ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING:
Light the first blue Candle that was lit last week.
The advent season is a time known for candles, coloured lights, and bright stars. This four week-long season points us toward the cradle of Bethlehem and the cross of Calvary. It is important that we light the candles to remind us that we do not live in the shadows of despair and discouragement. We are a people of light and peace. Today we light the candle of peace to guide us on our journey to Bethlehem.
(light a blue candle)
     Used with permission from Gathering ACE 2025-2026; Laura J. Turnbull

SING: Tune: KREMSER  “We praise you, O God” (VU 218)
We're lighting our candle,
our candle of hope now,
we're lighting our candle
to burn through the night.
We wait for our Saviour,
we wait for his coming,
in hope this holy Advent,
we wait for the light.

1. CALL TO WORSHIP:
We worship this Advent.
We mark the time leading to Christmas with light.
We honour Christ's light during this time of long nights.
Where the world groans in chaos, in longing, in uncertainty, in sin, our God responds with peace, with hope.
We worship in peace, seeking to be people of peace.
Christ be our light, our peace always.
     Used with permission from Gathering: ACE 2025-2026; Elaine Bidgood Sveet

2. OPENING PRAYER:
Loving and merciful God, we have come together awaiting the birth of peace on earth, goodwill to all people. This we seek and pray for, time and time again. Bless us with your love and grace on this day and forevermore, we pray. Help us to open our hearts to others: family, friends, strangers-neighbours all, even as you welcome us into your loving presence. Help us to give of ourselves, we pray, in new relationships and in old, that we may reflect your love and peace and grace. Help us to love, cherish, and share, and to be both loving and loved, today, tomorrow, and forever. O come, O come, Emmanuel.  Amen.
     Used with permission from Gathering: ACE 2025-2026: George Allan.

3. LEARNING TIME:

4. HYMN:  VU 60 “O Come , All Ye Faithful”
1.  O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem:
Come and behold him, born the King of angels;
Refrain: O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

2.  God of God, light of light,
lo, he abhors not the virgin's womb;
very God, begotten, not created:

3.  Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;
glory to God in the highest:

4.  See how the shepherds summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear;
we too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;

5.  Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given;
word of the Father, now in flesh appearing:   Refrain

5. PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION:
God of the journey, we have begun to make our way to Bethlehem. We stumble on rocks and pull out a well-worn map, wondering if we are on the right path. Here in the wilderness, may these words from scripture guide our path. May they offer the peace of a deep and sacred breath, that we might discover a clear and evident way ahead, the one that leads to a humble stable, the one that reveals Emmanuel, God-with-us.  Amen.
     Used with permission from Gathering ACE 2025-2026: Sheryl Spencer

6. SCRIPTURE LESSON
Isaiah 11: 1 - 10
Peace at Last
11 Like a branch that sprouts from a stump, someone from David's family will someday be king. 2 The Spirit of the LORD will be with him to give him understanding, wisdom, and insight. He will be powerful, and he will know and honor the LORD. 3 His greatest joy will be to obey the LORD. This king won't judge by appearances or listen to rumors. 4 The poor and the needy will be treated with fairness and with justice. His word will be law everywhere in the land, and criminals will be put to death. 5 Honesty and fairness will be his royal robes. 6 Leopards will lie down with young goats, and wolves will rest with lambs. Calves and lions will eat together and be cared for by little children. 7 Cows and bears will share the same pasture; their young will rest side by side. Lions and oxen will both eat straw. 8 Little children will play near snake holes. They will stick their hands into dens of poisonous snakes and never be hurt. 9 Nothing harmful will take place on the LORD's holy mountain. Just as water fills the sea, the land will be filled with people who know and honor the LORD. 10 The time is coming when one of David's descendants[b] will be the signal for the people of all nations to come together. They will follow his advice, and his own nation will become famous.

Romans 15: 4 - 13
4 And the Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope. 5 God is the one who makes us patient and cheerful. I pray that he will help you live at peace with each other, as you follow Christ. 6 Then all of you together will praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Honor God by accepting each other, as Christ has accepted you. 8 I tell you that Christ came as a servant of the Jews to show that God has kept the promises he made to their famous ancestors. Christ also came, 9 so that the Gentiles would praise God for being kind to them. It is just as the Scriptures say, “I will tell the nations about you, and I will sing praises to your name.”
10 The Scriptures also say to the Gentiles, “Come and celebrate with God's people.”
11 Again the Scriptures say, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles. All you nations, come and worship him.”
12 Isaiah says, “Someone from David's family will come to power. He will rule the nations, and they will put their hope in him.”
13 I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete happiness and peace because of your faith. And may the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.

