**Please note this service is based on the format of the Anglican Church
of Canada. Unless otherwise indicated, all prayers come from the Book of
Alternative Services (BAS) and the hymns from the Book of Common Praise (BCP). Other
hymns and prayers have been sourced to give appropriate credit.
**NRSV translation used for the readings, unless otherwise stated.
The Gathering of the Community
Opening Hymn – O Come, All Ye Faithful (BCP #118)
Welcome, everyone, on this holiest of nights.
As Mary readied herself to give birth to Jesus, let us
prepare ourselves to welcome new birth into our lives.
As a child prepares to open a special gift, let us
prepare our hearts to receive the wonders of God’s love.
As heaven and earth sing of great joy, let us sing our
joyful praises to God. Come, let us worship God together!
The Collect
Eternal God, this holy night
is radiant with the brilliance of your one true light. As we have known the
revelation of that light on earth, bring us to see the splendour of your
heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Lighting
of the Candles
Jesus Christ, the son of Mary,
the Son of God is born this night.
God’s word has been made flesh among us.
The people who have walked in
darkness have seen a great light.
Those
who dwelt in the land of great darkness, on them a light has shined.
You, O Lord, have multiplied the nation. You have
increased its joy. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the
government is upon his shoulder.
His
name shall be called wonderful, counsellor, mighty god, everlasting father,
prince of peace.
He is also called Emmanuel, for in Him, God is with
us.
Dear
God, we pray that we are ready for your coming. May we know deep in our hearts
your love for each of us. May we be open to share with others the love you have
gifted us with, through Jesus. Amen.
The Proclamation of the
Word
A reading from the book of 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 Counselor, 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.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks
be to God.
Psalm 96
O sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to
the Lord, all the earth.
Sing
to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his
marvelous works among all the peoples.
For
great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be revered above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the
Lord made the heavens.
Honor
and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to
the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe
to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his
courts.
Worship the Lord in holy splendor;
tremble
before him, all the earth.
Say
among the nations, “The Lord is king!
The world is firmly established; it shall never
be moved.
He will judge the peoples with equity.”
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the
sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the
field exult, and everything in it.
Then
shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
before the Lord; for he is coming,
for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the
peoples with his truth.
A reading from the book of Titus 2:11-14
For the grace of God
has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and
worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are
self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the
manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is
who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify
for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks
be to God.
Gradual Hymn – Born in the Night (BCP #130)
The Lord be with you.
And
also with you.
The Holy Gospel of the 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 Savior, 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 favors!”
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
Sermon
May the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be acceptable to you, I Lord. Amen.
For decades, we have heard Linus tell the
shepherd’s version of the Christmas story.
And there were in the
same country shepherds abiding
in the field, keeping
watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of
the Lord came upon them,
and the glory of the
Lord shone round about them:
and they were so
afraid.
And the angel said unto
them, Fear not: for, behold,
I bring you good
tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all
people.
For unto you is born
this day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the
Lord.
And this shall be a
sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe
wrapped in swaddling
clothes, 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, and on earth peace,
good will toward men.
But
why did God announce the birth to shepherds?
The
presence of the shepherds is an interesting part of the Christmas story. They
don’t say much. They don’t do much. But it sure was important to God that they
be there for the birth of Jesus. And that says a lot.
When
the time came to tell Zechariah about the birth of John the Baptist, God sent
one angel.
When
the time came to tell Mary about the birth of Jesus, God sent one angel.
When
the time came to announce the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, he sent a whole
sky full of angels.
These
guys were out in their fields, minding their own business, when this sky full
of angels suddenly appear, announcing the most important news in the world – the
fact that Jesus was born.
Shepherds
were the first to look, shepherds living in fields. Unlettered, unwashed
herders of livestock existing at the margins, far from the power-centers of
respectability and prestige.
The
shepherds were faithful to what they heard. They listened to the message from
God.
The
shepherds then took the next step to find out if it’s true. They followed the
sign God had given them and they rushed into town to see the baby for
themselves. They met the savior because they listened and obeyed God’s
guidance.
And
they didn’t just huddle together and enjoy the blessing they had for
themselves. They went out and they told everyone.
Those
shepherds were the first evangelists.
They
didn’t have a theological education.
They
didn’t know the whole story.
But
they knew that God had spoken to them. God had touched their lives. And they
wanted others to know. They just told what God had done for them.
This
message of hope emerges among the least significant, among shepherds, among
those who could never have imagined that they would be forever remembered in
human history.
