CONTACTS Email:info@thamesanglicanchurch.co.nz

Website: www.thamesanglicanchurch.co.nz

Pastoral Ministry Contacts Graham Colley (Vicar) PO Box 227, Thames Ph 07 868 6267

Wardens Kate Jones Ph 07 8686 003 & Finlay Clements Ph 07 868 7516 Thames Anglican parish seeks an inclusive ministry of serving Christ in prayer, action and worship.

If you are a visitor to the Parish, please let the sidesperson know your name.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR A CUP OF TEA IN THE CHURCH AFTER THE 9:00am SERVICE.

A safe place for the LGBT Communities

Music reproduced with permission under license 604812 LicenSing - Copyright Cleared Music for Churches

Collect for 4th January Let us pray for peace in our families. Hidden God, who made the face of Moses shine with the gift of your friend-ship: teach us the law of love, carried by breath of spirit and planted in hearts of flesh that we might be children again and the world restored to you; through Jesus Christ, the Glory of God. Amen.

Sentence for 4th January The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and his name will be called ‘Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’ Isaiah 9 v 2a, 6ad

Sentence for 11th January When Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending upon him like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ Matthew 3.16-17

PARISH OFFICE and Contacts

The Parish Office will close from 19 December and reopen Friday 16 January 2015.

Opening Days 9am - 12pm

Friday 16th January 2015 Thursday 22nd January 2015 Thursday 29th January 2015

Friday 30th January 2015

The Vicar will be away all of January. Contact for any office booking can be made those dates or on the Thursday or Friday morning the last week of January. Ring the Vicarage number (07 868 6267) for any queries or concerns. The Wardens will deal with or redirect any calls.

AM 506 Praise and Thanksgiving

1. Praise and thanksgiving be to our Creator, source of this blessing: father, Mediator, baptize and make your own those who come

before you, while we adore you.

2. Not our own holiness, nor that we have striven, brings us the peace which you, O Christ, have

given. Baptize and set apart: come, O risen Saviour, with grace and favour.

3. Come, Holy Spirit, come in visitation: you are the truth, our hope and our salvation. Baptize with joy and power: give, O Dove

descending, life never ending.

Harold Francis Yardley (b. 1911) Frank J Whiteley (b. 1914)

Collect for 11th January Let us pray that we will be faithful to our baptismal calling.

Baptism of Christ: God of the tearing heaven, whose holiness is unveiled by one who is submerged in all the pain and sin of earth: give us faith to follow him who goes to the heart of darkness bearing only the Spirit of gentle, insistent peace; through Jesus Christ, the promised one. Amen.

Please check the website for service times,

programs, pewsheets and other information.

To The

THAMES ANGLICAN CHURCH

Tikanga Pakeha partner church in the three strand Anglican Church

in Aotearoa/ New Zealand/Pacifica

Evacuation Procedures - In the event of a fire, listen to the presiding team & Welcomers;

leave by nearest, safest exit & assemble on lawn in front of Hospital & wait for “all clear”. NOTE THE EXIT NEAREST YOUR SEAT. TOILETS are in the Hall, next door.

AM 34 O Come

all ye faithful

1. O come all ye faithful. Joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem. Come and behold Him, Born the King of Angels

Refrain: O Come let us adore Him x3 Christ the Lord.

2. God of God Light of Light, lo, he abhors not the Virgin’s womb; very God, begotten, not created:

3. Sing, choirs of Angels, Sing in exultation; Sing, all ye citizens of Heaven above, “Glory to God in the highest” 4. Yea Lord, we greet Thee, Born, this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be glory given; Word of the Father now in flesh appearing:

AM 50 The heavenly child

in stature grows J B de Santeuil, tr J Chandler

1. The heavenly child in stature grows, and, growing, learns to die; and still his early training shows his coming agony.

2. The Son of God his glory hides to dwell with parents poor; and he who made the heavens abides in dwelling-place obscure.

3. Those mighty hands that rule the sky no earthly toil refuse; the maker of the stars on high an humble trade pursues.

4. He whom the choir of angels praise, bearing each dread decree, his earthly parents now obeys in glad humility.

5. For this thy lowliness revealed, Jesu, we thee adore, and praise to God the Father yield and Spirit evermore.

Christmas is a time when family is remembered. This year Jenny and I are catching up with far-flung family members in the US, UK and our Finnish connection between Christmas and New Year. As you celebrate your version of Christmas, remember not only the Holy Family (the reason for the season!) but also those who have no extended family members. Those who have had significant family die in this past year. Families in need and families devasted by war and greed. For Family is the core of

community. Celebrate it. May Christmas be a blessed time for you. Graham +Vicar

Collect for 28th December The Presentation of Christ

God of Anna and Simeon, whose law makes known the gift of life, whose love exposes our hardness of heart: by your spirit, may we receive your faithful word to Gentile and to Jew and know your reconciling presence offered for all the world; through Jesus Christ, the Light and the Glory of God. Amen.

Sentence for December 28th The shepherds went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. Luke 2 v 16

Collect for Christmas Day God of every creature, whose Son was born for all the world; we praise you for the shepherds who lived between the earth and sky, who, with animals and angels, greeted the Word made flesh: may we share their urgency to meet the promised child with wonder and with joy; through Jesus Christ, who binds all things together. Amen.

AM 47 Brightest and best of the sons of the morning

Brightest and best of the sons of the morning, dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid; star of the east, the horizon adorning, guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

Cold on his cradle the dew-drops are shining; low lies his head with the beasts of the stall; angels adore him in slumber reclining, Maker and Monarch and Saviour of all.

