December 25th, 2022
Christmas Day
Find this service at www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live
Leading us today in Worship:
Worship Leader: Rev. Christine Smaller
Music Director: Dr. Christopher Burton
Readers: Jim Oliver, Mike Weller
~ Leader: regular font ~ All: bold font ~ Sung words: bold italics
Asterisk * Indicates when the congregation may stand if able.
PRELUDE:
An Improvisation on Christmas Carols ~ C. Burton
CANDLE LIGHTING:
In God’s house, there is hope—
For God loves us too much to leave us just as we are.
Light the candle of hope.
In God’s house, there is peace—
For all that separates us from God falls away.
Light the candle of peace.
In God’s house, there is joy—
Because God created music, and coffee, and dance floors, and laughter that is contagious, and endless rounds of peek-a-boos with babies; and if those things have God’s fingerprints, then God’s house surely exudes joy.
Light the candle of joy.
In God’s house, there is love—
Because God is love, from start to finish, and that love exists for us all.
Light the candle of love.
And in the center of our hope,
In the centre of our peace,
In the centre of our joy,
In the centre of our love, is God—who came to this earth to dwell among us.
So today we light the Christ candle, for God’s love just could not stay away.
Welcome home. Amen.
*OPENING HYMN:
VU 59 Joy to the World
1. Joy to the world! The Lord is come:
let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
2. Joy to the earth! the Saviour 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
WELCOME & CALL TO WORSHIP:
I have good news!
I have good news!
Christ is born!
Christ is born!
Joy is alive!
Joy is alive!
God is here.
God is here.
Thanks be to God.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
Amen.
OPENING PRAYER & GOOD NEWS CANDLE
*CAROL:
VU 75 While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
1.While shepherds watched their flocks by night
all seated on the ground,
the angel of the Lord came down,
and glory shone around.
2."Fear not", said he, for mighty dread
had seized their troubled mind;
"glad tidings of great joy I bring
to you and humankind."
3."To you, in David's town this day
is born of David's line
a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord;
and this shall be the sign:"
4."The heavenly Babe you there shall find
to human view displayed,
all meanly wrapped in swaddling bands,
and in a manger laid."
5.Thus spake the seraph; and forthwith
appeared a shining throng
of angels praising God, who thus
addressed their joyful song:
6."All glory be to God on high,
and on the earth be peace;
good will to all from highest heaven
begin, and never cease."
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION:
God of manger straw and swaddle cloth,
God of silent nights and joyfully-chaotic mornings,
we long to know you.
The hustle and bustle of this time of year can be more than distracting,
so for a moment, we pray,
still our busy hearts.
Quiet our minds.
Help us to sink deeply into this day.
Help us to pause here,
to linger here
as we hear your good news spoken over us.
God, we long to know you,
so speak to us now.
With grateful hearts, we pray.
With grateful hearts, we listen.
Amen.
READING:
Let us listen for God speaking to us through the ancient poetry of John 1, with contemporary poetic additions by Rev. Sarah Speed:
In the beginning was the Word,
Voice 1:
way back, a long, long time ago,
before the stars,
before the day,
before the rivers were carved out of clay.
Voice 2:
in the beginning,
Voice 3:
way back in that beginning,
Voice 1:
was the Word.
And the Word was with God,
And the Word was God.
He, Jesus, was in the beginning with God.
Voice 2:
In other words, we cannot say
that love was born in a stable that day,
for love was born when the horizon was drawn.
It was born in the dark, long before dawn.
Love was born with the very first sea
and when God breathed life into you and me.
Long before Magi
or shepherds or dreams,
long before sheep or angels that sing,
love was here—
building a way,
then and now,
and on Christmas day.
Voice 3:
For all things came into being through him,
and without him, not one thing came into being.
And what has come into being in him was life,
and the life was the light of all people.
Voice 1:
And so Jesus shined.
Like a light in the dark,
or a star in the sky,
Jesus walked into this world
and opened our eyes,
shining a light on social divides
and loving the scars we try to hide.
He lit up this world like it’s never seen,
the light of all people,
Emmanuel, King.
*HYMN:
VU 69 Away in a Manger
1. Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus, laid down his sweet head.
the stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
2. The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.
I love you, Lord Jesus; look down from the sky,
and stay by my side until morning is nigh.
3. Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask you to stay
close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in your tender care,
and fit us for heaven, to live with you there.
Voice 2:
The light shines in the darkness,
And the darkness did not overcome it.
Hatred did not overcome it.
Fear did not overcome it.
Greed did not overcome it.
Voice 3:
A light shines in the darkness.
Envy did not overcome it.
Doubt did not overcome it.
Scarcity did not overcome it.
Voice 1:
A light shines in the darkness.
Death did not overcome it.
Sickness did not overcome it.
Grief did not overcome it.
Voice 2:
For he was in the beginning with God,
Voice 3:
way back, a long, long time ago,
before the stars,
before the day,
before the rivers were carved out of clay.
