Advent Sunday today, the beginning of the Church year, so Happy New Year! Our  10 am Eucharist was  celebrated by Father Chris. The children joined us in church where we started the service by lighting the first candle of the Advent wreath. The children then left us for their own activities in the rooms, of which more news later.  We sang a new kyrie for this solemn season, and in his sermon Father Chris gave us a question consisting of 3 very large numbers, what were they? The number of seconds, minutes and hours between now and Christmas! The season of waiting and anticipation is here! But he also urged us to live in the moment, the past has gone, we do not know what the future will bring, and the Gospel tells us Our Lord will return in ordinary time, so we must live every day in expectation of his return in Glory!

The choir sang an Advent carol ' In Nights Dim Shadow Lying' by George Guest as the Anthem.

The children returned for the distribution of the host, and told us about their activities. They had been making cakes! The Sunday School are holding a coffee morning  after church on the 11th of December in aid of their chosen charities and cakes will be for sale! Please come and support them. 

Before that don't forget the Christmas market next Saturday from 11 to 3 in the rooms and church. Come and enjoy a German style lunch and buy some presents!

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah

The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house

shall be established as the highest of the mountains,

and shall be raised above the hills;

all the nations shall stream to it.

 

Many peoples shall come and say,

‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

to the house of the God of Jacob;

that he may teach us his ways

and that we may walk in his paths.’

For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,

and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

He shall judge between the nations,

and shall arbitrate for many peoples;

they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,

and their spears into pruning-hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

neither shall they learn war any more.

O house of Jacob, come, 

let us walk in the light of the Lord! 

A reading form the letter of Paul to the Romans

Brothers and sister, 

you know what time it is, 

how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. 

For salvation is nearer to us now 

than when we became believers; 

the night is far gone, the day is near. 

Let us then lay aside the works of darkness

and put on the armour of light; 

let us live honourably as in the day, 

not in revelling and drunkenness, 

not in debauchery and licentiousness, 

not in quarrelling and jealousy. 

Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, 

and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.

Jesus sopke to his disciples:

‘About that day and hour no one knows, 

neither the angels of heaven, 

nor the Son, but only the Father. 

For as the days of Noah were, 

so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 

For as in those days before the flood 

they were eating and drinking, 

marrying and giving in marriage, 

until the day Noah entered the ark, 

and they knew nothing 

until the flood came and swept them all away, 

so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. 

Then two will be in the field; 

one will be taken and one will be left. 

Two women will be grinding meal together; 

one will be taken and one will be left. 

Keep awake therefore, 

for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 

But understand this: i

f the owner of the house had known 

in what part of the night the thief was coming, 

he would have stayed awake 

and would not have let his house be broken into. 

Therefore you also must be ready, f

or the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.