We Gather To Worship God
Welcome and Announcements
Musical Call to Worship: Gloria
Gloria, Gloria In Excelesis Deo
Gloria, Gloria, In Excelesis Deo
Call to Worship:
Leader: The New Dawn will arise upon you.
People: You shall see and be radiant.
Leader: The New Dawn will arise upon you.
People: The Holy One will bless the people with peace.
Leader: The New Dawn will arise upon you.
People: The joy of the Lord is my strength.
Leader: The New Dawn will arise upon you.
All: God is here among us.
Let us rejoice and be glad in God's presence.
Lighting of the Christmas Wreath and Christ Candle
Reader 1: This is the day that God has made. We rejoice in all that God has done. We enter God’s presence with joy and celebration, knowing that the one who was born in Bethlehem is even now being born anew in the hearts of those who love him.
Reader 2: As the Wise Ones sought him and found him by the light of the star, so we, following the light that God has given us, find him this day in the praise and the prayers, and the words and actions of his faithful people.
Reader 1: We thank God for the Christ Child and for the hope, the peace, the joy, and the love that his coming has brought to the world.
(the four candles of Christmas are lit along with the Christ Candle)
Reader 2: Let us pray together:
Loving God, Emmanuel, as we enter into the new year, we give thanks to you for how you have blessed us in the past year—and for what you will lead us to in the days ahead. Grant that we may walk with the one born in Bethlehem, and that our worship and our praise may bring to him, and to you, and to the Holy Spirit, the glory and honour due your most Holy Name. Bless this gathering of your people with your presence and feed and inspire us in body, mind, soul, and spirit. Amen.
Carol: Hope is a Star
Hope is star that shines in the night,
Leading us on till the morning is bright.
Chorus: When God is a child there’s joy in our song.
The last shall be first and the weak shall be strong,
And none shall be afraid
Peace is a ribbon that circles the earth,
Giving a promise of safety and worth.
Repeat Chorus
Joy is a song that welcomes the dawn,
Telling the world that the Saviour is born.
Repeat Chorus
Love is a flame that burns in our heart,
Jesus has come and will never depart.
Repeat Chorus
We Hear God’s Word
60 Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 2For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. 3Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
2 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” 3When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 6‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” 7Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”
9When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
L: Readings from God’s Word P: Thanks Be to God!
Carol: Angels from the Realms of Glory
Reflection
Carol: We Three Kings
We Respond to God
Prayers of the People
As we join the wise ones from the East and humbly offer gifts at the feet of Jesus, let us offer prayers to God who shows the glory of Christ in all the world.
By the manifestation of the King of the Jews to the shepherds and the magi.
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
For our Moderator, Rev Elder Nancy Wilson and all of the Board of Elders, especially for Rev. Elder Diane Fisher, and for all who minister in Christ, and for all the holy people of God.
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
For all believers who put their trust in the incarnate Child of God.
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
For the leaders of the nations and all in authority, and for peace and justice.
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
For travelers, for the sick and the suffering, for the hungry and the oppressed, for those in prison, and for the dying and the dead.
(Prayers may be offered aloud or in silence)
These prayers we offer to you O God Glory and praise to you, O living God.
For our deliverance from all affliction, strife, and need.
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Remembering all the saints, let us offer ourselves and one another to the living God through Christ.
(Prayers may be offered in silence)
God of the stars of night, accept the prayers we offer on this joyful day. Fill our hunger with your word of truth and summon all who thirst to the banquet of your love; For we offer these words in the Spirit of the One who taught us to pray saying….
Our Creator who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name;
thy dominion 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 dominion, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen
Reception of Tithes and Offerings
Sung Prayer of Dedication: Gloria
Gloria, Gloria, In Excelesis Deo
Gloria, Gloria, In Excelesis Deo
We Commune Together
The Eucharistic Prayer:
We give you
thanks, O God,
for making your love evident
since the very beginning of time
when you spoke the word
which replaced the darkness of chaos with life-giving light.
A light which
has nurtured generations of people,
and plants and creatures, great and small.
A light which also revealed the fear and powerlessness
caused by corrupt and evil actions.
And so you
spoke the Word
which would once and for all dispel the darkness of chaotic lives.
Through
your love for the world the Word
became flesh and lived among us full of grace and truth.
The angels carolled glory to you in the highest heavens
and peace to all people on earth, and we join with them and
with all people to praise your holy name :
Holy, Holy,
Holy, God of endless love,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The angels sang of it - we have been lavished with it.
Blessed is the One who was born that we might have life.
Glory to God and on earth peace to all people.
Holy God, as the travellers with their treasures were overwhelmed with joy on
finding Jesus, so we also are overwhelmed on finding out the depth of his love
for us.
For Jesus
showed just how beloved we are to him, by loving us
and giving himself for us.