Voice 1:
And what has come into being in him was life.
Voice 2:
So we cannot begin with Magis and sheep,
for this story begins at the brink—
Voice 3:
of creation and light,
Voice 1:
of you and me,
Voice 2:
of beloved and love,
Voice 3:
of being set free.
Voice 1:
For in the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
Voice 2:
He was in the beginning with God,
and that light shines in the darkness.
It always has, and it always will.
Voice 3:
That is where our story begins—
with love for creation,
from beginning to end. Amen.
*HYMN:
VU 43 Go 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.
1. While shepherds kept their watching
o’er silent flocks by night,
behold, throughout the heavens
there shone a holy light.
Refrain:
Go, tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere.
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
2. The shepherds feared and trembled
when lo, above the earth
rang out the angel chorus
that hailed our Saviour‘s birth!
Refrain:
Go, tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere.
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
3. Down in a lowly manger
the humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation
that blessed Christmas morn.
Refrain:
Go, tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere.
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
Christmas Affirmation of Faith:
Like Mary,
we believe in cherishing good news.
Like the angels,
we believe in singing God’s praise.
Like the shepherds,
we believe that God’s presence in our life is something worth talking about.
Like generations before,
we believe that God is with us.
Like the generations to come,
we believe that God is with us.
God is here. God is love.
We believe. Thanks be to God!
PRAYER of the PEOPLE:
CLOSING PRAYER:
Holy God of candlelight and open doors,
God of tables and feasts,
God of holly and of ivy,
we give you our prayers.
Like pennies shaken loose from our pockets,
we turn over every corner of our hearts
to give you our truth through
prayers of gratitude,
prayers of fear,
prayers of grief.
Collect them all and hold us close
on this Christmas morning,
for today,
especially today,
we long to feel you near.
With gratitude and joyful hearts we pray.
Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
*CLOSING HYMN:
VU 91 The First Nowell
1. The first Nowell the angel did say
was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
in fields where they lay a-keeping their sheep
on a cold winter's night that was so deep
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell
born is the King of Israel.
2. They looked up and saw a star,
shining in the east, beyond them far;
and to the earth it gave great light,
and so it continued both day and night.
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell
born is the King of Israel.
3. And by the light of that same star
three wise men came from country far;
to seek for a king was their intent,
and to follow the star wherever it went.
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell
born is the King of Israel.
4. This star drew nigh to the northwest;
o'er Bethlehem it took its rest,
and there it did both stop and stay,
right over the place where Jesus lay.
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell
born is the King of Israel.
5. Then entered in those wise men three,
full reverently upon their knee,
and offered there in his presence
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell
born is the King of Israel.
6. Then let us all with one accord
sing praises to our heavenly Lord,
that hath made heaven and earth of nought,
and with his blood our life hath bought.
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell
born is the King of Israel.
*COMMISSIONING and BENEDICTION:
*SUNG BLESSING:
May the blessing of God be upon you.
May God’s love light all your way.
May the grace of Christ enfold you
and peace around you stay.
May the Spirit of God dwell within you.
May you live in joy each day.
POSTLUDE:
An Improvisation on Christmas Carols ~ C. Burton
*****
RESOURCES USED
LITURGY SOURCES: The following are used with permission:
All prayers and the reading are written by: rev. sarah speed | sanctifiedart.org
HYMNS and SUNG VERSES
- “Joy to the World:” Music: attrib. George Frideric Handel 1742; arr. Lowell Mason 1836 Public Domain.
- “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks:” Words: Nahum Tate 1700, alt. Music: adapt. from Este's Whole Booke of Psalmes 1592. Public Domain
- “Away in a Manger:” Words: Author unknown. Music: William James Kirkpatrick 1895; arr. Desmond Hassell 1992. Arrangement copyright © 1992 Desmond Hassel.Public Domain
- “Go Tell it on the Mountain:” Words: John Wesley Work 1907. Music: African-AmericanSpiritual 19th century, arr. United reformed Church (U.K.) Arrangement copyright © United reform Church. By permission of Oxford University Press. One Licence #608577
- “The First Nowell:” Words: English traditional carol, ca. 17th century, alt. Music: English traditional melody; harm. John Stainer 1871; desc. and harm. Healey Willan 1926 Refrain harmony and descant copyright ©1926 Oxford University Press. Inc. .One License #608577
- “May the Blessing of God Be Upon You:” Words: R. Gordon Nodwell 1989. Music: William H.M.Wright 1989.Words copyright © 1995 R. Gordon Nodwell. Music copyright © 1995 William H.M. Wright.
SCRIPTURE PASSAGES:
Scripture Passage from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission.
Prelude: An Improvisation on Christmas Carols ~ C. Burton
Postlude: An Improvisation on Christmas Carols ~ C. Burton
