Click play below to join in our our live stream...
If you experience any issue with livestream on the day, please email livestream@stcolumbas.org.uk (please note that this address will only be monitored on Sundays).
Our live streaming system is designed to be as reliable as possible and work across a wide range of devices. However, live streaming relies on a lot of things outside of our control. Although we’ll do our best to help you get this working, we cannot accept liability if this service is unavailable.
ST COLUMBA’S, PONT STREET,
SUNDAY 14TH DECEMBER 2025 11.00 A.M.,
MORNING WORSHIP & SUNDAY SCHOOL NATIVITY
Organ Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship
Hymn 273 O Come, O Come Emmanuel (Veni Emmanuel)
1 O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.
2 O come, O come, thou Lord of might,
who to thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
in ancient times didst give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe:
3 O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free
thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
from depths of hell thy people save,
and give them victory o’er the grave:
4 O come, thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery:
5 O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death’s dark shadows put to flight:
Lighting of First Advent Candle {congregation remain standing}
Minister: Jesus said, ‘Keep awake, for you do not know
on what day your Lord is coming.’
Congregation: Come soon, Lord Jesus!
Minister: Jesus is the light of the world.
Congregation: A light no darkness can ever put out.
Call to Prayer
Prayers of Approach Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power and the glory for ever, Amen.
Hymn 281 People, look East. The time is near (Besancon)
1 People, look East. The time is near
of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look East, and sing today:
Love, the Guest, is on the way.
2 Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare,
one more seed is planted there:
give up your strength the seed to nourish,
that in course the flower may flourish.
People, look East, and sing today:
Love, the Rose, is on the way.
3 Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim
one more light the bowl shall brim,
shining beyond the frosty weather,
bright as sun and moon together.
People, look East, and sing today:
Love, the Star, is on the way.
4 Angels, announce with shouts of mirth
Christ who brings new life to earth.
Set every peak and valley humming
with the word, the Lord is coming.
People, look East, and sing today:
Love, the Lord, is on the way.
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 35:1-10
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly,
and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God.
Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
‘Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God.
He will come with vengeance,
with terrible recompense.
He will come and save you.’
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then the lame shall leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp,*
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
A highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Holy Way;
the unclean shall not travel on it,*
but it shall be for God’s people;*
no traveller, not even fools, shall go astray.
No lion shall be there,
nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there.
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
New Testament Reading: James 5:7-10
Be patient, therefore, beloved,* until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.* Beloved,* do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! As an example of suffering and patience, beloved,* take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Anthem: Fuit homo missus a Deo Palestrina (1525-94)
Fuit homo missus a Deo, cui nomen erat Ioannes. Hic venit in testimonium, ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine, et pararet Domino plebem perfectam.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came to bear witness, that he might testify to the light and prepare for God a perfect people.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:2-11
When John heard in prison what the Messiah* was doing, he sent word by his* disciples and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers* are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me.’
As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone* dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet?* Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written,
“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.”
Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Sermon
Anthem: The truth from above Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
This is the truth sent from above,
The truth of God, the God of love;
Therefore don’t turn me from the door,
But hearken all, both rich and poor.
The first thing that I will relate,
That God at first did man create.
The next thing which to you I tell
Woman was made with him to dwell.
Thus we were heirs to endless woes
Till God the Lord did interpose;
And so a promise soon did run
That he would redeem us by his Son.
And at this season of the year
Our blest Redeemer did appear;
And here did live, and here did preach,
And many thousands he did teach.
Thus he in love to us behaved,
To show us how we must be saved;
And if you want to know the way,
Be pleased to hear what he did say.
Dedication of our Offerings
{If able, please stand as the offering is brought forward and the congregation sings}
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. (CH4 807, Old 100th)
Prayer of Dedication:
Congregation: We dedicate to you
our thoughts, our words,
our gifts, our deeds,
the working of our hands,
the thinking of our minds,
the loving of our hearts. Amen.
Prayers of Thanksgiving & Intercession
Intimations
Hymn 320 Joy to the world, the Lord is come! (Antioch)
1 Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
let earth receive her King;
let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
2 Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns!
let all their songs employ;
while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
3 He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.
(During the hymn the Sunday School join us)
The Nativity told & performed by Sunday School
Benediction & Choral Amen
Organ Postlude: Toccata’ (Symphony V) by Widor
Retiring Offering for the continuing life and ministry of St Columba’s. It is possible to donate via the website. We are most grateful for all that we receive.
This week
Sunday 14th December 2025
10.15 a.m. Poetry & Prayer for Advent
London Scottish Chapel
11.00 a.m. Morning Service & Sunday School Nativity
12.15 p.m. Tea/Coffee, Upper Hall {by donation}
Wednesday 17th December
1.00 p.m. Midweek Prayers
London Scottish Chapel
Advent & Christmas Services
Sunday 21st December
10.15 a.m. Poetry & Prayer for Advent
11.00 a.m. Morning Service
Congregational Lunch, Lower Hall {£4}
5.00 p.m. Pont Street Carols supporting ScotsCare
Wednesday 24th December
11.15 p.m. Christmas Eve Communion Service
Thursday 25th December
10:30 a.m. Christmas Day Service & Short Communion
Sunday 28th December
11.00 a.m. Morning Service
