Opening liturgy:
Preparations almost complete, the time is nearly here. Promises and praises echo all around, Silencing the noises of injustice.
O hush the noise, Let’s hear the angels sing.
The promise of God for the servant lowly, God who comes to the help of all, whose ancient promise still stands today.
O hush the noise, Let’s hear the angels sing.
And we watch and we seek, we learn and we pray, we praise, and we wait.
O hush the noise, Let’s hear the angels sing.
Amen.
Immanuel by Michael Card
Our God is with us and if God is with us
Who could stand against us Our God is with us.
Immanuel.
For all those who live in the shadow of death
A glorious light has dawned for all those who stumble in the darkness Behold your light has come.
Immanuel.
Our God is with us and if God is with us Who could stand against us Our God is with us.
Immanuel.
So, what will be your answer? Will you hear the call? Of Him who did not spare His son. But gave him for us all on earth there is no power There is no depth or height that could ever separate us.
From the love of God in Christ.
Immanuel
Our God is with us and if God is with us,
Who could stand against us Our God is with us. Immanuel, Immanuel.
Our God is with us And if God is with us Who could stand against us Our God is with us.
Immanuel.
Bible Readings
Micah 5:2-5
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.’
3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned
until the time when she who is in labour bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
to join the Israelites.
4 He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.
5 And he will be our peace
when the Assyrians invade our land
and march through our fortresses.
We will raise against them seven shepherds,
even eight commanders,
Luke 1:39-55
Mary visits Elizabeth
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfil his promises to her!’
Mary’s song
46 And Mary said:
‘My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me –
holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants for ever,
just as he promised our ancestors.’
Hush the noise Reflection:
This Advent and Christmas 2024, the Methodist Church has called us all to ‘Hush the Noise.’ This phrase is taken from the carol ‘It Came Upon the Midnight Clear,’ which we have used as a basis for our worship at home service.
We are now only a few more days before Christmas day, people have been shopping for presents, eating countless mince pies and attending carol services. We may have been enjoying opening an advent calendar every day especially if it has a chocolate behind each door. The excitement levels are rising, and many children are excited about receiving gifts over the Christmas period. Before the birth of Jesus, Mary was initially apprehensive however in Mary’s song there is an emotion of feeling humble as well as giving praise and thanksgiving. What would make you celebrate wildly, without inhibition?
Perhaps hearing the news of a missing child had been reported missing in the community and now has been found.
Perhaps hearing on the global stage, a country had escaped from tyranny and oppression or there has been an end to war.
Perhaps it would be the message that all your money worries, or your business worries have been sorted and you can relax.
Perhaps you have received a telephone call to say you had been appointed to the job you have always wanted.
When and however, you celebrate the good news, dancing around a room, or with shrieks whilst punching the air. You might even telephone or email all your friends or you might even sing a song.
I invite you now to read Mary’s song from Luke’s Gospel on the final Sunday of Advent, we focus on Mary and her song which is often called the Magnificat because that is the first word in Latin. It is one of the most famous songs in Christianity. It’s been whispered in monasteries, chanted in cathedrals, recited in small remote churches by evening candlelight, and set to music with trumpets and kettledrums by Johann Sebastian Bach.
Lukes’s record of Mary’s song I would describe as a theme of Joy. We see three persons rejoicing in the Lord. The joy of Elizabeth v 39 – 45, the joy of an unborn son v 41 – 44, and the joy of Mary v 46 – 55.
I am closing today’s reflection from the ‘Hush the noise,’ materials to close our reflection in her song of praise. Mary thanks God for the child Jesus, who will announce God’s kingdom, which “brings down the powerful from their thrones and lifts up the lowly.” To engage in God’s mission and be part of that transformation, we believe the Methodist Church is called to become an increasingly evangelistic, inclusive and justice-seeking Church. Ways that people can respond to take a couple of minutes now to ‘Hush the Noise’.
Yet with the woes of sin and strife, the world has suffered long.
Beneath the angel strain have rolled, two thousand years of wrong.
And man, at war with man, hears not, the love song which they bring.
O hush the noise, ye men of strife, and hear the angels sing. Edmund H. Sears, 1810-1876
A quiet Christmas prayer
Loving God, whose song of love is being sung always, offering unconditional love and grace to all you have made. Thank you for your love.
Living Lord Jesus, who came to share our humanity, our fragility, and our pain. Thank you that you do not leave us alone.
Holy Spirit, who came upon the Virgin Mary, Bringing the eternal Son into the world through a human body. Thank you for bringing God’s love to us.
Eternal God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, an everlasting communion of love, whose song of love the angels sing, we confess that so often our ears are closed to you. There is so much that drowns out your song of love.
We hurt ourselves and others, and others hurt us.
And sometimes we are simply sick and sad, and our pain makes it hard to pay attention. Please forgive us for the things we can control and help us with the things we can’t. Break through the Babel sounds of our world and help us hear the song of the angels and send back their song to you. We pray in the name of Jesus, whose birth we are here to remember.
Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
Please use the version that you prefer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
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.
Save us from the time of trial
And deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours
Now and for ever.
Amen.
All of our tomorrows
This spinning world by Your own hand Hurls ever on around the sun the seasons march at Your command the old departs, the new year comes
And though celestial is Your gaze You search and care for all our ways We offer up to You this day
And all of our tomorrows.
May zealous youth and cautious age Determine not the steps we choose Great Shepherd, guide us through each day Oh, how we want to follow You
Come Living Way, our way make clear Let perfect love drive out our fear Be Thou our vision, now and here and all of our tomorrows.
When winter makes us reminisce of warmer days so distant now of cherished saints the sun once kissed Whose beauty passed behind the clouds
Let all our fond and longing tears Remind us we are pilgrims here We trust you, Sovereign of our years with all of our tomorrows.
Hands to the Plow, we’re pressing on and running hard to win the prize Empowered by the love of God With grace before and grace behind for lo, what hope before us stands You finish all that You began Eternal joy is in Your hands and all of our tomorrows.
For lo, what hope before us stands You finish all that You began Eternal joy is in Your hands
And all of our tomorrows And all of our tomorrows.
Prayer of blessing.
The angels are still singing. Prophets are still speaking. Hush the noise, hear them sing, repeat the song, seek justice. And the blessing of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be yours/ours, now and always.
Amen.