This
is news that deserved to be told to the most important people in the world: the
kings and emperors.
But
is this who heard the news first? No! God sent his angel to lowly shepherds
tending to flocks of sheep.
Let
it be said clearly this night. Heaven and earth meet in obscure places, not in
the halls of power.
Shepherds
and angels.
A
birth in the city of King David, but far from a royal residence.
And
that birth, that joy is for all people. In verse 14a, “peace among those with
whom God favors” is not a phrase designed to limit God’s favor and peace to a
few.
We
human creatures, along with God’s other creatures, have been favored. The light
came in those dark fields and that dim room in Bethlehem because God longs, has
always longed, for us to know and love God.
The
shepherds put things together well enough to become jubilant. They’re promised
a baby, they see a baby, and they recognize that the rest of what they have
been told is true.
Here
he is, the One whom God has sent to show God’s favor. Some of us do the same.
It is another role of our gathered congregations. There’s a new world coming!
And that’s good news for the people in our story, for us, and for everyone.
Nothing
I’ve said so far should be new to you. The Christmas story doesn’t change year
to year. But how we feel about it might, how we are feeling right now will be
very different than last year, and certainly different from the year before.
Advent
is the season before Christmas that symbolizes a deep sense of longing – a
longing for something that is not here yet but is hoped for. A hope that we have
with groans too deep for words. A hope of the "here-and-not-yet", the
"dawn and the sunrise" as Karl Barth put it.
This
longing for things to be made right, in anticipation of who was born on
Christmas, is uncomfortable. And many of us are experiencing that this year
more than we ever have with so many losses – loss of family members to COVID-19
or other reasons, loss of friendships, missing seeing children and grandchildren
– or just the uncomfortableness of knowing that what is happening right now in
the world is just not right.
Do
you feel a groan about that in you that is too deep for words?
This
is a new feeling at Christmas because Christmas is usually a season of busyness
and fulfillment – not quiet or aching.
In
the spirit of Advent and longing, let's lean into the uncomfortableness that we
are feeling.
Perhaps
we can reframe Christmas 2021 according to the first Christmas – quiet, simple,
not many people, calm.
Let’s
go back to the shepherds.
In
the Christmas story, the entire hosts of angels appeared first to the shepherds
to announce the birth of Jesus. The angel-choir could have announced the birth
from the main hub of Jerusalem to the leaders of the time or gone to the kings
in the East or projected it on a huge billboard of Times Square (well, whatever
that was at the time).
Instead,
the angels went to the Shepherds - some of the lowliest in society at that
time, the marginalized, the unseen - in the middle of the night.
Who
are our modern-day shepherds? Who would be the ones receiving God’s announcement?
Those
that feel forgotten, marginalized, unseen.
Our
healthcare workers, janitorial staff, technicians, etc in the ICUs who are
living a reality in the hospitals that's opposite to people's actions during
this Christmas season.
Families
who have lost a sister, mom, dad, grandparent this year - but feel unseen as
people go on like things are normal.
Mothers
trying to put food on the table for their kids. And, they still have to go to work
as a cashier with people yelling at them without a mask.
Church
members/clergy who have left their church, lost their church, or are feeling
angst about being at their church because they view differently about Loving
our Neighbors than what they are seeing.
Families
who were already on the brink of poverty prior to the pandemic and have now
gone further down with a loss of jobs.
People
with family members that are high risk even with vaccines. The constant worry
about people not caring is heavy.
This
list could continue to go on. If you feel angst in this season prior to
Christmas, that's Advent, that's a longing for Hope. If you feel angst in this
season and are marginalized or feel forgotten, you are a Shepherd.
And
that’s who the angels went to first. To herald in the birth of a Redeemer that
would years later say, "Blessed are you who are poor in spirit for yours
is the Kingdom of Heaven".
An
Overcomer who would take all shame, hurt, and pain on a cross and put it to
rest to set things right.
An
Immanuel, God with us, who came for the sick, the poor, the marginalized, the
captives - with us and for us.
A
Love that said the entire law could be summed up in love God and love others.
Especially
the Shepherds.
What
does that all mean for us this Christmas?
It means
reframing Christmas in light of that first one - calm, quiet, longing, hoping.
It
means it is ok if we feel angst and longing and uncomfortableness.
It
means we remember the Shepherds and make decisions to love and protect them -
even if it feels uncomfortable as we make hard decisions to gather differently once
again.
Perhaps
that is where the true meaning of Christmas is anyways.
Amen.
