Week beginning 26th November

 

Song: O worship the king

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAyKmYD2Zg8

Today is the last Sunday of the church year, next week the year begins with the first Sunday in Advent, four Sundays before Christmas. Today reminds us that it is Stir Up Sunday? a Sunday linked with Christmas puddings.

Stir the pudding‚ sisters‚ brothers; God has blessed us — think of others.
Fruit aplenty in the mixture gives it body‚ gives it texture.
Stir your people‚ God who made us; let inertia not degrade us!
Fruit aplenty in our living‚ make us caring and self-giving.

Words: Copyright‚ ©‚ 2002‚ Norman J Goreham

The great cry 'stir up' was a reminder to congregations to get the Christmas pudding made in plenty of time to mature before Christmas. In addition to the mixture was a silver threepenny bit or a silver sixpence whoever gets it on their plate on Christmas Day should get worldly riches heaped upon them. However, the Stir Up prayer is actually asking God for something much more important. For God to do the stirring;

Let us pray Stir up, we ask you O God the wills and hearts of your faithful people; that they, and us may bring you the fruit of good works,; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bible Reading Colossians 1 : 3 – 14

.Song: O Thou who camest from above.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G409PiftzDk

Prayer

O Lord, you are our shepherd, And yet we want. We lie down when we could act,
We stir the pot of resentment when we could be stirring a pot of comfort
We wander tempting paths instead of following you.
We see the desire in earthly things, rather than in you.
We hate our enemies and refuse to break bread with them,
We see scarcity even when you offer us abundance.
We pray for forgiveness, for your goodness and mercy,
So that we might dwell in You, in your grace, forever. Amen.

Since the Victorian era in Britain, Stir-Up Sunday has been family tradition of gathering and preparing for Christmas. Specifically by making Christmas pudding, an essential part of the holiday.

Memory of one Family’s Tradition of Stir-Up Sunday,

Stir-Up Sunday begin when the family gathered in the kitchen.

It was a time of reading the old recipe pouring and mixing ingredients together, all of the family would take in turn to stir traditionally it was stirred from the East to the West in honour of the Wise Men who followed the star to bring gifts to baby Jesus. The small compass that came out of a Christmas cracker lived in the box with the plastic holly and Christmas cake decorations. The smell of the smell of spices and fruit fill the kitchen. Grandmother was left to finish off the pudding she placed a silver charm in the mix then would tie the mix in a rag and placed in a steaming bowl. Preparation of decorating the tree. Memories of the little treasures is the true spirit of Christmas, because Christmas isn’t a “Trend”; it’s an amazing season to share time and love with those who fill your heart.

Another family story The Decorating the tree together was a family affair, we would gather around the tree on the eve of Christmas to switch on the lights, it reminded us to share the love of Gods light and love. We would take a small gift of chocolates to our neighbours on Christmas morning after coming home from chapel.

Christmas should be a joy not a stressful project that leads to months if not years of debt. Over the months leading up to Christmas we are inundated with perfect images of decorated homes, wrapped gifts and tables styled with napkins adorned with just the right accessory.

We talk colour schemes for this year’s festive season, and purchase the gifts that will tell our children that they are loved to the moon and back again. We can become overwhelmed with the pressure to deliver the perfect Christmas for everyone.

The little decorations of candy canes tells me that the perfect Christmas is something different. The true spirit of Christmas that fills the home comes from the heart of God; He is always there and is always perfect. Remember Everything can be great joy and fun even if the roast potatoes are burnt and your chairs don’t match. Jesus is the reason for this season.

Song: O Christmas tree ( words below )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcMdVq_kMP8

O Christmas Tree!

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging;
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging;
Not only green when summer's here,
But also when 'tis cold and drear.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging!

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Much pleasure thou can'st give me;
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Much pleasure thou can'st give me;
How often has the Christmas tree
Afforded me the greatest glee!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Much pleasure thou can'st give me.

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Hangs canes of pretty candy;
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Hangs canes of pretty candy;
with tinsel green and silvery
glittering red bows tied with ivy
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Hangs canes of pretty candy;

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy small lights shine so brightly!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy small lights shine so brightly!
From base to summit, glad and bright,
There's only splendour for the sight.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy small lights shine so brightly!

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!
Thou bidst us true and faithful be,
And trust in God unchangingly.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee! !"

 Ernst Anschütz. 

Altered by and 3rd verse written S Youdan

Story The Legend of the Candy Cane By Lori Walburg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to5m-BdCMqw

Prayer

Like the letter J, I pray that your Christmas will be filled with Jesus. His love will wrap you.  His peace will guide you. His joy will fill you and overflow. His strength will make your strong and gentle. His grace will make you forgiving and loving.

Like the shepherds staff, I pray that the Good Shepherd would draw you and those you  love to His heart, to experience the sweetest love of all.

Like the red, I pray that you will experience all the saving grace that He purchased for you on the cross. Peace. Joy. His presence. Eternal life.

Like the white, may you remember the cleansing power is greater than mankind’s inhumanity. His blood cleanses us from all sin.

Like the green may the beauty of creation bring stillness to your mind may His strength up lift you and bring you contentment

Like the stripes, by His stripes you are healed. I pray that you will walk in healing and health.

Song: Love came down at Christmas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUsYcm7g-zE

I will leave you with the wise words of Dr Seuss from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas:

It came without ribbons! It came without tags!

It came without packages, boxes or bags!

And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! 

Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.

Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!

If you can, buy a candy cane for your tree and one for someone and tell them the candy cane story.

May the peace and love of God be with you this day and always.

Song: Tell out my soul

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcFsxk1EbY4