麻豆约拍

INTROIT -听 LIFT UP YOUR HEADS, O YE GATES (MATHIAS)

听

REV SIGRID MARTEN:

听

Good morning, and welcome to Sunday Worship from St. Giles鈥� Cathedral in Edinburgh, also known as the High Kirk.

My name is Sigrid Marten. I am one of the ministers at the Cathedral. Sharing in this service with me is our neighbour, the Rev Neil Gardner of the Canongate Kirk. Together, our two congregations form a parish grouping on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh which is exploring new ways to minister together in this part of our city.

听

Today, the Choir here at St Giles鈥� is joined by the Choirs of St Mary鈥檚 Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh, and of Paisley Abbey.

听

CALL

Christ, the Lord says,

鈥淪tand upright and hold your heads high,

because your liberation is near.鈥�

(Luke 21:28)

听

Our first hymn is the great Advent carol which anticipates the coming of the child who is God in human flesh 鈥� 鈥極 come, O come, Emmanuel鈥�.

听

HYMN 鈥� O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL (TUNE: VENI EMMANUEL)

听

REV NEIL GARDNER:听 PRAYER OF APPROACH

听

Let us pray.
Loving God, even as on this first Sunday of Advent we look ahead to the coming of Emmanuel, God with us, be with us now we pray. Wherever we are, whatever preoccupies us or distracts us, be with us and help us to focus on the promise of that light burning in darkness, a piercing light which no darkness can overcome, a guiding light when the way forward is unclear and confused. So grant us a sense of your presence, your promise, your purpose, your peace, God with us now and always. Amen.

听

Advent Collect:

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light,

now in the time of this mortal life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;

that on the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead,

we may rise to the life immortal;

through him who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.听 Amen.

LORD鈥橲 PRAYER (Sung): KENNETH LEIGHTON

SIGRID:听 Our readings this morning will be read for us by my colleague at St Giles鈥�, the Rev Dr Sam Nwokoro.

听

REV DR SAM NWOKORO:听 READING Matthew 4:12-20

听

A reading from the Gospel of St Matthew, Chapter 4.

12听Now when Jesus听heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.听13He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,听14so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15听鈥楲and of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
听听听on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles鈥�
16听the people who sat in darkness
听听听have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
听听听light has dawned.鈥�
17From that time Jesus began to proclaim, 鈥楻epent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.鈥�18听As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake鈥攆or they were fishermen.听19And he said to them, 鈥楩ollow me, and I will make you fish for people.鈥櫶�20Immediately they left their nets and followed him.听

听

NEIL:听 REFLECTION

The coincidence of St Andrew鈥檚 tide and the first Sunday of Advent always strikes me as a happy one. The Gospel鈥檚 reference to the fulfilment of Isaiah鈥檚 ancient prophecy that light would dawn on the road by the sea is immediately followed by the account of the calling of the first disciples, Andrew and Simon Peter, by the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

And 鈥渋mmediately鈥� is very much the key word in their famous encounter with Jesus. Jesus said to them 鈥淔ollow me.鈥� Immediately they left their nets and followed him. Without delay, without so much as a moment鈥檚 hesitation or a backward glance, immediately they left their nets. And not only their nets but their boat and their belongings, their home and their family, everything they had ever known, everything that was familiar and routine and predictable, immediately they left it all behind and followed him. Followed him into the unknown, followed him in faith and hope. Immediately they left their nets and followed him. There on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

If Christmas can be a time for looking back, remembering family gatherings of old, revisiting seasonal favourites on television, Advent is by contrast a time for looking forward. Looking forward to the dawning of light in darkness, looking forward to the coming of the kingdom of heaven, looking forward to responding anew to the coming and calling of Jesus and to bringing others along. In that spirit it seems especially appropriate that our music this morning is supplied by the combined forces of three different choirs. Those of two Edinburgh cathedrals 鈥� St Giles鈥�, and St Mary鈥檚 Episcopal 鈥� and of Paisley Abbey, standing and singing together and between them linking not just different denominations but different sides of Scotland in glorious harmony. And in today鈥檚 world of discord and darkness, our patron saint, whose feast day was only yesterday, would surely approve. For he was not one for nostalgia, but for looking forward, and for bringing others with him. Jesus said to them, 鈥淔ollow me鈥�, and immediately they left their nets and followed him: followed him into the glory of the Lord.

听

MUSIC:听 AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD (鈥楳ESSIAH鈥�, HANDEL)

SAM:听 READING Luke 1:39-45

听

A reading from the Gospel of St Luke, Chapter 1.

