ORDER OF SERVICE Red p.404; Blue p.410; Yellow p.420 9.45am Service OPENING HYMN 42 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord! WELCOME GATHERING and lighting of the fourth Advent Candle The Candle for Mary (See newsletter insert) SENTENCE When the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, to redeem those who were under the law. Galatians 4: 4 COLLECT God of the Good News, with Mary we sing your praise. We proclaim to the world the coming birth of Emmanuel, God with us, the fulfilment of your promises. FIRST TESTAMENT 2 Samuel 7: 1-11, 16 God’s Covenant with David PSALM Psalm 89:1-4,19-26 The Covenant with David EPISTLE Romans16: 25-27 Final Doxology GRADUAL 72 Away in a manger GOSPEL Luke 1: 26-38 The Birth of Jesus Foretold SERMON Rev’d Stephen Baxter: “Greetings, O Favoured One!” CREED p. 410 (Blue Marker) INTERCESSIONS Leader: Jesus, son of woman Response: be born in us PEACE p. 419 OFFERTORY HYMN 73 A messenger named Gabriel GREAT THANKSGIVING p. 420 (Yellow Marker) FINAL PRAYER God of love, as Christmas draws near, show us where your Good News most needs to be heard. Help us prepare room in the most unlikely places for the birth of Christ. CLOSING HYMN 87 It came upon the midnight clear DISMISSAL Go now to love and serve God. Go in peace of Christmas. Amen. We go in the name of Christ.

Weekly Newsletter 24th December, 2017

Vicar: Rev’d Stephen Baxter Phone / Fax 528 6212 Parish Office: Phone 528 5162 116 Selwyn Avenue Mobile 021 528 052 Fax 528 1155 Kohimarama Email. slbaxter@xtra.co.nz Email. standrewskohi@xtra.co.nz Auckland 1071 vicarsblogging.blogspot.com Website www.standrewskohi.org Priest Assistant: Rev’d Dr. Kay Brightley Phone 446 6981 Mobile 021 275 6763 Email: kdhbrightley@xtra.co.nz Peoples’ Warden: Camilla Needham Phone 575 8323 Vicar’s Warden: Roger Seyb Phone 585 0980

Just as Mary responded, “Here am I,” to the angel Gabriel, we too are to respond to the gospel and say, “Yes,” to living into our faith, with changed hearts and lives. This is not as a theory to which we give assent, but a life lived in response to the gospel. When we live into our faith, reaching out to the lost and left out, and proclaim the Good News in both word and deed, then little by little we help turn the world upside down. When we side against the oppressor and speak up for the voiceless, we make the Kingdom proclaimed by Mary real to ourselves. It is not that we can change the whole world, but by living into the concern that Jesus taught us for the poor and the needy, we make the coming kingdom, the reign of God, real in our hearts. Then we have Mary’s eyes to see that the mighty are as good as cast down, the lowly as good as lifted up, and the hungry are as good as filled, for the Kingdom of God has come near.

The Eve of ChristmasAdvent 4

Year B

PEOPLE & things

Thank you to everyone who took part in and supported the Service of Nine Lessons & Carols last Sunday - especially Brent Nicholson, Liz Smith, the members of the Choir and Helen Goodwin and Elizabeth Jollands for organising the supper following the service.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Parish Christmas Party at the Vicarage this year and who helped to make it such a success.

Thank you to everyone who took part and helped with this years Christmas Pageant ‘Enoch & The Donkey’ - look out Broadway, here we come! Thanks also to Rona for making a special Gingerbread House for the Children’s Party following the service.

Our local Foodbank distribute over 35 food parcels on last Thursday. Thank you to Warwick Langley for his ministry as our local food bank representative.

A team from our Church went to the City Mission to wrap Christmas Presents. Thank you to those who helped with this.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our appeal for Christmas Presents for the City Mission. These were delivered during the week.

Congratulations to Amber Edwards for being accepted into the Auckland Youth Orchestra.

Thank you to Brent and Liz, our musicians, for the contribution they have make to our worship over the past year.

Special thanks to Helen Goodwin, Margaret Baker, Jill Benton and our Pre-School Music Team for their help during the past year. Helen is stepping down from helping to lead Pre-School Music next year. The combination of the Language School Helen used to lead and the Pre-School Music group means that Helen has been involved in over 20 years of Ministry at St. Andrew’s on a Friday mornings.

Thank you to Geoff for leading Evensong during the year.

Special thanks to Janet McCullum and those who have helped with the Selwyn Centre throughout the year for their commitment to this ministry.

Thank you to Rona for all the hard work she has put into the Line Dancing group throughout the year.

Thanks to Jill, Rona and Elizabeth for doing organising and decorating our Christmas Tree so beautifully.

If you would like to be part of a Morning Tea roster in January following the 9.45am service please talk to Kay.

Donations to support the cost of this years Advent candles and Christmas trees would be greatly appreciated.

Please note that the Parish Office will be closed between Christmas and Tuesday, the 23rd January. For anything urgent please contact Kay.

Anglican Missions Board You might be interested to know that our

parish gives $400.00 per month to the AMB

A combined services Morning Tea is held on the 1st Sunday of every month

following the 8:00 am service.

TODAY A special welcome to anyone visiting with us this morning. If you are attending the 9.45am Service we hope that you will be able to stay and join us for morning tea following our service. All Welcome!

Prayer & Anointing with Holy Oil is available in the Martyrs’ Chapel

following the mornings service. Please wait for one of the Clergy to join you .

