大象传媒

1.听Radio 4 Announcement
听听大象传媒 Radio 4.听 It鈥檚 ten past eight.听 It鈥檚 time now for Sunday Worship which, for the fourth Sunday of Advent comes from the Chapel of Unity in Methodist College, Belfast.
听听The preacher is Bishop Pat Storey, the service is led by the Rev David Neilands and begins with the choir singing 鈥淎 Maiden Most Gentle鈥�.

听听
2.听CHOIR: A Maiden Most Gentle (Carter)

3.听DAVID :听 听
听Good morning and welcome to Belfast 鈥� and particularly to the Chapel of Unity of Methodist College 鈥� or Methody 鈥� as the school is known.听 Founded almost 150 years ago, we鈥檙e at the heart of the university area of the city 鈥� an appropriate setting for our Advent theme of 鈥渓earning to see鈥�.听听 Learning is of course at the very core of every place of education鈥� so to our advent theme we bring open hearts and minds as we try to understand more of this season of anticipation.
听This morning, we consider that hope of salvation, which rests in the much longed for birth of the Christ child鈥� who was born in the city of DAVID, in the lowliest of circumstances.

4.听CHOIR:听 Once in Royal David鈥檚 City (arr Stopford)

5.听顿础痴滨顿:
When she knew she was to have a baby, Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth 鈥� who was also expecting a child.听 In Luke chapter 1, we鈥檙e told about that visit;

6.听BRONWEN (pupil):
When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb.听 And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, 鈥淏lessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!听 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

7.听DAVID: 听
Both Elizabeth - and her unborn baby - were greatly stirred by Mary鈥檚 arrival.听 Filled with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth is joyful and describes the baby her cousin would give birth to as 鈥榟er Lord鈥�.听听

Let us pray.
Lord, forgive us when we come before you, distracted by days full of busyness.听
Give us hearts full of joy and anticipation as we remember the promises made long ago; a baby, born of a virgin, the King of peace, God with us, our redeemer and Saviour鈥� promises fulfilled in the baby born to Mary in that stable in Bethlehem.
In this time of quiet worship, help us to quieten our hearts and minds and not lose sight of the reason for our celebrations.
Grant us eyes that see, and ears that hear, and hearts ready to welcome you.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus,
Amen
听听
8.听CHOIR: O little Town (Chilcott)

9.听DAVID:听 听
听The hopes and fears of all the years鈥μ� two strong emotions 鈥� hope 鈥� and fear.听 And this morning we鈥檙e going to consider the stories of people who saw things from different perspectives.听 Here鈥檚 how Mary responded to her cousin鈥檚 joyful acknowledgement of the baby she carried 鈥� it鈥檚 known as The Magnificat 鈥� Mary鈥檚 Song of Praise.听 The reading is from Luke chapter 1.

10.听AMY (pupil): Luke 1:46-56
听And Mary said, 鈥淢y soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

听For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

听And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

听He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

听He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring for ever.鈥�
And Mary remained with [Elizabeth] about three months and returned to her home.

11.听CHOIR:听 The Shepherd鈥檚 Carol (Chilcott)

12.听DAVID:听听听 听
听Our second reading this morning sets the scene for another person who 鈥榮aw salvation鈥�.听 Peter鈥檚 perspective is very different from Mary鈥檚, whose response we heard earlier.听 Our second reading is from John chapter 21 and it鈥檚 read by the principal of Methodist College 鈥� Scott Naismith.

13.听SCOTT:听 John 21: 4-13
听Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

听Jesus said to them, 鈥淐hildren, do you have any fish?鈥� They answered him, 鈥淣o.鈥�

听He said to them, 鈥淐ast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.鈥� So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.

听That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, 鈥淚t is the Lord!鈥� When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

听When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, 鈥淏ring some of the fish that you have just caught.鈥澨� So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, 鈥淐ome and have breakfast.鈥�

听Now none of the disciples dared ask him, 鈥淲ho are you?鈥� They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish.

14.听CHOIR: What Child is This?听 (Thomas Hewitt Jones)

15.听BISHOP PAT:
听My children will not thank me for saying this 鈥� but right up until they left home as adults, birthdays and Christmases began with us all together on our bed opening presents! It was always childlike, no matter what age they were, and yet great fun. Now that they have left home, we remember those joyful moments with great fondness.

听My daughter Carolyn is spending Christmas with her in-laws, and my son Luke is doing his big adventure around Australia, so he will feel like he is a long, long way away on Christmas Day. As we speak, jars of a certain brand of hazelnut spread with his name on them, are winging their way across the world to him! It鈥檚 the little things! Christmas is, of course, full of nostalgia. You bring your own Christmas traditions into a relationship and you then make your own traditions for your family to take on to their new family. And so it goes on.

听Many people look forward to Christmas, and some, it has to be said, dread it, and it holds no allure for them. Whilst we will be without our adult children, it has reminded me that for many, Christmas is often lonely and without much tradition to which to hold. You might have been alone for a long time, or newly alone, and not really sure what to do with the season, which seems to bring everyone else such joy.

听Christmas, as a season, can be a mixed bag. Advent is about anticipation.听听 But to what, or to whom, are those of Christian faith looking forward?

听Two people are mentioned in the readings this morning, one of whom may seem a strange choice for Advent. Mary 鈥� who along with her relative, Elizabeth, was overwhelmed with joy at the coming birth of her son, and knew that something momentous was about to happen. And Peter, who wondered if life would ever be the same again after having met, spent time with, and lost that same Jesus.

