麻豆社

OPENING ANNOUNCEMENT

麻豆社 Radio 4. Sunday Worship today, the fourth Sunday in Advent, comes from Northern Ireland and is led by the Rev Emily Hyland, the Chaplain at Methodist College, Belfast. It begins with the College Chapel Choir singing 鈥淯nto us a boy is born鈥�

听

Script of Programme:

Please note: This script may not exactly reflect the transmission. It may include editorial notes prepared by the producer, and minor spelling and other errors.

Music:听 Unto us a boy is born听 听(Piae Cantiones, 1582听 arr. Geoffrey Shaw)

College Principal: Good morning from Belfast. I鈥檓 Jenny Lendrum , Principal of Methodist College.听听

Methodist College is the largest school in Northern Ireland with around 2000 pupils. It was, as the name suggests, established by the Irish Methodist Church in 1865. It still has close links with the church, but we are very proud that our community is so diverse with pupils now coming from a variety of backgrounds.听听

Music has always played and continues to play an important part in the life of the College. It is wonderful to celebrate the talents of our musicians at all events throughout the year but in May, seven of our girl choristers performed on the world stage at an extra special event 鈥� the King鈥檚 coronation at Westminster Abbey. It was an honour for Methodist College鈥檚 music to be recognised by playing such an important part in this historic event.

Today our Chapel Choir will lead our worship from Fisherwick Presbyterian Church, situated beside the College.听 听

Music: The Sussex Carol听 听(Traditional arr. Mark Brown)听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听

Rev Emily Hyland:听 In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Let us pray

Lord God, we worship you

For you are great and greatly to be praised

You created all things by your power and rule all things in your wisdom

You are judge of all the earth听

Yet you are full of compassion and in your compassion and grace;

you came to us as the Word made flesh in a vulnerable child.

We praise and thank you for Jesus birth and life

his teaching and compassion

for his death on the Cross and his rising again.

Bringing us your forgiveness and your peace.

We acknowledge that we have sinned against听 you and our sisters and brothers

in thought, word and deed

and in what we have failed to do.听

We are slow to be moved by the miracle of your grace in Jesus Christ

We can take His compassion for granted

We can neglect听 His example听

While he听 showed compassion in his words and deeds

We can be cold and heartless,

Rigid and unfair in how we view and assess other people

When we see need we can pass by on the other side,

Convincing ourselves that it is really none of our business听

We are sorry for these and our other faults and failures and repent of them.

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ who died for us, forgive us all that is past

and lead us from darkness to walk as children of light.

God our Father, your Word has come among us

in the Holy Child of Bethlehem

Grant that the light of faith may illumine our hearts

and shine in our words and deeds;

Through Him who is Christ out Lord who lives and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.听 AMEN

Music: The Blessed Son of God (Ralph Vaughan Williams)

Rev Emily Hyland:听 In this the last of this year鈥檚 Advent Sunday worships we鈥檙e thinking about 鈥淭he Compassion of the Christ Child鈥� and the first reading from Isaiah Chapter 9 tells of the child to be born to bring听 light, peace and justice

Reader:

The people who walked in darkness

听 听 have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness鈥�

听 听 on them light has shined..6 For a child has been born for us,

听 听 a son given to us;

authority rests upon his shoulders,

听 听 and he is named

Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,

听 听 Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Great will be his authority,[听

听 听 and there shall be endless peace

for the throne of David and his kingdom.

听 听 He will establish and uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

听 听 from this time onward and forevermore.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Music: All The Stars look down听 (John Rutter)

听Rev Emily Hyland: All the stars, John Rutter鈥檚 setting of words by GK Chesterton, composed in memory of Sir Stephen Cleobury of King鈥檚 College, Cambridge.

In our second reading from St John Chapter 1, we hear how the Word became flesh bringing light and life. Then after our next music, the Rev Dr Janet Unsworth the Chair of the Board of Governors of Methodist College will preach.

Reader: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.听 He was in the beginning with God.听 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.

听There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.[

听He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own,[c] and his own people did not accept him.听 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

听And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father鈥檚 only son, full of grace and truth.

Music:听 Lux Arumque听 (Eric Whitacre)

Rev Dr Janet Unsworth听 Sermon

A few weeks ago, on a frosty morning in early December,听

I watched the sun rise through the branches of the trees behind our house.

As the dawn spilled across the sky,

it brought such rich colours to the start of the day that lay ahead.听

And in the midst of the season,听听

that light prompted a memory of when our children were small.

