Getting Ready for the King

It’s ‘that time of year’ again. Coles and Woolworths are awash with Christmas stuff, trees are now evident and off we go in the increase of end of term events at school, clubs and work and gift purchases and posting or giving. Some people love this. Many do not! No time to ‘get ready for the King’ in the midst of it all you may feel. However, there remain many misconceptions ( pun intended) about Christmas- literally, the Christ-anointed one / King coming. Firstly in Bethlehem and again in a time yet to be revealed. Both occasions are ones of great hope and joy for those who love Jesus and know His love.

Our current service structures on Sunday mean that we have two very different gatherings on Sunday mornings. Our 8 am remains a fairly traditional service, with a warm and welcoming congregation where our teaching continues in the familiar sermon format. However, since returning to the church building our 10 am congregational gatherings are very different with all kinds of approaches to learning and growing together. While not exclusively for families and children we are making it a service with our families, not for our families both young and old. Because of the way we are collaborating on these services we cannot record the teaching as it is more interactive and uses a wide variety of learning styles. My thanks to all those who have so readily participated in quizzes, dance, artistic expressions, team games and so on.

So as we ‘Get ready for the King’ at our 10 am service we are looking at the characters mentioned in our Advent candle lighting week by week, those who anticipated the first coming of Jesus to the world. At 8 am we will follow the regular readings of our wider Anglican church community. Sunday 29th November at 8 am I will be exploring some of Jesus’ teaching from Mark 13 on signs of the end of the age- what age was Jesus referring to, what signs and when did this happen and what is yet to happen? Listen to the recording if you can’t be with us. This Sunday, 29th at 10 am we are exploring through a ‘Who am I’ quiz and other means Abraham, Moses and David and how the promises given to them were fulfilled and continue to be fulfilled by Jesus.

We will be running at 8 am and 10 am services on the 29th Nov, 6th and 13th December. However, on the 20th December, we have only an 8 am service in the morning and a strictly ticketed family Carols and Cappucino event at 5:30 primarily for our immediate church family and friends. We have a number of restrictions on all our gatherings and especially this one as we seek to remain COVID safe. No ticket means no entry to that event:) I trust you understand.

On the evening of the 24th at 7 pm, we have a traditional Anglican communion service with some Carols. On the 25th at 8 am we have a short communion service and then an informal family service at 9 am . The following Sunday 27th there is a single service at 9 am. Single Sunday services continue until the 10th January when 8 am and services resume.

My thanks to Melissa, Julietta and Verity for helping us ‘Get ready for the King’.

So may I wish you all a blessed Advent season and a joyous Christmas which begins on the 25th December. I keep reminding everyone you have 12 days to celebrate so that helps take the pressure off a bit. We look forward to welcoming you here at St Nics in this season and beyond.

Jamie