Church Service on Sunday, November 29th, 2020 First Sunday of Advent

 

Welcome to the CHS Vientiane Worship Service Resources

We invite you to take time this Sunday, in families or very small groups of friends, to responsibly share space to worship God together.

If you are on your own, please be assured we are together in the Spirit and if you have needs, or just want to share concerns, please don't be afraid to reach out and share these with the CHS community.  Contact details can be found on our church website at:  http://www.thechs.org/

~ Pastor Tony
 







Scripture Sentence

Awake sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you
.            (
Ephesians 5: 14 )

 
The Collect

Almighty God,
give us grace to cast away
the works of darkness
and put on the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life,
in which your Son Jesus Christ
came to us in great humility;
that on the last day,
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Amen  


Approach to God 

Even if we cannot all gather in person

Emmanuel, God with us

Even if some Christmas traditions have had to go

Emmanuel, God with us

Even if we might not get to hug family and friends

Emmanuel, God with us

Even if we cannot sing carols beside each other

Emmanuel, God with us

Even if Christmas cheer is harder this year

Emmanuel, God with us

 
Lighting of the First Advent Candle (Hope)
 
Opening Hymn of Praise 
 
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus (MP102)
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dmO8UPlWoo

1. Come, thou long expected Jesus, 

    born to set Thy people free,

    From our fears and sins release us, 

    let us find our rest in Thee.

 

2. Israel’s strength and consolation, 

    hope of all the earth Thou art,

    Dear Desire of every nation, 

    joy of every longing heart.


3. Born thy people to deliver, 

    born a child and yet a King,

    Born to reign in us forever, 

    now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

 

4. By Thine own eternal Spirit, 

    rule in all our hearts alone;

    By Thine all sufficient merit,

    raise us to Thy glorious throne.




Confession


Our heavenly Father
thank you that you love us 
and care for us all the time.
We know that this week 
we have not always lived the way you tell us.
We have done wrong things 
and not done all the good things we should have done.
Only you can save us,
so please forgive us
and help us to live as your friends.
We ask this in Jesus’ name.
Amen

Silence
 

Lord, in your mercy, forgive us and restore us to your fellowship.

‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.’ Hear the word of grace,
and receive the assurance of pardon:
Your sins are forgiven,

for the sake of Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Saviour Christ,
you take upon yourself all our burdens. You free us from all that weighs us down, so that we constantly begin anew.
You lead us on, with lightened step,
from worry towards trusting,
from weariness towards well-being,
from our own will towards the vision
of your coming kingdom.
Make us servants of your gospel,
that we may know your peace
and the world be bright with hope.


 
Amen


Creed
 
We believe in God the Father,                 
Maker of all things.
We believe in his Son Jesus Christ,
Lord and Saviour of the world.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
giver of life and light.    
We belong to the Church,
God’s family everywhere.
Amen


Bible Readings

First reading:  Isaiah 64:1-9
Second reading: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Gospel:  Mark 13:24-37


Song
 
O Come, O Come Emmanuel (MP 493)


1  O come, O come, Emmanuel,
    and ransom captive Israel,
    that mourns in lonely exile here
    until the Son of God appear.
        Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel
        shall come to thee, O Israel.

2  O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
    who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height
    in ancient times didst give the law
    in cloud and majesty and awe.
        Rejoice, rejoice . . .

3  O come, Thou rod of Jesse, free
    Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
    from depths of hell Thy people save,
    and give them victory o’er the grave.
        Rejoice, rejoice . . .

4  O come, Thou dayspring, come and cheer
    our spirits by Thine advent here;
    disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
    and death’s dark shadows put to flight.
        Rejoice, rejoice . . .

5  O come, Thou key of David, come
    and open wide our heavenly home;
    make safe the way that leads on high,
    and close the path to misery.
        Rejoice, rejoice . . .


Prayer for / with the Children

A Prayer from Ethiopia 
 
We seek Your blessing God 
Let the youth become strong 
and the grown man maintain his strength,  
the pregnant woman be delivered 
and the woman who has given birth suckle her child. 
Let the stranger come to the end of his journey 
and those who remain at home dwell safely in their houses. 
Let the flocks that go to feed in the pastures return happily. 
May You be a moon of harvest and of calves. 
May You be a star of joy and of happiness. 
May You be a night of restoration and of good health.
 
