Sunday Worship

Sunday Service from Hillside Circuit for December 21st 2025:

Lectionary Theme: The divine origin and purpose of Jesus Christ

Occasion: 4th Sunday of Advent

Lectionary readings:
Psalm 80: 1-7, 17-19
Isaiah 7: 10-16
Romans 1: 1-7
Matthew 1: 18-25

[Click or tap on a Bible reference above to jump down the page to the Bible reading to read it for yourself (and/or to listen to it) and then click or tap on Back to top to come back here.]

Songs:

Here are the songs for Sunday morning service. Click or tap on a song to open it in YouTube.

Unto us a boy is born.
From the squalor of a borrowed stable.
Born in the night.
All heaven declares.
Christmas isn’t Christmas.
On Christmas night.
Good Christians all Rejoice.
O come let us adore him.

Prayers:

You can listen and join in with prayers from the English Methodist Service Book. They can be found at the Prayers for worship webpage.

Children’s Address:

Audio children’s address for Hillside Circuit on December 21st 2025 with Mrs Ngonidzashe Mariga.

Sermon:

Audio message for Hillside Circuit on December 21st 2025 with Mr John Makuyana.

Bible readings:

Psalm 80

1 Shepherd of Israel, you lead the descendants of Joseph,
and you sit on your throne
above the winged creatures.
Listen to our prayer and let your light shine
2 for the tribes of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.
Save us by your power.

3 Our God, make us strong again! Smile on us and save us.

4 LORD God All-Powerful, how much longer
will the prayers of your people make you angry?
5 You gave us tears for food,
and you made us drink them by the bowlful.
6 Because of you, our enemies who live nearby
laugh and joke about us.
7 But if you smile on us, we will be saved.

17 But help the one who sits at your right side,
the one you raised to be your own.
18 Then we will never turn away.
Put new life into us, and we will worship you.

19 LORD God All-Powerful, make us strong again!
Smile on us and save us.

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Isaiah 7

10 Once again the LORD God spoke to King Ahaz. This time he said, 11 “Ask me for proof that my promise will come true. Ask for something to happen deep in the world of the dead or high in the heavens above.”
12 “No, LORD,” Ahaz answered. “I won’t test you!”
13 Then I said:
Listen, every one of you in the royal family of David. You have already tried my patience. Now you are trying God’s patience by refusing to ask for proof. 14 But the LORD will still give you proof. A virgin is pregnant; she will have a son and will name him Immanuel. 15-16 Even before the boy is old enough to know how to choose between right and wrong, he will eat yogurt and honey, and the countries of the two kings you fear will be destroyed.

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Romans 1

1 From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus.
God chose me to be an apostle, and he appointed me to preach the good news 2 that he promised long ago by what his prophets said in the holy Scriptures. 3-4 This good news is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ! As a human, he was from the family of David. But the Holy Spirit proved that Jesus is the powerful Son of God, because he was raised from death.
5 Jesus was kind to me and chose me to be an apostle, so that people of all nations would obey and have faith. 6 You are some of those people chosen by Jesus Christ.
7 This letter is to all of you in Rome. God loves you and has chosen you to be his very own people.
I pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!

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Matthew 1

18 This is how Jesus Christ was born. A young woman named Mary was engaged to Joseph from King David’s family. But before they were married, she learned that she was going to have a baby by God’s Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph was a good man and did not want to embarrass Mary in front of everyone. So he decided to quietly call off the wedding.
20 While Joseph was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, the baby that Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and marry her. 21 Then after her baby is born, name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 So the LORD’S promise came true, just as the prophet had said, 23 “A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.”
24 After Joseph woke up, he and Mary were soon married, just as the LORD’S angel had told him to do. 25 But they did not sleep together before her baby was born. Then Joseph named him Jesus.

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[Did you miss last week’s Sunday Services? They can now be found at Worship Archive – December 14th 2025.]