Service Date: 11 January, 2009

Mark 1:4-11
Some of you, like me, will remember your own baptism. Others will remember times in the last few years when we've brought children to be baptised, to show that God is welcoming them into our family here at St Andrew's. A baptism is a wonderful occasion, when we remember how God forgives us and washes away the things we do wrong. And in that way we're like the crowds gathering at the River Jordan when John told people to remember what they'd got wrong in their lives, and to turn away from it, to make a fresh start with God.

Service Date: 28 December, 2008

Matthew 2:1-12
It's less than a week since some of us last met, but events have marched on, as in both our Nativity sets three new characters have entered the scene. In our Advent road set, made by Margaret Herbert, we have three gorgeously dressed strangers of different races, evidently men of wealth and power. And in our knitted set, made jointly by Pat Campbell and Betty Gibson, we see too the presents they bring for Jesus.

Service Date: 25 December, 2008

Isaiah 9:2, 6, 7
We've come a long way since 30th November when we first started on the road to Christmas, and now at last we've arrived. [get people to move figures]. And strangely enough we've ended up in a place you may already know. Who's here already? [Get people to identify nativity figures on table] And there's one more addition to our group this morning - who is it? [baby Jesus] How can we tell he's born? [the star] At last, the birthday boy has come. And though he's so small just now, we're expecting a lot from his coming. Think of the journey we've made. We've remembered along the Advent road to Christmas Day the dark things in this world we want God to put right [enumerate words on signs]. We've remembered God's promise to come and change things. We've remembered the hopes we have in our personal lives [enumerate words on clouds], and we've heard how God wants to live in us too.

Service Date: 21 December, 2008

2 Samuel 7:1-16: A home for God?
Let me introduce myself: I'm the angelic housing officer. I have a very important job indeed - finding the right home for God.
I can hear you thinking: but hasn't God just said to King David, who was always one of his favourite humans, don't bother about finding me a home? I'll make sure your family lives on after you and as long as they keep on doing what's right, the house of David will always rule over Israel.
Don't worry about me, God's just told David - I've been travelling round with you lot for centuries now, and every time you packed up your tents and moved on, it was because I'd moved on ahead of you. I don't need anything permanent, no bricks and mortar you could put up.

Service Date: 7 December, 2008

Isaiah 40:1-11
Last week we were thinking about the mess the world is in, and looking for God to put it right. This week Isaiah gives us the voice of God, promising action. And this time I'm drawing your attention not to Shaun the sheep - though he'd certainly be interested in God's promise to lead his people as a shepherd leads his flock, feeding them, gathering the lambs in his arms and gently leading the mother sheep.

Service Date: 10 December, 2008

Our first reading today seems a bit gloomy, doesn't it, for the start of Advent, the time of year when we're getting ready for Christmas. The TV's full of adverts for presents, the shops are full of decorations and carols - why is Isaiah saying, Things are just terrible, God - you've got to come and help us, or we won't make it? What's happening in the time he's living?
It's good news and bad news for Isaiah. The good news is, his people have gone back home, back to the place they know and love, after years and years of having to live far away from home in someone else's country under someone else's rules. But the bad news is, their country's in a terrible state. Buildings have fallen into ruins, no one's been able to grow much food, and not everyone's happy to see them come back home. It'll be a lot of work to put things right; life's going to be much harder than they'd hoped.

Service Date: 23 November, 2008

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
Have you come across Wallace and Grommit, the inventor who loves cheese and the clever dog who lives with him, the plasticine heroes of several animated films including The Wrong Trousers? In that case you may know another character made by the same animator, Nick Park of Aardman Animations: a sheep called Shaun, who now has his own series on the BBC. If not, I'd like to introduce you to Shaun and some of his friends.
Shaun has an inquisitive, mischievous nature which leads him into tricky situations from which he usually recovers. He is popular, and is a natural leader. He is also a moral character who will try to "make things right".
Bitzer is the long-suffering sheepdog. Bitzer is friendly with Shaun, but not to the extent of abandoning his duties, though he will do anything if he is offered a game of "Fetch".

Service Date: 9 November, 2008

The traditional Remembrance tradition of reading the names of those from our church who took part in the First and Second World Wars and of observing 2 minutes' silence, framed by the Last Post and the Reveille, to remember them and all who have been victims of subsequent conflict and terror, was maintained.

Service Date: 2 November, 2008

Matthew 23:1-12