Services Sunday 5th December 2021

Our services for Sunday 5th December 2021 are as follows:

10:30am at Kennington led by Revd Paul Dean

10:30am at Cade Road led by Revd Helen Hollands – this will include Holy Communion for those present in the church.  This service will also be Live Streamed:

Our planned 5pm service for this evening has been cancelled.

All are welcome at either service.

Methodist Church Christmas CD

If you want to listen to the Christmas Service from the Methodist Church it has now been made available to listen online as the CD has sold out.

The service follows the presidential theme of God’s Table,  An Invitation For All.  We meet those who extend that invitation into our communities, hearing from chaplains working with farmers, shoppers and revellers, a minister who volunteers as a Guide leader and the Methodist Forces’ chaplain on the Falkland Islands who tells us how Christmas is celebrated in the South Atlantic.  All this, along with carols, readings and reflections.

Running order:

00:00 Hymn: Beneath the paper wrapping (Look inside) StF 192
03:08 Hymn: O little town of Bethlehem  Stf 213
06:39 Prayers of Waiting and Longing, Barbara Easton (Vice-President)
09:00 Into the darkness, Poem StF 173, verse 1 read by Revd Michaela Youngson
09:50 Feature: Revd Elaine Hutchinson Birmingham City Centre Retail Chaplain
11:53 Reading: Luke chapter 2 verses 1-5 read by Revd Gary Hopkins, Ministry Development Officer
13:05 Hymn: How hard was that Journey (StF+)
17:13 Feature: Revd Jenny Pathmarajah, Faith inclusion specialist with Girl guiding
20:22 Reading:  Luke 2 v 6-15, read by Doug Swanney, Connexional Secretary
22:00 Feature: Paul Trenberth Rural chaplaincy
25:40 Into the darkness, Poem StF 173, verse 2 read by Deacon Ruth Richey, Deputy Warden of the Diaconal Order.
26:30 Feature: Carol Henderson, a street pastor in Nottingham
29:26 Reflection from the Revd Sonia Hicks – President of the Conference
38:27 Hymn: Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Stf 213
41:29 Feature: Revd (Flt Lt) Jo Critchley Force Chaplain, the Falklands
44:47 Prayers for the World, Revd Jonathan Hustler, The Secretary of the Methodist Conference
46:58 Into the darkness, Poem StF 173, verse 3 read by Mandy Briggs
47:45 Hymn: StF 210 Love came down at Christmas
50:05 Prayer and Blessing Revd Sonia Hicks, President of the Conference
55:50 Reading: John 1 v 1-4 Daud Irfan Youth President

PLEASE NOTE: The content of this CD is under copyright and may not be reproduced for commercial use or resale. All of the songs (music and lyrics) are in the public domain, all of the featured performers have given their permission for use on this CD and for any sharing, broadcast and online use, including streaming. © Trustees for Methodist Church purposes 2021. This CD may not be resold. All rights reserved.

Beneath the paper wrappings (StF 192) Words and music © Hole Music, sung by Rachel Williamson, accompanied by Shyrleen Pottinger (Scalloway Methodist Church, Shetland).

O little town of Bethlehem (StF 213) Words © Phillips Brooks; music – traditional English melody. Sung by the choir of Morpeth Methodist Church and St George’s URC, directed by Gillian Irvine.

Into the darkness (StF 173) Words © Thankyou Music, administered by tym@kingsway.co.uk

How hard was that journey (StF+) Words and music © Paul Thompson. Performed by Matt Beckingham (www.youtube.com/c/MattBeckingham).

Hark! The herald-angels sing (StF 202) Words © Charles Wesley; music by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. Sung by ‘Sedecim’, a chamber choir made up of pupils from Kent College, the independent Methodist school in Canterbury.

Love came down at Christmas (StF 210) Words © Christina Georgina Rossetti; music by Reginald Owen Morris. Performed by Caleb Dinger (www.calebdingermusic.com/home).

Advent Day 24

This is the final post in the journey of our Wandering Wise Man, we complete the story of the birth of Jesus and suggest our final random Act of Kindness.

24th Dec

Story:

A long time ago, there was a lady called Mary. One day, while Mary was doing the washing up, she saw a bright light. She had to cover her eyes because it was so bright. The bright light was an angel. Angels are very beautiful creatures who live in Heaven and work for God. The angel gave Mary a message from God – he said she was going to have a baby.

Soon Mary’s tummy started to get bigger as the baby in her tummy started to grow. Just a few weeks before her baby was ready to be born, the king told all the people in the country that they had to travel to the place where their family was from. This meant Mary and Joseph had to go on a journey. Mary and Joseph had to travel a long way to a town called Bethlehem. Mary had to walk very slowly because she had a baby in her tummy. It was very tiring. When Mary and Joseph got to Bethlehem, all the hotels were full, so they had to sleep in a barn, where the animals sleep. That night, Mary’s baby was born. She called him ‘Jesus’. Mary didn’t have a cot to put baby Jesus in so she laid him in the animal’s food bowl called a manger! Jesus was a special baby – he was God’s baby – and God wanted everyone to know that Jesus had been born. Most of the people in Bethlehem were asleep but there were some shepherds in the fields, looking after their sheep. God sent some angels to sing to the shepherds and tell them all about baby Jesus. The shepherds were so excited that they ran to the barn to see Jesus. God also put a giant star in the sky like a big birthday candle for baby Jesus. The Wise Men were looking at the sky and they saw the special star. They followed the star all the way to baby Jesus. When they saw him, they bowed down to tell Jesus that they thought he was special and gave him presents.

