[Did you miss last Sunday’s services? They can still be found at Worship Archive – December 20th 2020.]
Christmas Day Services from Connexion (Friday December 25th 2020):
Christmas Day Service from Hillside Circuit (Friday December 25th 2020):
Theme: The Word made flesh
Occasion: Christmas Day
Psalm 98
Old Testament: Isaiah 52: 7-10
New Testament: Hebrews 1: 1-12
Gospel: John 1: 1-14
[Click or tap on a Bible reference above to jump down the page to the Bible reading to listen and/or read it for yourself and then click or tap on Back to top to come back here.]
Songs:
Here are the songs for Christmas Day service. Click or tap on a song to open it in YouTube or go to the Songs for worship webpage to find them embedded.
Joy to the World.
O come all ye faithful.
See him lying on a bed of straw.
Away in a manger.
Come and join the celebration.
Hark the herald angels sing.
My peace I give unto you.
Prayers:
You can listen and join in with prayers from the Methodist Service Book, they can be found at the Prayers for worship webpage.
Children’s address:
A Christmas story for children is told: “Santa does NOT forget”.
This story is about a boy who lives with his father and mother. He’s kind and obedient and shares all of his toys with his friends. However, he made a mistake: he always forgot to do odd jobs and other important jobs he was asked to do. Every time he is asked to do something and then asked, he has an answer, “I forgot.” If he was sent to the tailor to remind him of an urgent change, he would forget to tell the tailor about it. If he were given money to pay for electricity, his mother would find the money and bills in his pocket that very night. The reason for not doing a specific job remains the same. You guessed it right – “I forgot.”
His parents worried that this forgetful habit will affect the boy’s adult life, making it difficult for him. They decide to do something about it to make him remember everything. Christmas is coming, and like the other children, the boy is busy preparing the bill for Santa Claus, asking for his favourite items. His mother said, “Santa might forget to bring those for you.” But the boy is sure that Santa Claus will look like he will put them in his socks so he will leave the list.
On Christmas morning, he woke up early and hurriedly checked his socks, pretty sure Santa would deliver all he wanted. His mother knew what was going to happen and stayed away from him. The boy stood in front of his mother with a long list of all the jobs he had been asked to do during the past year. At the bottom of the list, bold text is written, “I FORGET”.
The boy was heartbroken and dragged himself to visit his grandfather with the rest of the family. On his grandfather’s Christmas tree, the boy finds everything he has always wanted! Even though he doesn’t change immediately, his mom still reminds him when things are out of hand – “Santa doesn’t forget!” He slowly understood why it was so important to remember one’s duties and responsibilities in life.
Sermons:
Bible readings:
Psalm 98
1 Sing a new song to the LORD! He has worked miracles,
and with his own powerful arm,
he has won the victory.
2 The LORD has shown the nations
that he has the power to save and to bring justice.
3 God has been faithful in his love for Israel,
and his saving power is seen everywhere on earth.
4 Tell everyone on this earth
to sing happy songs in praise of the LORD.
5 Make music for him on harps. Play beautiful melodies!
6 Sound the trumpets and horns
and celebrate with joyful songs
for our LORD and King!
7 Command the ocean to roar with all of its creatures,
and the earth to shout with all of its people.
8 Order the rivers to clap their hands,
and all of the hills to sing together.
9 Let them worship the LORD!
He is coming to judge everyone on the earth,
and he will be honest and fair.
Isaiah 52
7 What a beautiful sight!
On the mountains a messenger announces to Jerusalem,
“Good news! You’re saved. There will be peace.
Your God is now King.”
8 Everyone on guard duty, sing and celebrate!
Look! You can see the LORD returning to Zion.
9 Jerusalem, rise from the ruins! Join in the singing.
The LORD has given comfort to his people;
he comes to your rescue.
10 The LORD has shown all nations his mighty strength;
now everyone will see the saving power of our God.
Hebrews 1
1 Long ago in many ways and at many times God’s prophets spoke his message to our ancestors. 2 But now at last, God sent his Son to bring his message to us. God created the universe by his Son, and everything will someday belong to the Son. 3 God’s Son has all the brightness of God’s own glory and is like him in every way. By his own mighty word, he holds the universe together.
After the Son had washed away our sins, he sat down at the right side of the glorious God in heaven. 4 He had become much greater than the angels, and the name he was given is far greater than any of theirs.
5 God has never said to any of the angels,
“You are my Son, because today
I have become your Father!”
Neither has God said to any of them,
“I will be his Father, and he will be my Son!”
6 When God brings his first-born Son into the world, he commands all of his angels to worship him.
7 And when God speaks about the angels, he says,
“I change my angels into wind
and my servants into flaming fire.”
8 But God says about his Son,
“You are God, and you will rule as King forever!
Your royal power brings about justice.
9 You loved justice and hated evil,
and so I, your God, have chosen you.
I appointed you and made you happier
than any of your friends.”
10 The Scriptures also say, “In the beginning, Lord,
you were the one who laid the foundation of the earth
and created the heavens.
11 They will all disappear and wear out like clothes,
but you will last forever.
12 You will roll them up like a robe
and change them like a garment.
But you are always the same, and you will live forever.”
John 1
1 In the beginning was the one who is called the Word.
The Word was with God and was truly God.
2 From the very beginning the Word was with God.
3 And with this Word, God created all things.
Nothing was made without the Word.
Everything that was created 4 received its life from him,
and his life gave light to everyone.
5 The light keeps shining in the dark,
and darkness has never put it out.
6 God sent a man named John,
7 who came to tell about the light
and to lead all people to have faith.
8 John wasn’t that light.
He came only to tell about the light.
9 The true light that shines on everyone
was coming into the world.
10 The Word was in the world,
but no one knew him,
though God had made the world with his Word.
11 He came into his own world,
but his own nation did not welcome him.
12 Yet some people accepted him and put their faith in him.
So he gave them the right to be the children of God.
13 They were not God’s children by nature
or because of any human desires.
God himself was the one who made them his children.
14 The Word became a human being and lived here with us.
We saw his true glory,
the glory of the only Son of the Father.
From him all the kindness and all the truth of God
have come down to us.
Methodist Church: Hillside Circuit 