Affirmation
of Faith
Let us confess the faith of our baptism, as we say
the Nicene Creed:
We
believe in one God,
the
Creator, the Almighty,
maker
of heaven and earth,
of
all that is, seen and unseen.
We
believe in one Redeemer, Jesus Christ,
the
only Child of God,
eternally
begotten of the Creator,
God
from God, Light from Light,
true
God from true God,
begotten,
not made,
one
in being with the Creator:
Through
the Redeemer all things were made.
For
us and for our salvation
Jesus
Christ the Redeemer
came
down from heaven:
by
the power of the Holy Spirit
was
born of the Virgin Mary, and became human.
For
our sake Jesus was crucified
under
Pontius Pilate,
suffered,
died and was buried,
and,
on the third day, rose again
in
fulfillment of the Scriptures,
ascended
into heaven
and
is seated at the right hand of God.
Jesus
Christ will come again in glory
to
judge the living and the dead,
and
the Reign of God will have no end.
We
believe in the Holy Spirit,
the
Sanctifier, the Giver of Life,
who
proceeds from God the Creator
and
Jesus Christ the Redeemer,
who
with the Creator and the Redeemer,
is
worshipped and glorified
and
who has spoken through the Prophets.
We
believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We
acknowledge one baptism
for
the forgiveness of sins.
We
look for the resurrection of the dead
and
the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayers
of the People
Brothers and sisters, on this most holy night of our
Lord’s birth, that we may find peace, joy, and contentment in this holy season,
let us pray for ourselves and all those in need of our prayers, saying: Lord,
hear our prayer.
For the church of Christ, that it may faithfully
proclaim the good news of salvation and may care for the needs of God’s people
in all corners of the world,
We pray to you, O Lord.
Lord,
hear our prayer.
For peace in our troubled world, that the darkness
of way and injustice may be replaced by the light of peace and love,
We pray to you, O Lord.
Lord,
hear our prayer.
For all those in need of our prayers: the homeless,
the unemployed, the hungry, those who are hospitalized, those who are
imprisoned in body or soul, and all those for whom this season is one not of
joy but of trial and sadness,
We pray to you, O Lord.
Lord,
hear our prayer.
For the sick, that their illnesses may be turned
into health and their sorrow into rejoicing,
We pray to you, O Lord.
Lord,
hear our prayer.
For those who labor this night on behalf of others:
doctors and nurses, police officers and firefighters, gas station attendants,
bus and taxi drivers, and all those whose work prevents them from sharing this
evening with those they love,
We pray to you, O Lord.
Lord,
hear our prayer.
In thanksgiving we remember the lives of those who
have gone before us in the faith. That we, like them, may remain faithful to
the end and live forever in the light of your eternal glory,
We pray to you, O Lord.
Lord,
hear our prayer.
We thank you, our great and loving God, for the gift of yourself in your Son Jesus
Christ. Let our Christmas Eve celebration instill more deeply your message of love and
reconciliation into our hearts. What a glorious gift you have given. Coming to a people
who misunderstood your true self, you gave hope and light to overcome their darkness
of spirit. May we not view this story as a tale of the past, but open our hearts, that the
Christ child may be born in us this very night.
Lord, as we hear the story of Mary and Joseph seeking a room, only to be turned away,
keep us mindful of those who walk our city streets seeking refuge. Remind us that at
least the innkeeper provided a stable for the Holy Family.
We thank you for the simplicity of your arrival. You could have been born a King in a
palace, but you chose to reveal yourself to those of low estate. The Angel Chorus sang
their glorious anthem before simple Shepherds who were hungering for hope. We praise
you that your message is given to those who are receptive—captives, oppressed, and the
struggling who are anxious to receive your message of freedom and peace. Inspire us to
take your message to all who are poor of spirit.
As the Wise Men brought their gifts and then “returned home another way,” may we
leave here for our homes with a sense of new direction. When this season ends, and we
neatly pack away our decorations and lights, prevent us from boxing up, for another
year, the goodwill, the peace, and the hope of salvation, we find in the Holy Child.
As we sing the familiar carols open our minds to hear again their message. We are
inundated with these melodies, everywhere we go in this season, and the familiarity
causes us to lose the joy of the message. Tonight as we light our candles, let surge over
us a deepening of our faith in Him, the hope that lifts our spirits, and the love that
emulates, as best we can, the love of the saving Christ.
May the joy of our Saviour’s birth be shared with our weary world throughout our lives.
Hear our prayers in the name of our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ, the Holy Child of
Bethlehem. Amen
Confession
and Absolution
Dear friends in Christ,
God is steadfast in love and infinite in mercy;
God welcomes sinners and invites them to the table.
