First eucharist of christmas
24
December 2016
The Gathering of the Community
Prelude
Processional
Hymn
‘O
Come, All Ye Faithful’ Common Praise #118 vv. 1, 2, 3, 4
Introductory
Responses
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 Christ’s birth.
Praise and honour and glory to
you, O Lord most high.
Hymn
of Praise
Collect
Let
us pray.
Almighty God,
as
we prepare with joy
to
celebrate the gift of the Christ-child,
embrace
the earth with your glory
and
be for us a living hope
in
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [ii]
The Proclamation of the Word
First
Reading
A
Reading from the Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 9.2-7)
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness — on them
light has shined. You have multiplied
the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at
the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar
across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the
day of Midian. For all the boots of the
tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel
for the fire. For a child has been born
for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and
there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice
and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Hear
what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Thanks be to God.
The
Gradual Hymn
‘Born
in the Night’ Common Praise #130
The
Gospel
The
Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The
Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke (2.1-20).
Glory to you, Lord Jesus
Christ.
In those days a decree went out from
Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken
while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in
Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was
descended from the house and family of David.
He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was
expecting a child. While they were
there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and
wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no
place for them in the inn.
In
that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their
flock by night. Then an angel of the
Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they
were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see — I am
bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day
in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of
cloth and lying in a manger.” And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising
God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among
those whom he favours!”
When the angels had left them and
gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to
Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made
known to us.” So they went with haste
and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had
been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the
shepherds told them. But Mary treasured
all these words and pondered them in her heart.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had
heard and seen, as it had been told them.
The
Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus
Christ.
The
Sermon
The Affirmation of Faith
We believe in God the Father,
God almighty, by whose plan
earth and heaven sprang to being,
all created things began.
We believe in Christ the Saviour,
Son of God in human frame,
virgin-born, the child of Mary
upon whom the Spirit came.
Christ, who on the cross forsaken,
like a lamb to slaughter led,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
he descended to the dead.
We believe in Jesus risen,
heaven’s king to rule and reign,
to the Father’s side ascended
till as judge he comes again.
We believe in God the Spirit;
in one Church, below, above:
saints of God in one communion,
one in holiness and love.
So by faith, our sins forgiven,
Christ our Saviour, Lord and friend,
we shall rise with him in glory
to the life that knows no end. [iii]
Sung to Common
Praise #223
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
‘What
Child Is This’ Common Praise #137
Prayer
over the Gifts
Let us pray.
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.
It
is indeed right, our duty and our joy,
that
we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you,
almighty
and merciful God, through our Saviour Jesus Christ.
In
the wonder and mystery of the Word made flesh
you
have opened the eyes of faith to a new and radiant vision of your glory,
that
beholding the God made visible,
we
may be drawn to love the God whom we cannot see.
And
so, with all the choirs of angels,
with
the church on earth and the hosts of heaven,
we
praise your name and join their unending hymn:
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.
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.[vi]
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,
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
The Sending Forth of the Community
Procession
to the Crèche
Candles are lit during the Hymn
and remain lit for the concluding prayers.
‘Silent
Night, Holy Night’ Common Praise #119
Prayer
after Communion
Let us pray.
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. [viii]
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.
Blessing
May
the God of infinite goodness
scatter
the darkness of sin
and
brighten your hearts with holiness;
and
the blessing of God almighty,
the
Lover of creation, the Beloved of God
and
the Love that unites them,
be
among you and remain with you always. Amen.
Closing
Hymn
‘In
the Bleak Midwinter’ Common Praise #122
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,’ 4.
[iii] Common
Worship (2000), 146.
[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] Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), p. 110.
[vii] Common Worship #744.
[viii] 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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