Below is the service I ha



center0Below is the service I have created for this Sunday. I hope this is something you can use for personal/family worship. We are all worshiping together, no matter where we are. If you are joining us online this week then you may want to have this resource with you so you have the words to the responses and hymns at your fingertips in case you can’t see the screen.Rev. Mary-JaneThe words provided for the hymns are done with permission under One License # A-727596.00Below is the service I have created for this Sunday. I hope this is something you can use for personal/family worship. We are all worshiping together, no matter where we are. If you are joining us online this week then you may want to have this resource with you so you have the words to the responses and hymns at your fingertips in case you can’t see the screen.Rev. Mary-JaneThe words provided for the hymns are done with permission under One License # A-727596.Of NEWCASTLE UNITED CHURCHDecember 27, 2020 10:30 a.m.First Sunday of Christmas“As followers of Christ, we are called to be a worshipping and learning, receiving and giving community of faith, hope and love.” – Newcastle United Church Mission StatementSurely God is in this place. Help me notice.Lighting the Christ Candle Carol “Joy To The World”# 599461511938000Joy to the world! the Lord is come: let earth receive her King!Let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.Joy to the earth! the Saviour reigns: let all their songs employ, while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plans repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground: he comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found.He rules the earth with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love, and wonders of his love, and wonders, wonders of his love.Opening Prayer (Responsive) Praise the Living God! Praise God from the heavens:Sun and moon and shining stars, praise the Living God!Praise God’s Holy Name,whose word speaks all things into being,who is present in the expanse of the universe,and in the voices of children.Praise the Living God, our rescuer and deliverer,whose wonder is found in the heavens and in all creation,who comes in innocence, and with mercy.O God, our light, our beauty, our rest:With the appearance of your Son you have brought us into your new creation.Form us into your people, and root our lives in you;through Christ, the Living Light. Amen.427672513970Carol “Go, Tell It On The Mountain” # 43Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere.Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night, behold, throughout the heavens there shone a holy light. RThe shepherds feared and trembled when lo, above the earth rang out the angel chorus that hailed our Saviour’s birth! RDown in a lonely manger the humble Christ was born, and God sent out salvation that blessed Christmas morn. RIsaiah 35:1-10 A joyful return is promised.O Little Town Of Bethlehem (Soloist – Neil Winchester) 00In 1865, on a trip to the Holy Land, the famous preacher and abolitionist Phillip Brooks rode on horseback from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and participated in the Church of the Nativity's Christmas Eve celebration. In response to his experience there, he wrote the now-famous carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” which was first performed by the children’s choir of his church a few years later. Unlike many Christmas carols, the lyrics of this reflective and hopeful song are set in the present tense rather than the past. The author’s experience of wonder and awe are palpable and cover the seemingly great distance between the birth of Christ then and our experience of it now. In contrast to some other Christmas hymns that emphasize the glory of God as seen in the grand chorus of angels, Brooks focused on the quietness of Christ’s birth, and how little the larger world paid attention. The final stanza is a prayer that Christ would come and be present with us.Isaiah 11:1-9 A vision of hope for justice and peace. Good King Wenceslas (Soloist – Moe Schroter)Though the tune is taken from a much older madrigal, John Mason Neale’s “Good King Wenceslas” (1853) is about a man who braves winter storms during Saint Stephen’s Day (December 26) to help his poorer neighbours. The story it tells is based on a real person—Wenceslaus I, Duke of 4232910190500Bohemia—who was assassinated by his own brother and had been adored by his subjects. His charity and popularity eventually led to his being named the patron saint of the Czech Republic.During the journey, his?page is about to give up the struggle against the cold weather, but is enabled to continue by following the king's footprints, step for step, through the deep snow.? Although Wenceslas was, during his lifetime, only a duke, the Holy Roman Emperor?Otto I posthumously conferred on him the regal