Sunday service for 30 November 2025, first Sunday of Advent and St Andrew’s Day

Sunday 30 November 2025, Advent 1 (St Andrew’s Day Cafe Church)
Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland
Service prepared by Rev. Teri Peterson
Manse: 632143 
Email: TPeterson (at) churchofscotland.org.uk
Email Charlene, Parish Assistant: CMitchell (at) churchofscotland.org.uk

Sanctuary Prelude Music (praise band)

Welcome

We Gather As God’s Family (As the Bible is brought in, we stand and sing)
A family gathered in love,
striving for justice and joy,
blessing the broken-hearted,
and sharing the hope of God’s kingdom.

Lighting the Advent Candle
One: Come to worship and bow down before the One God —
All: the One who is faithful and just, loving and true.
One: Come to witness to the One God who delivers us —
All: the One who calls us all into the light.
One: Come with hope and trust in the One who comes to be God With Us —
All: the One who walks beside us in the best and the worst of life.
~candle is lit~

Sanctuary Hymn 472: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus (Hyfrydol) (organ)

Prayer
Write down or draw a picture of things that frighten us — could be big or small things.
What would you like God to do to help you when you face that fear?

God-with-us,
we long for your protection to keep us from hard times,
but you promise instead to be with us in the midst of it all.
We long for your power to shield us,
but you promise instead to hold us close.
We long to see your kingdom conquer this world,
but you promise instead to reveal it
in the dark nights,
the out-of-the-way backwaters,
the unlikely faces,
the seemingly small acts of faith that change everything.
Give us a glimpse today.
For we know that You are the God who saves,
and we are your people.
And yet we confess, O God, that many others claim they can save us,
many others demand our allegiance,
many others say theirs is the way,
and we are tempted.
When everyone else is doing it,
and we know we are being watched,
and the powers that be say they hold our lives in their hands,
it is so easy to give in.
Just a little compromise here and there,
just doing it for the show so we can fly under the radar,
just keeping our seat at the table…
we have all the reasons why we can’t
stand up and witness to your kingdom that plays by different rules.
Forgive us when we can’t trust you until after we have seen a miracle.
Forgive us when we value other things more than we love you.
Forgive us when we demand certainty rather than faith.
Give us the courage to be steadfast,
to know there is no other God besides you,
and so be free of those false gods that bind us.
We ask in the name of the One who has come and is coming to deliver us all,
Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Hymn: My Lighthouse (praise band)

Scripture Reading: Daniel 3 (Common English Bible)
Last week we heard the prophet Jeremiah’s letter to the people who had first been sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. Today we move forward a few years and meet some of those exiles who are doing their best to follow Jeremiah’s instructions: to embed themselves in the community and do as best they can to seek the common good for everyone. Today’s story involves the king, his officials, and three of the young men whose families had been removed from Jerusalem and forcibly relocated to Babylon. I am reading Daniel chapter 3, in the Common English Bible.

King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue. It was ninety feet high and nine feet wide. He set it up in the Dura Valley in the province of Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar then ordered the chief administrators, ministers, governors, councillors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to assemble and come for the dedication of the statue that he had set up. So the chief administrators, ministers, governors, councillors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. They stood in front of the statue the king had set up. The herald proclaimed loudly: “Peoples, nations, and languages! This is what you must do: When you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, lyre, harp, flute, and every kind of instrument, you must bow down and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Anyone who will not bow down and worship will be immediately thrown into a furnace of flaming fire.” So because of this order as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, lyre, harp, flute, and every kind of instrument, all the peoples, nations, and languages bowed down and worshipped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
At that moment some Chaldeans came forward, seizing a chance to attack the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar:
“Long live the king! Your Majesty, you gave a command that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, lyre, harp, flute, and every kind of instrument should bow down and worship the gold statue. Anyone who wouldn’t bow and worship would be thrown into a furnace of flaming fire. Now there are some Jews, ones you appointed to administer the province of Babylon—specifically, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who have ignored your command. They don’t serve your gods, and they don’t worship the gold statue you’ve set up.”
In a violent rage Nebuchadnezzar ordered them to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were brought before the king.
Nebuchadnezzar said to them: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: Is it true that you don’t serve my gods or worship the gold statue I’ve set up? If you are now ready to do so, bow down and worship the gold statue I’ve made when you hear the sound of horn, pipe, zither, lyre, harp, flute, and every kind of instrument. But if you won’t worship it, you will be thrown straight into the furnace of flaming fire. Then what god will rescue you from my power?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar: “We don’t need to answer your question. If our God—the one we serve—is able to rescue us from the furnace of flaming fire and from your power, Your Majesty, then let him rescue us. But if he doesn’t, know this for certain, Your Majesty: we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you’ve set up.”
Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and his face twisted beyond recognition because of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. In response he commanded that the furnace be heated to seven times its normal heat. He told some of the strongest men in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the furnace of flaming fire. So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were bound, still dressed in all their clothes, and thrown into the furnace of flaming fire. (Now the king’s command had been rash, and the furnace was heated to such an extreme that the fire’s flame killed the very men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to it.) So these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell, bound, into the furnace of flaming fire.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in shock and said to his associates, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound, into the fire?”
They answered the king, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
He replied, “Look! I see four men, unbound, walking around inside the fire, and they aren’t hurt! And the fourth one looks like one of the gods.” Nebuchadnezzar went near the opening of the furnace of flaming fire and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. The chief administrators, ministers, governors, and the king’s associates crowded around to look at them. The fire hadn’t done anything to them: their hair wasn’t singed; their garments looked the same as before; they didn’t even smell like fire!
Nebuchadnezzar declared: “May the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be praised! He sent his messenger to rescue his servants who trusted him. They ignored the king’s order, sacrificing their bodies, because they wouldn’t serve or worship any god but their God. I now issue a decree to every people, nation, and language: whoever speaks disrespectfully about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s God will be torn limb from limb and their house made a trash heap, because there is no other god who can rescue like this.”
Then the king made Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego prosperous in the province of Babylon.

