Everlasting Life - Christ Church & St Saviour's, Chadderton
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20th December 2020 – 10th January 2021
Everlasting Life
That’s what’s on offer to everyone who repents and acknowledges
Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
“I have asked one thing from the Lord, this is what I will seek: to
dwell in the Lord’s house all the days of my life, to see the
graciousness of the Lord, and to visit His temple”. Psalm 27:4.
This will be a life which, astonishingly, will have no end. Think of that. It
is what the Lord our God is
preparing to give each one of us,
and only He can bestow this gift.
Our imaginations cannot even
comprehend how good this gift will
be; and it is absolutely certain that
there is no benefit which this world
can offer us to compare to this
promise from God. It is something so
amazing that it should be obvious to everyone that this is what governs
every circumstance of a Christian’s life.
So, whatever 2021 brings, positive or otherwise, our resolve must be to
continue, afresh each day, to keep Christ and our complete confidence
in Him, at the forefront of our minds, at all times.
Richard McPhail
Weekly meetings:
Sunday 11am Morning worship at Christ Church
Monday Morning prayers re-starting in the New Year
Thursday 7pm Parish prayer hour at Christ Church
Christmas Services:
Thursday 24th 4pm Christingle Service at St Saviour’s
Christmas Eve
Friday 25th 11am Christmas Day Communion (with Christingle) at Christ
Christmas Day Church
Booking essential for Christmas services
COVID 19 Update
Communal worship in the parish currently is at Christ Church, 11.00am on Sunday mornings.
As we go forward if we find that the number of people wishing and able to come exceeds our
safe capacity we will look to recommence services at St Saviour’s as well.
The number of seats available is limited due to social distancing. Please book your seats by
using the link: https://prayin.io/nxv-gfl-fko or email or phone the office, Dave or Margaret and
ask them to complete the booking on your behalf.
Please note that although people who are classed as ‘vulnerable’ for health or age reasons
should consider the risks which may be attached to attending a service there is no prohibition
on their doing so – it is entirely a personal decision. In order to comply with the guidelines for
safe opening the following will apply:
We must observe high levels of hygiene before, after and throughout the service - all
attending are requested to use hand sanitiser (available at the door)or wash their hand for
minimum of 20 seconds prior to entering the church
All attending must wear face masks for the duration (unless exempt due to age or
health conditions)
We have to take individuals’ details (name, contact telephone number, etc.) each time
they attend and retain the information for 21 days after the service. In the case of
infection these would have to be passed on to track and trace.
As far as practicable we will observe a one-way flow for movement inside church.
We will maintain the 2m social distancing between each household bubble
There will be no Sunday School, all children will need to sit with their parents and stay
with their parents the whole time they are inside the church (no running around) and
parents must accompany them to the bathroom should they need to go and ensure that
hygiene standards are maintained
There will be no singing.
There will be no refreshments or chatting after the service
And of course, anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19, has been asked to self-isolate having
had contact with someone who has tested positive, or is feeling unwell, should not attend.
Our sermon is also available (as video or audio file) on our YouTube channel at:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyfZeMWItDiPU3ggBoLDLTw
The Parish Office will close on 23rd December until 4th January 2021 due to leave. For anything
urgent please contact either Margaret or Dave during this period.
You may find the links below of interest as we remain unable to come together for teaching,
discipleship and support:
Bible App at https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/ : gives you tools to seek God’s
heart daily: listen to audio Bibles, create Prayers, study with Friends, explore 2,000+ Bible
versions, and much more
Online church: www.clayton.tv (for morning worship plus much more)
Daily Hope: 0800 804 8044. Free phone line offering hymns, prayers, and reflections 24
hours a day
* * *
Wishing everyone in our church family a very happy Christmas
and a happy and healthy New Year.
Christmas Services
Our services this year will have to be a bit different to usual. We are planning a Christingle
Family service at 4pm at St Saviour’s Church on Christmas Eve and a Christmas Day service at
11am at Christ Church (including Christingle and Holy Communion). Both of these services will
have a fixed capacity and booking your place is essential. Bookings open 7 days before each
service (17th & 18th December respectively) and will close 48 hours before the services so we can
ensure the seating is arranged for ‘family bubbles’. The booking codes for the services are as
follows,
Christmas Eve Christingle: St Saviour’s 4pm https://prayin.io/hdt-kpm-clw
Christmas Day Service: Christ Church 11am https://prayin.io/ruq-kcl-nhy
Christmas card posting
We know that you enjoy sharing Christmas cards. This year to enable the tradition
to continue whilst keeping you safe please can we request that you do not
distribute them yourselves but post them into the ‘postbox’ provided. The cards
will then be sorted and made available for collection from a table at the back of
church the following week (allowing time for them to become clear of any virus).