Say, shall we yield him, in costly devotion, odours of Edom, and offerings divine, gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean, myrrh from the forest, or gold from the mine?

Vainly we offer each ample oblation, vainly with gifts would his favour secure: richer by far is the heart’s adoration, dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

The first verse may be repeated at the end. Reginald Heber (1783-1826)

AM 37 While Shepherds

Watched 1. While shepherds watched their flocks by

night, All seated on the ground, The angel of the Lord came down And glory shone around.

2. ‘Fear not’ said he, for mighty dread Had seized their troubled mind; ‘Glad tidings of great joy I bring To you and all mankind.

3. ‘To you in David’s town this day Is born of David’s line A Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, And this shall be the sign.

4. The heavenly babe you there shall find To human view displayed, All meanly wrapped in swaddling bands, And in a manger laid.’

5. Thus spake the seraph; and forthwith appeared a shining throng of angles praising God, who thus addressed their joyful song:

6. ’All glory be to God on high, and to the earth be peace; good will henceforth from heaven to men begin and never cease.

AM 391 Lord Jesus Christ

Patrick Appleford

1. Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to us, you are one with us, Mary’s son; cleansing our souls from all their sin, pouring your love and goodness in; Jesus, our love for you we sing, living Lord.

2. Lord Jesus Christ, now and every day teach us how to pray, Son of God. You have commanded us to do this in remembrance, Lord, of you: into our lives your power breaks through, living Lord.

3. Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to us, born as one of us, Mary’s Son. Led out to die on Calvary, risen from death to set us free, living Lord Jesus, help us see you are Lord.

4. Lord Jesus Christ, I would come to you, live my life for you, Son of God. All your commands I know are true, your many gifts will make me new, in my life your power breaks through, living Lord.

AM 46 Once in royal

David’s city

1. Once in royal David’s city Stood a lowly cattle shed, where a mother laid her baby in a manger for his bed: Mary was the mother mild Jesus Christ her little child

2. He came down to earth from heaven who is God and Lord of all, and his shelter was a stable, and his cradle was a stall; with the poor and mean and lowly lived on earth our Saviour holy.

3. And through all his wondrous childhood Day by day like us he grew; He was little, weak and helpless, tears and smiles like us he knew; and he feeleth for our sadness, and he shareth in our gladness.

4. And our eyes at last shall see him through his own redeeming love for that child, so dear and gentle is our Lord in heaven above; And he leads his children on to the place where he is gone.

5. Not in that poor lowly stable with the oxen standing by we shall see; but in heaven set at God’s right hand on high when like stars his children crowned All in white shall wait around.

Sentence for Christmas Day The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; for to us a child is born, to us a son is given. Isaiah 9 v 2

Collect for 28th December The Presentation of Christ

God of Anna and Simeon, whose law makes known the gift of life, whose love exposes our hardness of heart: by your spirit, may we receive your faithful word to Gentile and to Jew and know your reconciling presence offered for all the world; through Jesus Christ, the Light and the Glory of God. Amen.

Sentence for December 28th The shepherds went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. Luke 2 v 16

AM 36 Christians Awake! J. Byrom, altd.

1. Christians awake, Salute the happy morn, Whereon the Saviour of mankind was born; Rise to adore the mystery of love Which hosts of angels chanted from above; With them the joyful tidings first begun Of God Incarnate and the Virgin’s Son.

2. Then to the watchful shepherds it was told, Who heard the angelic herald’s voice ‘Behold, I bring good tidings of a Saviour’s birth To you and all the nations upon earth: This day hath God fulfilled His promised word, This day is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord.’

3.He spake; and straightway the celestial choir In hymns of joy unknown before conspire; High praise of God’s redeeming love they sang, And heaven’s whole orb with hallelujahs rang; God’s highest glory was their anthem still, ‘On earth be peace, and unto men goodwill.’

4.O may we keep and ponder in our mind God’s wondrous love in saving lost mankind; Trace we the Babe who hath retrieved our loss, From His poor manger to His bitter cross; Tread in His steps, assisted by His grace, Till man’s first heavenly state again takes place.

5.Then may we hope, the angelic hosts among, To sing, redeemed, a glad triumphant song: He that was born upon this joyful day Around us all His glory shall display; Saved by His love, incessant we shall sing Eternal praise to heaven’s almighty King.

PS 80 Away in a Manger

1. Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head. The stairs in the bright sky, looked down where he lay, the little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

2. The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus no crying he makes. I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky, and stay by my side until morning is nigh.

3. Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay close by me for ever, and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in they tender care, and fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.

Copyright 1996 Kevin Mayhew Ltd.

AM 46 Once in royal

David’s city

1. Once in royal David’s city Stood a lowly cattle shed, where a mother laid her baby in a manger for his bed: Mary was the mother mild Jesus Christ her little child

2. He came down to earth from heaven who is God and Lord of all, and his shelter was a stable, and his cradle was a stall; with the poor and mean and lowly lived on earth our Saviour holy.

3. And through all his wondrous childhood Day by day like us he grew; He was little, weak and helpless, tears and smiles like us he knew; and he feeleth for our sadness, and he shareth in our gladness.

4. And our eyes at last shall see him through his own redeeming love for that child, so dear and gentle is our Lord in heaven above; And he leads his children on to the place where he is gone.

5. Not in that poor lowly stable with the oxen standing by we shall see; but in heaven set at God’s right hand on high when like stars his children crowned All in white shall wait around.