Rev Dr Michael Paterson introduced worship at our joint service on 15 December with these words:

Welcome to worship on the Sunday after the Friday before.

Whether your heart is celebrating, or your spirits are in your boots, know that you are welcome here.

Whether you are a leaver or a remainer, know that there’s a place for you at this table.

Whether you are a Unionist or a Nationalist, know that God says you belong.

On this Advent Sunday we meet as God’s people, still waiting for justice, still longing for a better future, and still hoping for the healing of our divisions – as a world and as a church

That’s why today, in the centre of our worship, is the table of light – symbol of all that we need in these dark days of the year, until God sends his final messenger in Jesus, and puts the darkness to flight.

So let’s light candles rather than curse the darkness.

We then enjoyed an ecumenical service, where Julia Reid shed a new light on Matthew 11.2–11, and Liz Crumlish led our intercessions. And the table of light pictured above combined Episcopalian and Methodist practices in a creative way.