Sunday Worship 14 December 2025
Today’s service is led by the Revd Catherine McFie
Introduction
Hello and welcome to worship. My name is Catherine McFie and at the time of recording this service I am approaching the end of my current ministry in Liverpool. I have been called to the Ecumenical post on the Isle of Man and all going well when you are listening to this service I will be one week into that new ministry. There is much to be thankful for as I reflect on my time in Liverpool and there is much to look forward to as I embark on a new journey in a different place and with different people. It is a privilege to share worship with you and I pray that wherever you are and whenever you are listening, God’s Spirit will bless our time together. So let us worship God.
Call to Worship
In this season of Advent can you imagine a world that is different: a world where everyone has hope, a world where we live in peace with our neighbours, a world where we give joyful thanks to God, despite everything, a world where people know that they are loved by God, can you imagine what that would be like?
Transforming God, as we come in praise and worship
open our hearts to the work of your Spirit
that we may be transformed
and so in turn we become your transformers. Amen.
Hymn Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness
Rusty Edwards (born 1955) © 1987 Hope Publishing Company. OneLicence No. # A-734713. Sung by Heather Jordan from the St George in the Pines Anglican Church, Banff, Canada
Praise the One who breaks the darkness with a liberating light.
Praise the One who frees the prisoners turning blindness into sight.
Praise the One who preached the Gospel healing every dread disease.
Calming storms and feeding thousands with the very bread of peace.
Praise the One who blessed the children with a strong yet gentle word.
Praise the One who drove out demons with a piercing two-edged sword.
Praise the One who rings cool water to the desert’s burning sand.
From this well comes living water quenching thirst in every land.
Praise the one true love incarnate: Christ who suffered in our place.
Jesus died and rose for many that we may know God by grace.
Let us sing for joy and gladness seeing what our God has done.
Praise the one redeeming glory. Praise the One who makes us one.
Prayers of Approach and Confession
Amazing God, we thank you for another new day
and the opportunities it holds to serve you
we thank you that we can come together to worship you,
learn from your Word and grow as disciples.
We thank you for your faithfulness, despite our wandering;
we thank you for your unfailing love.
We thank you for Jesus and that through his life, death
and resurrection we are reconciled with you.
we thank you for the Holy Spirit living in us and working through us
Triune God, we bring you our praise and worship.
Gracious and loving God,
sometimes following your ways is not easy,
forgive us for the times when we have ignored our neighbour’s need,
forgive us for the words we have spoken that have hurt and divided,
forgive us for not trusting in your promises or standing up for our faith.
Lord in our imperfection we come seeking forgiveness,
knowing that only you can help us be more faithful disciples.
(silence)
Gracious God, your heart is full of mercy.
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
Let us return to you with joy in our hearts.
Thanks be to God, Amen.
Hymn People Look East
Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965) Unknown Copyright OneLicence No. # A-734713 Sung by Chris Brunelle and used with his kind permission.
People, look east. The time is near
of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the guest, is on the way.
Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare,
one more seed is planted there:
Give up your strength the seed to nourish,
that in course the flower may flourish.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Rose, is on the way.
Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim
One more light the bowl shall brim,
Shining beyond the frosty weather,
Bright as sun and moon together.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the star, is on the way.
Angels, announce with shouts of mirth
Christ who brings new life to earth.
Set every peak and valley humming
With the word, the Lord is coming.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Lord, is on the way.
Prayer of Illumination
Lord, as we listen to your word read and preached,
open our ears that we may hear your Word anew.
Open our hearts that we may respond to the promptings of your Spirit.
May what we learn blossom within us so that we are transformed.
In Jesus name we pray. Amen
Reading Isaiah 35:1 – 10
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.’ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God’s people; no traveller, not even fools, shall go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Hymn From All That Dwell Below the Skies
Isaac Watts (1674-1748) Public Domain. Unknown Singer at the First Presbyterian Church of Saginaw.
From all that dwell below the skies
let the creator’s praise arise:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Let the redeemer’s name be sung,
through every land, by every tongue:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
In ev’ry land begin the song;
to every land the strains belong.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
In cheerful sound all voices raise
and fill the world with joyful praise.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Eternal are thy mercies, Lord;
eternal truth attends thy word:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore,
till suns shall rise and set no more:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Reading St Luke 1:46b – 55
Mary said: ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
Sermon
Isaiah chapter 35 is a wee bit of a surprise. The preceding chapter is not an easy read and paints a picture of destruction and then without a break and without an explanation we suddenly have a picture of restoration and hope. While some scholars debate the placement of this chapter and question if it is a later addition to the book I wonder if these words are exactly where God intended them to be. God knows that there is only so much destruction and judgement that a people can take before losing hope completely so this surprising change of focus would have been like a breath of fresh air, and would have given the people something to cling on to, something that speaks of a better place, a different time, a new life compared to their current experience.
At the heart of the image painted by the words is a journey through the wilderness, a journey of returning to the promised land. The original journey out of Egypt was fraught with trials and challenges but this return journey will be one of rejoicing as the wilderness blossoms and flourishes with life.
As we read through the verses of this chapter, we can see that this is not just simply about an exile people returning to their homeland, but this is about physical, spiritual and ecological restoration.
The wilderness that was once a place of fear or struggle or suffering is now a place where people can see the glory of God in the flowers that bloom. The land that was once barren is now so fertile it is compared to Lebanon and Sharon, places known for their natural beauty and rich vegetation. The human voice no longer cries out in lament but sings in praise. Water that was scares now flows in streams and gathers in pools and where there is water there is life. Lions and other dangerous animals are no longer a threat to travellers.
Towards the end of our reading, we are introduced a highway through the desert, the Holy Way. This represents the future and hope for a people who are struggling with their faith in exile. In this future, on this road, it is not possible to go astray, and those who take this road will rejoice in their homecoming.