NOTICES Monday, 15th January Line Dancing Group resumes in the Parish Hall. Tuesday, 23rd January Parish Office re-opens Wednesday, 7th February Wednesday Communion resumes. Wednesday, 7th February Selwyn Centre resumes. Wednesday, 9th February Pre-School Music resumes in the Parish Hall. Wednesday, 13th February Mothers’ Union resumes. Sunday 18th February Evensong resumes. Wednesday, 21st February Course in Miracles Group resumes meeting at the Vicarage.

January Roster Please note that there is an 8.00am Service Roster and an All Comers Roster for the 9.45am Service during January. Thank you to those people who have been on the roster during the past year. Every ministry is important in contributing to the success of our worship.

CHRISTMAS SERVICES

Sunday, 24th December: Christmas Carols - 10:45 pm Christmas Eve Service - 11:00 pm Monday, 25th December: Christmas Day 8:00 am 9:45 am Family Service.

St Andrew’s Prayer Circle: We ask that you pray daily for:

Week Commencing 24th December - Ben & Ethel Wate, Course in Miracles Group

Week Commencing 31st December - Liz Smith, Jill & Robert Benton, Worship Committee Remember: The Church that prays together, stays together!

Prayer of Confession Leader: O God, who promised a child, your Messiah, our Saviour, the day has almost come. It is the day you chose and is not of our choosing. O God, in the excitement of the day, we fret, wondering if we are ready. It is the promise of tomorrow. We look for something new to wear, to read, or to add to our life. Yet we are not ready to change our lives or wear your love. Forgive us. (Silence) O God, slow us down. Help us to be amazed at your love and in awe of your gift to us this Christmas. Absolution Priest: The Good News is that we are a forgiven people, restored, Beloved by God and free to love. Know that you are forgiven and be at peace. All: Thanks be to God. Priest: In the decision to repent, pardon and peace are yours. All: Thanks be to God!

Rosters for 24th December: Christmas Eve

24th December

11pm Welcomers: Stephen Baxter Kay Brightley Sides Duty: Lizabeth Jollands Rona Patterson Carols: TBA Gathering: Kay Brightley First Testament: Ros Rundle Gospel: Kay Brightley Prayers: Roz Edwards Server: Rona Patterson Chalice: Helen Goodwin Rona Patterson Organist: Brent Nicholson Sacristan: Helen Goodwin

Rosters for 25th December: Christmas Day

25th December

8.00am Sides Duty: Margaret Wilson Nancy Wormald Gathering: Kay Brightley Epistle: Margaret Wilson Gospel: Kay Brightley Prayers: Margaret Baker Chalice: Margaret Wilson Nancy Wormold

9.45am Sides Duty: Susan Bowkett Nicole Way Gathering: Stephen Baxter Epistle: Jill Thompson Gospel: Nicole Way Prayers: Camilla Needham Server: Jennifer Copeland Chalice: Jennifer Copeland Camilla Needham Organist:: Brent Nicholson Sacristan: Margaret Baker

St. Andrew’s Kids’ Club Holiday, Before & After School

Care Please encourage any parents who you think

might be interested in our programmes to visit

our website: www.standrewskidsclub.org

God Calls Us God calls us to come home for Christmas. God calls us to come back from all those places where we have settled for less than the fullness of life promised to us in Christ. God calls us back from all the ambitions and possessions we have pursued, thinking they would satisfy us. God calls us to let go of any bitterness and resitance to forgive that block the light of love from warming us…. God calls us to come home and to rest, to be embraced by one who loves us as we are. God offers us a place where we are fully known and also fully accepted. Mary Lou Redding

THE GATHERING OF THE COMMUNITY Advent 4 - Preparing for Christmas

Call to Worship Leader: We are a people of Love. Let us share God’s love in word, action and thought. All: We are a people of Joy. May the joy of faith-filled living ever give us peace. Leader: We are a people of peace. The peace of God sustains and comforts. All: Let us give thanks to God for love, joy, peace and hope as we worship together this day. Opening Prayer Leader: O God, who loves us with a perfect love, we confess our failure to love you and to love other people. You gave us your very self in Jesus, yet we hesitate to give generously even of our possessions. Fill us with your love this Christmas that our lives may be a true reflection of Christ’s love for the world. Advent Candle - Lighting (Please Kneel or Sit) Leader 1: The celebration of Christ’s birth draws closer. Leader 2: Our Advent journey has taken us from the call in the wilderness to the wonder of God’s love, shown in the birth of a Holy Child. People: “Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. Leader 1: “Immanuel,” God with us, is indeed Good News! Leader 2: God’s love is amazing. God’s love is life-giving! People: “Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. Leader 1: We light the first candle, reminding us of the way of hope. (Light the Isaiah candle). Leader 2: We light the second candle, reminding us of God’s way of peace. (Light the candle for John the Baptist).

Leader 1: We light the third candle, reminding us of God’s way of joy. (Light the Joseph candle). Leader 2: We light the fourth candle reminding us of God’s way of love. (Light the Mary candle) People: “Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. Leader 1: May the love and light of this holy time be ever with us. Leader 2: Let us sing of Advent hope, peace, joy and love. Sung Response All: Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand; set your minds on things eternal, for with blessing in his hand Christ our God to earth descending comes our homage to command. King of kings, yet born of Mary, once upon the earth he stood; Lord of lords we now perceive him in his body and his blood - he will give to all the faithful his own self for heavenly food. Rank on rank the host of heaven stream before him on the way; as the Light of light descending from the realms of endless day vanquishes the power of evil, clears the gloom of hell away. At his feet the six-winged seraphs, cherubim with sleepless eye, veil their faces in his presence as with ceaseless voice they cry: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, Lord most high!