Welcome and Call to Worship
Christmas Day Liturgy
Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
Most Loving God, because you knew how twisted and corrupted our humanity had become, you sent us your Holy Son —
We name him Jesus, our Saviour, for he has saved his sisters and brothers from their sins.
Because you have stood in our shoes and understand how difficult it is to live by the rule of law in an often cold, unfeeling, and ruthless world —
We name him Jesus, our Saviour, for he is this very day saving us from all our sins.
Because you have given us a gracious spirit, forgiving those who sin against us, and you call us to a ministry of reconciliation in a fractured world —
We proclaim him Jesus, our Saviour, for he will save our world from its many sins
God of Christmas, God of unspeakable grace, please forgive and renew us all, that our lives may declare the wonders of that Holy Love that has called us out of darkness into glorious light. Now, collect all our prayers as we share in the words Jesus taught us to pray, 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,
the power, and the glory
for ever.
Amen.
HymnAngels We Have Heard on High
Angels we have heard on high,
singing sweetly through the night,
and the mountains in reply
echoing their brave delight.
Refrain:
Gloria in excelsis Deo,
gloria in excelsis Deo.
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why these songs of happy cheer?
What great brightness did you see?
What glad tidings did you hear? [Refrain]
Come to Bethlehem and see
him whose birth the angels sing.
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King. [Refrain]
See him in a manger laid
whom the angels praise above.
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
while we raise our hearts in love. [Refrain]
Show and Tell
HymnJoy to the World
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive its 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.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let all their songs employ
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground.
He comes to make his blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.
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, wonders of his love.
A Christmas Story
Offering
Prayer of Intercession
Intimations
HymnGo, Tell It on the Mountain
Refrain:
Go tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere;
go tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born!
While shepherds kept their watching
o’er silent flocks by night,
behold throughout the heavens
there shone a holy light. [Refrain]
The shepherds feared and trembled
when lo! above the earth
rang out the angel chorus
that hailed our Savior’s birth. [Refrain]
Down in a lowly manger
the humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation
that blessed Christmas morn. [Refrain]