| Worship Bulletin
Prelude: We Three Kings, by John Henry Hopkins, Jr., arranged by Ann Buys
Silent Night, by Franz Xaver Gruber, arranged by Ann Buys
Piano - Stephen Byers Sampson. St. Andrew and St. John
Carol, Hymn 83 verses 1, 2, 3, 6: "O come, all ye faithful" Organ - Daniel Pyle, St. Saviour's
Harp - Marsha Lyons, St. Saviour's
Voice - Linda Foster, Sue Blaisdell, Debbie Kiley, David Cuthbertson,
St. Saviour's
The Greeting Lead by The Rev. John Burton
Liturgical Responder - KC Burton
Officiant: The people who walked in darkness
People: have seen a great light.
Officiant: For to us a child is born,
People: to us a Son is given.
Officiant: His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
People: the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
Officiant: Glory to God in the highest,
People: and peace to God's people on earth.
The Bidding Prayer - The Rev. William Hague
Dear People of God: In this Christmas Season, let it be our duty and delight to hear once more the message of the Angels, to go to Bethlehem and see the Son of God lying in a manger. Let us hear and heed in Holy Scripture the story of God's loving purpose from the time of our rebellion against him until the glorious redemption brought to us by his holy Child Jesus, and let us make this place glad with our carols of praise.
But first, let us pray for the needs of his whole world, for peace and justice on earth, for the unity and mission of the Church for which he died, and especially for his Church in our country and on this Island.
And because he particularly loves them, let us remember in his name the poor and helpless, the cold, the hungry, and the oppressed, the sick and those who mourn, the lonely and unloved, the aged and little children, as well as all those who do not know and love the Lord Jesus Christ. Finally, let us remember before God his pure and lowly Mother, and that whole multitude which no one can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom, in Jesus, we are one for evermore.
And now, to sum up all these petitions, let us pray in the words which Christ himself has taught us, saying:
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. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Lead by The Rev. William Hague
Leader: The Almighty God bless us with his grace; Christ give us the joys of everlasting life; and to the fellowship of the citizens above, may the King of Angels bring us all.
People: Amen.
Lead by KC Burton
The First Lesson • Genesis 3:8-15 Read by Vladimir Reed, St. Mary and St. Jude Adam and Eve rebel against God
They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" He said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate." Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent tricked me, and I ate." The Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel."
Carol, Hymn 107: "Good Christian friends, rejoice" Organ - Kimberly Haller, St. Mary and St. Jude
The Second Lesson • Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 Read by Ted Bromage, St. Andrew and St John The prophet foretells the coming of the Savior
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. 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 onwards and for evermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Carol, Hymn 100: "Joy to the world" Piano, Tony Sousa, Church of Our Father
The Third Lesson • Micah 5.2-4 Read by Gail Leland, Church of Our Father The prophet Micah foretells the glory of little Bethlehem
But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
who are one of the little clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to rule in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient days.
Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labor has brought forth;
then the rest of his kindred shall return
to the people of Israel.
And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth.
Carol, Hymn 79: "O Little Town of Bethlehem" Piano - Stephen Byers Sampson, St. Andrew and St. John
Voice, Pamela Smith, St. Andrew and St. John
The Fourth Lesson • Matthew 1:18-23 Read by Susan Blaisdell, St. Saviour's The birth of Jesus
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us."
Carol, Hymn 115: "What child is this" Organ - Kimberly Haller, St. Mary and St. Jude
The Fifth Lesson • Luke 2:1-7 Read by Lauri Fernald, St. Mary and St. Jude St. Luke tells of the birth of Jesus
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.
Carol, Hymn 102, verses 1,2,4,6: "Once in royal David's city" Piano - Tony Sousa, Church of Our Father
The Sixth Lesson • Luke 2:8-16 Read by Joan Bromage, St. Andrew & St. John The angel brings good news to the shepherds
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.
Carol, Hymn 96: "Angels we have heard on high" Piano - Stephen Byers Sampson, St. Andrew and St. John Voice - Pamela Smith
Homily - The Rev. John Burton The Candle Lighting Read by The Rev. Jennifer Reece
Responder - Diane Phipps
Officiant: Christ has brought us out of darkness:
People: to live in his marvelous light.
Officiant: Jesus Christ is the light of the world:
People: a light no darkness can quench.
Officiant: The shepherds kept watch by night,
People: and your glory shone round about them.
Officiant: The darkness is not dark to you,
People: the night is as bright as the day.
Officiant: Let your light scatter the darkness,
People: and fill your Church with your glory.
Candles are now lit in homes, as we sing
Carol, Hymn 111: "Silent night" Harp and Voice - Marsha Lyons
The Concluding Collect - The Rev. Jennifer Reece
Officiant: Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. People: Amen. The Christmas Gospel • John 1:1-14 - The Rev. Stephen Muncie The Great Mystery of the Incarnation 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 Blessing - The Rev. Stephen Muncie
May Christ, who by his Incarnation gathered into one things earthly and heavenly, fill you with his joy and peace; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.
Carol, Hymn 87: "Hark! The herald angels sing" Organ - Daniel Pyle, St. Saviour's
Voice - Sue Blaisdell, Debbie Kiley, Dave Cuthbertson, St. Saviour's
The Postlude:
In dulci jubilo (Good Christian friends, rejoice), by Joh. Sebastian Bach
In dulci jubilo (Good Christian friends, rejoice), by Marcel Dupré Organ - Daniel Pyle, St. Saviour's |
