Order of service
Advent Service
10:30 am Sunday 3 December 2023
You are welcome to join in with as much as you feel comfortable to.
There are free refreshments available near to the Corn Exchange.
If you have any questions during the service please ask one of the team.
If you would like to know more about our church please get in touch or if you would like to explore faith and try and Alpha course then please click here to find out more.
Poem /// Waiting
Read by Finn Byrne
I wonder if you can imagine,
Can you imagine opening all of your Christmas gifts right now?
Can you imagine that every gift is exactly what you’ve hoped for?
Can you imagine that every gift,
Fits perfectly,
Tastes incredible,
Has batteries included?
Can you imagine that every gift,
Has been ethically produced,
Chosen with love,
Given with Joy?
Can you imagine that the deepest longing of your heart is answered in the gift?
The greatest need of all humanity and creation is solved in the gift?
That all wondering, anxieties, loss and grief are beautifully overcome in the gift?
I wonder if you can imagine,
Can you imagine such a gift?
Can you imagine that?
Prayer ///
Audrey Hobbs
bible Reading /// John 3:16-21 [ESV BIBLE]
Guy and Sarah Plowman
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
Welcome ///
Russ Beese
worship ///
Holy Forever
Chris Tomlin
Verse 1
A thousand generations falling down in worship
To sing the song of ages to the Lamb
And all who've gone before us and all who will believe
Will sing the song of ages to the Lamb
Your name is the highest
Your name is the greatest
Your name stands above them all
All thrones and dominions
All powers and positions
Your name stands above them all
And the angels cry, Holy
All creation cries, Holy
You are lifted high, Holy
Holy forever
Verse 2
If you've been forgiven and if you've been redeemed
Sing the song forever to the Lamb
If you walk in freedom and if you bear His name
Sing the song forever to the Lamb
We'll sing the song forever and amen
And the angels cry, Holy
All creation cries, Holy
You are lifted high, Holy
Holy forever
Hear your people sing, Holy
To the King of Kings, Holy
You will always be, Holy
Holy forever
10000 reasons
Matt Redman and Steve Angrisan
Bless the Lord, o my soul, o my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before, o my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes
You're rich in love and You're slow to anger
Your name is great and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness, I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find
And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still, my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore
O come all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant!
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem
Come and behold Him
Born the King of Angels
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord!
God of God, Light of Light
Lo, He abhors not the Virgin's womb
Very God
Begotten, not created
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God
All glory in the highest
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born that happy morning
Jesus, to Thee be glory given
Word of the Father
Now in flesh appearing
Bible Reading /// Isaiah 9:2, 6 &7 [NLT BIBLE]
Tony and Wendy Rapson
The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called:
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
sermon part 1 ///
Jason Huffadine
Lighting the first advent candle ///
The Biddulph Family
Loving God, as we light the first Advent candle of hope, we ask for your presence to fill our hearts and homes. In the waiting may the hope and reality of Christ's coming bring light to our darkness and renew us. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
sermon part 2 ///
Jason Huffadine
Worship /// Hark! The herald angels sing
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new born King:
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!"
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with the angelic hosts proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the new-born king"
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of the Virgin's womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail the incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the new-born king"
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the new-born king"
Closing Prayer ///
Ruth Biddulph
Immanuel, God with us
For all who are grieving or feeling loss we pray: God, be their comfort
For all who are unwell, struggling with mental or physical health: God be their healer
For all who a longing for freedom: God, be their deliverer
For all who are questioning, wondering and searching for purpose: God, be their Wonderful counsellor and their joy.
For all who are lonely, isolated, imprisoned, or rejected: God, be their Immanuel.
For all who all people of every tribe, nation, language, and tongue: God, be their saviour and their everlasting Father.
For us as we wait: God be our hope.
Amen
Thank you ///
Russ Beese
