St Columba's Scottish Episcopal Church, Largs - Pew Sheets
19th December 2010 - Advent 4

Collect:
God our redeemer, who prepared the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the mother of your Son: grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour, so we may be ready to greet him when he comes again to be our judge; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 7:10-14)
The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test. Then Isaiah said: Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

Psalm 80. Qui regis Israel
Hear O thou Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep: shew thyself also, thou that sittest up on the cherubims.
Before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasses: stir up thy strength, and come and help us.
Turn us again O God: shew the light of thy countenance and we shall be whole.
O Lord God of hosts: how long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth?
Thou feedest them with the bread of tears: and givest them plenteousness of tears to drink.
Thou hast made us a very strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
Turn us again thou God of hosts: shew the light of thy countenance and we shall be whole.
Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand: and upon the son of man, whom thou madest so strong for thine own self.
And so will not we go back from thee: O let us live, and we shall call up on thy Name.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be: world without end.
A men.

A reading from the letter to the Romans (Romans 1:1-7)
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew (Matthew 1:18-25)
The birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel", which means, "God is with us." When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Post Communion:
Heavenly Father, who chose the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the mother of the promised saviour: fill us your servants with your grace, that in all things we may embrace your holy will and with her rejoice in your salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.