Worship Archive – December 15th 2024

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Sunday Service from Hillside Circuit for December 15th 2024:

Lectionary Theme: Rejoice: God is in our midst

Occasion: 3rd Sunday in Advent

Lectionary readings:
Isaiah 12: 2-6
Zephaniah 3: 14-20
Philippians 4: 4-7
Luke 3: 7-18

[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.

As with gladness.
Meekness and majesty.
Emmanuel, Emmanuel.
This is my desire.
Love came down at Christmas.
Who is he?
Angels from the realms.
To God be the glory.

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

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Children’s Address:

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Sermon:

[No sermon has been received for today.]

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Bible readings:

Isaiah 12

2 I trust you to save me, LORD God, and I won’t be afraid.
My power and my strength come from you,
and you have saved me.”

3 With great joy, you people will get water
from the well of victory.
4 At that time you will say, “Our LORD, we are thankful,
and we worship only you.
We will tell the nations how glorious you are
and what you have done.
5 Because of your wonderful deeds we will sing your praises
everywhere on earth.”

6 Sing, people of Zion! Celebrate the greatness
of the holy LORD of Israel.
God is here to help you.

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Zephaniah 3

14 Everyone in Jerusalem and Judah,
celebrate and shout with all your heart!
15 Zion, your punishment is over.
The LORD has forced your enemies to turn and retreat.
Your LORD is King of Israel and stands at your side;
you don’t have to worry about any more troubles.

16 Jerusalem, the time is coming,
when it will be said to you:
“Don’t be discouraged or grow weak from fear!
17 The LORD your God wins victory after victory
and is always with you.
He celebrates and sings because of you,
and he will refresh your life with his love.”

18 The LORD has promised:
Your sorrow has ended, and you can celebrate.
19 I will punish those who mistreat you.
I will bring together the lame and the outcasts,
then they will be praised, instead of despised,
in every country on earth.
20 I will lead you home, and with your own eyes
you will see me bless you with all you once owned.
Then you will be famous everywhere on this earth.
I, the LORD, have spoken!

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Philippians 4

4 Always be glad because of the Lord! I will say it again: Be glad. 5 Always be gentle with others. The Lord will soon be here. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. 7 Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.

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Luke 3

7 Crowds of people came out to be baptised, but John said to them, “You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment? 8 Do something to show that you really have given up your sins. Don’t start saying that you belong to Abraham’s family. God can turn these stones into children for Abraham. 9 An axe is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire.”
10 The crowds asked John, “What should we do?”
11 John told them, “If you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn’t have any. If you have food, share it with someone else.”
12 When tax collectors came to be baptised, they asked John, “Teacher, what should we do?”
13 John told them, “Don’t make people pay more than they owe.”
14 Some soldiers asked him, “And what about us? What do we have to do?”
John told them, “Don’t force people to pay money to make you leave them alone. Be satisfied with your pay.”
15 Everyone became excited and wondered, “Could John be the Messiah?”
16 John said, “I am just baptising with water. But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks. He will store the wheat in his barn and burn the husks with a fire that never goes out.”
18 In many different ways John preached the good news to the people.

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[Did you miss last week’s Sunday Services? They can now be found at Worship Archive – December 8th 2024.]