An Ordo for the Naming of Jesus

the naming of jesus

1 january 2012

The Gathering of the Community

Processional Hymn

‘People, Look East!  The Time Is Near’  Common Praise #91

Introductory Responses

Blessed are you, O Christ, Son of God,

you were before time began

and came into the world to save us.

Blessed are you, Sun of righteousness;

you shine with the Father’s love

and illumine the whole universe.

Blessed are you, Son of Mary;

born a child, you shared our humanity.

Let heaven and earth shout their praise.

With all the voices of heaven

we celebrate the coming of our Saviour.

Let heaven and earth shout their praise.

With all the creatures on earth

we sing and dance at his birth.

Praise and honour and glory to you, O Lord most high.

Hymn of Praise

Gloria in excelsis by Rupert Laing

Collect

Let us pray.

O God of ancient blessing,

your servant Mary pondered in her heart

the treasured words spoken about her Son,

our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Prepare our hearts to receive his Spirit,

that our tongues may confess him Lord,

who with you and the Holy Spirit,

lives and reigns, one God,

now and for ever.  Amen.

The Proclamation of the Word

First Reading

Numbers 6.22-27

The Psalm

Psalm 8 in Songs for the Holy One

Second Reading

Galatians 4.4-7

The Gradual Hymn I

‘At the Name of Jesus’  Common Praise #375 vv. 1-2

The Gospel

Luke 2.15-21

The Gradual Hymn II

‘At the Name of Jesus’  Common Praise #375 vv. 3-5

The Sermon

An Affirmation of Faith

Let us affirm our faith in the Word made flesh.

We believe

that Christ is the image of the invisible God,

the firstborn of all creation;

that in Christ all things in heaven and earth were created,

things visible and invisible,

that Christ himself is before all things,

and in him all things hold together;

that Christ is the head of the body, the church,

for in Christ the fullness of God was pleased to dwell;

that through Christ all things, whether on earth or in heaven,

have been reconciled to God.

This is our faith and in this faith we shall live.  Amen.

The Prayers of the Community

Intercessions, Petitions and Thanksgivings

The Exchange of the Peace

May the peace of Christ be always with you.

And also with you.

The Holy Communion

The Offertory Hymn

‘All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name’  Common Praise #322 vv. 1, 2, 5, 6

Prayer over the Gifts

God of Mary and Joseph,

you have claimed us as your people

and entrusted the justice and holiness

of your creation to our hands and hearts.

Accept all that we offer you this day

on behalf of this world.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Thanksgiving at the Table

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Blessed are you, gracious God,

creator of heaven and earth;

we give you thanks and praise

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who in the mystery of his incarnation

was made truly human

of the flesh of the Virgin Mary his mother;

in him we have seen a new and radiant vision of your glory.

Therefore with all the angels of heaven,

we lift our voices and sing our joyful hymn of praise

to proclaim the glory of your name.

Holy, holy, holy Lord,

God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

Holy One, the beginning and the end, the giver of life:

Blessed are you for the birth of creation.

Blessed are you in the darkness and in the light.

Blessed are you for your promise to your people.

Blessed are you for the prophets’ hopes and dreams.

Blessed are you for Mary’s openness to your will.

Blessed are you for your Son, Jesus, the Word made flesh.

In the night in which he was betrayed,

our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;

broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:

Take and eat; this is my body given for you.

Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,

and gave it for all to drink, saying:

This cup is the new covenant in my blood,

shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.

Do this for the remembrance of me.

[Therefore let] us proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

With this bread and cup we remember

your Word dwelling among us, full of grace and truth.

We remember our new birth in his death and resurrection.

We look with hope for his coming.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Holy God, we long for your Spirit.

Come among us.  Bless this meal.

May your Word take flesh in us.

Awaken your people.  Fill us with your light.

Bring the gift of peace on earth.

Come, Holy Spirit.

All praise and glory are yours, Holy One of Israel,

Word of God incarnate, Power of the Most High,

one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,

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.

Save us from the time of trial,

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and for ever.  Amen.

The Breaking of the Bread

We break the bread of life,

and that life is the light of the world

God here among us,

light in the midst of us,

bring us to light and life.

The gifts of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

The Communion

Communion Hymn

‘Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence’  Common Praise #48

The Sending Forth of the Community

Prayer after Communion

God of many names,

grant that we may not only pray with our lips,

but be courageous in conduct,

responding to your grace

with faith and fruitful action.

We ask this in the name of the Child of Bethlehem.  Amen.

Glory to God,

whose power, working in us,

can do infinitely more

than we can ask or imagine.

Glory to God from generation to generation,

in the Church and in Christ Jesus,

for ever and ever.  Amen.

Closing Hymn

‘Glory, in the Highest Glory’  Common Praise #366

Dismissal

Go forth in the name of Christ.

Thanks be to God.

Notes

The Introductory Responses are taken and emended from The Book of Alternative Services (1985), pp. 96-97.

The Collect, Prayer over the Gifts and Prayer after Communion (emended) are taken from Revised Common Lectionary Prayers (2002), p. 44.

‘An Affirmation of Faith’ was prepared by the Rev’d Dr Richard Geoffrey Leggett on the basis of Colossians 1.15-20.

The Thanksgiving at the Table is taken from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), p. 110 with the Preface (emended) for Christmas from The Book of Alternative Services (1985), p. 219.

Any liturgical elements not noted here are taken from ‘The Holy Eucharist’ in The Book of Alternative Services, p. 185 ff.