SUNG EUCHARIST FROM ST STEPHEN WALBROOK
The Third Week of Advent

Please join us for our Sung Eucharist recorded on Thursday 16th December 2021. Join us in church on Thursday 23rd December at 12.45pm if you are able, for an early celebration of Christmas in the City. Our preacher will be The Venerable Peter Delaney MBE with music from our choir and community choir. All welcome. Please support the ministry of St Stephen Walbrook by making a donation online at this link if you are able.

Celebrant : The Reverend Stephen Baxter
Preacher : Phillip Dawson, Ordinand
Epistle read by : Paul de Ridder
Organist : Jonathan Dods
Soloist : Sally Carr

Introit: Come, Lord Jesus – Tarney
Mass Setting: Merbecke
Hymn: On Jordan’ Bank
Communion Motet: Come thou redeemer of the earth – arr. Cleobury
Music After the Blessing : Christ be with me

The Third Week of Advent is a time when we are encouraged to rejoice. But isn’t that what we expect to do at this time of year? So often we are in a rush to jump to the reward at the end without opening ourselves to the risks it takes to get there. In times of uncertainty and confusion perhaps it’s understandable to leap-frog over the dark times to focus on the light? This week in our Gospel Reading, we are reminded that the path to following the way of Christ is laid by John the Baptist, who gives us a wake up call. Discipleship is not about letting events take their course while we anticipate our promised reward, no matter how devoted and faithful we think we are. Following The Way involves making choices – judgements – that shape our own lives and those around us; and in doing so, glimpsing the joy that is found in the mystery of a God who came among us in the person of Christ, connecting the world we see to the heavenly joy of the world to come. 

Read the full transcript of the sermon at this link and the prayers of intercession at this link.