THE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
ST. MARK’S COMMUNITY OF FAITH
PORT HAWKESBURY, NS
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE – December 24th, 2020
Sacrament of Holy Communion
Pulpit Supply: Pastor Keith Wiseman, DLM
WE GATHER IN COMMUNITY AND APPROACH GOD
Introit: “All Earth Is Waiting” VU #5
Lighting of the Christ Candle:
Thank you, God, for the gift of your Son Jesus, the Christ, who is the Light of the world.
Praise be to you Lord Jesus Christ!
Greeting:
May the Grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit be with you. And also with you.
Call To Worship:
O come, children and teenagers, brothers and sisters,
come and behold the Christmas miracle.
O come, all ye faithful.
O come, men and women, parents and grandparents,
come and hear the Christmas story.
O come, all ye faithful.
O come, all the world, every race and place,
Come and receive God’s Christmas blessing.
O come, all ye faithful.
Prayer of Approach:
Hymn: “The First Noel” VU #91
WE LISTEN FOR GOD'S WORD
A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 96
A Reading from the Hebrew Scriptures: Isaiah 9: 2-7
A Reading from the Gospel: Luke 2: 1-20
Vocal Solo: “What Child Is This”
WE RESPOND TO GOD'S WORD
Reflection: “Christmas Is a Verb” Pastor Keith Wiseman
Pastoral Prayer & The Lord’s Prayer:
Hymn: “Away in a Manger" VU #69
The Sacrament of Holy Communion
THE LIFE AND WORK OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Announcements:
Dedication of Offering:
Giving God, gifted by your grace, we offer you what you have given us. We pray these gifts will be used for the sharing of your love, the doing of justice, and the giving of peace. Amen.
SENDING FORTH
Closing Hymn: “Joy to the World’” VU #59
Commissioning:
With Christmas in our hearts,
and the star of the future to lead us,
in the midst of a community of faith,
as citizens of God’s world,
we go now to see the face of God everywhere.
May we bring the kindness of God to everyone to meet.
Benediction:
The blessing of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is upon you and me today, and every day. Amen.
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
As we come to this table, we are reminded that this is the table of Jesus Christ, a banquet prepared for everyone. All who seek to be nourished and sustained in the journey of faith, all who seek wholeness and compassionate paths to peace and justice, are welcome here.
God be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift our hearts in prayer.
Let us give thanks to God.
It is good to give God thanks and praise.
On this Christmas Eve we join our voices with the angels and the archangels and all the company of the redeemed in whom your Spirit dwells on earth and in heaven, to sing the glory of your Name.
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your Glory, Hosanna in the Highest. Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
On that night, when the powers of evil conspired against him, Jesus sat at table with his friends. He took bread, and after giving thanks, he broke it, offered it to his disciples and said, “Take, eat, this is my body that is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
When the Supper was ended, he took the cup. Again, after giving thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples and said to them, “This is the cup of a renewed covenant. It is poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me.”
After this meal our Lord was arrested. He stood in a trial that was a mockery of justice. He was sentenced to death, crucified, died and was buried. He entered into the fullness of all human suffering so that all humanity may know that you, our God, knows our plight.
Through Jesus Christ, you bestow on us the gift of your Spirit, uniting your Church, empowering our mission, and leading us into the new creation that you have promised. Help us to proclaim our faith and help us to be faithful.
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Almighty God, have mercy upon us,
Pardon and deliver us from all our sins, heal our brokenness,
and guide us to our seat at this Communion Banquet Table
where all are welcome and none are ever denied.
The Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all.
And through us, to all people.
Loving God,
Pour out your Holy Spirit upon our offerings of bread and wine.
Grant that they may be for us the Body and Life of our Saviour
Jesus Christ.
Loving God,
pour out your Spirit on all who share this Feast that we may be for the world, the living presence of Christ, serving and reconciling all people to you.
Remember your Church scattered on the face of this earth,
gather her in unity and preserve her in truth.
Remember our friends from St. Mark’s who have gone before us into the richness of your presence, and all those whom we mention now in silence. In communion with them and with all creation, we worship and glorify you always.
Through your Son, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in your Holy Church, all glory and honour is yours, Almighty God, now
and forever, Amen!
Let us eat and drink together for the strengthening of our faith and for the sake of the world.
The body of Christ, the Bread of life.
The lifeblood of Christ, the Cup of blessing.
Prayer After Communion:
O Sacred Light, shine within us at this new beginning. Enlighten the way from this place through the shadows. Enlighten our hearts, that, in turn, our burdens may be lightened, and our own small lights may glow in reflection of you, who dwells among us. We pray in the name of the Christ who is blessing and bread, wonder and wine, light and life.
Amen.
A NEW CREED
We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
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St. Mark’s Memorials
General Fund:
In Loving Memory of our parents, brother and sister
from Jean and Don MacPherson
In Loving Memory of Greg MacRae and Mom and Dad
from Ruth and Angus MacRae and
brother Richard and family
In Loving Memory of Dr. Wladyslaw and Anna Guzdziol
from daughter Barbara Van Lierop
In Loving Memory of Jim McLean
from Rilla
In Loving Memory of Arthur J and Christine Langley
from John and Anna Marie Langley and families
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St. Mark’s Announcements
St. Mark’s Services:
January Church Services are to be finalized and will be announced by e-mail, phone calls or on the Blog: ourcontactonline.blogspot.com
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Renewals and New Subscriptions for BROADVIEW are being collected by Barb MacIntyre. If you wish to subscribe, just drop your name and $25.00 in an envelope marked BROADVIEW in our offering plate before January 11th, 2021.
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Notice of St. Mark’s Board Meeting, January 12th, 2021
Executive Meeting - 6:00 p.m.
Committee Meetings - 7:00 p.m.
Board Meeting - 8:00 p.m.
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Attention Committee Chairpersons: 2020 Year-end Reports are due by the end of December. Please have all reports completed by the January 12th meeting.
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The next Prayer Shawl Meeting will be on Monday, January 18th, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. Masks must be worn. COVID-19 guidelines will be followed regarding safe distancing and sanitizing. There will be no access to the kitchen.
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MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
