Bearing Good Fruit

Welcome to your online Sunday worship from St. George’s, Georgetown for The Third Sunday of Advent, Sunday, December 12, 2021.

Our online worship continues here on our website as we continue to act with care for each other and as we work to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. 

In addition, we are also now offering in-person worship services with strict protocols on Sunday’s 10am. For more information about In-person worship follow this link.

Christmas Services

In-person Christmas Services will be held on Christmas Eve at 7pm and 9pm and Christmas Day at 10am. Registration for these services will begin on Monday December 20. For more information follow this link.

An Online Christmas Service will be available for Christmas Eve/Day on December 24th. 

Family Ministry

Our family ministry resources this week are based on this week’s and last week’s reading about John the Baptist from Luke’s gospel chapter 3, verses 1 to 18. The resources this week reflects on what John means by the word “repent” and how it, with God’s grace through forgiveness, helps us make important changes in our lives.

In our weekly Sunday email, there are links to a helpful family page that help explain all this Sunday’s theme and also some fun colouring and puzzle pages that connect with this week’s lesson.  

Please sign up for our weekly emails to get those links to these great resources to use together with your family.  

Opening Music

Our opening hymn today is “There’s A Voice in the Wilderness Crying.”

The Gospel Reading (Luke 3:7-18)

John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

(Read all the readings assigned for this Sunday at this link.)

Online Worship

Here is your Sunday prayers and message:

Prayers of the People

We pray for God’s healing for every person across our world as we continue to face the impact of the pandemic on our lives, our communities, and our nations, that we find strength and be guided by your Loving Presence. We pray to you, Lord; Lord Jesus, come soon!

Come to your world as King of the nations. We pray for this continent’s indigenous people seeking justice and reconciliation. We pray for all people impacted by systemic forms of racism and discrimination. Help us to live in the light of your coming and give us a longing for your kingdom. We pray to you, Lord; Lord Jesus, come soon!

We pray for doctors and nurses, and all health care staff, we pray for teachers and students, we pray for all who care for those in need in body, mind, and spirit, that your grace may fill them and sustain them in this crisis. We pray to you, Lord; Lord Jesus, come soon!

Come to us as Saviour and Comforter. We pray for the good earth which God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to conserve it. We pray for the people of B.C. who continue to be impacted by heavy rain and damaging flood. We pray for all those in need. Break into our lives, where we struggle with sickness and distress, and set us free to serve you for ever. We pray to you, Lord, Lord Jesus, come soon!

(To find the list of those we are praying for in our parish please sign up for our Parish email. To add a name to our prayers please contact me.)

Closing Music

In keeping with our Gospel text, our closing hymn this week is “Herald, Sound the Note of Judgement”

Our contemporary song this week is “How Great is Our God.”

I wish you all a blessed and safe week.

Thank you for your continued support of the ministry and mission of St. George’s.

Be Well and God Bless.

Peace,

The Rev’d Canon Rob Park

  1. Scripture quotation is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.