Online Worship for 18 December

This week, 18 December, in the morning there is a service of Holy Communion at 9.30am at St Bartholomew, Burstow and a Crib Service at 10am at St Mary the Virgin, Horne (there is no service in Outwood). In the afternoon there is a Carol Service at 5pm at St John the Baptist, Outwood and a Carol Service at 6.30pm at St Mary the Virgin, Horne. And as always, there is an online service here, too, which this week is led by the Revd Charles Sargent

To follow today’s online service just click on the arrow here and find the words below.

From heaven you came, helpless babe,       
Entered our world, your glory veiled;         
Not to be served but to serve,             
And give your life that we might live.                   

This is our God, the Servant King,
He calls us now to follow him,
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to the Servant King

There in the garden of tears,
My heavy load He chose to bear
His heart with sorrow was torn,
“Yet not my will, but yours”, he said.

This is our God, the Servant King,
He calls us now to follow him,
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to the Servant King

Come see his hands and his feet
The scars that speak of sacrifice,
Hands that flung stars into space
To cruel nails surrendered.

This is our God, the Servant King,
He calls us now to follow him,
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to the Servant King

So let us learn how to serve,
And in our lives enthrone him;
Each other’s needs to prefer,
For it is Christ we’re serving.

This is our God, the Servant King,
He calls us now to follow him,
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to the Servant King

G Kendrick © 1983 ThankYou Music
Administered by Kingsway Music.Used by permission. CCLI: 845257

This is the day the Lord has made

Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Let us pray:

The Collect for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

God our redeemer,
who prepared the Blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of your Son:
grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour,
so we may be ready to greet him
when he comes again as our judge;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen

The readings
by Margaret Hobson

The first reading is Isaiah 7: 10-16

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.

The Gospel reading is Matthew 1: 18-25

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

Talk
by Revd Charles Sargent

The Prayers

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,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Blessing

Come down, O Love divine,
Seek thou this soul of mine,
And visit it with thine own ardour glowing;
O Comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear,
And kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.

O let it freely burn,
Till earthly passions turn
To dust and ashes in its heat consuming;
And let thy glorious light
shine ever on my sight,
And clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

Let holy charity
Mine outward vesture be,
And lowliness become mine inner clothing;
True lowliness of heart,
which takes the humbler part,
And o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.

And so the yearning strong,
With which the soul will long,
Shall far outpass the pow’r of human telling;
Nor can we guess its grace,
till we become the place
Wherein the Holy Spirit makes his dwelling.

Bianco da Siena (d.1434) Trans. Richard F Littledale (1833-1890) alt.

Hymn words reproduced under CCLI: 845257.

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England (2000), material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2000.