On that night
when he gave himself up for us, as
he sat at the table and broke bread with his friends, he said:
‘Take
and eat; this is my body which is broken for you.
Remember me each time you do this.’
After they had eaten, he took the cup, and said:
‘Remember me as
you drink from this, for it is my life, poured out for you - the beginning of a
new relationship with God.’
Send the power of your Holy Spirit upon these gifts of bread and wine, O God,
that we may experience the presence of the Word-made-flesh - Jesus Christ.
Breathe your Spirit in us that we may be one body with him - living out his ministry in the world today and every day. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen
Sharing Communion
Songs During Communion
What Child Is This
Come and Join the Dance Instrumental Introduction
O come and join the dance
That all began so long ago
When Christ the Lord was born in Bethlehem
Through all the years of darkness
Still the dance goes on and on
O, take my hand and come and join the song
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice!
Rejoice! Rejoice!
O lift your voice and sing
And open up your heart to welcome Him
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Rejoice! Rejoice!
And welcome now your King
For Christ the Lord was born in Bethlehem
Come shed your heavy load
And dance your worries all away
For Christ the Lord was born in Bethlehem
He came to break the power of sin
And turn your night to day
O, take my hand and come and join the song
Instrumental Introduction
O come and join the dance
That all began so long ago
When Christ the Lord was born in Bethlehem
Through all the years of darkness
Still the dance goes on and on
O, take my hand and come and join the song
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice!
Rejoice! Rejoice!
O lift your voice and sing
And open up your heart to welcome Him
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Rejoice! Rejoice!
And welcome now your King
For Christ the Lord was born in Bethlehem
Come shed your heavy load
And dance your worries all away
For Christ the Lord was born in Bethlehem
He came to break the power of sin
And turn your night to day
O, take my hand and come and join the song
Silent Prayer Following Communion
Sung Prayer of Thanksgiving
O Come let us adore Him
O Come let us adore Him
O Come let us adore Him
Christ, the Lord.
We Go Forth to Live with Christ
The Blessing and Sending Forth:
Leader: The light has splintered our darkness.
Let it shine through us as God’s gift to the world.
ALL: The God of all grace be the strength in your hands,
The Christ of all light be the guide for your feet,
The Spirit of all truth be the integrity in our deeds.
Amen!
Carol: I Am the Light of the World
‘I am the light of the world
You people come and follow me!’
If you follow and love you’ll learn the mystery
Of what you were meant to do and be
1. When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone.
When the kings and the shepherds have found
Their way home,
The work of Christmas is begun
‘I am the light of the world
You people come and follow me!’
If you follow and love you’ll learn the mystery
Of what you were meant to do and be
2. To find the lost and lonely one,
To heal the broken soul with love,
To feed the hungry children with warmth
Andn good food
To feel the earth below, the sky above!
‘I am the light of the world
You people come and follow me!’
If you follow and love you’ll learn the mystery
Of what you were meant to do and be
3. To free the prisoner from all chains,
To make the powerful care,
To rebuild the nations with strength of good will,
To see God’s children everywhere!
‘I am the light of the world
You people come and follow me!’
If you follow and love you’ll learn the mystery
Of what you were meant to do and be
4. To bring hope to every task you do,
To dance at a baby’s new birth,
To make music in an old persons heart,
And sing to the colours of the earth!
‘I am the light of the world
You people come and follow me!’
If you follow and love you’ll learn the mystery
Of what you were meant to do and be
Passing the Peace: (Please feel free to shake hands, or offer hugs as you feel comfortable. Offering the words….”The Peace of Christ” and join us for refreshments following the service.)
Epiphany Thought to Ponder
“It is better to follow even the shadow of the best,
Than to remain content with the worst,
And those who would see wonderful things
Must often be ready to travel alone.”
-Henry Vandyke
from “The Other Wise Man”
Announcements
Welcome to all who are with us today, we trust your experience of worship will bless you. Please join us for refreshments following the service.
The Rev Elder Diane Fisher will be visiting Safe Harbour Jan. 11-13. Please join us on Friday Jan. 11 from 7-9pm for a Reception at Veith House. All are welcome to attend. Diane will share a special presentation on the work MCC is doing in Eastern Europe.
On Sat. Jan 12 join us for a day long workshop to explore Ministry and Mission Directions for Safe Harbour in 2008 and Beyond. We will build on the Vision Statement we worked on in the Summer of 2007. This workshop is open to anyone who would like to attend. Please join us from 9:30am to 5pm. Snacks and Lunch provided. Please pre-register with the minister or call the church office at 453-9249
Next Sunday Rev. Elder Fisher will be the guest speaker at our morning worship. Please join us and bring along your friends. A Pot Luck meal will follow.
