St James' Church of Scotland

It’s the Second Sunday of Advent – 05 December 2021 – and there’s irony in our headline.

The main Biblical text for today is from the Old Testament Book of Malachi. It was written at a time when, across the land, the blame for the unacceptable state of society fell on the foreigners, the migrants and on the poor and the weak.

How lucky we are to live in more enlightened (!) times…

Main Scripture for today

Malachi 3:1-4 (New International Version)
3 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.

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It’s 28 November 2021 and it’s the First Sunday of Advent. The first Sunday of a new church year.

Watch the video immediately below – paying close attention to the number of passes – and then watch the video further down below – of the service from St James’.

Rev. Geoff McKee, in his sermon, emphasises the need for Christians to look hard in this Advent season for the signs of God’s reign in Christ we might otherwise miss. Are you failing to see the obvious*?

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“Christ the King” Sunday is the final Sunday in the Church calendar (this year, 21 November 2021), before we move into the season of Advent, next week.

In his sermon today, Rev. Geoff McKee discusses an unusual symbol which has fascinated him since childhood.

Below, you will find the main Scripture reading for today (Revelation 1:4-8), the Order of Service and the video recording of the service from St James’ Church, Lossiemouth.

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Order of Service for the 24th Sunday after Pentecost – 07 November 2021

Welcome and Intimations
Call to Worship
Praise: MP1040 Come, now is the time to worship
Prayers of Adoration and Confession
Children’s Address
Praise: KP29 Clap your hands, stamp your feet
JP169 My God is so big
Readings: 1 Kings 17:8-16 & Psalm 146
Praise: MP25 All to Jesus I surrender
Readings: Hebrews 9:24-28 & Mark 12:38-44
Sermon
Praise: MP624 Take my life, and let it be
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Praise: MP486 Now thank we all our God
Benediction & Threefold Amen

Main Scripture for this week

Mark 12:38-44 (New International Version)
Warning Against the Teachers of the Law
38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

The Widow’s Offering
41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Video Service