Please do not put your cards onto the table or touch other people’s cards ready for
collection. Even better, send one card to the whole church family and donate what
you would have spent to TearFund via box provided.
Christmas Shoeboxes
The shoeboxes were collected from Christ Church on the 10th December and now are on their
way to where they need to be for Christmas Day. Thank you to everyone who contributed in
any way, we were able to send 200 this year and they were greatly appreciated by Samaritans
Purse who organises the campaign each year.
Sunday School Christmas Gifts
We have sent each child who regularly attends our Sunday School a Christmas gift of a book.
We hope that you will enjoy them and spend time reading them with your children.
Readings:
This week: Isaiah 8.16-9.7 & Matthew 4.12-17 The coming saviour is a child who will be
light in the darkness
Christmas Day John 1.1-18 & Luke 2.1-21
December 27th 1 John 3:1 & 2 & Mark 10:13-16
January 3rd Mark 9.2-29 Jesus’ glory glimpsed
January 10th Mark 9.30 – 50 Losing to win
Please take time to read ahead
Food Store & King’s Kitchen
We are currently giving a ‘Food Store’ bag alongside the King’s Kitchen take away bag at our
Monday lunchtime session. As it’s difficult to buy in
bulk at the moment it would be really helpful if as
many of you as possible could purchase a few of
items on a regular basis – if you bring receipts in we
can reimburse you from the Food Store Fund.
Please select from the following:
Baked beans
Tins of peas and carrots
Tins of custard, rice pudding, peach slices
Tins of tuna or other fish
Packets of instant mash
Packets of ‘instant’ noodles, savoury rice
Tins of meaty items – chilli, curry, hot dog sausages, meatballs in gravy
Many of these items can be purchased as Store ‘saver’ or ‘foodstore’ economy versions.
Greater Manchester Bereavement Support Service
Greater Manchester Bereavement Service can help to find support for anyone that has been
bereaved or affected by a death. They offer support as well as advice on practical issues that
losing a loved one may bring. Please visit https://greater-manchester-bereavement-
service.org.uk/ or call us on 0161 983 0902 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (except bank
holidays) Wednesday, 9am to 8pm for help in finding the right support for you.The Parish of Christ Church Chadderton
& St Saviour’s Chadderton
Sermon Sheet
Sunday 20th December 2020 with Phil Rawlins
The coming Saviour: is a child who will
be light in the darkness
Advent wreath week 4: Love
John 3:16-19,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but
have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the
world to condemn the world, but to save the world
through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned,
but whoever does not believe stands condemned already
because they have not believed in the name of God’s one
and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the
world, but people loved darkness instead of light because
their deeds were evil.”
Today we light the fourth candle of Advent, the candle of Love.
Scripture tells us “There is no fear in love, for perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John
4:18). God created this world in love and this world will end in the love of God.
God’s love pervades all aspects of this life. From birth to death, pain to delight,
strangers to lovers, God’s love is there.
We light this candle as a sign of the light of his love.
Lord God, we can never thank you enough for your amazing love and grace,
shown to us in Jesus, your light shining into the darkness of our hearts and of
this world. Thank you as we receive your forgiveness the light of your love
removes our fear and draws us into your presence. May we be those who share
your love with others, in the power of your Spirit, bringing the good news of
that love to our family, friends and community. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.Bible readings: Isaiah 8.16-9.7 & Matthew 4.12-17 Great to be with you. And in the season of Advent which I love. Advent pre-dates the celebration of Christmas on 25th December. In some places it was a season of preparation, for baptism of new Christians at the feast of the Epiphany on 6th January, when our Eastern brothers and sisters in the Orthodox churches celebrate God’s incarnation, represented by the visit of Magi, so-called Wise men, to reveal Jesus to the world. And today we’re picking up on one of the major themes of this season – the light shining in the darkness. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the 20th Century German martyr, said that ‘the celebration of Advent is possible only to those who are troubled in soul, who know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look forward to something greater to come.’ This season is about looking forward in the light of what God has done in the past. And how fitting in this time of troubled souls, when we know ourselves to be poor, vulnerable, in grief with huge lament going on and truly imperfect that we can look forward and see God’s great plan unfolding, in the incarnation, that is God ‘emptied himself taking the form of a servant, being born in human likeness, and being found in human form….’. And as we reflect that this same Jesus, who has been taken into heaven, will come back in the same way as the disciples saw him go into heaven’. Alleluia! And now to today’s passages, this passage from Isaiah is familiar to many as one of the lessons from the formal Nine Lessons and Carols – it is a passage the Church takes as pointing to the coming of Jesus – a prophecy of his coming, with verses 6-7 and 8 immortalised by Handel’s Messiah. Indeed, our second reading Matthew takes these prophecies from Isaiah and applies them to Jesus – the fulfilment of these prophecies made over 700 years previously. As I prepare this sermon it is mid-morning but it is dark grey outside – heavy rain clouds are dropping their load. The lights in the house are all on – wet and gloomy outside, the days are still getting shorter. And for our world the future is very gloomy – the pandemic is still rampant, the economic forecast just terrible, with a serious recession and trade problems set for the coming year. Gloom and distress is all around us.
