Advent Sunday 3rd December 2023 10:30am

Order of Service

Communion Service Led by the Revd Lucy Brierley.

John the Baptist: Prepare the way of the Lord.

This Service, broadcast live from the Church can be found via the Church’s website – www.wokingurc.org.uk our YouTube Channel or via our Facebook page. There is an archive of service recordings, including this one, on our website which can be viewed at home. If you would like some help to access any of them please email – office@wokingurc.org.uk or telephone us on 01483 763078. If you would like a recording of this Service, and any other, they are available in various formats by request. Please contact the Church Office.

ORDER OF SERVICE

Welcome and Notices

Call to Worship

Hymns –    Come Thou Long Expected Jesus (R&S 138) Come People Of The Risen King

Lighting of the Advent Candles Family Time

Hymn –      Heaven Invites You To A Party

Children & Young People continue in groups

Bible readings:

Isaiah 52 v7-10 Read by Chris Temple Mark 1 v1-8 Read by Mary Temple

Sermon

Hymn –      Christ Be In My Waking

Prayers for Others & Offering Prayer

Hymn –      O Come O Come Immanuel (R&S 126)

Communion

Hymn –      From The Squalor (Immanuel)

Blessing & The Grace

NEWS AND FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Christmas greetings card to the neighbourhood. Please offer to help deliver these in the early part of this week to nearly 2000 homes in the area of the Church – choose a road and collect a bundle in the foyer this morning. Please take any spare cards away to give to your friends and relatives who are not close to the Church.

Heathside Car Park. Free Sunday morning (up until 1 pm) parking for those attending this Church. Please key in your registration number on a device in the Forum in the Church each time you are here. This can be on arrival or as you leave. The barrier will rise to let you out of the car park because your number will be recognised. For the time being it is still advisable to display your Church permit on your windscreen, available from the Welcomers.

If you would like to donate to the work of the Church this can be done in a variety of ways as described on the “Giving to the Church” page of the website. For one-off gifts, there is a direct link to the Dona online page from the “Give Online” button on the Home page, and the contactless device in the Forum is also available. There is a plate at the back of the Church and an offering bag under the Dona device in the Forum for anyone wishing to make a cash donation.

Care4Creation – Please take a look at the display boards in the Forum which are related to the recent worship series, the ongoing work of the Green Team and the Church’s environmental commitments.

You may contribute to this funding through the card machine in the Forum or via the Church’s website.

Leading Worship elsewhere. The Revd David Netherwood is at Sefton Road URC, Morecambe today.

Gifts welcomed next Sunday (10th Dec) for the York Road Project and Your Sanctuary. List of what would be appreciated below:

York Road Project – chocolate, boxes/tins of biscuits and sweets, mince pies and individual Christmas puddings and cakes. The usual foodstuffs might also be augmented by tins of drinking chocolate.

Your Sanctuary – chocolates, individual Christmas cakes and puddings, jewellery, toiletries, scarves, dressing gowns, pyjamas and slippers (unwrapped so staff can allocate appropriately). We do not give presents for the children as other organisations in Woking provide these.

Christmas greetings to the Church family.

A Christmas ‘Extra’ issued during December is being planned again. Instead of sending individual cards your short Christmas greetings and, possibly, pictures (drawings or photos) will be included for ‘the whole Church family’. Email message/picture can be sent to magazine@wokingurc.org.uk and handwritten entries can be left the Church office or phoned through there or to Kate Gray. These messages, and any pictures are required by Thursday 7th December.

To take part in this you are invited to make a donation to WaterAid. This can be –

1. By selecting WaterAid on the card machine in the Forum; 2. Via the “Give Online” link on the front page of the church website and select Water Aid; 3. Direct to the Church CAF Bank account, Sort Code 40-52-40; Account Number 00033567, reference WaterAid. The HSBC account, details on the “Giving to the Church” section of the website, may also be used if more convenient. 4. By cheque, payable to Woking URC, with Water Aid written on the back.

WEEKLYCALENDAR
TODAYSinging practices for Christmas Services after the Service today. Children first, then adults.   5.30 pm Youth Group
MONDAYBoys’ and Girls’ Brigade groups – Anchors and Explorers (ages 4/5 – school year 3) 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm Junior Section Boys and Girls (school years 4-6) 5.30 pm to 7 pm Company, Senior and Brigader Sections (school years 7-13) 7.15 pm to 8.45 pm (Girls finish) and 9.15 pm (Boys finish)
TUESDAY9.30 am Prayers for Children and Young People (Youth Room). 11.00 am Service of Thanksgiving for Malcolm MacLeod, followed by refreshments. (A family Committal will have been held earlier). 7.00 pm Elders’ Meeting
WEDNESDAY10.00 am Baby and Toddler Group.
THURSDAY10.00 am Refill – Bible Study and Discussion Group (mainly for parents) 11.00 am Prayers and Reflection in person and by Zoom, followed by coffee and social time. Zoom link: https://Zoom.us/j/95986431118 Meeting ID – 959-8643-1118.   1.00 pm Christmas Lunch Club – sign up sheet in the Forum.
FRIDAY 
SATURDAY9.30 am Family Fun Morning for all ages (incorporating Generation Cafe) and decorating the Church premises for Christmas. If you are able to donate a Poinsettia plant these will be very welcome. Please bring them along that morning or leave them at the Church any day this week.
NEXT SUNDAY10.00 am Prayers in the Vestry.   10.30 am Christingle Service, with Reception of new Church Members, bringing *gifts for the York Road Project and Your Sanctuary and Brigades’ Parade – led by the Minister. *please see list of what would be appreciated on previous page. 4.00 pm Service of Carols and Readings, followed by tea.
UPCOMINGWednesday 13th December. 10.30 am Toddler Friendly Christmas Service, followed by refreshments. 8.00 pm Recharge – Christmas Praise. Sunday 17th December. 10.30 am Christmas Family Festival Nativity Service