Emmanuel, God is with us!
The Lord is King! Let earth rejoice!
The God-given gift of Jesus, the gift of love, joy, peace and hope in a fragile babe, laid with care in a manger of hay, Nurtured and protected by Mary and Joseph. Emmanuel, God is with us!
The Lord is King! Let earth rejoice!
We do not walk the world alone; we tread in the footsteps of others. Others do not walk the world alone; they tread in our footsteps. Together and not alone we are God’s people walking with God. Emmanuel, God is with us!
The Lord is King! Let earth rejoice
The world is not always an easy place in which to live, O God, it is rough and it is tough and it is hard. Let us handle with care and protection, love, joy, peace and hope all who we meet. Emmanuel, God is with us!
The Lord is King! Let earth rejoice!
StF 180 O come, O come
O come, O come, Immanuel, and ransome captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear:
Chorus: Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel.
O come, O come, O Lord of might who to your tribes, on Sinai’s height, in ancient times did give the law in cloud and majesty and awe:
Chorus
O come, O Rod of Jesse, free your own from Satan’s tyranny; from depths of hell your people save, and give them victory o’er the grave:
Chorus
O come, O Key of David, come, and open wide our heavenly home; make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery:
Chorus
O come, O Day-Spring, come and cheer our spirits by your advent here; disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death’s dark shadows put to flight:
Chorus
Prayers of Praise and confession
Loving God, we praise you that you give us not only happiness, but joy; a sense of celebration for life in relationship with you. We thank you that even when life is hard, there are reasons to rejoice. Help us to communicate your love to others, so that all may feel able to celebrate your blessings.
Lord Jesus touch our lives with your healing forgiveness, put a right spirit within us, helping us to better know you, feel confident in your mercy and faithfully serve you.
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.
Bible Readings
Psalm 148
1 Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for at his command they were created,
6 and he established them for ever and ever –
he issued a decree that will never pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,
9 you mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings of the earth and all nations,
you princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and women,
old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendour is above the earth and the heavens.
14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,
the praise of all his faithful servants,
of Israel, the people close to his heart.
Praise the Lord.
Matthew 2:13-23
The escape to Egypt
13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.’
14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’
16 When Herod realised that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18 ‘A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.’
The return to Nazareth
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.’
21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Reflection:
Psalm 148 is one of the final five psalms that conclude the book – a sweeping hymn of praise that calls all creation to glorify God. Verses 1–6 focus on the heavens. The psalmist calls upon angels, the sun and moon, shining stars, and even the waters above the skies to praise the Lord. These cosmic beings and forces, created and sustained by God’s command, declare God’s glory simply by being what they are.
Verses 7–14 shift the attention to the earth. Praise now comes from sea monsters and wild weather – images that, throughout Scripture, often represent chaos or opposition to God. Yet even these untamed forces are called into the chorus of praise, revealing that nothing lies beyond God’s reach or purpose. The psalm gathers all parts of creation – animals, trees, rulers, young and old – and places them in harmony, united in worship. God’s name alone is exalted, and God’s people are invited to join this great, universal song.
Matthew 2:13–23 This is a harrowing passage, marked by violence and grief, and stands in stark contrast to the joyful visit of the Magi that comes just before. The beauty of epiphany light is suddenly shadowed by human cruelty and fear. This text introduces a major theme in Matthew’s Gospel: Jesus as the new Moses, sent to deliver God’s people. Just as Moses narrowly escaped death as an infant (Exodus 2), so too does Jesus, rescued from Herod’s rage by divine intervention. Both are threatened by powerful rulers, both make a dramatic escape, and both find temporary refuge in Egypt – the very place that once represented slavery. This theme continues in later chapters as Jesus passes through water (his baptism), enters the wilderness, and ascends a mountain to teach, all echoes of the Exodus narrative. If children are indeed a gift from God, they are gifts in their most fragile form. This passage reminds us not only of the vulnerability of infants, but of the fundamental truth that all human beings are fragile – if not physically, then emotionally, spiritually, or socially. Recognising our shared vulnerability invites us to live with compassion and care for one another. We are called to handle each other gently, honouring the sacredness of every life – especially in a world where too often, power is used to harm rather than protect
StF 218 – Unto us a boy is born!
Unto us a boy is born! King of all creation came he to a world forlorn the King of every nation.
Cradled in a stall was he with sleepy cows and asses; but the very beasts could see that he all folk surpasses.
Herod then with fear was filled: “A prince” he said “ in Jewry!” All the little boys he killed at Bethlem in his fury.
Now may Mary’s son, who came so long ago to love us, lead us all with hearts aflame unto the joys above us.
Omega and Alpha he! Let the organ thunder, while the choir with peals of glee now rends the air asunder.
Prayers for others
“In your hands, imagine someone vulnerable — a child, an elderly neighbour, someone lonely, or grieving. Ask God to help you hold them with care, in prayer and in action. Leave a moment of stillness, then pray “God of gentleness, show us how to hold others with tenderness. May our care be your care.” Amen
Global prayers
Loving and faithful God, In the midst of Haiti’s fragility, lift up the Methodist Church and all who serve within it. Strengthen your people with courage wisdom and hope. May your Spirit bring peace where there is unrest, provision where there is need and healing where there is pain. Let your Church be a beacon of light, rooted in your love and resilient in faith. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen
Blessing
May the love of God be with us, surround us and sustain us always.
Amen
Much of the material in this worship is taken from the Methodist Church in Britains’ Advent and Christmas worship resources.
