Monday, December 21, 2015

An Ordo for Christmas Day (25 December 2015)

christmas day
25 december 2015

The Gathering of the Community

Processional Hymn

‘Infant Holy, Infant Lowly’  Common Praise #125

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 [i]

Collect

Let us pray.

God whose Word became flesh,
breathe a new song of joy
and praise into the world,
so that we may bear the good news of your salvation
and proclaim your promise of peace to the ends of the earth;
through Christ the Word.  Amen. [ii]

The Proclamation of the Word

First Reading

A Reading from the prophet Isaiah (52.7-10).

            How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”  Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the Lord to Zion.  Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.  The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Thanks be to God.

The Psalm

Psalm 98 with refrain from Songs for the Holy One

Refrain (sung twice):  Sing to the Holy One!  Sing a new song!

1 Sing a new song to the Lord,
who has done marvellous things, *
            whose strong hand and holy arm have won the victory.
2 O Lord, you have made known the victory; *
            you have openly shown your righteousness
            in the sight of the nations.
3 You remember your mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel, *
            and all the ends of the earth have seen your victory, O God.

Refrain:  Sing to the Holy One!  Sing a new song!

4 Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands; *
            lift up your voice, rejoice and sing.
5 Sing to the Lord with the harp, *
            with the harp and the voice of song.
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn *
            shout with joy before our sovereign, the Lord.

Refrain:  Sing to the Holy One!  Sing a new song!

7 Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it, *
            the lands and those who dwell therein.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands, *
            and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord,
            who is coming to judge the earth.
9 In righteousness shall God judge the world *
            and the peoples with equity.

Refrain:  Sing to the Holy One!  Sing a new song!

Second Reading

A Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (1.1-4).

            Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds.  He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word.  When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Thanks be to God.

The Gradual Hymn

‘Good Christians All, Rejoice’  Common Praise #153

The Gospel

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John (1.1-14).
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

            In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.  What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

            There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.  He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.  The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

            He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.  He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.  But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

            And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

The Sermon

An Affirmation of Faith

Let us affirm our faith.

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. [iii]

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

‘Once in Royal David’s City’  Common Praise #123

Prayer over the Gifts

Good and loving God,
we rejoice in the birth of Jesus,
who came among the poor
to bring the riches of your grace.
As you have blessed us with your gifts,
let them be a blessing for others.
With the trees of the field,
with all earth and heaven,
we shout for joy at the coming of your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. [iv]

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. [v]

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.

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. [vi]

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

‘What Child Is This’  Common Praise #137

The Sending Forth of the Community

Prayer after Communion

Radiant God,
with our eyes we have seen your salvation,
and in this meal we have feasted on your grace.
May your Word take flesh in us,
so that we may be your holy people,
revealing your glory made known to us
in Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen. [vii]

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

‘’Twas in the Moon of Wintertime’  Common Praise #146

Dismissal

Go forth in love to proclaim the birth of Christ.
Thanks be to God.



[i] Lang Carol Mass.

[ii] Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial Use Collects and Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion for Year C:  Advent 1 through Epiphany 6,’ 5.

[iii] Colossians 1.15-20 as arranged by the Rev’d Dr R. G. Leggett.

[iv] Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial Use Collects and Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion for Year C:  Advent 1 through Epiphany 6,’ 13.

[v] Lang Carol Mass.

[vi] Common Praise #744.

[vii] Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial Use Collects and Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion for Year C:  Advent 1 through Epiphany 6,’ 13.

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