Let us confess our sins, confident in God’s
forgiveness.
(Silence)
Most
merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and
deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved
you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbour as ourselves. We are
truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your son Jesus Christ, have
mercy on us and forgive us, that we might delight in your will, and walk in
your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.
As we speak the truth of our lives, God who is
faithful and just, restores us and brings us home again and again.
Almighty God, have mercy upon you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And
also with you.
Offertory Hymn – Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (BCP #138)
Prayer
Over the Gifts
**Although not physically at our church buildings to share our offering
together I would encourage you to set your offering of money aside so that it can
be dropped off or placed in the church once services resume, to mail your
offering to the church, or to make donations online. Please remember ministry
is still taking place.
Let us pray.
Source of light and gladness, accept all we offer on
this joyful feast. May we grow up in him who unites our lives to yours; for he
is Lord now and for ever.
Amen.
This service was created for in-person worship. For those
worshiping on your own, you may either read the Eucharistic prayer, or skip
ahead to the Lord's Prayer.
Eucharistic
Prayer 2
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.
We
give you thanks and praise, almighty God,
through
your beloved Son, Jesus Christ,
our
Saviour and Redeemer.
He
is your living Word,
through
whom you have created all things.
By
the power of the Holy Spirit
he
took flesh of the Virgin Mary
and
shared our human nature.
He
lived and died as one of us,
to
reconcile us to you,
the
God and Father of all.
In
fulfilment of your will
he
stretched out his hands in suffering,
to
bring release to those who place their hope in you;
and
so he won for you a holy people.
He
chose to bear our griefs and sorrows,
and
to give up his life on the cross,
that
he might shatter the chains of evil and death,
and
banish the darkness of sin and despair.
By
his resurrection
he
brings us into the light of your presence.
Now
with all creation we raise our voices
to
proclaim the glory of your name.
Holy
and gracious God,
accept
our praise,
through
your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ;
who
on the night he was handed over
to
suffering and death,
took
bread and gave you thanks,
saying,
“Take, and eat:
this
is my body which is broken for you.”
In
the same way he took the cup,
saying,
“This is my blood which is shed for you.
When
you do this, you do it in memory of me.”
Remembering,
therefore, his death and resurrection,
we
offer you this bread and this cup,
giving
thanks that you have made us worthy
to
stand in your presence and serve you.
We
ask you to send your Holy Spirit
upon
the offering of your holy Church.
Gather
into one
all
who share in these sacred mysteries,
filling
them with the Holy Spirit
and
confirming their faith in the truth,
that
together we may praise you
and
give you glory
through
your Servant, Jesus Christ.
All
glory and honour are yours,
Father
and Son,
with
the Holy Spirit
in
the holy Church,
now
and for ever.
Amen.
And now, as our Saviour Christ has taught us, we are
bold to pray,
Our
Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed
be thy name.
Thy
kingdom come,
Thy
will be done,
On
earth as it is in heaven.
Give
us this day our daily bread.
And
forgive us our trespasses,
As
we forgive those who trespass against us.
Save
us from the time of trial,
And
deliver us from evil.
For
thine is the kingdom,
The
power, and the glory,
For
ever and ever. Amen.
Breaking of the Bread
This is the body of Christ.
Behold what you are.
Become what you receive.
Amen.
Communion
This is the table of Christ. It is made ready
for those who love him, and for those who want to love him more. Come, whether
you have much faith or little, have tried to follow, or are afraid that you
have failed. Come. Because it is Christ's will that those who want to meet him,
might meet him here.
These are the gifts of God for the People of
God.
Thanks
be to God.
Share
in the Eucharist
Prayer After Communion
As we have feasted around the table, let us
pray.
Father of all, tonight you have united earth and
heaven in sending your Son to take our human nature. May we who have tasted
heavenly things share in the life of his eternal kingdom. We ask this in the
name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Doxology
Almighty God, we give you thanks that while we are
still far off, you met us in your Son and you brought us home. Dying and
rising, you restored us to life, gave us grace, and opened the way of Glory,
and so we say:
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
The peace of God, which passes all
understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and
of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord: and the blessing of the Holy and Undivided
Trinity be with you and remain with you always, in the name of God, ☩ Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Closing Hymn – Silent Night (BCP #118)
Dismissal
Lord, let your servants depart in peace, according
to your word; for our eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in
the presence of all peoples, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of
your people Israel.
Thanks be to God.
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