This Christmas time, with the December set readings, we have not been looking at the birth of Christ in our Sunday services but of Christ’s second coming, and now we go back to the time from Luke’s gospel when Jesus was 12 years old and went missing.

Between the familiar Christmas story of Jesus’ birth and the beginning of His adult ministry, Scripture draws a curious curtain of silence over Jesus’ childhood. We have only this single window, this one remarkable moment when Jesus is twelve years old. Like a shaft of light breaking through clouds, this story illuminates something extraordinary about Jesus’ self-understanding and His relationship with His heavenly Father. More about that in the video.

As we leave this place today, may we, like Jesus, be found faithful in our Father’s house. May we, like Mary, learn to treasure the mysteries of God’s working in our hearts. And may we, like the young Jesus, grow in wisdom and in stature, in divine and human favour, as we pursue God’s purpose for our lives.

Thank you to Helen Tudor for our Scripture readings and Intercessions, Uli Doerr for playing the organ, José Cueto for recording the service, and Pastor Keith for the inspiring Sermon and leading the Service.

Today is the Fourth Sunday of Advent and we light the three previous candles: the candles of Hope and of Peace and of Joy. Then the fourth candle, the candle of Love on our Advent ring, will be lit.

We looked at what it must have been like for Mary and Elizabeth, and the miracles of a young Virgin becoming pregnant through the Holy Spirit, and a woman long past child-bearing age becoming pregnant with John the Baptist, the one who “Prepared the Way of the Lord”.
 
Thank You to Janice Seyman and Brenda Hamilton for reading and lighting the Advent Candles for the fourth week, Gordon Newlands for our scripture readings and Pastora Jeanie Cooper for our Intercessions and interesting Sermon, José Cueto for recording the service, and Pastor Keith for leading the Service.

Today is the first Sunday of Advent and we shall now light the first candle on our Advent ring, the candle of Hope.

Now as we step into this season of Advent in church this morning, we will not hear the familiar whispers of a baby's cry in Bethlehem or the gentle rustle of angel wings. Instead, our Gospel reading this morning thunders with cosmic signs and roaring seas. Jesus speaks of the sun, moon, and stars, the very fabric of creation, bearing witness to extraordinary events. Nations in distress, people fainting from fear and foreboding. These aren't exactly the comforting words we might have hoped for on this first Sunday of Advent.

So, as we begin this Advent journey, Jesus' words in Luke's Gospel both challenges and comforts us. While the world around us may be filled with distressing signs, cosmic, natural, and personal, these very signs point to a greater reality: the coming of our Lord. Like the tender branches of the fig tree announcing summer's arrival, the upheavals of our time may actually be announcing God's drawing near.

Thank You to Brian Todd for reading our scriptures, Rick Boyle for our Intercessions, Pastor Keith for his inspired sermon, and José Cueto for recording the service.

Today is the Second Sunday of Advent and we lit the second candle on our Advent wreath, the candle of Peace. This was also our Nine Lessons and Carols Service. Enjoy the Advent Readings and beautiful music.

Thank you to Megan Wright for lighting the Second Advent Candle, to our readers: Alan James. Robert Wilson, Judith O´Neill, Lindsay Mitchell, Mary Mitchell, Dot Colling, Helen Tudor and Davy Young for reading the Lessons, the Phoenix International Concert Band for the music, to Mary Mitchell for her special music, to Pastora Jeanie for our Intercessions, the Ninth Reading, playing the organ, and leading this inspiring Service, and finally to José Cueto for recording the service.

Last Sunday we lit the candle of PEACE. And the Sunday before the candle of Hope.   Today we lit the candle of JOY to remind us that when Jesus is born in us, we have joy and that through him there will be everlasting joy on earth. Joy is like a light shining in a dark place. As we look at this candle, we celebrate the joy we find in Jesus Christ.

Today we heard about John the Baptist baptising crowds of people and telling them to share and be kind to others. In other words, offering love to everyone.  John sent everybody back to his or her regular life and told each person Do what you have been doing but do it better, do it more earnestly, do it as an act of service for others, share what you have, be honest and above reproach in your work and be faithful to whatever task is yours to perform in your life.”  We ask God to help us to share what we have, to act with integrity, and to use whatever influence we possess for the good of others . Simply put: “Be nice!”

Thanks to Alan James for lighting our Advent Candles, to Dot Colling for reading the Scriptures, to Davy Jones for our Intercessions, to Pastor Keith Brown for his powerful sermon and to David Sanders for recording the Service.