There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
John 1:6-8 NIV
Send us Father God to every corner of the world with Good News
Amen
Welcome to our Family Christmas Worship
You are invited to stay for tea and mince pies after the service which will be served to you by Joan and Chris
Our thanks for the flowers this morning that are given by Christina and Warren in memory of their brother John Arthur
Organist:Joan McGowan
Sunday 18th December
11.00am Rev Chris Pritchard (Communion)
Diary Dates
December
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Sun 11th Carols by Candlelight Llangollen 6.00pm
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Mon 12th Every Day with Jesus Bible study 1.30pm
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Mon 12th Carols around Overton Village 6.30pm
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Tue 13th Carols & Mince Pies Rhosymedre 4.00pm
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Thu 15th International Carol Service Regent Street 7.00pm and supper at 6.00pm
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Sat 17th Scratch Carols on the Steps Llangollen 2.00pm
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Sat 17th Action for Children Service Regent Street 3.00pm
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Mon 19th Carol Singing around the village 6.00pm. Meet at the junction of Heulwyn Close and Hawarden Road
The Order of Christmas
Christmas turns things tail-end foremost. The day and the spirit of Christmas rearrange the world parade. As the world arranges it, usually there come first in importance—leading the parade with a big blare of a band—the Big Shots. Frequently they are also the Stuffed Shirts. That’s the first of the parade. Then at the tail end, as of little importance, trudge the weary, the poor, the lame, the halt, and the blind. But in the Christmas spirit, the procession is turned around. Those at the tail end are put first in the arrangement of the Child of Christmas.
Halford E. Luccock, “Whoops! It’s Christmas”
Please pray for the following:
Avril Williams
Sandra Johnson
Phyllis Davies
Everett Williams
Ena Wild
All those who care for those in need.
We thank God for answered prayer and ask that he helps us to understand that all things do work together for good.
Ain’t Highfalutin John 1:6-8
There was a man sent from God…
That phrase hasn’t sat well with me for a while now: “sent by God.” There’s just something…foreign about it.
I use the term “call” all the time—probably every sermon! We’re called by God to be a certain kind of people. I was called by God to ordained ministry. The parish I serve is called to a certain outreach ministry. I was called to serve St. Mark’s as rector. Et cetera, et cetera.
I wouldn’t dream though of saying that I was sent by God to St. Mark’s. That just seems wrong.
There’s just a difference between called and sent.
Being called means that God has come to us, where we are, and commissioned us to do something for the Kingdom. Being sent… well, that means we were with God, or aligned with God in some special way, and commissioned to go somewhere else.
There’s a difference. A big difference.
And I have a very hard time shaking the emotional/ spiritual baggage of claiming that God has sent me anywhere. It just feels so…elitist. So highfalutin.
And yet…God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way of the Lord.
Paul speaks of being sent by God over and over again. Jesus called the seventy together and sent them out. And, before ascending into Heaven Jesus sent us, his followers, to every corner of the earth to announce the Good News.
God sends. Jesus sends.
And it’s folk like us who get sent.
The thing I notice about the sending of John though, which brings me great comfort, is that it had absolutely nothing to do with John. It is so crystal clear that while John was sent to testify to the light, he was in no uncertain terms most-definitely NOT the light.
He was sent by God. He was not placed on a pedestal by God.
I find this so helpful because it means that being sent by God isn’t elitist or highfalutin. It’s a privilege, for sure, but it’s not about us.
It’s about God.
In the ancient world ambassadors sent by one person to another, not only spoke for the person who sent them, but were to be treated as the person who did the sending. That system wasn’t set up to honour the messenger over and over again (who was oftentimes a slave), but to hammer home the honour due the sender.
God sent a man named John to prepare the way for his son. To be the voice to cry out in the wilderness. To baptize with water.
He was sent by God in the same way God sent Moses to Pharaoh, the same way God sent the prophets to bring his word of justice, the way that God sent the apostles.
And the way God sends you and me to every corner of this grand world with Good News. Good News of great joy for all people.
Rick Morely, Rector St Mark’s Episcopal Church, Basking Ridge, NJ, USA