Yet friends, not to pretend that this is not happening we can see the bigger picture – God is at work. Isaiah provides a huge contrast between 8:22 ‘Then they will look towards the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom and they will be thrust into utter darkness’, and then 9:2 ‘The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned’. And what a contrast as his eyes are turned from the circumstances of the present to the future, God’s future, as he goes on to describe the hope that has shone into their world, what God will do and to explain this hope. Friends this advent time is a fantastic time where hope rises. In the midst of darkness God shines His light into our world in the birth of His Son, and the promise of His return – we know not when, but remain certain that He is coming back. That’s our confident hope. 1. So what has God done: He has shone light into darkness – to those living in the shadow of death a light has dawned (v. 2). He has turned what was humiliation for the region around Galilee into honour. He has enlarged the nation and increased their joy. Galilee is described as ‘of the Gentiles’. Even then Isaiah was prophesying that the Gentiles would be included. The nation of God indeed would be enlarged – it includes even us!! He has turned around their entire situation. How has He done this? – and here’s the Christmas message ‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given’. God has come to us in a frail, vulnerable and dependent child – quite remarkable. What has He done – Emmanuel – God is with us. It is utterly unique to the Christian faith that Almighty God – the transcendent God, totally different, and separate, that humans only worship from afar, has now become one of us, and as a frail, vulnerable baby. For our Muslim friends this is shirk – total blasphemy – they can’t understand it. But it is at the centre of our faith. This God became one of us in the person of Jesus, and we worship this child. 2. And then let’s ask what is this hope we have in the Birth of Jesus. This so-called oracle of salvation
- And the government will be on his shoulders.
Friends as Matthew tells us the message that Jesus came with as he started
his ministry was one of ‘Repent for the Kingdom of God is near’. He came
proclaiming a new Kingdom which Isaiah says will rest on His shoulders.
Those shoulders that carried the cross, on which He was executed for our
deliverance and healing. And we see in v. 4 that this will bring release from
oppression – ‘you have shattered the yoke that burden’s them, the bar
across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressors’. While in v. 5 the end to
war, ‘Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.’
And then in v.6 the ideal ruler is born.
- And the name or titles given to Him – Matthew in his
explanation of the beginning of Jesus’ ministry claims this passage. Jesus the
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of
the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.
- It is a radically new vision of the future – Isaiah turns
from the darkness and points to the light. Yes, these wonderful titles:
i) Wonderful Counselor – the one who stand alongside in the court of law,
who is there and remains there, supporting and speaking for us.
ii) Mighty God – the picture of power – God’s infinite power in this child, this
son born to us.
iii)Everlasting Father – the picture of God Himself as the Father – incarnate
in this child.
iv) Prince of Peace – the cry of people who have known nothing but
oppression and bloodshed. The cry for peace we hear all over the world.
The same cry we hear in many homes and communities, and indeed we
hear coming from people whose lives are lived in confusion and lack of
personal peace. Jesus the Prince of Peace.
This child – this son given to us carried the hopes of the people for a new life,
a better life – a life under the authority of this child – upon whose shoulders
the future rests.
And what more do we learn about Him:
- He will reign on David’s throne (v.7)
- Establishing it with justice and righteousness
- From that time and for evermore – His reign will last for ever. As Luke
picks up the angel Gabriel telling Mary that she will give birth to the
Son of God – God incarnate – a human being – remarkable. ‘He will be
great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God willgive the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of
Jacob forever; His Kingdom will never end.’ (Lk 1:32-33).
And then the promise that the zeal of the Lord almighty will establish this.
There can be little doubt that this oracle points directly to the coming of the
Messiah, the great Son of David and the true light.
