The Congregations of St. Mark’s and St. David’s
United Church of Canada
Port
Hawkesbury/Port Hastings, NS
Office:
625-2229, Fax 625-3597, e-mail: stmarksuc@gmail.com
Blog: http://ourcontactonline.blogspot.com/
Ministers:
Whole People of God
Minister:
Nan Corrigan D. M. Minister of Music: Al Fougere
December
24th, 2015
Christmas
Eve-A
Service of Light
Scripture,
Carols, and Communion
* Processional Hymn O Come, All Ye Faithful VU 60
WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD
*Welcome and greeting
one another with the Peace of Christ.
One: The Holy Child of
Peace comes to dwell among us!
Let us now share the
peace with one another.
The
peace of Christ be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
The Call to Worship
From Isaiah 9:2
(The Message)
One:
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light. For those who lived in a land of deep
shadows – light! sunbursts of light!
All:
For a child has been born – for
us! the gift of a son – for us! He’ll take over the running of
the world. His names will be: Amazing Counsellor, Strong God, Eternal
Father, Prince of Wholeness.
Lighting of the Advent
Candles
Voice 1: God is with us.
All: We are not alone.
Voice 2: Thanks be to God!
Voice 1: The gift of Emmanuel, God with us, is
the gift of hope, peace, joy, and love. (the 4 Advent Candles are
lit)
Voice 2: We join the angels and the multitudes
of heavenly hosts in singing songs of praise:
All: Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace
among those with whom God is pleased.
Voice 1: We light this Christ candle as a
reminder of the indescribable gift of Emmanuel.
All: We are not alone.
Voice 2: Thanks be to God!
—Alydia
Smith. Originally published in Mandate, November
2012.
*Candlelighting Hymn Hope Is a Star VU 7
*Gathering
Prayer
All:
Amazing
God, with hearts and minds and the depth of our being, we praise you.
We sing with joy and gratitude for gifts of peace, hope, joy, love,
and for the Christ, light and life for all. Amen.
*Hymn Joy
to the World VU 59
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S
WORD
The
Preparations for the Birth of Jesus
Luke
2:1-5O 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 tonight.
Jesus
is Born
Luke
2:6-7Away 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.
Placement
of Baby Jesus in Nativity
Jesus'
Birth is Announced by Angels
Luke
2:8-14
*It
came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old,
from
angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold,
“Peace
on the earth, good will to all,
from
heaven's all gracious King!”
The world in solemn stillness lay
to hear the angels sing.
The Shepherds Find the
Baby Jesus
Luke
2:15-18
See how the shepherds summoned
to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw
nigh with lowly fear;
we too will thither bend our
joyful footsteps;
O come, let us adore him, O
come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.
Mary Treasured All These Words
Luke
2:19-20
*What
child is this, who laid to rest,
on
Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom
angels greet with anthems sweet
while
shepherds watch are keeping?
This,
this is Christ the King,
whom
shepherds guard and angels sing;
haste,
haste to bring him laud,
the
Babe, the Son of Mary
Opening
the Word
The
children come forward to Christmas tree.
WE RESPOND IN FAITH
Offering
Our Gifts to God
* Offering Prayer
*Affirmation
of faith based
on Titus 2:11–14
The
grace of God appears today. It brings salvation to all. Grace trains
us to live out justice and to live with compassion. To renounce what
we don’t need and to reach to meet the needs of others. God’s
grace sustains us today and always.
The
grace of God appears today and brings with it a blessed hope. In
Jesus Christ, grace, hope, and life are sustained. Because Christ
hopes, we hope. Because Christ lives, we live.
Choir Offering The Birthday of a King
Sacrament of
Communion
We
give you thanks and praise, God of life,
for
on this holy night, you came among us, born in a stable in Bethlehem.
By
the birth of Jesus, son of Mary, you show us that you love us so much
that you would become human, like us, so that we might learn to be
holy like you.
In
Jesus, your child, you bring light to the world, hope in the midst of
darkness and joyful celebration to everyone.
As
we celebrate his birth, so we commemorate his time among us.
We
remember, how, on the night that Jesus was betrayed,
he
sat at supper with his disciples.
We
remember that at that meal, Jesus got up from the table,
he
tied a towel around himself and washed the feet of those gathered.
And
after he had finished, he said,
“I
have set an example for you;
do
as I have done to you.”
While
they were eating, Jesus broke bread
and
as he shared it said, “remember me.”
Later
he took a cup of wine and shared it
with
the words, “remember me.”
And
so, as Christ did, we bless these gifts and share them,
and
in doing so we remember
Christ’s
presence with us – always.
Therefore,
as we gather this Christmas Eve to share this meal, we give you
thanks and praise, singing:
Gloria,
gloria, in excelsis Deo! (sung) VU 37
Distribution
Hymn O Holy Night Printed
(St.
Mark's—congregation will come forward;
St.
David's—served in pews.)
WE
GO TO SERVE GOD
Litany
of Light
Response
after each prayer petition:
All:
Light of Christ, love’s pure
light.
(electric
lights are dimmed for singing of final hymn)
* Hymn Silent
Night VU
67
* Commissioning and
Benediction
One:
May you witness God’s glory to the
highest height and may you know God’s peace to the ends of the
earth. Our waiting is over.
All:
Christ is born.
One:
We sing a new song for Christ has
made all things new.
All:
Christ is born tonight.
*Choral
Amen
