The Gathering

Our worship begins at the sound of the bell, please stand as the sacred ministers enter, during which the introit hymn is sung.

Hark! a herald voice is calling:
‘Christ is nigh!’ it seems to say;
‘Cast away the dreams of darkness,
O ye children of the day!’

Startled at the solemn warning,
Let the earth-bound soul arise;
Christ, her sun, all sloth dispelling,
Shines upon the morning skies.

Lo, the Lamb, so long expected,
Comes with pardon down from heav’n;
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
One and all to be forgiv’n.

So when next he comes with glory,
Wrapping all the earth in fear,
May he then, as our defender,
On the clouds of heav’n appear.

Honour, glory, virtue, merit,
To the Father and the Son,
With the co-eternal Spirit,
While unending ages run.

Words: 6th century
translated by Edward Caswall (1824-1878)
Music: William Henry Monk (1823-1889)
Hymn Tune: MERTON

In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

The Greeting

Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you

and also with you.

Words of Welcome

Invitation to Confession

A voice cries out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord’. So let us listen and turn to the Lord in penitence and faith.

Silence is kept.

Heavenly Father,
you have created a universe of light:
forgive us when we return to darkness.

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,
you are the light of the world:
cleanse and heal our blinded sight.

Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Holy Spirit,
you give us light in our hearts:
renew us in faith and love.

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

A setting of the ‘Kyrie eleison’ is sung by the Choir.

Lord have mercy,
Lord have mercy.

Christ have mercy,
Christ have mercy.

Lord have mercy,
Lord have mercy.

Music: Sir James MacMillan (b. 1959)

The president says:

Almighty God,
who in Jesus Christ has given us
a kingdom that cannot be destroyed,
forgive us our sins,
open our eyes to God’s truth,
strengthen us to do God’s will
and give us the joy of his kingdom,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The Collect

The president introduces a period of silent prayer with the words ‘Let us pray’.

Almighty God,
give us grace to cast away the works of darkness
and to put on the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life,
in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;
that on the last day,
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

The Liturgy of the Word

Please sit.

A reading from the prophet Isaiah.

O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence – as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil – to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence!

When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect, you came down; the mountains quaked at your presence. From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him.

You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways. But you were angry, and we sinned; because you hid yourself we transgressed. We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on your name or attempts to take hold of you, for you have hidden your face from us and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.

Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord, and do not remember iniquity for ever. Now consider, we are all your people.

Isaiah 64.1-9

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Please stand as the gradual hymn is sung. During the hymn a procession will make its way to the centre of the nave from where the Gospel for the day is read. To symbolise our desire to turn to Christ in our daily lives, at the end of the hymn we remain standing and turn to face the place where the Gospel is proclaimed.

God of mercy, God of grace,
Show the brightness of thy face;
Shine upon us, Saviour, shine,
Fill thy Church with light divine;
And thy saving health extend
Unto earth’s remotest end.

Let the people praise thee, Lord;
Be by all that live adored;
Let the nations shout and sing
Glory to their Saviour King;
At thy feet their tribute pay,
And thy holy will obey.

Let the people praise thee, Lord;
Earth shall then her fruits afford;
God to us his blessing give,
We to God devoted live;
All below, and all above,
One in joy and light and love.

Words: Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847)
based on Psalm 67, alt.
Music: Henry Smart (1813-1879)
Hymn Tune: HEATHLANDS

Gospel Reading

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

cf Isaiah 40.3-5

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.

Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘In those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory.

Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates.

Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch.

Therefore, keep awake – for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’

Mark 13.24-37

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

Please sit after the preacher leads us in prayer. At the end of the sermon, the Posada set is blessed and given to the first home receiving them using these words.

Lord God our Father,
we give you thanks and praise
for this season of Advent.
As Mary and Joseph journeyed to Bethlehem
we pray you bless our journey through this season
and these Posada figures
that as they are welcomed into homes in our parish
they will help us make ready for the coming of your Son
our Saviour, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Those receiving the figures respond:

Lord God our Father,
we receive these figures with thanks
and pray that as we welcome them into our house
you may visit us with your love
and help us make space in our lives
to welcome your Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

An Affirmation of Faith

Please stand with the president.

Let us affirm our faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God.

Though he was divine,
he did not cling to equality with God,
but made himself nothing.
Taking the form of a slave,
he was born in human likeness.
He humbled himself
and was obedient to death,
even the death of the cross.
Therefore God has raised him on high,
and given him the name above every name:
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow,
and every voice proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Amen.

cf Philippians 2.6-11

Prayers of Intercession

Following an invitation to pray from the intercessor we kneel or sit to pray.

The response to the bidding:

Lord, in your mercy.

Hear our prayer.

then at the end:

Merciful Father,

accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

The Liturgy of the Sacrament

Please stand with the president.

