Festive Worship Notes

Worship Notes

Dear Friends,

All over the world Christians are preparing to celebrate Christmas.  In the northern hemisphere the long dark days of Advent are slowly giving way to the light of the world which will soon enliven our hearts and minds.  Over the next few weeks we will gather in church and chapel, community centre or around a screen to worship.  We find the One who became flesh for our sake – in the music and silence, in the word read and proclaimed, in bread and wine, and in each other. 

Faithfully, week after week, ministers, elders, and lay preachers lead God’s people in worship.  Part of my ministry is to help with that task by co-ordinating the provision of Worship Notes which assist in the careful preparation of worship. Our Worship Notes offer all the prayers needed (and some that might not be!), notes on the readings that could be built into a sermon, and suggestions for hymns (which might be used or might stimulate the thinking of those who lead worship).

In this mailing I’d like to draw your attention to various Notes.

We have two sets for Christmas Eve.  One set has been written by Fay Rowland and the other by me offering a choice of styles and feel.  Both have Communion prayers in for those who wish to celebrate Holy Communion in this holiest of nights. The Rev’d Alex Clare Young has written a set of notes for Christmas Day drawing inspiration from various Christmas hits over the years.

For New Year’s Day the Rev’d Nicola Furley Smith has prepared the notes as we continue to celebrate Christmas and for 8th January you have a choice.  You could mark the Baptism of Christ with notes prepared by the Rev’d Susan McCoan or you could mark, two days late, Epiphany with me (many churches will observe Epiphany on 8th Jan).  Due to my indolence the Epiphany notes aren’t yet online but can be downloaded here.  

All the Worship Notes for these services can be found here https://urc.org.uk/your-faith/prayer-and-worship/worship-notes/

Worship Notes are designed to help plan worship locally. We also offer services by PowerPoint (which can be adapted) if you’d prefer to facilitate worship that way as a form of pulpit supply.  Sign up here if you’d like to access those materials.    The current set of PowerPoint material for pulpit supply along wit the audio and print versions to distribute locally to those who can’t get to church and don’t have access to the Internet can be found here along with instructions on how to use and download them.

I hope you find them useful – do let us know your thoughts on these resources as you use them.  I hope you have a lovely Christmas and New Year.

with every good wish

Andy

The Rev’d Andy Braunston
Minister for Digital Worship