Heirs of Christ Jesus!

Welcome and Announcements

(See Bulletin)

The week that’s been:

Funeral for Thys

HB Barbecue

Jacques is at Bowral this morning (Janet Spence)

Grounds and Gardens

Coming Up:

SA Outreach Service

Christmas day

My leave

a) Light 3rd candle

b) Presentation (List!) // Esti

Prayer of Approach (Come, Lord Jesus)

Sing: O come o come Emanuel

Luke 1:5–20 CSB

5 In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah’s division named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 Both were righteous in God’s sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord. 7 But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years. 8 When his division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 it happened that he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified and overcome with fear. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. 14 There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. 16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.” 18 “How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.” 19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. 20 Now listen. You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

Predictions and promises: O come o Come Emanuel

What a year this has been

Back in December 2019, Sophie and I were talking

Then Covit came!

And fear … and hopelessness ...

Two Covid-19 statistics:

In Japan, in October alone,

more people died of Suicide, (2153)

than of Covid (under 2000) in the 10 months of Covid.

And, on the “life” side

it is estimated that there will be 330 000 less births in 2021

due to economic uncertainty

and downright depression, as people fear the Virus

A statistic you won’t hear much

is that 99.989 % of people who get Covid, will survive!

A study shows that overall death rates (among the elderly)

are no higher after Covid, than it was before Covid!

Why, then, is the whole world crippled with fear

at a time … when the cancle culture movements

are rallying their troops:

working ceaselssly to destroy the family

the church

and sparing no-one and nothing

Think abortion

Think of new laws that if introduced

will see people potentially go to jail, for praying for a person who struggles with his or her sexual identity

(even if that person asked you to pray for them)

(Jacques was in conversation with a young man the other day, and they were discussiong the concept of abortion as sin and the the younfg man said: (A fetus is no more than a parasite until it is born …)

A world unlike any before?