Sermon for the 4th Sunday of Advent – 18th December 2022: Isaiah 7:10-16, Romans 1:1-7, Matt. 1:18-25

Deacon Chris Saccali – St Paul’s Athens

I speak in the name of the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Oh Joseph. It can be so easy to overlook him. To underestimate the very real fear and confusion he had to conquer, to skip over the costly compassion and audacious trust that hehad to muster up and act upon. To forget that according to the world around him Jesus was the carpenter’s son.

Jewish communities in the first century were built upon extended family, active community, and a sense of loving duty to one another. It is therefore highly likely that Joseph’s whole future was wrapped up in a local girl that he’d probably known for as long as he could remember.

A girl who was probably chosen for him, by both of their families, so that they could begin their own. A girl who held the key to all his plans, his expectations, his anticipations. A girl who returned from a trip to her cousin’s house pregnant with a baby that couldn’t have been his. A girl he loved and respected enough to let go quietly, with minimal shame and humiliation.

Can you imagine how Joseph felt? Maybe you are familiar with the rug being pulled out from underneath you. Fearing all those things that are out of our control and events that seem to come from nowhere and knock us off course. We fail to learn that God is in control and to submit our lives to him. Maybe instead of Christmas or Season’s greetings our substitute wish during Advent and beyond should be that of the angels and the phrase uttered throughout scripture, ‘Do not be afraid,’ Emmanuel God is with us.

Although we light the fourth candle on our Advent wreath  for Mary today and many of our thoughts and prayers are focused on her through Advent and Christmas, we shall return to her ponderings on New Year’s Day. Let us concentrate on Joseph and try to gain insights into his role in the narrative as presented in Matthew, his character and recognise that the story could not have gone ahead without him. The gospel writer gives him his due.

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Service for the 4th Sunday of Advent – 18th December 2022

Welcome to St. Paul’s Athens. Please join us after the Liturgy for refreshments in the garden. The notices are at the end. The presiding priest is Fr. Leonard. The deacon and preacher is The Revd. Deacon Christine Saccali. Water is available at the back of church. We have a POS machine for payments. Coffee is provided after the Liturgy.

Entrance  (all are invited to stand and face the door)

Minister: Lift up your heads, O gates: be lifted up you everlasting doors; and the King of

                  glory shall come in.

All:            Who is the King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord who is mighty

                  in battle.

Minister: Lift up your heads, O gates: be lifted up you everlasting doors; and the King of

                  glory shall come in.

All:            Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.

Entrance Hymn  185 Sing we of the Blessed Mother

Priest:  Blessed be the kingdom of God

All:       Now and for ever.

Priest: The Lord be with you.

 All:      and also with you

Lighting of the Advent Candle

Priest: People of God, awake! The day is coming soon when you shall see God face to face. Remember the ways and works of God. God calls you out of darkness to walk in the light of his coming. You are God’s children.

All:      Lord Jesus, light of the world, blessed is Gabriel, who brought good news; blessed is Mary, your mother and ours. Bless your Church preparing for Christmas; and bless your children, who long for your coming. Amen

The priest then welcomes the people of God and the deacon then leads us into Confession.

Deacon:   When the Lord comes, he will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Therefore in the light of Christ let us confess our sins.

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Sermon for the Third Sunday of Advent – 11th December 2022: Isaiah 35, 1-10; James 5, 7-10; Matthew 11, 2-11.

Fr Leonard Doolan – St Paul’s Athens

‘No woman on earth has ever given birth to anyone as great as John the Baptist.’ I am a big fan of John the Baptist. However it is not I who grant to John this great accolade of his birth, but Christ himself.

The holy scriptures reveal to us glimpses into the life of John, known as the Πρόδρομος , the Forerunner. And yet we are left thirsting for more knowledge of this man. In some ways it is a pity that we refer to him as John the Baptist, as John the Baptizer captures more accurately the dynamism of this character.