听Mary 鈥� full of joy. Peter 鈥� full of disappointment. Mary, who was looking forward to seeing salvation, and Peter, who was too disillusioned to see it.

听Peter, like Christmas, is also a mixed bag! One minute he is the only one who actually gets who Jesus is: 鈥榶ou are the Christ, the son of the living God鈥�, and the next he is turning his back on him out of sheer terror. We find Peter, in this reading from the gospel of John, at a low point in his life and more to the point, in his faith. It hasn鈥檛 worked out as he had hoped. What he thought a life with Jesus would be seems to have ended badly. He is crushed.

听Have you ever known that feeling that things aren鈥檛 working out as you had hoped, when you are in the middle of a crisis, or an illness, or a loss? Peter, on that shoreline, was about to meet Jesus afresh and have his hope restored. Without being trite, Christians believe that darkness is always followed by dawn. As Julian of Norwich said: All things shall pass. Even the worst of things.

听Whether you come to Advent full of joy, or facing into difficulty, the Christmas message is nothing if it is not resplendent with hope. Peter鈥檚 hopefulness was just around the corner. Standing on a shore, cooking fish 鈥� an ordinary but holy moment.

听However we are facing into Advent and Christmas this year, and it may well be with joy, and it may well be this year, full of disappointment 鈥� where, or in whom, do we see salvation? Like Peter standing on the murky, misty shore and, with sagging shoulders, wondering if there was any point in going fishing, we need to have a fresh vision at Advent of who it is who stands on the shore.听

听That person standing on the shore, watching them fish and observing their failure, was the culmination of Mary鈥檚 joy all those years ago as she declared: 鈥榯he Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is his name.鈥� Mary saw clearly salvation coming; Peter couldn鈥檛 see it through the mists of his own failure and despondency. And then Jesus appears on the shore, gives him the fish, and so much more.

听I love the abundance of 鈥榯he net full of fish鈥� 鈥� and I love, as someone who just loves to eat, that Jesus had a meal ready 鈥� 鈥榗ome and have breakfast鈥�. He met their every need 鈥� both seen and unseen. We are told that none of them dared ask 鈥榳ho are you?鈥�, because then, the mists lifting, they knew it was the Lord.听

听Perhaps 2015 has been the best year ever, and I rejoice with you if that is so. Perhaps it has contained pain, or fear, or immense despondency, and we need to be reminded of who is coming; who is waiting on the shore. Advent brings us to the point of unveiling, of mists clearing, where we can say, with Mary, 鈥榝or the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.鈥�

听For Peter, it took a boat trip and a breakfast before he saw salvation. And there will be lots of feasts at the Christmas table for most of us! I hope that today, as we look forward, and as we wait, that we will see him on the shore 鈥� him waiting for us and not the other way around; our God waiting; preparing; feasting; loving; being salvation.

听He is the One for whom we are waiting. He is the one who waits for us. Mary knew it. Peter took time to see it; but when he did, his whole world tilted - and so does ours.

16.听CHOIR:听 Silent Night

17.听DAVID :
听
A silent, still night鈥� a holy night鈥� when hope was born.听 We keep that sense of peace鈥� of quiet and of hope now as we pray for others.听

Let us pray.

Lord, in the busyness of our days as we prepare for Christmas, quieten our hearts.

Help us to find space for you, not just in this time of quiet worship but throughout our celebrations.
听听听听
Lord, in your mercy:

ALL:听 Hear our prayer.

18.听Reader 1:

We pray for the church here in Ireland and throughout the world鈥� and for all who give leadership within it.

May your church be a community of love, always firm in its faith and committed to its mission to proclaim your good news.

Lord, in your mercy,

ALL:听 Hear our prayer.

听

19.听Reader 2:

We give thanks for this, and all places of education.

Lord, you commanded us to love you with all our minds, and so we pray for all who seek truth.听 Guide those who teach, that their instruction would be wise.
听
Help us to use the gifts you have given us to enrich the lives of those around us and to honour you, the source of all truth.

Lord in your mercy,

ALL:听 Hear our prayer.
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听听听听听听听听听听听

20.听Reader 3:

We remember those in troubled places who face the reality of violence and brutality, and all who live in fear and search for a place of refuge.

Lord, give us hearts full of compassion for those in need鈥� for those in despair and all who are听听听听听听听听听听 broken hearted.听

Help us to be people whose words and actions bring comfort.听 Give wisdom and courage to all who work to alleviate suffering and bring peace and justice in our world.

Lord, in your mercy,

ALL: Hear our prayer

21.听DAVID:
听The Collect for today;
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 and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Lord in your mercy:

ALL:听Hear our prayer

22.听DAVID:
听听
These and all our prayers we offer in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord 鈥� who taught us to pray saying...听

ALL:听

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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, forever and ever.

Amen.

Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis 鈥� the song of the angels that would fill the skies as they joyfully announced the birth of the Christ child.
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23.听CHOIR:听听 Ding Dong Merrily on High (Stopford)

24.听DAVID:
Go in the peace of Christ, and the Blessing of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, rest upon you and remain with you, this day and for evermore.
听Amen

25.听Organ:听 Von Himmel hoch da komm鈥� ich her (JS Bach)听