This Week
St George’s
Anglican Parish of Gate Pa
All who enter here be reconciled
23rd December 2018
Year C with The Rev’d John Hebenton
There is morning tea in the church lounge after the 9.30am Service.
Please join us. All are very welcome.
Please remember to turn off your cellphone during the church service
Liturgy Page 476.
Sentence: Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.
Luke 1.45
Prayer for the Day
O God of Elizabeth and Mary,
you visited your servants with news of the world’s redemption
in the coming of the Saviour.
Make our hearts leap with joy, and fill our mouths with songs of praise,
that we may announce glad tidings of peace,
and welcome the Christ in our midst.
Amen.
Psalm: The Song of the Blessed Virgin Mary NZPB Page 41
Psalm Response: Glory to God – Creator, Word and Spirit
As God always was, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
First Reading: Micah 5:2-5 Bible Page 756
Second Reading: Hebrews 10:5-10 Bible Page 976
Gospel: Luke 1:39-45 Bible Page 831
All are welcome to receive communion
Prayers and anointing for healing are available during communion in the chapel, at the back of the church.
Please keep this time quiet for those who are praying.
Theme:
Without looking we have arrived at the fourth Sunday of Advent with its theme of love. As we rush headlong into Christmas we are invited, on this day we traditionally focus on Mary, to stop and take a moment to rest with Mary and Elisabeth in this intimate and holy moment.
With Mary we will sing and pray her prophetic psalm of praise and protest. Yes protest. We are too used to singing it from our place of privilege. This is the song of an invisible poor peasant girl from a small unimportant village in a land under brutal occupation voicing God’s protest against the powerful, important, wealthy and privileged elite who defined who mattered and who didn’t. Her fear and uncertainty mingled with hope and lead to her to voice what the outworking of God’s love looks like. God’s love and justice starts with Mary, the God-bearer; and all the poor and so called unimportant men and women who are defined by God as of utmost importance and value. We see them today in migrant caravans, refugee camps, on our streets. The reign of God is not good news for everyone.
In light of that psalm, as we approach Christmas what might we need to let go of to live God’s love for: ourselves; our neighbours; all humanity; creation?
Prayer
Our community: We pray for the communities of Gate Pa, Greerton, The Lakes, Pyes Pa and Merivale. We particularly pray for the ministry of Centrepoint and Whanau Aroha.
We pray for those who are dying, sick, in hospital or in any other kind of need, parishioners in rest homes and those who receive home communion and any others you hold in your hearts at this time.
Our Church: Today we pray for the Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Tairawhiti.
Our World: Today we pray for the church in Central and South Asia.