The gospels build up a picture, though little more than a squint, into John’s personality and life. We know that he has familial connections with Jesus. We use the word cousin. On account of the journey made by Blessed Mary to her ‘kinswoman’ Elizabeth, to tell her that she is to carry the child of the Holy Spirit, we are reliably informed that Elizabeth was already 6 months into her pregnancy. Thus we know that John is half a year older that Jesus.

John’s father and mother are both known to us, and we know that the father, Zechariah, was on duty at the temple when he has his vision that he will have a child with Elizabeth who is to be called, not son of Zechariah, but John. Both John’s parents were very elderly when he was conceived. Given Zechariah’s duty at the temple we know that he was one of the temple officials, so John would have been brought up familiar with the temple – a factor that will be very significant in his future life.

It is normal to associate John with the great traditions of the prophets, great and well -known names such as Isaiah who offers to us such glorious visions of the kingdom when we return to faithfulness, the kingdom that will be brought about by the Messiah, the Christ of God.

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Service for the Third Sunday of Advent – 11th December 2022

Welcome to our worship this morning. Fr. Leonard is the presiding priest and preacher and the deacon is Deacon Christine. Water is available at the back of the church. There is a POS machine for card payments. Coffee is served after the Liturgy – outside in the garden, weather permitting.

Entrance  (all stand and face the door)

Minister: Lift up your heads, O gates: be lifted up you everlasting doors; and the King of

                  glory shall come in.

All:            Who is the King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord who is mighty

                  in battle.

Minister: Lift up your heads, O gates: be lifted up you everlasting doors; and the King of

                  glory shall come in.

All:            Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.

A hymn:   8  Lift up your heads (tune 128  Gonfalon Royal)

Priest:       Blessed be the kingdom of God

All:            Now and for ever.

Priest:      The Lord be with you.

 All:           and also with you

[Lighting of the 3^rd Advent Candle)

Priest: People of God return! You are called to be God’s own. From the mountains announce the good news. God comes in justice and peace, to all who follow his ways. You are God’s children.

All:      Lord, make us one in the peace of Christ today and for ever.  Amen.]

The priest then welcomes the people of God and the deacon then leads us into Confession.

Deacon:     Turn to us again, O God our Saviour, and let your anger cease from us:

Kyrie eleison

All:              Kyrie eleison

Deacon:     Show us your compassion, O Lord, and grant us your salvation:

Christe eleison

All:              Christe eleison

Deacon:     Your salvation is near to those who fear you, that glory may dwell in our land:

Kyrie eleison

All:              Kyrie eleison

Priest:         May almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you your sins, and bring you to

everlasting life.

All:              Amen.

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Audio Sermon for the 2nd Sunday of Advent – 4th December2022

Revd. Canon Leonard Doolan

Sermon for the second Sunday of Advent – 4th December 2022: Isaiah 11, 1-10; Matthew 3, 1-12.

Revd. Canon Leonard Doolan – St Paul’s Athens

The sermon this morning is shorter than usual. Hurrah! I can hear some of saying, or at least thinking. The reason is that today is our Christmas Bazaar, so many members of our regular congregation are already at the venue getting set up. We are now on the 2^nd Sunday of Advent. Last week I referred to the 4 themes that now plot our path through this holy season: The Advent Hope; the Prophets; John the Baptist; and then a timely reminder of Gabriel’s message to Blessed Mary nine months before we celebrate Christ’s birth. So today we are thinking of the 2^nd theme – the Prophets.

The great prophet of the Old Testament is Isaiah. He is writing around the late 8^th century BC. His influence is immense, and many of the prophecies are used in the selection of Advent Sunday readings. Today’s prophecy has real impact for he pairs together extraordinary opposites to show what the result will be when the Lord’s Anointed one will come among us. The wolf will dwell with the lamb; the leopard will lie down with the kid; the calf and the lion together. The ridiculous opposites are such that one can only imagine that Isaiah is leading our thoughts towards a paradise – like the Garden of Eden, the perfection of creation before the Fall.