Suggested Random Act of Kindness:

Do something nice for your neighbour like make them a Christmas card.

Advent Day 23

Join us during the season of Advent as we follow our Wandering Wise Men. Each day they will either share a piece of the story of Jesus or suggest a random Act of Kindness that you could do in the spirit of the season.23rd DecA long time ago, there was a lady called Mary. One day, while Mary was doing the washing up, she saw a bright light. She had to cover her eyes because it was so bright. The bright light was an angel. Angels are very beautiful creatures who live in Heaven and work for God. The angel gave Mary a message from God – he said she was going to have a baby.Soon Mary’s tummy started to get bigger as the baby in her tummy started to grow. Just a few weeks before her baby was ready to be born, the king told all the people in the country that they had to travel to the place where their family was from. This meant Mary and Joseph had to go on a journey. Mary and Joseph had to travel a long way to a town called Bethlehem. Mary had to walk very slowly because she had a baby in her tummy. It was very tiring. When Mary and Joseph got to Bethlehem, all the hotels were full, so they had to sleep in a barn, where the animals sleep. That night, Mary’s baby was born. She called him ‘Jesus’. Mary didn’t have a cot to put baby Jesus in so she laid him in the animal’s food bowl called a manger! Jesus was a special baby – he was God’s baby – and God wanted everyone to know that Jesus had been born. Most of the people in Bethlehem were asleep but there were some shepherds in the fields, looking after their sheep. God sent some angels to sing to the shepherds and tell them all about baby Jesus. The shepherds were so excited that they ran to the barn to see Jesus. God also put a giant star in the sky like a big birthday candle for baby Jesus. The Wise Men were looking at the sky and they saw the special star. They followed the star all the way to baby Jesus.

Advent Day 21

Join us during the season of Advent as we follow our Wandering Wise Men. Each day they will either share a piece of the story of Jesus or suggest a random Act of Kindness that you could do in the spirit of the season.21st DecA long time ago, there was a lady called Mary. One day, while Mary was doing the washing up, she saw a bright light. She had to cover her eyes because it was so bright. The bright light was an angel. Angels are very beautiful creatures who live in Heaven and work for God. The angel gave Mary a message from God – he said she was going to have a baby.Soon Mary’s tummy started to get bigger as the baby in her tummy started to grow. Just a few weeks before her baby was ready to be born, the king told all the people in the country that they had to travel to the place where their family was from. This meant Mary and Joseph had to go on a journey. Mary and Joseph had to travel a long way to a town called Bethlehem. Mary had to walk very slowly because she had a baby in her tummy. It was very tiring. When Mary and Joseph got to Bethlehem, all the hotels were full, so they had to sleep in a barn, where the animals sleep. That night, Mary’s baby was born. She called him ‘Jesus’. Mary didn’t have a cot to put baby Jesus in so she laid him in the animal’s food bowl called a manger! Jesus was a special baby – he was God’s baby – and God wanted everyone to know that Jesus had been born. Most of the people in Bethlehem were asleep but there were some shepherds in the fields, looking after their sheep. God sent some angels to sing to the shepherds and tell them all about baby Jesus. The shepherds were so excited that they ran to the barn to see Jesus. God also put a giant star in the sky like a big birthday candle for baby Jesus.

Advent Day 20

Join us during the season of Advent as we follow our Wandering Wise Men.  Each day they will either share a piece of the story of Jesus or suggest a random Act of Kindness that you could do in the spirit of the season.

20th Dec

The Wise Men know who delivers babies. Put a rainbow in your window for the NHS.

This morning our Ligthouse group for school age children will start at 10am and our Zoom service will be at 11am.  The Live Stream of the Zoom service is available on YouTube:

Advent Day 19

Join us during the season of Advent as we follow our Wandering Wise Men.  Each day they will either share a piece of the story of Jesus or suggest a random Act of Kindness that you could do in the spirit of the season.

19th Dec

A long time ago, there was a lady called Mary. One day, while Mary was doing the washing up, she saw a bright light. She had to cover her eyes because it was so bright. The bright light was an angel. Angels are very beautiful creatures who live in Heaven and work for God. The angel gave Mary a message from God – he said she was going to have a baby.

Soon Mary’s tummy started to get bigger as the baby in her tummy started to grow. Just a few weeks before her baby was ready to be born, the king told all the people in the country that they had to travel to the place where their family was from. This meant Mary and Joseph had to go on a journey. Mary and Joseph had to travel a long way to a town called Bethlehem. Mary had to walk very slowly because she had a baby in her tummy. It was very tiring. When Mary and Joseph got to Bethlehem, all the hotels were full, so they had to sleep in a barn, where the animals sleep. That night, Mary’s baby was born. She called him ‘Jesus’. Mary didn’t have a cot to put baby Jesus in so she laid him in the animal’s food bowl called a manger! Jesus was a special baby – he was God’s baby – and God wanted everyone to know that Jesus had been born. Most of the people in Bethlehem were asleep but there were some shepherds in the fields, looking after their sheep. God sent some angels to sing to the shepherds and tell them all about baby Jesus. The shepherds were so excited that they ran to the barn to see Jesus.