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St
Alban’s (Grand Cayman) & St Mary’s (Cayman Brac) | ||
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29
November 2009 Welcome
to
St
Alban's Anglican Church
Today's Scripture: Jeremiah 33:14-16 1 Thessalonians 3: 9-end S. Luke 21: 25-36 Today:
8.35 a.m. Matins; 9.00 a.m. Church School; 9.30 a.m. Holy Eucharist;
6.00 p.m. EP. This
Week: Mon, S. Andrew’s Day 12.30 pm HC, Tues – Fri: 12.30 pm
Midday Prayers. 1st
Sunday in Advent
Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever.
FAITH IN FOCUS:WAITING-HOPING-TRUSTING We’re
in the middle of two Advents. One has already happened 2,000 years
ago when God came among us as a baby in the person of Jesus of
Nazareth. The second one is still to happen in the future when
Christ will return and human history will come to an end. Today’s
liturgy concentrates on this future coming. But
in a world that doesn’t even know that Advent exists and that has
already flung itself fully into the festivities of a commercial
Christmas, how can Christians celebrate Advent? In
Advent, Christians wait. We just wait. Every week in our Creed we
speak of Jesus coming again to judge the living and the dead; and we
talk about looking forward to the resurrection of the dead and the
life of the world to come. Advent reminds us that there is more to
life than what we see with our eyes and hear with our ears. A
promise of everlasting life is on offer. Advent is about maturing
slowly, about allowing God’s Spirit to form us and mould us so
we’re ready for Christ’s coming. In
Advent, Christians hope. If we celebrate Advent properly then we
feel a sense of great longing. We find ourselves yearning for Christ
to come again and to set up his everlasting kingdom where we shall
see God face to face and enjoy the unending happiness of heaven.
Advent hope sustains us amid all the comings and goings of a society
intent on having and getting, one that mistakes pleasure for joy,
consuming for concern and enjoyment for bliss. But Christians wait
in joyful hope for Christ to return. In
Advent, Christians recognise their trust and dependence on God.
It’s not all down to us. It is God who will unlock the gates of
heaven for us. Our God will not come to condemn us but to set us
free since Christ is not a predator but a liberator. Advent
encourages us to recognise and acknowledge our dependence on God.
Will we be around when Christ comes back again or will we see God
face to face when we die? The chances are the latter. But because we
are held in the palm of God’s hand we await his coming in joyful
hope. And our Advent cry is: Come, Lord Jesus, come!
WORD
OF GOD In
those days and at that time, I will make a virtuous branch grow for
David, who shall practise honesty and integrity in the land. (Jeremiah
33:15)
WORD FOR TODAY As
the Church’s year begins once more we look to the future and to the
coming of Christ. To celebrate Advent is to increase our longing and
yearning for being with our saviour, Jesus Christ, and to grow in love
of our brothers and sisters. Our Advent prayer is that we may mature
in faith and good works. THIS
WEEK’S BIBLE READINGS Mon (S. Andrew, Ap): Isaiah 52: 7–10, Rom 10: 12-18, Matt 4: 18–22 Tues: Isaiah 26: 1-13, Matt 12: 22–37, Rev 20 Wed: Isa 28: 1-13, Matt 12: 38-end, Rev 21: 1–8 Thurs: Isa 28: 14–end, Matt 13: 1–23, Rev 21: 9-21 Fri: Isa 29: 1–14, Matt 13: 24–43, Rev 21:22 – 22:5 Sat : Isa 29: 15-end, Matt 13: 44-end, Rev 22: 6-end NEXT
SUNDAY :
Malachi 3: 1-4,
Philippians 1: 3-11, S. Luke 3: 1-6
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