A lovely photo from Michael

Daily Readings
Sunday 19 December 2021
4th Sunday of Advent

Readings

Psalm 80.1–8
1  Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, •
   you that led Joseph like a flock;
2  Shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim, •
   before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
3  Stir up your mighty strength •
   and come to our salvation.
4  Turn us again, O God; •
   show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
5  O Lord God of hosts, •
   how long will you be angry at your people’s prayer?
6  You feed them with the bread of tears; •
   you give them abundance of tears to drink.
7  You have made us the derision of our neighbours, •
   and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
8  Turn us again, O God of hosts; •
   show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
 
Hebrews 10.5–10
5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
   but a body you have prepared for me; 
6 in burnt-offerings and sin-offerings
   you have taken no pleasure. 
7 Then I said, “See, God, I have come to do your will, O God”
   (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).’ 
8When he said above, ‘You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt-offerings and sin-offerings’ (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, ‘See, I have come to do your will.’ He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. 10 And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 

Gospel Reading
 
Luke 1.39–55
 
39  In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
46  And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord, 
47   and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, 
48 for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
   and holy is his name. 
50 His mercy is for those who fear him
   from generation to generation. 
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
   he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
   and lifted up the lowly; 
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
   and sent the rich away empty. 
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
   in remembrance of his mercy, 
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
   to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Prayer for the day:
In this Advent of expectation
draw us together in unity,
that our praise and worship
might echo in these walls
and also through our lives.
In this Advent of expectation
draw us together in mission,
that the hope within
might be the song we sing,
and the melody of our lives.
In this Advent of expectation
draw us together in service,
that the path we follow
might lead us from a stable
to a glimpse of eternity.
Amen.

Website:
Have a look at this website - Christianity.com (Click here)