For the word of God in Scripture
For the word of God among us
For the word of God within us
Thanks be to God.

Sanctuary Hymn: When Peace Like a River (It Is Well), vv. 1, 2, 4 (organ)

Reflection
*What part of this story really stands out for you? Anything surprising? Inspiring? Bringing up questions?

*The people in exile were waiting for God to deliver them, and this story helped give them hope, encouraging them to remain faithful to God even when they lived in a foreign land, under a different king and system, in a place where even when they tried to seek the welfare of the community there were others who were watching and waiting for them to slip up. It reminded them that no matter how much they assimilated or climbed the ladder, it was always God that was actually looking out for them, not the political system.
*For centuries after the exile ended and the Babylonian empire had disappeared, people continued to wait for God to deliver them from all sorts of things — other empires that took over, other ways of the world that were contrary to God’s kingdom, and the prophets gave them a glimpse of God’s presence and God’s help.
*Today we also wait…the Messiah has come and yet we still wait for the fullness of his kingdom, and through Advent we get a taste of the longing, the hope, the deep yearning. What do we expect God’s deliverance will look like in our time?

*Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood up when all around them bowed down…
*St Andrew brought people to Jesus — including his own skeptical brother, and a child who trustingly offered everything they had — and later his bones were rescued from an emperor who wanted to use them for his own purposes, legitimising his earthly kingdom.
*What about us? What is our witness? How do we stand up in God’s promise, refusing to play the game of the powers that think they rule us today?

*SM&A trusted even without certainty, and that set them free from the King — they didn’t need to be afraid of him, because whatever happened and whatever the threat, they were going to do what was right. Their willingness to risk their own safety was actually what made them the most free…And that freedom enabled them to be courageous and witness to God’s saving power.

Whatever lies ahead, may we know that God is with us — in the furnace, in the crowd that thinks there’s only one way to be safe, in the fears and scarcity we think we’re stuck in, amidst the skepticism even of our own family, in the world we think can never change — let’s be inspired by Andrew, and by SM&A, to stand firm and stand up, trusting what God can do. Amen.

Hymn: How Firm a Foundation (organ)

Sanctuary Offering and Response: Hymn 324 v.5
All creation, join in praising
God the Father, Spirit, Son,
evermore your voices raising
to the eternal Three in One:
Come and worship
Christ, the new-born King.
Come and worship,
worship Christ, the new-born King.

Concerns of the Church
*flower fund
*choir rehearsal
*baptism bibles
*Wednesday Bible Study
*Christmas Post — bring cards until 14 December, 50p
*GSCT Carol Service
*Prayer groups

Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
You are faithful, God —
you promised that when we walk through fire or flood,
we would not be overcome.
You promised that the shadows would never overtake the light.
You promised to deliver us, to free us from all that harms us.
And you are a God who keeps promises.
We give you thanks for holding us close to your heart,
for walking the path before us to show us the way,
for surrounding us with a cloud of witnesses to inspire and encourage us on our journey.
With gratitude and praise,
we lift our prayers to you,
trusting you will hear, knowing you care.
We hold before you today all those who are not free —
those beholden to the whims of others,
those who feel they have no choice but to follow the crowd,
those whose livelihood depends on their silence about injustice,
those whose choices are confined by poverty,
those whose labour is exploited for our convenience.
We ask for your deliverance,
for your good news to break through all that binds them.
We hold before you today all those who have been punished for doing the right thing —
whistleblowers whose rights have not been protected,
peacekeepers and observers and journalists who have been targeted,
leaders who were threatened for demanding change,
ordinary people who suffered for refusing to be quiet.
We ask for your care and healing,
for your good news to uphold and encourage them,
for your Spirit to breathe through them and strengthen their voices.
We hold before you our human leaders,
that they may let go of the desire for power and wealth
and seek instead the good of the whole community;
that they may love and desire the truth;
that they may value people more than their own position;
that they may recognise their limits and be humble enough to see a bigger picture.
We ask for your justice to be made known,
for your spirit of compassion to be their guide.
On the 30th day of the month we join our hearts as your St John’s family to pray
*For the whole community of Gourock, for our beautiful natural environment: the river, burns, lochs, soil, air, flora and fauna of all kinds, and for all who live, work, play, pray, and pass through in this place.
*For the youth organisations of St John’s: for the Anchor Boys, Junior Section, and Company & Senior Section of the Boys’ Brigade, for the Smurfs, Brownies, Guides, and Rangers, and for the Exploratorium holiday clubs. For their leaders, volunteers, young people, and families. May they grow in faith, hope, and love together.
*For the land, people, and governments of the nations of Mexico, the USA, Canada, and Greenland