The Peace

In the tender mercy of our God,
the dayspring from on high shall break upon us,
to give light to those who dwell in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

cf Luke 1.78,79

The peace of the Lord be always with you

and also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

This is usually a handshake shared with those near you.

Preparation of the Table

The table is prepared and bread and wine are placed upon it.

A hymn is sung. During this hymn a collection, our financial offering in support of the work of the church both at St. Mary’s and across our diocese, is taken.

You can place cash or giving envelopes in the collection plates as they are passed around. If you would prefer, or if you miss the plate, you can also give by tapping your contactless card or device on the giving kiosk by the door as you leave, or on our donations page.

Longing for light, we wait in darkness. 
Longing for truth, we turn to you. 
Make us your own, your holy people, 
Light for the world to see. 

Christ, be our light! 
Shine in our hearts, 
Shine through the darkness. 
Christ, be our light! 
Shine in your Church gathered today. 

Longing for peace, our world is troubled. 
Longing for hope, many despair. 
Your word alone has power to save us. 
Make us your living voice.   

Christ, be our light! … 

Longing for food, many are hungry. 
Longing for water, many still thirst. 
Make us your bread, broken for others, 
Shared until all are fed. 

Christ, be our light! …

Longing for shelter, many are homeless, 
Longing for warmth, many are cold. 
Make us your building, sheltering others, 
Walls made of living stone. 

Christ, be our light! … 

Many the gifts, many the people, 
Many the hearts that yearn to belong. 
Let us be servants to one another, 
Making your kingdom come. 

Christ, be our light! … 

Words & Music: Bernadette Farrell (b. 1957)

Taking of the Bread and Wine

As this bread was scattered
and then gathered and made one,
so may your Church be gathered into your kingdom.

Glory to you, O God, for ever.

Wisdom has built her a house;
she has mixed her wine; she has set her table.

Glory to you, O God, for ever.

Please kneel or sit.

The Eucharistic Prayer (A)

The Lord is here.

His Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give thanks and praise.

It is indeed right and good to give you thanks and praise,
almighty God and everlasting Father,
through Jesus Christ your Son.
For when he humbled himself
to come among us in human flesh,
he fulfilled the plan you formed
before the foundation of the world
to open for us the way of salvation.
Confident that your promise will be fulfilled,
we now watch for the day
when Christ our Lord will come again in glory.
And so we join our voices with angels and archangels
and with all the company of heaven
to proclaim your glory for ever praising you and singing:

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might.
Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessèd is he, O blessèd is he 
who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest.  

Accept our praises, heavenly Father,
through your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ,
and as we follow his example and obey his command,
grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit
these gifts of bread and wine
may be to us his body and his blood;
who, in the same night that he was betrayed,
took bread and gave you thanks;
he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you;
do this in remembrance of me.

In the same way, after supper
he took the cup and gave you thanks;
he gave it to them, saying:
Drink this, all of you;
this is my blood of the new covenant,
which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it,
in remembrance of me.

Therefore, heavenly Father,
we remember his offering of himself
made once for all upon the cross;
we proclaim his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension;
we look for the coming of your kingdom,
and with this bread and this cup
we make the memorial of Christ your Son our Lord.

Christ is the bread of life:

When we eat this bread and drink this cup,
we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus,
until you come in glory, until you come in glory. 

Accept through him, our great high priest,
this our sacrifice of thanks and praise,
and as we eat and drink these holy gifts
in the presence of your divine majesty,
renew us by your Spirit,
inspire us with your love
and unite us in the body of your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Through him, and with him, and in him,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
with all who stand before you in earth and heaven,
we worship you, Father almighty,
in songs of everlasting praise:

Blessing and honour and glory and power
be yours for ever and ever.
Amen.

Silence is kept.

The Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us.

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.

Breaking of the Bread

The president breaks the consecrated bread.

We break this bread
to share in the body of Christ.

Though we are many, we are one body,
because we all share in one bread.

The Agnus Dei is sung as the bread is broken for distribution.

Lamb of God, 
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, 
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, 
you take away the sins of the world,
grant us peace.   

Invitation to Communion

Draw near with faith.
Receive the body of our Lord Jesus Christ
which he gave for you,
and his blood which he shed for you.
Eat and drink
in remembrance that he died for you,
and feed on him in your hearts
by faith with thanksgiving.

The president and people receive communion. All baptised Christians are welcome to receive the sacrament. Please follow the guidance offered by the stewards.

If you are not baptised, or would prefer to not receive, then do still come forward for a blessing bringing this book with you so the president knows your intention.

The sacrament is available in both kinds, however if you wish to only receive the bread please do so and then return to your place. Receiving in one kind is still considered to be full communion by the Church of England. Please do not dip bread in the wine (sometimes called ‘intincting’).

For those at home it might be helpful to use this prayer during the distribution.

