Christmas Eve ,Contemplative Eucharist, December 24, 2022    10pm

Christmas Eve ,Contemplative Eucharist, December 24, 2022    10pm

Rev. Karen Hollis

Musician: Dorothy Dittrich

We acknowledge these lands upon which we worship are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey,

you are welcome here!

*please stand as you are able

Celebrating Emmanuel God-With-Us

Prelude: Christmas Carols

          Infant Holy, Infant Lowly                                                     VU #58

          Good Christian Friends Rejoice                                        VU #35

          Angels, from the Realms of Glory                                     VU #36

Land Acknowledgement

Welcome

Centering Stillness   

One:  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, 

          and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

All:    And also with you.

*Carol: O Come All Ye Faithful                                                      VU #60   

Lighting of the Christ Candle                            Shelagh Huston & David Soy

Reader: Tonight, with the wreath aglow, we celebrate this night God taking on flesh and joining life in the struggle – this is what radical solidarity feels like. Lives and souls and bodies entangled. Risks and possibilities shared. We’re in this together. The mess, the beauty, the work. Don’t be afraid to feel hopeful. God’s promises are kept. God won’t opt-out or turn away. God won’t give up when things get tough. God won’t defend power, or privilege, or institutions, or tradition at the expense of freedom, or love, or liberation, or your worth. God’s with-ness is birthed at the margins. God knows what’s at stake. Let all who are weary, rejoice! All of evil’s deceptions will be revealed and fear of unjust powers will cease. The Liberating One now dwells among us, calling upon hearts from all walks of life to open . . . to take courage . . . to soften . . . to release. Behold, the Sacred enfleshed reveals the way of Love.

Musical Meditation: Coventry Carol                                   by Robert Cro

Hearing God’s Word

Reader: By the gift of your Spirit, calm and quiet our souls that we may hear your Word tonight and be lifted up to walk with you. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen

First Reading: Isaiah 9: 2-7                                                Shelagh Huston

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 onwards and for evermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

            One: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.

            All:   Thanks be to God.

Psalm: Psalm 96                                                                       VU p.81        

Music: Ave Maria                                                                            JS Bach

Gospel Reading                                                       Reader: Shelagh Huston

As is your custom, please stand or sit for the reading of the gospel. 

Reader: God be with you.       

All:        And also with you.

Reader: The Good News of Jesus Christ according to Luke.

All:         Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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.

One: This is the Gospel of Christ.   

All:   Praise be to Jesus Christ       

Reflection:                      Pondering with Mary

In the silence after the reflection you’re invited to ponder with Mary.

*Carol: What Child is This?        VU #74                              

Prayers of the People     Rev. Karen Hollis

Lord’s Prayer (sung)                                                                    VU #959

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.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil,

for the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,

now and for ever. Amen                                                                          

*Passing of the Peace 

In this celebration of the coming of the Prince of Peace, let us share with each other the peace he brings to us and to the world.

          One:  The Peace of Christ be with you all!

          All:    And also with you!

You are invited to turn to those directly around you and share Christ’s peace.

Invitation for Offering

God takes on flesh and joins life in the joy and the struggle – this is what radical solidarity feels like. Lives and souls and bodies entangled. Risks and possibilities shared. We’re together in this beautiful and messy life. On this Christmas night, let us offer our gifts as an expression of our togetherness.

Mission & Service-United Church           Primate’s World Relief Fund

1-800-268-3781 ext. 2738                       1-866-308-7973

https://united-church.ca/donate                https://pwrdf.org/give-today/

Offertory Carol: In the Bleak Midwinter                                      VU #55

*Doxology:                                                                                    CP #669

Praise God the Source of life and birth,                             

Praise God the Word, who came to earth.

Praise God the Spirit, holy flame.

All glory, honour to God’s name.

Celebrating Communion

*Offering Prayer

With these gifts, loving God, accept the praise and thanksgiving of our hearts, which rejoice in your goodness and love. Let our gifts point to your presence in the world, and further your dream for the world through Jesus, Emmanuel, God-with-us. Amen.

*Invitation to Communion:                                    Iona Abbey Worship Book

Come to this table, you who have much faith and you who would like to have more; you who have been here often and you who haven’t been for a long time; you who have tried to follow Jesus, and you who have stopped trying. Come. It is Christ who invites us to meet him here.                     

The Great Thanksgiving:                                                              enfleshed

God is with us. I invite you to take a moment and close your eyes, draw your awareness to the presence of the divine in this space…and in each person Gathered here.

Draw your attention to your heart and imagine breathing in and out of your heart- opening it up to the divine with gratitude as we pray…

Loving one, close to us as breathing yet reaching into eternity, we give you thanks. Your outpouring of radical love has brought forth life among us. You have shown yourself to us as parent, creator, lover, and friend. In whatever image will bring us healing, you come to us.

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with all of creation, all of heaven and earth who forever sing this hymn:

Sanctus:                                                                                      MV #203

O Holy, holy, holy God, O God of time and space.

All earth and sea and sky above bear witness to your grace

Hosanna in the highest heav’n, creation sings your praise.

And blessed is the One who comes and bears your name always!

Blessed are you and blessed is your child, Jesus Christ. He showed us the ways of justice and mercy, turning the norms of society upside down. He welcomed and empowered the outsider and stood in resistance to the powers of oppression. Like so many among us today, Christ’s choice to live his truth and challenge oppression put him at risk.

And yet, on the night in which death, hatred, and betrayal would seek to have the last and lasting word, Christ remained centered in radical peace and showed us love embodied by washing the feet of his beloved’s and serving them at your table.

At the table he took the bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread saying “take, eat, this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Likewise, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks to you and said “drink from this all of you this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

And so in remembrance of these, your acts of love in Jesus Christ we offer ourselves and all of who we are in union with Christ’s offering as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:

Christ was birthed among us.

Christ was killed among us.

Christ rises again among us.

Pour out your holy spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and cup. Make them be for us the Body of Christ, that we might become interdependent with each other as Christ’s body, reflecting your diverse image in the world.

By your spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other and in each other’s struggles, until we feast at your heavenly banquet. Through your beloved Jesus Christ, with the love the Holy Spirit, in your church- all love and devotion is yours, O God. Amen

Breaking of the Bread

One:  We break the bread of life, and that life is the light of the world.

All:    God here among us, light in the midst of us, 

          bring us to light and life.

One:  The gifts of God for the people of God.

All:    Thanks be to God.

 

Please keep to your right as you process up behind the communion table to receive and continue around, back to your seat. If you prefer to remain in your seat and socially distanced, indicate so to the usher and you will be served in the pew. Gluten Free is available upon request.

Communion Hymn: Twas in the Moon of Wintertime               VU #7

Prayer after Communion

One:  Let us pray:

All:    Creator of all, tonight you have united earth and heaven in sending your Son to take our human nature. May we, who have tasted heavenly things, share in the life of his eternal kingdom. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Sending Into This Holy Night

Candle-lighting 

After offering is presented the lights go down.  Karen will light the candles from the Christ Candle.  Please take the light down the centre aisle. Light the first candle of the row of people and ask them to pass the light.  Remember to touch the unlighted candle to the light to avoid dripping

please remain seated

Carol: Silent Night                                                                        VU #67

Blessing

One:  Christ is born among us in flesh like ours:

All:    Tender and vulnerable.

          Resilient and collective.

          Yearning for care and connection.

May we be open to perceiving, moving humbly through the world with awe and wonder, always ready to bless and proclaim the glory of God-with-us made known in every child.

Postlude: O Holy Night                                                         Adolphe Adam