Hills of the north, rejoice;
river and mountain spring,
hark to the advent voice;
valley and lowland, sing;
though absent long, your Lord is nigh;
He judgment brings and victory.

Isles of the southern seas,
deep in your coral caves
pent be each warring breeze,
lulled be your restless waves:
He comes to reign with boundless sway,
and makes your wastes His great highway.

Lands of the East, awake,
soon shall your sons be free;
the sleep of ages break,
and rise to liberty.
On your far hills, long cold and grey,
has dawned the everlasting day.

Shores of the utmost West,
ye that have waited long,
unvisited, unblessed,
break forth to swelling song;
high raise the note, that Jesus died,
yet lives and reigns, the Crucified.

Sunday December 1st – Saturday December 7th

Please Read, Luke chapter 1, verses 5 - 23

The bitter wind has flayed the trees to bone.
The old leaves have been torn off and condemned.
In this Advent season we remember,
The one lowly born; yet rarer than gold.
In these bleak, darkening days we remember
This symbol of light; who still radiates
Despite the endless din of distractions.
In this wanton world, He's a calm centre:
Whose birth was a sunburst of new meanings: .
Whose love was adorned with flakes of beauty;
Whose grace was as soft as snow & flowers;
Whose ultimate sacrifice set us free. 

  • Please pray for the Free Church, as we prepare to celebrate Christmas…For all who will share in our services…For all who will visit the Church building…For all who will be visiting family & friends…For all those for whom Christmas is the only time they attend Church…
  • For those of our congregation who will be travelling to other places…sharing Christmas with family members far away…For the memories we have of those no longer with us…
  • For those of our congregation prevented from being with their families this Christmas, unable to visit them where they are, and they unable to leave their country to travel here…

Sunday December 8th – Saturday December 14th

 Please read Luke 1, verses 57 - 66

The room is dark and dank
Except for a silver sliver of light
Breaking through the cracked doorway
That separates the unknown and the known
A door opening ever so slightly into eternity
A glimpse of what could be and what will be
Those who are so thirsty for freedom
Will limp their way towards the shining beam
Looking out into the starlit mystery
Of this immeasurable God-made-flesh.

  • During this Election week, let us pray that each one of us might cast our vote as our conscience dictates; at ease with ourselves in the choice that we make…
  • For those duly elected, both to govern us and to represent us, that they might be humbled by the responsibility, yet inspired by the opportunity given to them to serve in this way…
  • For those who will be disappointed with the result, disgruntled at the outcome…For a measure of acceptance, yet all the while determined to continue in their pursuit of what they believe to be right…

Sunday December 15th – Saturday December 21st

 Please read Luke 1, verses 67 - 79

Love incarnate brushes against hardened hearts
Light and beauty echo in ancient song
They have moved out of the room
They are outside now
Stepping, stumbling
Groping, hoping
Oh, the open sky pierces our soul
A deep welling lingers on inside
For the beauty of Love unending
The dream of renewal and redemption
Of now and not yet.

  • Let us pray for all those for whom Christmas is anything but a holiday…For those who will be working to ensure that essential services are available…For those who cannot afford to take time off, even at Christmas…For all for Christmas is a lonely time…
  • For our Jewish friends & neighbours as they celebrate Hanukkah…and for those of other faiths and none…For peaceful cooperation between those who believe differently from each other…
  • For all those for whom Christmas is nothing more than an excuse for making fools of themselves’ in whatever way…

Sunday December 22nd – Saturday December 28th

Please read Luke 2, verses 1 – 20

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th'unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
'There is no peace on earth, ' I said
'For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.'

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.'

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace & truth’

Sunday December 29th – Saturday 4th January

Please read Luke 2, verses 21 - 38

Look how long
the tired world waited,
locked in its lonely cell,
guilty as a prisoner.

As you can imagine,
it sang and whistled in the dark.
It hoped. It paced and puttered about,
tidying its little piles of inconsequence.

It wept from the weight of ennui
draped like shackles on its wrists.
It raged and wailed against the walls
of its own plight.

But there was nothing
the world could do
to find its freedom.
The door was shut tight.

It could only be opened
from the outside.
Who could believe the latch
would be turned by the flower
of a new born hand?

  • Let us pray concerning the New Year: remembering with a mix of emotions all that this last year contained…Let us in our hearts resolve to be the person we know we ought to be…Not to burden ourselves with unrealistic expectations…to accept each day as it comes…
  • Let us commend our memories of the year 2019 to God…