacob's house forever - no end, ever, to his kingdom." 
34 Mary said to the angel, "But how? I've never slept with a man." 
35 The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you; Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God. 
36 "And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months' pregnant! 
37 Nothing, you see, is impossible with God." 
38 And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now: I'm the Lord's maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say. Then the angel left her. Blessed Among Women


 

December 19th 

Fourth Sunday of Advent and we're celebrating together with an interactive Nativity.

>>More information here<<


 

December 18th 

Christmas Bells

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

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, good-will to men!"

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, good-will to men."

December 17th 

Exciting Sunday service coming up!

>>CLICK HERE<< 

December 16th 

December 15th 

Enjoy this Christmas carol - Joy to the World!

December 14th 

I'm sure, if you're like me, you are busy preparing presents for loved ones - planning that last minute trip to the shops or surfing the internet trying to find that perfect present!  Perhaps you are already done? 

If you think buying for loved ones is tough then what about this!  Preparing presents fit for a King.  Now that must be a challenge.

Matthew 2:10-11 says, “When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” 

December 13th 

Gracious God,
open our eyes to your presence among us,
open our ears to hear your voice,
open our arms to welcome those around us.
Amen. 

December 12th 

Join us today for our Third Sunday in Advent Service.  10:30 online and in person!

 

December 11th 

Enjoy a Christmas Carol - In the Bleak Midwinter.  The final verse says this,

What can I give him?
Poor as I am
If I were a shepherd
I would give a lamb
If I were a wise man
I would do my part
But what I can I give him
Give him my heart
Give him my heart

December 10th 

An Advent poem by Rowan Williams:

He will come like last leaf’s fall.
One night when the November wind
has flayed the trees to the bone, and earth
wakes choking on the mould,
the soft shroud’s folding.

He will come like frost.
One morning when the shrinking earth
opens on mist, to find itself
arrested in the net
of alien, sword-set beauty.

He will come like dark.
One evening when the bursting red
December sun draws up the sheet
and penny-masks its eye to yield
the star-snowed fields of sky.

He will come, will come,
will come like crying in the night,
like blood, like breaking,
as the earth writhes to toss him free.
He will come like child. 

December 9th 

In the city of Nazareth there lived a young woman, named Mary, who was faithful to God.  God sent an angel to Mary, to tell her that she would have a very special baby, who would be called the Son of God, and that he would be a great king!  Do you know who her baby was going to be? 

That's right, God had chosen Mary to be the mother of Jesus!  This must have been mind-blowing and overwhelming, but Mary believed what the angel said.  Not only that but she sang her praises to God!

Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending Jesus at just the right time. We thank you because you use humble, ordinary people in your plan.  Amen.  

December 8th 

It's getting closer! Christmas is coming.  Why not take some time today to make something fun for Christmas?  Howabout, a decoration for your tree or tags to use on presents?  Or something else......be inspired to spread some joy this Christmas!

 

December 7th 

In Jesus’ time wise men served foreign kings, we all know what a king is don't we?  A king is the ruler of a nation, the leader of an entire kingdom for the whole of his life.  God promised his people many times that he would raise up a great king for them.  He promised them that this king would do only what is right and good - very different to the kings people had experienced before! 

God’s promised king would also rule forever and ever!  God's people were waiting for this great king!  Waiting, waiting, waiting......

Dear God, we long for your peace to reign in this world. We thank you for promising a king whose reign would never end. Amen. 

December 6th 

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace— Isaiah 9:6

December 5th 

We are entering the second week of Advent, our thoughts should be turning more and more to the coming of Christ at Christmas.  Today we light our second Advent candle during our service together.  As we do this our sense of expectation increases, as does our recognition of the fact that we are not prepared, not only for the first coming of Christ that we will celebrate in a few weeks but for His Second Coming at the end of time.

We pray together:

Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the ways of Your Son, that through His coming we may be worthy to serve you with purified minds.  Who lives and reigns, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end.  Amen. 


 

Details of all our Christmas services are here!

December 4th 

Today we are decorating the church building, inside and out, ready for all our Christmas services and events!

Come and lend a helping hand, we'll be there from 10am! 

 

December 3rd 

Can you remember what “Advent” means? 

During Advent we are remembering that Jesus came and we are waiting for him to come again.  God sent Jesus into the world because each of us gets things wrong.  Yes, that's right, each and everyone of us!  The Bible actually says that we are all like sheep: we have a habit of wandering off on our own path, sometimes far from God. 

Fortunately we have Jesus, who saves us from our sins, and brings us back to God.  During Advent as we remember Jesus, we thank God for sending His son into the world for each and everyone of us.  Yes, that's right, each and everyone of us!

God, we admit that we are like sheep and wander off our own way.   Please forgive us for the things we get wrong. Today we thank you for sending Jesus into the world and reconnecting us with you. Amen.  


 

Details of all our Christmas services are here!

December 2nd 

A video today to help get you in the festive spirit!   



 

December 1st 

Welcome to our Digital Advent Calendar!  There will be some reflections, Advent reminders and fun stuff behind the doors each day - be sure to come back and check!

The word “advent” means “coming.”  It is the time of year when we remember the coming of Jesus, God’s son into the world.

God’s people had been waiting for a very long time for God to send a Saviour to them and keep all of his promises.  That Saviour was Jesus – who was born long ago in a stable in Bethlehem.  The baby Jesus would grow up to save all of God’s people.  Yet that is not all of the good news, because God's plan was and is to send him into the world twice!  He is coming back again, just like the people of Israel, we are waiting for him to come.

Jesus, thank you for coming into our world!  In this season of advent help us to be thankful for everything you have done for us.  Help us to be ready for you to come again. Amen.

Details of all our Christmas services are here!