We hear echoes of this future in our reading from Luke’s gospel as Mary sings out her praise to God. Every time I read these words I am in awe of Mary. Despite all the drama that is going on her life she understands more than many of the people we met in the bible. Mary recognises that what God has asked her to be part of is not something that will simply make her life complicated for a time, but it is something that is changing the future for everyone. The future is not one that people are expecting because now the future is one in which the promises of the past become reality, where the voice of the disenfranchised is heard and justice and equality shape how things are done.
In Isaiah there is the promise of restoration and in Luke the transformation process has begun. God’s kingdom in now a reality on earth, and Mary recognises that this baby she is carrying has a key role to play in this new future. The fact that God has involved her in bringing this change about, the fact that God’s hand is and will be at work in the world, the fact that this future is underpinned by God’s love and mercy, is it any wonder that Mary’s voice is raised in praise and worship to God.
As I have looked at these two passages I have been struggling with the difference between restoration and transformation because I see elements of both in each passage. The desert will be transformed by crocuses, but the people will be restored to Jerusalem. Maybe true restoration is only possible through transformation, as long as our hearts follow the ways of the world then the process of restoration is never complete.
On this third Sunday of Advent as we prepare to welcome Christ into the world as a newborn baby, two questions come to my mind to challenge us. The first is where to we see transformation taking place in our communities or in the wider world? If transformation has begun as Mary’s song suggests then there must be signs of this transformation in our world. When I read about crocus blossoming in the desert, I thought about the poppies that came to life on the battle fields of France and Belgium after World War 1 transforming the landscape. In one of my churches, they have a welcome space which is open for a couple of hours once a week. When I visited recently it was great to see how the small group of men who attend regularly have transformed from strangers to people who share what is happening in their lives and encourage and support each other. Transformation happens when barriers are broken down, where people feel valued, where there is a common cause to support and where actions are driven by love. The second question is harder but just as important – what are we doing to transform the world around us? Mary transformed the world by being willing to be Jesus’ mother, to carry him in her womb, go through childbirth and love and care for him until he was an adult. So how is God asking us to help transform the world today? How are we using our time and talents in kingdom building? How are we being transformed by the Spirit so we can be more faithful and willing disciples? What has us raising our voice to God in praise because of what God is doing in our communities?
Isaiah describes a future that speaks of spiritual, physical and ecological renewal. Mary’s song tells us that God has already started this renewal through transformation. When I look at the community around me, as I listen to the news I know that work still needs to be done so as we prepare for Christmas let us take some time and answer these two questions and let us be as willing as Mary to do our part in transforming the world into a place that lives by the values of the kingdom of God. Amen.
Hymn Heaven Shall Not Wait
John L Bell (born 1949) and Graham Maule (1958-2019) © 1987 WGRG, c/o Iona Community OneLicence No. # A-734713 Performed by Ruth and Joy Everingham © 2020 and used with their kind permission.
Heaven shall not wait for the poor to lose their patience,
the scorned to smile, the despised to find a friend:
Jesus is Lord; he has championed the unwanted;
in him injustice confronts its timely end.
Heaven shall not wait for the rich to share their fortunes,
the proud to fall, the elite to tend the least:
Jesus is Lord; he has shown the master’s privilege –
to kneel and wash servants’ feet before they feast.
Heaven shall not wait for the dawn of great ideas,
thoughts of compassion divorced from cries of pain:
Jesus is Lord; he has married word and action;
his cross and company make his purpose plain.
Heaven shall not wait for triumphant hallelujahs,
when earth has passed and we reach another shore:
Jesus is Lord; in our present imperfection:
his power and love are for now and then for evermore.
Prayers of Intercession
In our prayers today there will be space to voice your own concerns. We will end each section with Lord in your mercy, if you could reply, hear our prayers.
Transforming God,
we come before you now with our prayers for others.
We long to see your kingdom grow,
and yet there is much pain, hatred and conflict
that we can struggle to see your vision of a better world.
As we come together in prayer, open our hearts to the need around us
and help us bring these things before you.
Lord in your mercy hear our prayers
We pray for people and places who are affected the most because of the climate crisis …
(pause)
Lord in your mercy hear our prayers
We pray for those whose voice is ignored or simply not heard …
(pause)
Lord in your mercy hear our prayers
We pray for those who face racism, prejudice, hatred daily ….
(pause)
Lord in your mercy hear our prayers
We pray for those who are trying to make a positive difference in reducing inequality and injustice ….
(pause)
Lord in your mercy hear our prayers
We pray for places of conflict, of political unrest, of danger….
(pause)
Lord in your mercy hear our prayers
God of hope, we offer up our prayers in the name of Jesus as we pray together the words he taught us saying: Our Father…
Offertory Prayer
With joyful hearts let us prepare to offer to God the first fruits of our labours so that God’s work can continue to transform our communities.
Generous and gracious God,
We thank you for all that you have freely given us.
With thankful and joyful hearts, we bring you our offering,
of money time and talents.
Use these gifts to your glory,
Transforming us and our communities into places
where your name is glorified
and your kingdom values shape our life together.
In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Hymn Tell Out My Soul
Timothy Dudley-Smith (1926-2024) from Luke 1 vs46-55 © administered by Oxford University Press in Europe OneLicence No # A-734713 BBC Songs of Praise
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings, give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word;
in God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age the same;
his holy Name, the Lord, the Mighty One.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children’s children and for evermore.
Blessing / Sending out
Lord, as we leave this time of worship
and go out into our communities
open our eyes to your work around us
open our ears to your calling on our time and talents
may we be ready to be agents of transformation.
As we go, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
The love of God and the fellowship of the holy Spirit,
Be with us today, tomorrow, and always. Amen.