The Gospel of Matthew 3: 1 - 12
The Preaching of John the Baptist
3 Years later, John the Baptist started preaching in the desert of Judea. 2 He said, "Turn back to God! The kingdom of heaven[a] will soon be here."[b] 3 John was the one the prophet Isaiah was talking about, when he said, “In the desert someone is shouting, 'Get the road ready for the Lord! Make a straight path for him.' ” 4 John wore clothes made of camel's hair. He had a leather strap around his waist and ate grasshoppers and wild honey. 5 From Jerusalem and all Judea and from the Jordan River Valley crowds of people went to John. 6 They told how sorry they were for their sins, and he baptized them in the river. 7 Many Pharisees and Sadducees also came to be baptized. But John said to them: You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment? 8 Do something to show you have really given up your sins. 9 And don't start telling yourselves that you belong to Abraham's family. I tell you that God can turn these stones into children for Abraham. 10 An ax is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into a fire. 11 I baptize you with water so you will give up your sins.[c] But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to carry his sandals.[d] He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks.[e] He will store the wheat in a barn and burn the husks in a fire that never goes out.

10.  REFLECTION: “Teach the Children” in story, symbol and song
Fir Tree symbol sing “O Christmas Tree”
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree, How lovely are your branches!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree, How lovely are your branches!
Not only green in summer's heat, But also winter's snow and sleet.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, How lovely are your branches!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree, Of all the trees most lovely;
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree, Of all the trees most lovely.
Each year you bring to us delight With brightly shining Christmas light!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree, Of all the trees most lovely.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree, We learn from all your beauty;
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree, We learn from all your beauty.
Your bright green leaves with festive cheer,
Give hope and strength throughout the year.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree, We learn from all your beauty.

Star symbol sing VU 7 “Hope is a Star” Verse 1 seated
1.  Hope is a star that shines in the night,
leading us on till the morning is bright.
When God is a child there's joy in our song.
The last shall be first and the weak shall be strong, and none shall be afraid.

Candle symbol sing VU 6 “A Candle is Burning” Verses 1-4
1.  A candle is burning, a flame warm and bright,
a candle of hope in December's dark night.
While angels sing blessings from heaven's starry sky,
our hearts we prepare now for Jesus is nigh.

2.  A candle is burning, a candle of peace,
a candle to signal that conflict must cease:
for Jesus is coming to show us the way;
a message of peace humbly laid in the hay.

3.  A candle is burning, a candle of joy,
a candle to welcome brave Mary's new boy.
Our hearts fill with wonder, and eyes light and glow
as joy brightens winter like sunshine on snow.

4.  A candle is burning, a candle of love,
a candle to point us to heaven above.
A baby for Christmas, a wonderful birth,
for Jesus is bringing God's love to our earth.

Santa Symbol - musical interlude “Jolly Old St. Nicholas”
Duet by Bev Labbe & Karen Wharington

Gift Symbol - sing “We Three Kings”
We three kings of Orient are, Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain, Following yonder star:
Refrain: “O star of wonder, star of night, Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding, Guide us to thy perfect light”.

Born a king on Bethlehem plain, Gold I bring, to crown him again -
King forever, ceasing never, Over us all to reign:   Refrain

Frankincense to offer have I; Incense owns a deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, all men raising, Worship him, God most high:   Refrain

Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, Sealed in the stone-cold tomb:  Refrain

Glorious now, behold him arise, King and God, and sacrifice!
Alleluia, Alleluia Earth to heav'n replies; Refrain
    Refrain Words & music by J H Hopkins, Jr/Public Domain

Candy Cane Symbol - sing VU 75 “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks” Verses 1 & 2 seated
1.  While shepherds watched their flocks by night all seated on the ground,
the angel of the Lord came down, and glory shone around.

2.  'Fear not,' said he, for mighty dread had seized their troubled mind;
'glad tidings of great joy I bring to you and humankind.

Holly Leaf Symbol - “The Holly and the Ivy” Solo by Jodi Hargreaves

Angel Symbol - sing VU 48 “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”
1.  Hark! the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the newborn King,
peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!'
Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies;
with the angelic host proclaim, 'Christ is born in Bethlehem!'
Refrain: Hark! the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the newborn King!'

2.  Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come, offspring of a virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail, the incarnate deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel!  Refrain

3.  Hail, the heaven born Prince of Peace! Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.  Refrain

Wreath Symbol - sing VU 365 “Jesus Love Me” 1.  Jesus loves me, this I know,
for the Bible tells me so;
little ones to him belong,
in his love we shall be strong.
Refrain: Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

2.  Jesus loves me, this I know,
as he loved so long ago,
taking children on his knee,
saying, 'Let them come to me.'  Refrain

3.  Jesus loves me still today,
walking with me on my way,
wanting as a friend to give
light and love to all who live.  Refrain

Bell Symbol - “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”
Solo by Emelia Bacchetto

8.  PRAYER OF CONFESSION:
Forgiving God, we confess that we sin, that our actions break our relationship with you and with others. Some sin we are aware of, all sin you know. So, we pray sincerely, forgive us for the ways we have failed to be instruments of peace. Forgive our short-sightedness and selfishness. Fill us with love for peaceful conclusions and longing for a world where peace rules. Come, O come, Emmanuel, for although we believe God is with us, we still have room to learn how to live with you well. Amen.
      Used with permission from Gathering: ACE 2025- 2026; Elaine Bidgood Sveet

9.  WORDS OF ASSURANCE:
The Christmas carol sings, “Joy to the world! the Lord is come: let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing.” Indeed, let your heart sing this day. Have peace. For by the power of Jesus Christ and the authority of the church, I declare with confidence that your every sin is forgiven. Be at peace. Be filled with hope and love.
Thanks be to God!
     Used with permission from Gathering: ACE 2025-2026;Elaine Bidgood Sveet

10.  SUNG RESPONSE: VU 59 “Joy to the World”
1.  Joy 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.

11.  PASSING OF THE PEACE:
Wherever you have been, you are welcome here!
We are glad to be here, gathered in the glorious name of God!
Here and everywhere, may the peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.

