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The Church of Scotland
Presbytery of Aberdeen
PARISH OF FERRYHILL
Sunday 21 December 2003
11 am
Fourth in Advent
(Seasonal Colour: Purple)

Three Men and a Star

Photographs

We approach God

Gathering Song: ‘He came down that we may have love’
(a song from the Cameroons)
He came down that we may have love
Hallelujah for evermore.
He came down that we may have peace .....
He came down that we may have joy.....

Call to Worship:
A tiny jewel of light dances on the edge of the horizon:
a solitary star before sunrise glimmers a promise of dawn
at the end of the world’s blight.
It is the light of the world
Emmanuel—God with us.
Come to us, Emmanuel !
We have seen your light and gather here
awaiting the day of your coming.
Let us worship God.

Hymn (Church Hymnary) 165 ‘O come, O come Emmanuel’
[T: Veni Emmanuel]

Prayer‘

God speaks to us through

The Lighting of the Fourth Advent Candle (Please remain seated)

Candle lighting song [T: Town Joys, CH3 #384]
A candle is burning, a flame warm and bright,
a candle of hope in the winter's dark night.
While angels sing blessing from heaven's starry sky,
our hearts we prepare now for Jesus is nigh.

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.

A candle is burning, a candle of joy.
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.

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.

Our response to God

Hymn (Church Hymnary) 172 ‘O little town of Bethlehem’
[T: Forest Green]

PLAY: THREE MEN AND A STAR

Scene 1: A room in Herod’s Palace in Jerusalem

Hymn '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 light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem’s 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, voices raising,
Worshipping God on 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,
Sounds through the earth and skies.
Refrain

Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Sounds through the earth and skies.
Refrain

Hymn (Church Hymnary) 182 ‘Angels from the realms of glory’
[T: Iris] (remain seated)

Scene 2: The road between Jerusalem and Bethlehem at night.

Hymn (Church Hymnary) 200 ‘As with gladness’
[T: Dix] (remain seated)

Scene 3: The outskirts of Bethlehem

Hymn (Church Hymnary) 173 ‘The first Nowell’
[T: The first Nowell] (remain seated)
 

We go to serve God with God’s blessing

Hymn (Church Hymnary) 178 ‘In the bleak mid-winter’ [T: Cranham] (please stand)

Dismissal and Blessing:

Go in peace. Follow the star that you may live in the light and love of
Christ and carry his joy in your hearts.
And the blessing of God go with you and remain with you always.

Amen, amen, alleluia, amen.
Amen, amen, alleluia, amen.

The Service was led by The Revd Ian Dick (Minister at Ferryhill) and members of the congregation
The Beadle was Robert Nicol
The Director of Music was was the Kevin Haggart.
The flowers were donated by Rae & Alistair Leslie in memory of loved ones