Sunday, December 19, 2021 The Fourth Sunday of Advent

 Candlelighting: A candle burns, the sign of your love. 

God of Mary, come to us again this Advent. 

May the light of your love be born anew in us. 

(By David Hamflett, from the Iona Community’s Candles and Conifers.)

Carol             O Little Town of Bethlehem #64VU

Scripture Lessons:      Micah 5:2-5

                                    Psalm 80:1-7 p.794VU

                                    Luke 1:39-55

Meditation 

Prayer:  Generous God, you gave your Son to take our nature upon him and to be born of your chosen one, Mary. Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, May daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Saviour Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen. (A prayer from the Book of Common Prayer and reprinted in Voices United #39.)

Carol                 Gentle Mary Laid Her Child #46VU

Many thanks to all who donated food for the Christmas baskets and who put items on the Mitten Tree in Howick. Allyson counted 111 items when she collected them. Thank you for your generosity! ( For those who did not get food in last Sunday, I will take another collection down to La Bouffe Additionelle if necessary after this Sunday’s service. They were very grateful for what has already been received and know they will need more for the new year.)

This Sunday’s service will be the last for this year for Franklin and Ormstown. Our next services there will (hopefully) be on Sunday, January 9th. Please stay in touch in case of any changes. Unfortunately, Franklin has now decided to cancel their Candlelight service for this year. See you next year! 

In Howick, there will be a Christmas Eve service at 7:30pm for that congregation. There will be no December 26th service, but there will be an Epiphany Sunday service held on January 2nd at 11am. 

I will have blogs up for Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, and January 2nd as well. Stay well and have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year.