Just around the corner from my parents鈥� house,听

at this time of year听

there was a small group of houses decorated with dazzling displays of coloured lights.听

If we timed the car journey home right,听

the children could see the bright depictions-听听

cheery snowmen and Santas climbing onto roofs,听

lit-up Christmas Trees and strings of sparking lights.

There were many oohs and aahs from the back of the car 鈥撎�

And, it has to be said, some pressure for similar lights to appear at home!听

Precious moments of joy and celebration -听

light in the midst of the dark evenings of December.

But watching how the rays cast by the dawn sunlight听

began to intensify the definition of the trees,听

I was also reminded of how light can help us see more clearly in the midst of darkness.听

And of how light can even be channelled into a laser beam.

A beam which can cut through the hardest of substances 鈥撎�

transforming it to reveal what truly lies inside.听

Light brings comfort, joy, a sense of safety and even warmth,听

but it also helps us to see more clearly and reveals what something really looks like.听

It is this dual power of light that we think of today as we ponder the Justice of God 鈥撎�

through the lens of the compassion of the incarnate Christ.听

To be honest we don鈥檛 often place compassion and justice side by side.

In the Hebrew Bible, the word 鈥渃ompassion鈥� is used most frequently to describe God鈥檚 emotion when he hears his people cry out to him.

But this compassion isn鈥檛 only an emotion鈥攊t also motivates action.听

And so, we see how time and again,

God鈥檚 compassion is demonstrated through his forgiveness, and deliverance from suffering.

And even when the people turn their back on him,听

he promises to remain with them.听

As for justice,听

Well, we may think of justice in the legal sense,

of someone being judged and made to pay for their crimes 鈥� retribution.听

Yet, in the Bible, justice is more often connected with mercy, love, humility.

Justice is acting to help those whose situations are worse than our own; treating other people as more important than us.听

And where wrongdoing occurs 鈥� the type of justice enacted is restorative.听

God鈥檚 justice is making sure everyone is treated fairly - the poor, the widow, the orphan.

In our readings,听

we heard the prophet Isaiah听

speaking of the hope of the light that will come in the midst of darkness.

Within his own historical context, he longs for a society transformed 鈥撎�

for compassionate rescue from oppression - yes 鈥撎�

but also, for a society where there is equity and justice for all.

Words of hope for people experiencing a present reality of pain and anguish.

The promise of a future of joy and celebration -听

The coming of the one who will be called Wonderful Counsellor,听

Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

We heard too from the Gospel of John 鈥撎�

that poetic description of how Jesus is the light which the darkness has not overcome, expressing that hope of which Isaiah speaks.

For God鈥檚 response to a world of injustice, selfishness, cruelty and suffering听

to a world which had strayed so far from his way,

was to send his own son 鈥撎�

the Word who became flesh 鈥� making his home among us.听

God of God, Light of Light.听

God鈥檚 justice and God鈥檚 compassion embodied in Jesus;

And through his ministry 鈥� his words and his actions -

Jesus shows God鈥檚 justice and compassion;听

bringing the possibility of transformation.听

And he teaches his followers that they should reflect his light and reveal his truth.

In a society where sickness meant being treated as an outcast,听

he gives sight to the eyes of the blind, heals the leper and paralysed.听

Made well, they regain their dignity, and they follow him.听

In a society where poverty was rife,听

he praises those who give what they can to help others.听

And in his compassion for the crowds who travel with him,听

he feeds them physically as well as spiritually.听

In a society where summary judgement is meted out with no compassion,听

he bends to write with his finger on the ground鈥�.

his unspoken words, a challenge for those who would condemn the woman,听

without first recognising their own sin.

In a society where fear and mistrust of anyone who is different,

leads to the exclusion and mistreatment of the stranger,

he tells a story where those who thought they were the pillars of society,

ignore the one who has been beaten up and robbed,听

and the stranger, the outsider, is the one who shows compassion.

And when, in the context of betrayal and fear,听

he has his last supper with his friends,

he says - 鈥淟ove one another as I have loved you.鈥�

Words of encouragement and reassurance,听

but also, instructions for who his followers are to be and how they are to be in the world.听

And just as he had taught them to reflect his light,听

now they must be those who will bear the light听

of his true justice,听

and real compassion,听

to the world.听

Some years ago, I bought a beautiful wooden advent ring,听

as a reminder of the journey that we take through this season.听

The four Advent candles encircle the candle for Jesus at the centre鈥μ�

one lit on each Sunday,

the brightness and intensity of light growing week by week,

until we light the central candle on Christmas Day,听

and we celebrate Jesus Christ who is still the light of the world.鈥�..听

And so we pray that we would reflect that light 鈥撎�

revealing the truth, dispelling darkness, bringing comfort and even joy.

