Today’s photo: Advent Wreath with 3 candles
Here you can find resources for our liturgy to pray at home or wherever you are.
The readings for today and some prayers from our liturgy are on the downloadable pew sheet.
Offerings at Holy Trinity
You can make an Offering by using the Support Us button, below.
Contributions go towards the Ministry and running costs or to any special collections announced.
All donations are gratefully received. Holy Trinity is a Registered Scottish Charity SC016471.
Downloads (PDF)
Preparation
Organ Prelude
Opening
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Collect for Purity
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession and Absolution
God is love and we are God’s children, there is no room for fear in love.
We love because God loved us first. Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith.
Silence
God our Father, we confess to you
and to our fellow members in the Body of Christ
that we have sinned in thought, word and deed,
and in what we have failed to do. We are truly sorry.
Forgive us our sins,
and deliver us from the power of evil.
For the sake of your Son who died for us,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
God, who is both power and love,
forgive us and free us from our sins,
heal and strengthen us by the Holy Spirit
and raise us to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gloria reflection
Collect
Stir up our prayers, Lord, and hear us:
that they who are sorrowful and suffering
may rejoice at the Advent of your only-begotten Son;
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: Zephaniah 3.14-20
read by Nikki Jorgensen
Second Reading: Philippians 4.4-7
read by Nikki Jorgensen
Gospel: Luke 3.7-18
read by The Revd Dr Rebekah Sims
Sermon
The Revd Ian Boa
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father.
With the Father and the Son, he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Intercessions
led by Cathy Johnston
The Peace
We meet in Christ’s name.
Let us share his peace.
The Liturgy of the Sacrament
Offertory Prayer
Let us present our offerings to the Lord.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory,
the splendour and the majesty;
for everything in heaven and on earth is yours.
All things come from you, and of your own we give you.
Eucharistic Prayer
The Breaking of the Bread
The living bread is broken for the life of the world.
Lord, unite us in this sign.
The Lord’s Prayer
Please join in the prayer Jesus himself taught us:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.
Amen.
Thanksgiving and Sending Out
Post-Communion Prayer
Father of all,
we give you thanks and praise
that when we were still far off
you met us in your Son and brought us home.
Dying and living, he declared your love,
gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory.
May we who share Christ’s body live his risen life;
we who drink his cup bring life to others;
we whom the Spirit lights, give light to the world.
Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us,
so we and all your children shall be free,
and the whole earth live to praise your name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessing
The Dismissal
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Organ Postlude
Notices
This Week
Sunday 15 December
Third Sunday of Advent (Advent 3)
- 10.30am Sung Eucharist
Readings: Zephaniah 3.14-20; Philippians 4.4-7; Luke 3.7-18
Monday 16 December
- 10 – 11.30am HT Tots Café (last session until January)
Thursday 19 December
- 11am Holy Communion
Readings: Judges 13.2-7,24-25; Luke 1.5-25
Next Week & Looking Ahead
Sunday 22 December
Advent 4
- 10.30am Sung Eucharist
Readings: Micah 5.2-5a; Hebrews 10.5-10; Luke 1.39-45
HT Prayer Tree
The Prayer Tree at the back of church is an aid to prayer. Take a label and write your prayer/message on it and hang it on the tree.
Please add the current date. The label will be removed one month after this date, but if you would like to leave the label on the tree, please just alter the date or write another label.
See Libby Coats if you have questions.
Advent Study Groups 2024
We’re meeting for three sessions this Advent to read and discuss the different accounts of Jesus’ Birth as found in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew and to reflect on the Prologue of John’s Gospel as a way of telling the Christmas story.
Two groups are running in parallel on Thursdays this year (Sessions 2 and 3 are on 12th and 19th December) in the morning after the 11 a.m. Service (so ca. 11.30 a.m.) and in the evening at 8 p.m. (followed by Compline). Each session will last for about an hour.
Start Up Stirling Christmas Appeal
In the run up to Christmas, we are all particularly aware of the need to provide for those less fortunate. Start Up Stirling suggest that we take part in a Reverse Advent Calendar, donating something each day. The more we can collect, the more people we can help. Leave your donations in the church and Cate Watson will take them to the warehouse. Reverse Advent Calendar cards are available at the back of church.
Christmas Re-gifting Stall
The Christmas re-gifting box has been placed at the back of the church. If you have any Christmas gifts that you would like to ‘re-gift’, please bring them to church and place them in the Santa Box. We plan to run a Re-gifting Stall on Sunday 23rd February 2025. Donations by cash or credit card will be gratefully received. All proceeds will support the work of the Gardening Group.