12.  INVITATION TO OFFERING:
During this season, we are focused on gifts-the gifts we find for others, the gifts we receive under our tree, the gifts of love and caring that are shared among strangers for the good of all, and the gift of the baby Jesus. Let us now think about the ways that we ourselves share gifts of time, money, prayer, and commitment as we seek to enable the ministries that are important to us and support the partnerships that allow us to share in God's purposes everywhere. We present our morning offering.
     Used with permission from Gathering A/C/E 2025/26; Bill Steadman

13. OFFERTORY
(sung to the tune of “Good King Wenceslas”)
Here our gifts we offer, God, thankful for your blessings.
Take them, Spirit, use them to spread the hopeful message
that Christ comes to bring to us life for all creation.
May our gifts help bring to all love and transformation.

14.  OFFERING PRAYER:
We never know, living Christ, whether what we offer is enough. Still, we present these gifts for your work in the world, trusting that you will bless them-and us-for your purpose. May these gifts seed new life springing out of old stumps.  Amen.
     Used with permission from Gathering A/C/E 2025/26;Gord Dunbar

15. PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND LORD'S PRAYER:

16. HYMN 44 VU  “It Came upon the Midnight Clear”
1.  It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold,
'Peace on the earth, good will to all, from heaven's all-gracious King!'
The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing.

2.  Still through the cloven skies they come with peaceful wings unfurled;
and still their heavenly music floats o'er all the weary world;
above its sad and lowly plains they bend on hovering wing,
and ever o'er its Babel soundsthe blessed angels sing.

3.  Yet with the woes of sin and strife the world has suffered long;
beneath the angel strain have rolled two thousand years of wrong;
and warring humankind hears not the love song which they bring.
O hush the noise, and cease your strife, to hear the angels sing

4.  For, lo! the days are hastening on, by prophets seen of old,
when with the ever-circling years shall come the time foretold,
when peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendours fling,
and the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing.

17.  BLESSING:
The word we have been given this day is peace. May we carry peace on our journey throughout this week, the peace we have encountered and experienced in this place.
May we offer the vision of peace to all we meet. May we share the blessing that we have received, this day and always. Amen.
     Used with permission from Gathering ACE 2025/2026 Bill Steadman

18. THREE FOLD AMEN

Next Sunday:  Third Sunday of Advent
        December 14, 2025:
         Isaiah 35: 1 - 10;   Psalm 146: 4 - 9;
         James 5: 7 - 10;  Matthew 11: 2 - 11.

1. SUNDAY, December 7, 2025  SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT - “PEACE” / White Gift Sunday   10:45 AM   Rev. Jo-Ann Hills  “RECOLLECTIONS”   ALL ARE WELCOME!


2. SUNDAY, December 7, 2025  COMMUNITY YOUTH CHOIR CONCERT “GOES WEST”   3:00 PM   Logie Hall   COME ONE. COME ALL.


3. TUESDAY, December 9, 2025  BIBLE STUDY  10:00 AM  Board Room  


4. TUESDAY, December 9, 2025  Jubilation Handbell Ringers  If you are interested in ringing some bells, come out and give it a try;   6:30pm in the Choir Room.


5. TUESDAY, December 9, 2025  “YOUTH ACTIVITY CLUB (YAC)”  7:00 - 9:00 PM.  Logie hall GYM  All Youth 12 years and older are welcome


6. WEDNESDAY, December 10, 2025  “MEETING OF THE OFFICIAL BOARD / BUDGET”   7:00 PM   Acting Chairperson, Lorenzo Bacchetto  ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE REQUESTED TO ATTEND


7. SATURDAY, December 13, 2025  “CHRISTMAS TEA & BAKE SALE”  2:00 - 4:00 PM.  Wesley Hall  Come and pick up your Christmas Baking


8. SUNDAY, December 14, 2025  THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT - “JOY”   10:45 AM   Special Music: Jubilation Handbell Ringers  Rev. Jo-Ann Hills  “RECOLLECTIONS”   ALL ARE WELCOME!


9. TUESDAY, December 16, 2025  “CAROL FESTIVAL”  Doors open at 6:30 PM   Sanctuary  Proceeds to empty stocking fund and Batlefords District Food & Resource Center


10. SUNDAY, December 21, 2025  FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT - “LOVE”   10:45 AM   Rev. Jo-Ann Hills  “RECOLLECTIONS”   ALL ARE WELCOME!


11. SUNDAY, December 21, 2025  “SUNDAY BRUNCH”  11:30 AM - 1:00 PM  ALL ARE WELCOME!
    SEE POSTER ON “HAPPENINGS” TAB FOR SUNDAY BRUNCH DATES