This passage is pointing to Jesus and Matthew in quoting it would have been
tapping into the expectation of many of the Jews. The Messiah was expected
and passages like Isaiah 9 carried huge significance. Matthew was saying –
what you have expected and waited for has been fulfilled before your eyes.
Into the darkness God has shone His light. As John reminds us ‘the light
shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it’.(Jn. 1:5).
At Christmas at the darkest time of the year for us, and in this terrible
situation that we and indeed the whole world is caught up in, it feels very
dark indeed. But friends the message of Christmas is that into the darkness
God has shone His light – supremely and uniquely in His Son. And we carry
that light in us. We who know Jesus, who have opened our lives to Him, and
know that He has entered in. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of
life.”
Friends in this situation that we face let’s claim this promise – let’s open our
lives afresh to Him, this Christmas, and know that promise fulfilled that
‘whoever follows Jesus will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of
life’.
We carry the light of Christ in us, and we seek to let that light shine through
us into all the circumstances our world faces.
For we are people who walk in darkness, who have seen a great light; on
those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned’. For unto
us a child is born, to us a child is given.’ And he shall reign for ever in justice
and righteousness.
What a fantastic message we have to share, in all the doom and gloom – God
has shone His light into our hearts and we can walk in that light today.
Friends I wish you a wonderful Christmas, lived in the light of Christ, filled
with His warmth and presence, and may each of you know His light shining
ever more brightly into 2021.
Amen.As a prayer I shall play ‘Great is the darkness’.
(Here a link if you are on the internet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vo74LSKIJY)
These are the words you can use as a prayer:
Great is the darkness
That covers the earth
Oppression, injustice and pain
Nations are slipping
In hopeless despair
Though many have come in Your name
Watching while sanity dies
Touched by the madness and lies
Come Lord Jesus, come Lord Jesus
Pour out Your spirit we pray
Come Lord Jesus, come Lord Jesus
Pour out Your spirit on us today
May now Your church rise
With power and love
This glorious gospel proclaim
In every nation
Salvation will come
To those who believe in Your name
Help us bring light to this world
That we might speed Your return
Come Lord Jesus, come Lord Jesus
Pour out Your spirit we pray
Come Lord Jesus, come Lord Jesus
Pour out Your spirit on us today
Great celebrations
On that final day
When out of the heavens You come
Darkness will vanish
All sorrow will end
And rulers will bow at Your throne
Our great commission complete
Then face to face we shall meetCome Lord Jesus, come Lord Jesus
Pour out Your spirit we pray
Come Lord Jesus, come Lord Jesus
Pour out Your spirit on us today
Prayers
Take time to pray for:
Our world: Corona virus pandemic, climate change & stewardship
of the world; our persecuted brothers and sisters around the
world
Our country: Our government and leaders, our scientists, doctors
and researchers, people affected by the lockdown & recession,
Brexit negotiations
Our church and community: our parish family, the opening of the
church for communal worship and preparation for Christmas, a
new shepherd for our flock, our mission partners
Ourselves: to grow in understanding of Jesus’ love and grace, to
put our trust in our Lord and saviour
Please remember:
the frontline NHS and staff in care homes etc
Key workers including supermarket workers, delivery drivers, food
manufacturers, school teachers and public transport providers
You may end each time with:
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Prayer requests:
Carol & Andy Gardner: for God to sustain them and heal them
Eddie Wilson: recovery and healing after recent stroke
Marjorie Gratton as she adjusts to life within a care home
Alan Dean: for recovery after his recent stroke, fall & corona virus
Norma Howe
Doreen Buckley after another fall Doreen Green
Evelyn Whitworth as she continues to recover
Mary (Bola) Amusa, Linda Mushiko and Eunice Hamed for protection
for them as they work with increased risks of COVID infection
Audrey Newton: for healing, recovery and wisdom for her doctors
Esmee (Derek & Audrey Newton’s granddaughter) and her
continuing health problems
Sienna Grace (for continued improvement)
Valerie Harley: recovery from her fall
Alison & Graham Beswick for continued recovery
Pauline Dalton: for God’s sustaining love throughout treatment and
wisdom for her doctors
Michelle, Greg & Ripley (Alison & Graham Beswick’s daughter and
family)
Mildred West & Edith West
The Lord’s prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
The peace of God which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and
minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ
our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit, be upon us and remain with us always. Amen.
Christ Church and St Saviour’s
Parish office: 0161 624 2326
Emails: office@christchurchchadderton.co.uk
Website: www.christchurchchadderton.co.ukYou can also read
