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The Parish of St. Mary and St. John the Divine, Balham Christmas Eve ADVEN T 4 Sunday 24 December 2017
The Parish of St. Mary and St. John the Divine, Balham
Christmas Eve
ADVEN T 4
Sunday 24 December 2017
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8am Said Eucharist (BCP)
President: Rev. Dr. Robert Tobin
10.30am Sung Eucharist
President: Rev. Dr. Robert Tobin
Lay Deacon: Alex Russell Preacher: Rev. Dr. Robert Tobin
Readers: Susanna Long
Christopher Serbutt
Intercessor: Mike Mullins
Setting: NEH 541
OoS: Advent
Readings: 2 Samuel 7.1-11, 16
Romans 16.25-end
Luke 1.26-38
4.30pm Crib Service
Officiants: Rev. Dr. Robert Tobin
Christopher Serbutt
11.30pm Midnight Mass
President: Rev. Dr. Robert Tobin
This Sunday
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Introit: O Come O Come Emmanuel (NEH 11)
Lighting Of The Advent Candle: Mary’s gift, beyond all telling,
was to give Christ room.
She gave God a human dwelling
in a mother’s womb.
Who could guess the final story? –
cross and glory; empty tomb!
(tune: NEH 336)
Collect: God our redeemer,
who prepared the Blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of your Son:
grant that, as she looked for his coming as
our saviour,
so we may be ready to greet him
when he comes again as our judge;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen
First Reading: 2 Samuel 7.1-11, 16
A reading from the Second Book of Samuel
Now when the king was settled in his house,
and the Lord had given him rest from all his
enemies around him, 2the king said to the
prophet Nathan, ‘See now, I am living in a
house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a
tent.’ 3Nathan said to the king, ‘Go, do all
that you have in mind; for the Lord is with
you.’ 4But that same night the word of the Lord
came to Nathan: 5Go and tell my servant
David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one
to build me a house to live in? 6I have not
lived in a house since the day I brought up
the people of Israel from Egypt to this day,
but I have been moving about in a tent and a
tabernacle. 7Wherever I have moved about
among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders
of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd
my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not
built me a house of cedar?’ 8Now therefore
Collect, Hymns and Readings
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thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus
says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the
pasture, from following the sheep to be
prince over my people Israel; 9and I have
been with you wherever you went, and have
cut off all your enemies from before you;
and I will make for you a great name, like
the name of the great ones of the earth. 10And I will appoint a place for my people
Israel and will plant them, so that they may
live in their own place, and be disturbed no
more; and evildoers shall afflict them no
more, as formerly, 11from the time that I
appointed judges over my people Israel; and
I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the
Lord will make you a house.
16Your house and your kingdom shall be
made sure for ever before me; your throne
shall be established for ever.
This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
Second Reading: Romans 16.25-end
A reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans
Now to God who is able to strengthen you
according to my gospel and the
proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to
the revelation of the mystery that was kept
secret for long ages 26but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made
known to all the Gentiles, according to the
command of the eternal God, to bring about
the obedience of faith - 27to the only wise
God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the
glory for ever! Amen.
This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
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Gradual: Psalm 89.1-8
Choir: My soul shall proclaim your steadfast
love, O Lord.
All: My soul shall proclaim your
steadfast love, O Lord.
Choir: My song shall be always of the
loving-kindness of the Lord: with my
mouth will I proclaim your
faithfulness throughout all
generations.
I will declare that your love is
established for ever; you have set
your faithfulness as firm as the
heavens.
All: My soul shall proclaim your
steadfast love, O Lord.
Choir: For you said: ‘I have made a covenant
with my chosen one; I have sworn an
oath to David my servant: ‘Your seed
will I establish for ever and build up
your throne for all generations.’
All: My soul shall proclaim your
steadfast love, O Lord.
Choir The heavens praise your wonders, O
Lord, and your faithfulness in the
assembly of the holy ones; For who
among the clouds can be compared
to the Lord?
Who is like the Lord among the host
of heaven?
All: My soul shall proclaim your
steadfast love, O Lord.
Choir A God feared in the council of the
holy ones, great and terrible above all
those round about him.
Who is like you, Lord God of hosts?
Mighty Lord, your faithfulness is all
around you.
All: My soul shall proclaim your
steadfast love, O Lord.
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Gospel Reading:
Luke 1.26-38
The Lord be with you.
All And also with you. Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ according to Luke
All Glory to you, O Lord.
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was
sent by God to a town in Galilee called
Nazareth, 27to a virgin engaged to a man
whose name was Joseph, of the house of
David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28And he
came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured
one! The Lord is with you.’ 29But she was
much perplexed by his words and pondered
what sort of greeting this might be. 30The
angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favour with God. 31And
now, you will conceive in your womb and
bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32He will be great, and will be called the Son
of the Most High, and the Lord God will give
to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33He will reign over the house of Jacob for
ever, and of his kingdom there will be no
end.’ 34Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this
be, since I am a virgin?’ 35The angel said to
her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you; therefore the child to be
born will be holy; he will be called Son of
God. 36And now, your relative Elizabeth in
her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said
to be barren. 37For nothing will be impossi-
ble with God.’ 38Then Mary said, ‘Here am I,
the servant of the Lord; let it be with me
according to your word.’ Then the angel
departed from her.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All Praise to you, O Christ.