Amen
 
(Adapted from a prayer from the Mensa Tribe in Ethiopia. From Heart of Prayer: African,Jewish and Biblical prayers; Anthony Gittins CSSp Collins 2001)

             
Sermon 
 
A member of the congregation was preaching this Sunday. You can find the Powerpoint here.




Song
From the inside out 


Verse 1 

A thousand times I’ve failed, still your mercy remains.

And should I stumble again, still I’m caught in your grace.

Everlasting, your light will shing when all else fades.

Never-ending, your glory goes beyond all fame.

Chorus

In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control.

Consume me from the inside out, Lord.

Let justice and praise, become my embrace,

To love you from the inside out.

Verse 2

Your will above all else, my purpose remains.

The art of losing myself in bringing you praise.

Everlasting, your light will shing when all else fades.

Never-ending, your glory goes beyond all fame.

Chorus

In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control.

Consume me from the inside out, Lord.

Let justice and praise, become my embrace,

To love you from the inside out.

Bridge

Ever-lasting, your light will shine when all else fades.

Never-ending, your glory goes beyond all fame.

And the cry of my heart is to bring you praise,

From the inside out, Lord my soul cries out. 

Chorus

In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control.

Consume me from the inside out, Lord.

Let justice and praise, become my embrace,

To love you from the inside out

Bridge

Ever-lasting, your light will shing when all else fades.

Never-ending, your glory goes beyond all fame.

And the cry of my heart is to bring you praise,

From the inside out, Lord my soul cries out. 

(repeat bridge)

From the inside out, Lord my soul cries out.







Offering
 
(Please do bear in mind that as long as we are still able to, 
CHS is continuing to support various projects and people in need
and needs will likely increase during this time. 
You may want to set aside some money in an envelope
every Sunday and bring these to church when we next meet back at ARDA.)


Dedication of our Offering

God of all goodness and grace, 

give us such confidence, 

such peace, such happiness in you, 

that your will

may always be dearer to us

than our will, 

and your pleasure than our pleasure.

All that you give is your free gift to us, 

all that you take away is your grace to us. 

May you be thanked for all,

praised for all,

loved for all;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

    

Prayers

 
Intercession 

Leader: We pray for the coming of God’s kingdom.
You sent Your Son to bring good news to the poor,
sight to the blind,
freedom to captives
and salvation to Your people:
anoint us with Your Spirit;
rouse us to work in His name.
Loving God, by Your Spirit

All: bring in Your kingdom.

Leader: Send us to bring help to the poor
and freedom to the oppressed.
Loving God, by Your Spirit

All: bring in Your kingdom.

Leader: Send us to speak out
and proclaim Your justice in the world.
Loving God, by Your Spirit

All: bring in Your kingdom.

Leader: Send us to tell the world
the good news of Your healing love.
Loving God, by Your Spirit

All: bring in Your kingdom.

Leader: Send us to those who mourn,
to bring joy and gladness instead of grief.
Loving God, by Your Spirit

All: bring in Your kingdom.

Leader: Send us to proclaim that the time is here
for You to save Your people.
Loving God, by Your Spirit

All: bring in Your kingdom.

Leader: Lord of the Church,
hear our prayer,
and make us one in mind and heart
to serve You in Christ our Lord

All: Amen

Lord’s Prayer
 
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, 
your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, 
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen

 
  
Closing Song 

How great is our God (MP 1227)
 
1  The splendour of the King, clothed in majesty;
let all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice.
He wraps Himself in light, and darkness tries to hide,
and trembles at His voice, and trembles at His voice.
        How great is our God, sing with me:
how great is our God
And all will see how great, how great is our God.

2  And age to age He stands, and time is in His hands;
beginning and the end, beginning and the end.
The Godhead, Three in One, Father, Spirit, Son,
the Lion and the Lamb, the Lion and the Lamb.
How great is our God . . .

Name above all names, worthy of all praise;
my heart will sing: how great is our God.
Name above all names, worthy of all praise;
my heart will sing: how great is our God.
How great is our God . . .
 
Prayer of Sending and Blessing
 – based on the five marks of mission

May we go forth to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom;

May we be always willing to teach, baptise and nurture new believers;

May we in our daily lives respond to human need by loving service;

May we have the courage to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge
violence of every kind and to pursue peace and reconciliation

May we join together to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and
renew the life of the earth.

And the blessing of God, who creates, redeems and sustains us, be with us always as we share in God’s mission to the world.

Amen


Go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
in the name of Christ.
Amen