dignity and title and that is why, in the legend and song, he is referred to as a "king".Isaiah 9:2-7 A child has been born for us.It Came Upon The Midnight Clear (Soloist – Karen Nichol)762001143000Written by Massachusetts Unitarian minister Edmund Sears, this pastoral-sounding carol carries a much deeper meaning than simply retelling the birth of Jesus. Sears hoped to offer an uplifting message amid the great poverty he witnessed and to remind people that God, in the form of a child, had entered a world sorely in need of love and peace. Richard Storrs Willis’ tune, CAROL, paired with the words only a year later, gave the carol its lasting appeal and one of its two most common tunes. Sears wrote?It Came Upon the Midnight Clear?while serving as a part-time preacher.?Writing during a period of personal melancholy, and with news of revolution in Europe and the US war with Mexico fresh in his mind, Sears portrayed the world as dark, full of "sin and strife", and not hearing the Christmas message. Sears' song is remarkable for its focuses not on Bethlehem of old, but in his own time, and on the contemporary issue of war and peace. Written in 1849, it has long been assumed to be Sears' response to the just ended Mexican-American War. A movie made in 1992, A Midnight Clear, tells the story of American and German soldiers laying aside their weapons on Christmas Eve of 1944. The story ends tragically, as miscommunication causes hostilities to resume. Yet, the powerful third verse of the carol, with its invitation to hush the noise of battle in order to hear God’s “love song” to the earth and all people, is a strong one. This carol speaks gently, yet powerfully, of God’s word of peace amid strife and weariness. Something our world still knows today.right71755Isaiah 63:7-9 A reminder that God is always with us. Silent Night, Holy Night (Duet – Moe & Shirley Schroter)In 1816, Father Joseph Mohr wrote the poem “Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!” while stationed at a pilgrim church in Mariapfarr, Austria. Two years later, while at St. Nicholas’ church in Oberndorf, he asked Franz Gruber to set the poem for guitar and choir, which the two performed on Christmas Eve of 1818. Since then, a legend has grown around the circumstances of this collaboration, beginning with a broken organ at St. Nicholas’ and ending with a dramatic, last-minute musical setting for the now-familiar carol. To what extent the legend of the carol’s origins is true is perhaps less important than its beauty and simplicity. For most of us, it is the defining carol of our Christmas celebrations.Offering InvitationIn the gifts of word and song, we hear the story of your gift of life, O God. Here, we offer what we can of ourselves, we who are part of that same story…The Offertory What can I give him, poor as I am?If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;if I were a wise man, I would do my part;yet what I can I give him – give my heart.Dedication Prayer (Unison)Receive these gifts, God of All, for the work of your kingdom. May our words become witness, and our witness become work, for your people, in your world. Amen.Prayers of the People As you have drawn us to your cradle of wondrous love, O God, draw us together in this worship, that we might pray for your people and your world.left1206500Today, we give you thanks for the gift of your child, Jesus the Christ, who in birth, life, death, and resurrection revealed your unending love for all people and opened us to the purpose and promise of life together.We give thanks also for the gifts of this season: hope for the vision of justice you promise, even in the midst of despair; for peace within and among your people, even in the midst of conflict; joy found in reunion and celebration, even amid the challenges of this life; and love, with the power to transform and heal all things, even in the midst of brokenness.We pray for those who still long for these gifts, your gifts, God of Love: for those who will spend this season alone or anxious… for those who grieve an empty place at the table this year… for those who are ill in body or in spirit… for those in hospital and in care… for those who endure the terror of conflict and oppression… for those who will go hungry this day, and who long for the simplest of creation’s gifts… for your people and your world, we pray, O God.Let us listen to the angels’ song again, your song of love for this world. Move us to return that song in what we say and do, that we may be instruments of your hope and peace and joy and love. We pray these things in the name of Jesus, who became the Christ, and who taught us when we pray to say…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 that 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.Closing Carol “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice” # 35347662510795Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice!Give ye heed to what we say: News! News!Jesus Christ is born today. Ox and ass before him bow, and he is in the manger now.Christ is born today! Christ is born today!Good Christians friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice!Now ye hear of endless bliss: Joy! Joy!Jesus Christ was born for this!He hath opened heaven’s door, and we are blest forevermore.Christ was born for this! Christ was born for this!Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice!Now ye need not fear the grave: Peace! Peace!Jesus Christ was born to save!Calls you one and calls you all to gain his everlasting hall.Christ was born to save! Christ was born to save!Commissioning and Benediction We proclaim the power of Christ’s birth, the child who is God our Saviour, Word made flesh, full of grace and truth.Let us glorify Christ’s name and praise Christ’s presence in our lives, through all we say and do.Hallelujah! Amen.This service uses parts of, and adaptations from, a service written by Andy O’Neil, minister at St. Paul’s United Church in Riverview, NB ? 2019 The United Church of Canada/L’?glise Unie du Canada. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike Licence. And a little help from Wikipedia.Please note: Rev. Mary-Jane will be on vacation from Dec. 26-Jan. 3. Should you have a pastoral emergency during that time, please contact your Elder or call the church office (905-987-4515) for coverage information.0-2540Thank you – A special thank you to all those who have been assisting with worship these past months. To all those who run the tech, those who have come in to record reading scripture and the musical types who sing and play for us. Being able to add all this to worship has enhanced the experience for all. It is much appreciated. And, of course, to Joanne, our music director extraordinaire; she has been so faithful in providing music however she can. And so willing to go with the tech flow (as long as she doesn’t have to run it!). Thank you.Fundraising at Newcastle United Church5534025173355Facemask Fundraiser – Marie Narini has kindly offered to make these as a fundraiser. The mask has The United Church of Canada crest embroidered on one side and blank material on the other. Masks can be ordered in white, black, cream, medium blue, red, burgundy, medium green and purple. Cost is $15/mask, with $10/mask going toward our operating expenses. Call Marie at 905 914 2234 or e-mail: amnarini@yahoo.ca.Thank you to Arlene Crichton for her donation from proceeds from the sales of her homemade face masks.ALL FUNDS RAISED WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE EXPENSES OF OUR CHURCHTHANK-YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORTGifts With Vision – if you would like to contribute toward our Mission & Service goal through Gifts With Vision, here is the link: . where you can browse the catalogue. Please indicate “Newcastle United Church” where indicated so your gifts is credited to our annual M&S goal. Thank you. Hard copies of the order sheet are placed in the Emily St. entrance. 0889000Our church YouTube channel, is where you can find recordings of weekly worship services and Music to Wash Dishes By. Please note: all 8 episodes of our show “Investigation: Exodus” are now on our channel. You can binge on them just like your other favourite shows. Here is the link - Study – Our weekly, Wednesday morning online Bible Study will return on January 6th.547687510795From the Stewards:2021 Church Envelopes – we’re going to be doing things a little differently just now. On Monday, December 28, I will send each of you an e-mail, or telephone call to folks without e-mail, letting you know what your 2021 church envelope number is. If you are in Newcastle, I can drop off OR if you wish to pick up, I am in the office Friday mornings from 9AM-11AM and can leave your box for you to pick up from the Emily St. entrance. Please e-mail me: le.mcswan@ if you want to pick up. – Thanks, LornaWe would ask that during this time, and if you are able, please continue giving your church donations regularly. 0-131445Please speak with Lorna McSwan, our treasurer, at le.mcswan@ or 905-987-3940 to arrange to register for Pre-Authorized Remittance (PAR) which can be cancelled at any time. You are also able to mail your donations to the church at: 84 Mill St. South, Newcastle, ON L1B 1H2. Donations can be made via CanadaHelps: through this link or the link on our website: “Donate” page, e-transfer: nucetransfer@. Post-dated cheques are yet another option.Thank you for considering these options. While we may not be gathering together, our expenses need to be met.Last day to donate for your 2020 Income Tax Receipt is noon on Wednesday, December 30 – thank you.Thank you to all who continue to send in their church givings – we very much appreciate it. Newcastle United Church ................
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