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,听where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.听When Elizabeth heard Mary鈥檚 greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit听and exclaimed with a loud cry, 鈥楤lessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.听And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?听For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy.听And blessed is she who believed that there would be听a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.鈥�

SIGRID:听 REFLECTION

The season of Advent is a time of preparation for Christmas, the festival in which we celebrate the birth of the Christ Child.

听

We all know that it is important to prepare for significant events. So, it is interesting to hear the story of how Mary prepared for the birth of the听 child that had been announced to her by the angel. The story goes that she travelled to visit her relative Elizabeth who was also pregnant.

听

Maybe it is not hard to guess why Mary would go to see Elizabeth, for she must have been utterly bewildered by the way her life had just changed completely. 听We are told that Mary accepted the situation and gave her yes to God's plan, but it would take time to process that kind of news. Her head must have been spinning: what did it all mean? Had she imagined it all? And how was it all going to work out?

听

In her confusion, Mary turns to Elizabeth for support. Here is someone who might understand because she is experiencing a similar thing. Elizabeth can give her what maybe no one else could have offered her. Elizabeth can turn the worry into unrestrained joy. Her almost ecstatic reaction when she sees Mary, her prophetic words of blessing, help Mary to overcome any fears and doubts she may have had.

听

This is a story about friendship and support between two women. It speaks to us about how God works in this world through those around us. The love of God can become real in our lives through the people who are there when we are at our lowest. Friendship is a precious gift which can help us through dark times. The American theologian Joan Chittister even talks about the sacrament of friendship. To me, this story speaks of the support that Mary finds in the other woman at a time when she may have been struggling. Saying 鈥測es鈥� to God is one thing, living with the consequences is another thing all together.

听

Maybe that鈥檚 what Andrew and Peter and the other disciples of Jesus听 found too after their decision to follow Jesus: that there was a lot of learning and growing to do on the way.

There are those times when we rely on the help of others. We depend on their support, their insights, sometimes even just their presence to keep us going. We need friends who are willing to be with us on our journey, who may help us to see God's hand in events, who will embody the Good News, that in all this we are not alone.

This story also tells how Elizabeth was the first person to recognise that Mary was bearing 鈥渉er Lord鈥�. It is a story about two women who are the first people to recognise the miracle of the incarnation, and Elizabeth and Mary are aware that this is much greater than what is happening in their personal lives. They know that God is working great things through them for the good of all people.

听

So, there is a prophetic layer to our story, an element of proclamation of God's Good News.

In the gospel of Luke the story of this visit literally stands between the angel鈥檚 annunciation of the birth of Jesus and Mary鈥檚 joyful song of praise to God, the Magnificat: 鈥淢y soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour鈥︹��.听 Let us listen to her song now.

听

MAGNIFICAT (STANFORD IN C)

听

SIGRID:听 PRAYER

Let us pray.

Loving God, Creator and Redeemer of all:

we give you thanks for your faithful love

which comes close to us in Jesus Christ.

We thank you for the gift of friendship,

for all who surround us

with their acceptance and love,

especially when life is difficult.

We remember those in our communities

who are in need of healing,

whether in body, mind or spirit.

We pray for those who have lost a loved one,

and miss them dearly.

We bring before you all who are living with poverty;

all who are without a home;

parents who are wondering

how to make Christmas happen for their children.

In a world where many walk alone

show us where our friendship is needed,

how to bring light into dark places.

听

Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace,

these are dark and worrying days.

Our world cries out for liberation

from violence, death and destruction.

So many people

live with the terror of bombs raining down on them;

so many fear for their lives and their livelihoods

because of oppression, injustice, climate change...;

so many communities are divided

by hatred and prejudice;

so many people have to flee their homes

and depend on the generosity of others

for shelter, food and a new life.

In a world where many live in danger,

show us where our friendship is needed,

how to bring light into dark places.

听

God of Andrew and Simon, Mary and Elizabeth,

in this season of waiting and preparation,

teach us again how to live as children of the living God

and followers of Jesus Christ

who is the Redeemer of our souls

and the pattern for our lives.

听

And now, a blessing:

听

The peace of God

which passes all understanding,

keep your hearts and minds

in the knowledge and love of God,

and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

And the blessing of the living God,

whom we call

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

be with you, now and forever more.

Amen

听

HYMN 鈥� LO, HE COMES听 (TUNE: HELMSLEY/DESCANT: PETER BACKHOUSE)

ORGAN VOLUNTARY:听听Acclamations (Sur le Texte des Acclamations Carolingiennes) from Suite M茅di茅vale by Jean Langlais. Publisher: Editions Salabert