Sunday, December 22, 2024
Order of Service
We welcome all gathering for worship this morning or later in the week. Whether you attend in-person, worship on ZOOM or YouTube, or are a viewer on Rogers TV20 - please know that we consider everyone to be a part of our worship experience and an integral member of our St. Andrew's Guelph community.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this morning's service, both in-person and virtually.
Join us on our St. Andrew's Guelph YouTube Channel, select the live service, and remember to invite your friends and families. You can also join us via ZOOM by following the link in your Sunday morning email. If you'd like to begin receiving our weekly emails, you can sign up here.
God of hope, who brought peace into this world,
be the peace that dwells between us.
God of hope, who brought joy into this world,
be the joy that dwells between us.
God of hope, who brought love into this world,
be the love that dwells between us.
Prelude: O come all ye faithful,
Gentle Mary laid her Child arr. B. Ingram
The Bells of St. Andrew’s
Call to Worship
133 Go tell it on the mountain
Prayer of Adoration and Confession
Declaration of Forgiveness
“I shall give you a new heart; and put a new and right spirit within you. I will cause you to walk according to my ways so you shall be my people, and I will be your God.” Ezekiel 36:26
Anthem: Rejoice Greatly H. Willan
Duet: Carol Hawken Lyn Fisher
Lighting the Candle of Love
Lighting the candle of love symbolizes the gift of love from God and the belief that Jesus was God's greatest gift of love. Long ago a scholar asked Jesus, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40 Not only in words, but always in deeds, Jesus showed us the greatest example of love. He did this through his humility, mercy, and care for all creation, and through carrying the burden of our sins that we may live forever in and for his love.
Hope is a star 119
Prayer after Lighting:
God of Light, Source of Love, as we continue to prepare for the birth of Jesus Christ’s keep is mindful that he modelled love by caring and sharing, and through always seeking justice and truth. Inspire within us the desire to love everyone, even when it is hard. Broaden our boundaries of love as with the eyes of our heart we follow the ones whose love is boundless. May the light of this candle inspire us to act towards our neighbours near and far with the same mind and heart that is in Christ. In the name of those one who we love because He first loved us and by the power of your Spirit we pray. Amen.
149 Away in a manger
Story: Tomorrow! Tomorrow! (Thank you Annie!)
Prayer for Illumination:
Open us, Dear God, to your Living Word and your excellent way. As we make our final preparations before Christmas, clear our hearts and minds that we may see the fulness of your love and answer your call to be it. Grant us awe and wonder in trusting your Good News in Jesus for the living of this and everyday. Amen.
Romans 1:1-7 and Matthew 1:18-25
Sermon: Thinking Ahead
“to bring about the obedience of faith” Romans 1:5
“did…as the angel of the Lord commanded” Matthew 1:24
145 O little town of Bethlehem
Call for the Offering
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Offertory – Away in a manger arr. B. Ingram
Doxology (to the tune of The First Noel)
Praise God for gifts of hope and peace
Praise God for gifts of joy and love
Praise God for sending Christ to dwell
on earth for us Emmanuel.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel.
God is with us, Emmanuel.
Prayer of Dedication
Prayers of The People…
Dear God, for your word which endures, we give you thanks. For your promises to which we hold, we give you thanks. For those gathered here today, we give you thanks. For family, friend and stranger, we give you thanks. For those who minister your grace, we give you thanks.
For the hope that lives each Advent of a love that has no end, we give you thanks, through Christ our Saviour, who taught when together to pray:
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 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, forever and ever. Amen.
147 Angels we have heard on high
Commissioning
God of loving kindness, you are above all, beneath all, around all, and within all; before we ever went in search of you, you were here to meet us. Give us the grace to ponder with Mary the mystery of your light come into the world and to treasure the mystery of your love in our hearts. Amen.
Benediction
Postlude: Joy to the world arr. D. Hustad
We gather on the traditional territory of the Wendat, the Anishnaabeg and the Haudenosaunee Peoples. We are also on lands that are part of the Dish with One Spoon Wampum. We live and work, worship, learn and meet on lands that are the traditional territory of many different Indigenous Peoples who were here before the establishment of European colonies.
