Morning Service for Christmas 2023
HYMN – O little town of Bethlehem BCS 3 – Forest Green
1 O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep And dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee to-night.
2 O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the king,
And peace to men on earth;
For Christ is born of Mary;
And, gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
3 How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming;
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him ,still
The dear Christ enters in.
4 Where children pure and happy
Pray to the blessèd Child,
Where misery cries out to thee,
Son of the mother mild;
Where charity stands watching
And faith holds wide the door,
The dark night wakes, the glory breaks,
And Christmas comes once more.
5 O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in,
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell:
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel.
PRAYER OF PREPARATION
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen
PRAYERS OF PENITENCE
Christ the light of the world has come to dispel the darkness of our hearts. In his light let us examine ourselves and confess our sins.
Lord of grace and truth, we confess our unworthiness
to stand in your presence as your children.
We have sinned:
Forgive and heal us.
The Virgin Mary accepted your call to be the mother of Jesus.
Forgive our disobedience to your will.
We have sinned:
Forgive and heal us.
Your Son our Saviour was born in poverty in a manger.
Forgive our greed and rejection of your ways.
We have sinned:
Forgive and heal us.
The shepherds left their flocks to go to Bethlehem.
Forgive our self-interest and lack of vision.
We have sinned:
Forgive and heal us.
The wise men followed the star to find Jesus the King.
Forgive our reluctance to seek you.
We have sinned:
Forgive and heal us.
May the God of love and power
forgive you and free you from your sins,
heal and strengthen you by his Spirit
and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen
THE COLLECT
Almighty God,
you have given us your only-begotten Son
to take our nature upon him
and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin:
grant that we, who have been born again
and made your children by adoption and grace,
may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen
FIRST READING – 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.
HYMN – Angels from the realms of glory BCS 19 – Iris
1 Angels from the realms of glory,
wing your flight o’er all the earth;
ye who sang creation’s story
now proclaim Messiah’s birth:
Refrain:
Come and worship
Christ the new-born King,
come and worship,
worship Christ the new-born King.
2 Shepherds in the field abiding,
watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing;
yonder shines the infant Light: [Refrain]
3 Sages, leave your contemplations;
brighter visions beam afar;
seek the great Desire of Nations;
ye have seen his natal star: [Refrain]
4 Though an infant now we view him,
he shall fill his Father’s throne,
gather all the nations to him;
every knee shall then bow down: [Refrain]
GOSPEL – Luke 2.1-20
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.
SERMON
Religion is the communication of an experience; call it a feeling, call it an expression of something that can’t be defined or explained. Because we are human beings we try hard to shape the experience, the feeling, with our minds. We can say what it isn’t, we can guess at what it might be, but like many really important things, in the end, you just have to stay with the feeling.
Today is about that feeling.
There is much that we can know about the significance of Jesus to the world – that’s history.
There is much we can learn about what he taught – that’s biblical criticism.
There is much we can argue over as to who he was – that’s theology.
There is much that we can believe about his place in our lives – that’s faith.
There is much we can sense about what God meant by him – that’s for artists and poets, that’s for us, that’s for today.
The gospel of the crucified Christ who meets us in bread and wine, who calls us to love the unlovable and forgive the unforgivable, who is now in the world never to be lost by it.
Christmas carols are so well-known we are apt to forget that they can be powerful poetry as well. There’s a verse in our next Carol which goes:
Yet, with the woes of sin and strife,
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angels’ strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love song which they bring:
Oh, hush the noise, ye men of strife,
And hear the angels sing.
Today is for hearing the angels sing.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Let us declare our faith in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Christ died for our sins
in accordance with the scriptures;
he was buried;
he was raised to life on the third day
in accordance with the scriptures;
afterwards he appeared to his followers,
and to all the apostles:
this we have received,
and this we believe. Amen. 1 Corinthians 15.3-7
HYMN – Joy to the world BCS 16 – Antioch
1 Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room,
And Heav’n and nature sing,
And Heav’n and nature sing,
And Heav’n, and Heav’n and nature sing.
2 Joy to the earth! The Saviour reigns;
Let us our songs employ,
While fields and floods, rocks, hills,
and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
3 He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, and wonders of His love
INTERCESSIONS – Mary Hinton
Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth. Jesus, light of the world, may the good news of your birth inspire and guide us.
In a world where conflict is an unwelcome and brutal presence we pray especially for the people of Palestine and Israel, Ukraine and Russia. Lord be with refugees and displaced people. Guide the paths of those trying to broker a pause in the fighting, may they find a cause for hope. Lord, be with those facing the violent forces of nature: those flooded in Queensland, the victims of the earthquake in northwest China and the volcanic eruption in Iceland.
Lord in your mercy hear our prayer.
Lord, your light shines in the darkness of our world. May we, like the shepherds, come in humility to worship at your manger and feel the love of the Lord Jesus.
In our worship together may we be grateful for the guidance and support of William and the efforts of the many who enable us to come together in this Holy Place.
Lord in your mercy hear our prayer.
Lord give grace to us, our families, friends and neighbours that we may serve Christ in one another and love as he loves us. As we celebrate this special day let us give thanks to those who help and guide those in need, the lonely, the marginalised and the homeless. Those who will provide food, warmth, shelter, gifts and support to everyone who is struggling with life.
Lord in your mercy hear our prayer.
Lord hold in your tender care all who are sick or troubled in any way and those who care for them. We remember with love and thanksgiving all who have died and commend them to your care. Lord support and guide all who mourn, may they find comfort in thee.
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers, for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
As our Saviour taught us, so we 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.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
BLESSING
May the eagerness of the shepherds,
the joy of the angels,
the perseverance of the wise men,
the obedience of Joseph and Mary,
and the peace of the Christ-child
be yours this Christmas,
and the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you and remain with you always. Amen
HYMN – O come all ye faithful BCS 13 – Adeste Fidelis
1 O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him
Born the King of Angels:
Refrain:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
2 God of God,
Light of Light,
Lo! he abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
Very God,
Begotten, not created: [Refrain]
6 Sing, choirs of Angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;
Glory to God
In the Highest: [Refrain]
7 Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
Born this happy morning,
Jesu, to thee be glory given;
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing: [Refrain]
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
In the name of Christ. Amen