For in this world,听

where too many still live with indignity and injustice, poverty and prejudice,

we are called to be witnesses to his light 鈥撎�

We are called to bring his justice and compassion into every place,

and into every experience of darkness 鈥撎�

in our own lives, in our communities, and across our world.

May the living Christ give us strength and grace, so to do鈥�

Rev Emily Hyland:听 Before we pray for the world, it鈥檚 appropriate, I think that our next caol comes from Ukraine: Alleluia Christ has appeared sent from above

Music:听 听Alleluia Christ has appeared sent from above (Ukrainian Carol arr arr. Mykola Leontovych)

Readers: We give you thanks Lord God for all your gifts;

For homes, for friends, for human love

For kindness, for thoughtfulness, for care.

But most of all we give you thanks for your gift beyond words in coming to us in Jesus Christ.

For angels singing your praise.

For shepherds watching in the fields who went to Bethlehem to worship

For wise men lead by a star to bring their gifts to the new born King.

WE thanks you for all the light and love and happiness Christmas brings and for the love it sheds abroad in our hearts.

We pray for Christian people everywhere听

that they may always have hearts open to your grace and truth听

and to show these by word and example.听

That they may be ever ready to display to others

the compassion they receive from you

Help them to live in the light of your coming,

and to be always obedient to your will,

We pray for your world

and especially places consumed by war like the Middle East and Ukraine听

and where oppression is rife, asking that you would take away all violence

and that your justice might prevail everywhere.

Guide with your wisdom all leaders and rulers of nations

that they may always seek peace and the welfare of people.

Lord, we pray for those for whom this time of year is difficult:

Refugees and those far from families,听

Those who have recently lost a loved one

or for whom this season of the year brings mainly sad memories

People who are lonely or isolated or suffering from severe illness

May they be conscious of your drawing near to them

We pray for all feel they are walking in darkness

The darkness of depression or severe illness, of loneliness or isolation

the darkness of uncertainty or grief, bitterness听 or misunderstanding

May your light come upon them听 and help us to treat them with compassion .听

听We pray for all the communities of which we are part;

听for schools, colleges and universities;听

for those who teach and those who learn;听

for all who work in hospitals or caring for the sick;,

听for the many people whose continuing work is essential for the wellbeing of communities;

听for those who carry the burdens of others.

We bless and adore you O Christ Son of God yet born of Mary

Son of God, yet our brother;

Eternal Word yet a child without speech;

Clothed in glory yet wrapped in swaddling bands;

Lord of heaven and earth, yet laid in a manger

strong in your weakness, glorious in your humility, mighty to save

And these and all our prayers we offer for your name鈥檚 sake

Our Father who art in heaven, hallow'd be thy name.听

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听

for Thine is the kingdom the power and the glory for ever and ever.听 Amen

Music O Come all ye faithful听 听 (JF Wade; Descants: David Willcocks & David Hill)

Rev Emily Hyland: The Blessing听

Go in peace.

May the joy of the angels, the humility of the shepherds, and the peace of the Christ-Child be God鈥檚 gift to you.听

The Wisdom of the Wonderful Counsellor guide you,

The Strength of the Mighty God uphold you,

The Love of the Everlasting Father enfold you

The peace of the Prince of Peace be upon you.

And the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be upon you all this night and for evermore. AMEN听

听

Organ: Prelude on an old Irish Hymn Tune (CV Stanford)听听

CLOSING ANNOUCEMENT

CV Stanford鈥檚 Prelude on an Old Irish Church melody ends today鈥檚 Sunday Worship from Methodist College Belfast which was led by the Rev Emily Hyland.听 The preacher was the Reverend Doctor Janet Unsworth. The Chapel Choir was directed by Ruth McCartney and the accompanist was Graeme McCullough. The producer was Bert Tosh.听

Worship over Christmas on 麻豆社 Radio 4 includes the First Mass of Christmas from Liverpool Metropolitan听 Cathedral live tonight听 at eleven thirty pm and on Christmas Morning at seven o鈥檆lock, the service from York Minster will reflect on 鈥淲hat makes a Happy Christmas?鈥� (But before those, this afternoon at three o鈥檆lock you can join the Choir and congregation live in the candlelit chapel of King鈥檚 College for the annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.)