In all things we seek your way, O God.
Shine your light, which is life abundant for all people,
even here and now.
We ask these and all things in the name of your Son Jesus the Christ,
who is Emmanuel, God with us, who taught us to pray together:
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.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

Sanctuary Hymn 477: Lo, He Comes With Clouds Descending vv. 1, 2, 4 (organ)

Benediction
Go into the world with courage, stand firm for what is right, trust in the One who is God-with-us.
And as you go, may the Spirit of God go above you to watch over you. May the Spirit of God go beside you to be your companion. May the Spirit of God go before you to show you the way, and behind you to push you into places you might not go alone. And may the Spirit of God go within you, to remind you that you are loved more deeply than you can possibly imagine. May the fire of God’s love burn brightly in you, and through you into the world. Go in peace. Amen.

Sung Benediction Response (John L Bell, tune Gourock St John’s)
Now may the Lord of all be blessed,
Now may Christ’s gospel be confessed,
Now may the Spirit when we meet
Bless sanctuary and street.

Sanctuary Postlude Music (organ)

Announcements

* We worship in the sanctuary on Sundays at 11am, and Sunday worship is also online. If you are able, please enter by the front door in Bath street, and only those who need step-free access should use the back door. If you feel unwell, please worship online, to protect both yourself and others in our community.

* The first Sunday of the month at 11am is an all-age service, with different ways of encountering God’s word without a traditional sermon. All people — young and old, different personalities and learning styles, are welcome! You’ll find a more informal service with a variety of music, a Bible story, prayer, and some more interactive elements. The online service for the first Sunday will therefore also be different — there will still be a reading, prayers, and music, but usually not a sermon.

* Every Sunday there is a beautiful flower arrangement in the sanctuary, which is then taken from worship to someone in our church family as a message of our care and love. The flowers are funded entirely by donations specifically to the flower fund. If you would like to donate flowers — perhaps in memory of someone, or in celebration of something in your life, or just as a gift to our worshipping community and our church family, please mark your donations for the flower fund. Thank you for beautifying our worship and extending that beauty to others.

* Starter Packs are in need of Shaving Foam, Shampoo, Soap, Hand Wash. Also in preparation for Christmas they are collecting hats, scarves and gloves for children and adults, selection boxes, chocolates and biscuits.
The FoodBank are short of everything except pasta, so anything you can donate will be gratefully received!
You can bring donations to the church and place them into the boxes in the vestibule. Thank you!

* Bowl & Blether is on the first and third Mondays through the winter, with doors open from 11:30-1:30, and lunch served from noon. All are welcome for a bowl of soup, a toastie, a friendly chat in our warm hall! See you TOMORROW, the 1st of December!

* The Contact Group meets this Tuesday the 2nd of December, when we will hear from Lynette Robertson talking about local church history. The syllabus of events is available from Fiona Webster or Anne Armour. The syllabus donation of £5 will go towards our charity fundraising.

* Next Sunday the 7th of December, Gourock Schools and Churches Together is hosting our annual community carol service at 4pm in OGA. All our local schools will be performing, plus we’ll be singing many favourite carols. There will be a retiring offering for the foodbank as well. All are welcome — there’s plenty of space so come one, come all!

* Our Youth Organisations will again be delivering your Christmas post — bring your cards between 30 November and 14 December, and get them delivered around Gourock and the west end of Greenock for just 50p per card! All proceeds go to support youth work in St John’s.

* Did you know that the ministry we do at St John’s costs about £3000 per week and we are currently running about £500 short? Everything we do is funded by your generous giving — all our support for young people, older people, bereavement care, community outreach, worship, study, spiritual growth, and community work is because of your offering. If you would like to set up a standing order in order to facilitate your spiritual discipline of giving, or if you would like to make an extra gift to support the ministry St. John’s does in our parish, you can give online by clicking here. If you would like to set up a standing order, please contact Teri and she can give you the treasurer’s details. You can also send your envelopes to the church or the manse by post and we will ensure they are received. 
It is also possible to donate to the work of the parish assistant, speak to Anne Love about how to go about directing new donations to that item in the budget.

* Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Youtube, and to sign up for our email newsletter! Midweek you can watch Wine and the Word on Youtube, pray with video devotions on Facebook, and consider a new angle on something with a devotional email. 

* Wednesday Evening Bible Study is at 7:30pm in the Manse and we are reading Luke!

* Free period products are available in the church toilets for anyone who might need them, thanks to Hey Girls and Inverclyde Council.