Below, you’ll find a collection of Christingle resources (right at the bottom – there’s a lot in this post) and your lovely liturgy for the final week of the church’s year: Christ the King. But first, some reflections on recent events.
As I write this, we are a little over a week from waking up to find that the next president of the US will be a convicted felon. (I don’t know about you, but if I’d been drafting a country’s constitution, I’d have started by banning criminals from office.)
Today’s news is that his pick for the Department of Health is someone whose views on vaccines ‘conflict with scientific evidence‘. So we can expect people blind from rubella, paralysed from polio and with brain damage from measles.
In case you are in any doubt, vaccinations are the world’s single biggest cause of people not dying. A recent study put it at one person every ten seconds. I’ll say that again. Every ten seconds, someone lives because they’re vaccinated.
So that’s three who have not died since you started reading this post. In the last fifty years, a hundred and fifty-four million people didn’t die of preventable diseases, thanks to jabs. Most are babies. And plenty more have been saved from permanent disability.
Oh, and there’s another.
But I’m not here to talk about the upcoming change of décor at the White House (I expect it soon to be gold plated and have a large ‘T’ emblazoned on the front).
The other big headline, as I’m sure you know, has been the the publication of a report into historical safeguarding failures and the consequent resignation of Justin Welby as the AB of C.
(BTW, did you know that when the new Archbish is selected but not yet installed, she/he will be the Archbishop of Canterbury designate elect – the ABCDE?)
Whatever one may think of Justin Welby’s tenure, we have to agree that the job is a poisoned chalice: he is taking the rap for institutional failures while, on other issues, anything he says is guaranteed to annoy half the Anglican Communion, and the other half will get annoyed with whatever he says next.
So with that in mind, and the consequences of Trump 2.0 for Ukraine and for the people suffering in the lands our Lord called his home, I commend to your attention these thoughts of David from 2 Samuel 23.
David is about to hand over the kingdom to his son, Solomon, and he reflects on what makes a good leader. One who rules over people justly, ruling in the fear of God, is like the light of morning.
Could not be more appropriate.
Let us pray for our leaders, yes even the orange one over the pond, and pray for those who live under their rule. Let us pray for whomever will be the next AB of C, and for Justin and his family as they navigate these unknown waters. Let us pray for those who have suffered through abuse, through war, through intimidation, through poverty, through injustice. And let us pray for ourselves, that we may be part of the solution.
Amen.
2 Samuel 23:1-7
Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, son of Jesse, the oracle of the man whom God exalted, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the favourite of the Strong One of Israel:
The spirit of the LORD speaks through me; his word is upon my tongue. The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: “One who rules over people justly, ruling in the fear of God, is like the light of morning, like the sun rising on a cloudless morning, gleaming from the rain on the grassy land.“
Is not my house like this with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. Will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire? But the godless are all like thorns that are thrown away, for they cannot be picked up with the hand; to touch them one uses an iron bar or the shaft of a spear. And they are entirely consumed in fire on the spot.
Advent Devotions
Best-selling Advent devotions for all ages, Walking to Bethlehem. Suitable for the whole family (and that doesn’t mean ‘just for the kiddies’), this newly-release second edition is even bigger and even better.
Available from Amazon, Eden , Barnes & Noble and all good bookstores.
Liturgy Resources for Proper 29, Christ the King
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, Revelation 1:4b-8
Confession and Absolution
Prompted by the Holy Spirit and trusting in the merits of Christ the King, let us confess our sins to Almighty God.
[pause]
As I watched, thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took his throne; his clothing was white as snow and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire.
Holy and most awesome God, we kneel humbly before your throne.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy.
A stream of fire issued and flowed out from his presence. A thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.
As the books of our lives lie open before you, we confess that we have not lived according to your word.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy.
As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him.
Jesus Christ, our living redeemer, we dare come to the throne trusting only in your redeeming work.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy.
To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.
We thank and bless your holy name, for you have rescued us from the dominion of sin, and set us free to serve you in all goodness and truth.
Blessed be Christ the King.
Blessed be his name for ever.
Blessing and Dismissal
Grace be to you and peace,
from him who is and who was and who is to come.
Grace be to you and peace,
from him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood.
Grace be to you and peace,
from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
Grace be to you and peace,
and the blessing …
Live as servants of God in the world,
to hasten the day when every eye will see him,
the Alpha, the Omega,
Christ, the King.
Amen.
Christingle Resources
The astounding Christingle Beanie!!! get your free PDF pattern for this awesome visual aid.- Christingle Bauble mini-Christingle for your tree or as a give-away (PDF pattern)
- Dog-tingle – this might be my maddest ever!
- Christingle Bingle – always fun!
- CRISP-tingle – one of my most popular scripts
- Christ in GLE – printable PDF script with colouring page
- Names of Jesus Christingle / bauble craft
- Christingle Treasure Hunt
- Chocolate Orange Christingle with prayers – plus prayers for Advent candles
- Cake-tingle – sugary goodness! Perfect for Messy Church, crib service or family fun
And don’t forget your Christmas scripts! Here are four Bible-based sketches, suitable for schools and churches, with a strong Christian message while still being fun and festive AND they feature an Amazon #1 bestseller! Read more about them in this post.
You can buy single scripts (gold, green, blue and teal books) or a bumper book of three (that’s the pinky/purply one). Available from Amazon, your favourite bricks-and-mortar or online bookstore, or from yours truly.
The Reflectionary 