Come, Lord God, change us and we shall be changed.
Come, increase our awareness of your presence.
Come, strengthen our love for you.
Come, fill our hearts with holiness.
Come, awaken us to be ready and watchful for your coming.
Come, Lord God, change us and we shall be changed;
through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
One God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Choir Anthem

‘People, look East’

People, look East. The time is near
Of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
Trim the hearth, and set the table.
People, look East, and sing today:
Love the Guest is on the way.

Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare,
One more seed is planted there:
Give up your strength the seed to nourish,
That in course the flow’r may flourish.
People, look East, and sing today:
Love the Rose is on the way. 

Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim
One more light the bowl shall brim,
Shining beyond the frosty weather,
Bright as sun and moon together.
People, look East, and sing today:
Love the Star is on the way.

Angels, announce to man and beast
Him who cometh from the East.
Set ev’ry peak and valley humming
With the word, the Lord is coming.
People, look East, and sing today:
Love the Lord is on the way. 

Words: Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965)
 Music: Besançon carol melody
arranged by Malcom Archer (b. 1952)

The following communion hymns may be sung during the distribution as time allows. Please remain seated.

Come, thou long-expected Jesus, 
Born to set thy people free,
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in thee.

Israel’s strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth thou art,
Dear desire of ev’ry nation,
Joy of ev’ry longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a king,
Born to reign in us for ever,
Now thy gracious kingdom bring.

By thine own eternal Spirit,
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By thine all-sufficient merit,
Raise us to thy glorious throne.  

Words: Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Music: John Stainer (1840-1901)
Hymn Tune: CROSS OF JESUS

Jesus, where’er thy people meet,
There they behold thy mercy-seat;
Where’er they seek thee thou art found,
And ev’ry place is hallowed ground.

For thou, within no walls confined,
Inhabitest the humble mind;
Such ever bring thee when they come,
And, going, take thee to their home.

Dear Shepherd of thy chosen few,
Thy former mercies here renew;
Here to our waiting hearts proclaim
The sweetness of thy saving name.

Here may we prove the pow’r of prayer
To strengthen faith and sweeten care,
To teach our faint desires to rise,
And bring all heav’n before our eyes.

Lord, we are few, but thou art near;
Nor short thine arm, nor deaf thine ear;
O rend the heav’ns, come quickly down,
And make a thousand hearts thine own.

Words: William Cowper (1731-1800)
Music: William Knapp (1698-1768)
Tune: WAREHAM

The Lord is my light,
My light and salvation;
In God I trust,
In God I trust.

Words: based on Psalm 27
Music: Jacques Berthier (1923-1994)

The Post Communion Prayer and The Lighting of the Advent Candle

Please stand as the president introduces a time of silent prayer with the words ‘Let us pray’.

O Lord our God,
make us watchful and keep us faithful
as we await the coming of your Son our Lord;
that, when he shall appear,

he may not find us sleeping in sin
but active in his service
and joyful in his praise;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The president then moves to the Advent Wreath to light the first of the Advent candles. This week the candle helps us to remember the Patriarchs – Abraham, our father in faith, and David the ancestor in whose city Jesus was born.

The candle is lit and this prayer is said.

Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, God of our ancestors:
to you be praise and glory for ever.
You called the patriarchs to live by the light of faith
and to journey in the hope of your promised fulfilment.
May we be obedient to your call
and be ready and watchful to receive your Christ,
a lamp to our feet and a light to our path;
for you are our light and our salvation.

Blessed be God for ever.

A hymn is sung.

Lo, he comes with clouds descending,
Once for favoured sinners slain;
Thousand, thousand saints attending
Swell the triumph of his train.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Christ appears on earth to reign.

Ev’ry eye shall now behold him
Robed in dreadful majesty;
We who set at naught and sold him,
Pierced and nailed him to the tree,
Deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing,
Shall the true Messiah see.

Those dear tokens of his passion
Still his dazzling body bears,
Cause of endless exultation
To his ransomed worshippers:
With what rapture, with what rapture, with what rapture
Gaze we on those glorious scars!

Yea, amen! let all adore thee,
High on thine eternal throne;
Saviour, take the pow’r and glory,
Claim the kingdom for thine own.
O come quickly, O come quickly, O come quickly!
Alleluia! Come, Lord, come!

Words: Charles Wesley (1707-1788),
John Cennick (1718-1755) and Martin Madan (1726-1790)
Music: from John Wesley’s ‘Select Hymns with Tunes Annext’ (1765)
Hymn Tune: HELMSLEY

The Dismissal

The Blessing

Christ the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you,
scatter the darkness from before your path,
and make you ready to meet him when he comes in glory;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.

Amen.

The Dismissal

Our Lord says, ‘I am coming soon.’

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

May the Lord, when he comes,
find us watching and waiting.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

In the name of Christ. Amen.