Offertory: Sing We Of The Blessed Mother (NEH 185)
Communion Anthem: The Angel Gabriel (Pettman)
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Church Community News
CHRISTMAS SERVICES Postcards advertising our Christmas services
are now available at the back church. If you
are able to letterbox drop any of these, please take what you can.
EVENING PRAYER AND
WEDNESDAY EUCHARIST
Please note that is no service of Evening
Prayer on either December 24 or
December 31 and that there is no
Wednesday Eucharist on December 27.
8am MORNING PRAYER This service will be said at home from
Tuesday 26 December until Monday 1
January. It will resume as normal on Tuesday
January 2.
Note that there will be morning prayer on
Saturday December 30 at 9.30am.
SABINA ONI
Sabina Oni would like to wish all her friends
at St. Mary’s a merry Christmas and a happy
New Year.
Communion Hymn: Lo, He Comes With Clouds Descending
(NEH 9)
Post Communion Prayer: Heavenly Father,
who chose the Blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of the promised saviour:
fill us your servants with your grace,
that in all things we may embrace your holy
will
and with her rejoice in your salvation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Dismissal: Tell Out My Soul (NEH 186)
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Community News
CHURCHES TOGETHER Continuing the pattern of a brief monthly
prayer meeting, 6.00 - 6.30pm there is a
gathering at Balham Baptist Church (Ramsden Road opposite the library) this
coming Thursday 21st December and on
Thursday 25th January at the Salvation Army
Citadel (along the High Road almost to
Oldridge Road). All are most welcome.
NARTHEX FLOOR
CLEANING Please note that the Narthex floor is being
cleaned from 27-29 December. If you
require access to the church can you please
you the side entrance or, if you require the
office, please use the front door and
staircase.
PARISH ADMINISTRATOR
AND MUSIC DIRECTOR We have advertised to fill both these posts,
and you will see the adverts on the church
website and on the bulletin board at the
back of church. If you know anyone who
might be interested in applying, please send
them our direction.
UNWANTED CHRISTMAS
PRESENTS If you receive any unwanted Christmas
presents this year, why not donate them to
the church for a fund raising raffle?
Everything(*) gratefully received. No gift too
large or small. Please see Karen Gray for
further information.
PARISH ADMINISTRATOR
AND MUSIC DIRECTOR We have advertised to fill both these posts,
and you will see the adverts on the church
website and on the bulletin board at the
back of church. If you know anyone who
might be interested in applying, please send
them our direction.
(*) We may have to seriously consider whether or not to accept
One Direction memorabilia.
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Coming Up
During December we are collecting for
CRISIS for the homeless. They work the
whole year round, not just at Christmas, to
improve the lives of homeless people.
If you miss the mince pie sale please put
your donation in the box.
Sunday 24 December
(Advent 4 / Christmas Eve)
8am Said Eucharist (BCP)
10.30am Sung Eucharist
4.pm Crib Service
11.30pm Midnight Mass
(please note that there is no service
of Evening Prayer at St. Mary’s today)
Saturday 23 December
9.30am Morning Prayer
Monday 25 December (Christmas Day)
8am Said Eucharist (BCP)
10.30am Sung Festal Eucharist
Sunday 31 December (Christmas 1)
8am Said Eucharist (BCP)
10.30am Sung Eucharist
(please note that there is no service
of Evening Prayer at St. Mary’s today)
Tuesday 2 January
8am Morning Prayer
Wednesday 3 January
8am Morning Prayer
12.30pm Said Eucharist
Box On The High Road
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Our world: • For the peace of Jerusalem
Our church: • That we find ways to explain the meaning
of Christmas and welcome all those who
come looking to find out
A complete list of prayers can be found in the
printed version of this pewsheet
Our Prayers This Week
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Parish Priest:
The Revd. Dr. Robert Tobin
T: 0208 673 1188
Assistant Priests:
The Revd. Eileen Serbutt
T: 0208 767 8383
The Revd. Canon Bill Norman
Reader:
Susanne Mitchell
T: 0208 675 5057
SPA:
Daphne Clarke
Churchwardens:
Pauline Lacey
T: 0207 801 9281
Keith Holmes
T: 0208 677 8947
Director of Music:
(Please contact Keith Mitchell
Administrator:
T: 0208 675 3278
Office Hours:
Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 10-12
Lettings Officer:
Anzo Francis
Website:
www.stmarybalham.org.uk
Twitter: @balhamvicar
Pew sheet: For pew sheet notices, or to receive an
electronic copy of the pew sheet, please email: [email protected]
All songs covered by Christian Copyright Licensing reproduced under No.
156221 Registered Charity Number 1139488
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