To both sides of this remarkable image of Paradise re-gained, the prophet refers to Jesse. This is so significant for us as Christians. Jesse was the father of many sons, one of whom became more famous than his brothers – his name was David, and he was chosen and anointed as King. ‘Once in royal David’s city’ is one of the hymns we will be singing in a few week’s time. The significance is that Jesse was a Bethlehemite, so a shoot will come from Jesse’s line – it will be a child of Bethlehem. It is also Joseph’s town of birth. So the new kingdom, or restored paradise, will be born in the child in a manger in Bethlehem. ‘On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

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Service for the 2nd Sunday of Advent – 4 December 2022

Welcome to all. Our Liturgy is shorter in length and time because today is also our CHRISTMAS MARKET. The presiding priest and preacher is The Revd. Canon Leonard Doolan, Senior Chaplain in Greece.

Entrance Hymn: 3   Come thou long expected Jesus

Priest:  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen

The Lord be with you.

 All:      and also with you

[Lighting of the 2^nd Advent Candle

Priest: People of God, be glad! Your God delights in you, giving you joy for sadness and turning the dark to light. Be strong in hope therefore; for your God comes to save. You are God’s children.

All:      Lord, make us one in the love of Christ today and forever. Amen]

The priest then welcomes the people of God and the deacon then leads us into Confession.

Priest: When the Lord comes, he will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Therefore in the light of Christ let us confess our sins.

A period of silent stillness follows

Minister: Turn us again, O God our Saviour, and let your anger cease from us.

Kyrie eleison

All:           Kyrie eleison.

Minister: Show us your compassion, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.

Christe eleison

All:          Christe eleison

Minister: Your salvation is near to those that fear you, that glory may dwell in your land.

Kyrie eleison.

All:          Kyrie eleison

Absolution we hear the words of God’s forgiveness to those who are truly penitent

Collect:  Let us pray    (remain standing as the priest prays the Collect of the Day)   

O Lord, raise up, we pray, your power and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness we are grievously hindered in running the race that is set before us, your bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit, be honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

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Audio Sermon for Advent Sunday – 27 November 2022

Fr Leonard Doolan – St Paul’s Athens

Service for Advent Sunday – 27th November 2022

Welcome to all as we begin to worship in this holy season of Advent. The presiding priest and preacher is Fr. Leonard.

There is coffee after our Liturgy. Please note the church has a POS if you wish to donate by card.

Entrance Hymn: 11   O come, O come Emmanuel

Priest:  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen

The Lord be with you.

 All:      and also with you

[Lighting of the Advent Candle

Priest: People of God, awake! The day is coming soon when you shall see God face to face. Remember the ways and works of God. God calls you out of darkness to walk in the light of his coming. You are God’s children.

All:      Lord, make us one as we walk with Christ today and forever. Amen]

The priest then welcomes the people of God and the deacon then leads us into Confession.

Priest: When the Lord comes, he will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Therefore in the light of Christ let us confess our sins.

A period of silent stillness follows

Deacon:  Turn us again, O God our Saviour, and let your anger cease from us.

Kyrie eleison

All:           Kyrie eleison.

Deacon: Show us your compassion, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.

Christe eleison

All:          Christe eleison

Deacon: Your salvation is near to those that fear you, that glory may dwell in your land.

Kyrie eleison.

All:          Kyrie eleison

Absolution we hear the words of God’s forgiveness to those who are truly penitent

[There is no Gloria in Advent)

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Sermon for the Feast of Christ the King – 20th November 2022:JEREMIAH 23:1-6,LUKE 23: 33-43

Deacon Chris Saccali – St Paul’s Athens

We have been hearing the word King a lot after the accession of King Charles 111this year after the death of Queen Elizabeth 11 and we have had to get used to different words in the National Anthem, new coins minted and many other changes. Today we celebrate the last Sunday before a new lectionary year before the First Sunday in Advent next week. Today is known as Christ the King a very different kind of king from a worldly king.

Our gospel passage from Luke today reflects this making it very clear that Christ on the cross, great priest bestowing forgiveness and taking on himself the role of temple in sacrificing his body, is also Christ the King. Truly priest and truly King bringing in God’s Kingdom. We are in Kingdom season after all before we enter Advent season.

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