Christmas Eve 2022 St. Paul’s Church, Charlottetown, PEI

 
Christmas Eve 2022
St. Paul’s Church, Charlottetown, PEI
4:00 pm & 7:00 pm
 
118 O Come, All Ye Faithful (v 1-5)
 
The Gathering of the Community
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with you all.
And also with you.
 
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
May all the earth be filled with his glory.
Light has sprung up for the righteous,
And joyful gladness for those who are true-hearted.
Glory to God in the highest,
And peace to his people on earth.
 
The Advent Wreath:
Let us pray in the peace of this Christmas celebration that our joy in the birth of Christ will last for ever.
 
Prayer
Eternal God, who made this most holy night to shine with the brightness of your one true light: bring us, who have known the revelation of that light on earth, to see the radiance of your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
 
Candle Light, Sacred Light - Tune - Silent Night
© Catherine MacDonald 2006 (full permission given to use with acknowledgement)
Pastor in United Church of Canada
Halifax, Nova Scotia
 
The Collect
Let us pray,
Almighty God, you wonderfully created and yet more wonderfully restored our human nature. May we share the divine life of your Son Jesus Christ, who humbled himself to share our humanity, and now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
 
The Proclamation of the Word
First Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14
A Reading From The Letter Of Paul To The Ephesians
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church
Thanks be to God
 
Psalm 147:13-21
Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion; For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you.
Praise God, O Zion.
He has established peace on your borders; he satisfies you with the finest wheat.
Praise God, O Zion.
He sends out his command to the earth, and his word runs very swiftly. He gives snow like wool; he scatters hoarfrost like ashes. He scatters his hail like bread crumbs; who can stand against his cold?
Praise God, O Zion.
He sends forth his word and melts them; he blows with his wind, and the waters flow. He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and his judgements to Israel. He has not done so to any other nation; to them he has not revealed his judgements. Hallelujah!
Praise God, O Zion.
 
4:00 p.m. – Katherine Lowings, “O Holy Night”
Anthem (7:00 p.m.): Wexford Carol
 
The Holy Gospel: John 1:1-14
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Sermon
 
The Prayers of the Community
We join together at this holy time to praise God, the creator and maker of all saying, “Hear our prayer.”
 
We give thanks for the birth of Jesus the Christ-child, born in Bethlehem, the city of David, of the line of David’s family, to be the Saviour of the world. We are grateful, O God, that you have made it possible for your Spirit to be born in each of us; that we may rejoice that you have blessed humanity and all of creation by your presence in the world. God of love.
Hear our prayer.
We give thanks that messengers were sent to the shepherds, with news of great joy and peace for the whole world. We are grateful, O God, that the Good News is a comfort to the weak and a challenge to the strong; that we may embrace and ever hold fast to the Gospel proclaiming your love. God of love.
Hear our prayer.
We give thanks that Magi, wise people from the east, came to worship the One born in time, the timeless Son of God, God with us, God with everyone. We are grateful, O God, that your people everywhere are blessed with the spirit of love; that we may worship fully and without fear. God of love.
Hear our prayer.
We give thanks for the Holy Family, for Joseph and Mary, who lived as refugees in a time of great cruelty and hardship, and we ask you to look with mercy on all who are poor, powerless and who suffer. We are grateful, O God, that this extraordinary story of a birth, so long ago, fills us with hope and courage to do your will in this world. God of love.
Hear our prayer.
We give thanks for your son, who heralds peace, and we pray for people in war-torn places throughout the world. O God, grant an abundance of peace to your world; we pray for all your creatures, of land and sea and air; we pray for streams, rivers and oceans; we give thanks for all of creation; we pray for people of every nation, race and language. God of love.
Hear our prayer.
We give thanks for those who work and who are on duty this evening (for emergency workers, doctors and nurses, ambulance attendants, fire fighters, and forces personnel). We are grateful, O God, for families and this community, and we pray for those who are without a home; without food or water; we pray for refugees and those who are persecuted for their beliefs. We seek their protection. God of love.
Hear our prayer.
We pray for those in particular need; for the sick and the suffering, especially those who are dear to us. Rejoicing in the fellowship we share – we pray for the faithful departed, (especially for:
-        
… we commend ourselves and all people to your unfailing love. God of love.
Hear our prayer.
O God, your love was so great for us that you gave us your Son to be born in the world and to shine in our darkness. Help us to make your light and love known in all the world, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
Confession and Absolution
Let us confess our sins,
confident in God’s forgiveness.
 
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.
 
Almighty God have mercy upon you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
The Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
 
Announcements
 
128 The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy
 
The Celebration of the Holy Eucharist
The Prayer Over the Gifts
Let us pray,
God of peace, your Son Jesus Christ has reconciled us to you. May all we offer you today renew us as members of your household. We ask this in his name. Amen.
 
Eucharistic Prayer 3
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
 
Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth; we give you thanks and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord, who in the mystery of his incarnation was made perfect man of the flesh of the Virgin Mary his mother; in him we have seen a new and radiant vision of your glory. Therefore with all the angels of heaven, we lift our voices and sing our joyful hymn of praise to proclaim the glory of your name.
 
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
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.
We give thanks to you, Lord our God, for the goodness and love you have made known to us in creation; in calling Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus your Son.
 
For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Saviour and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
 
On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, a death he freely accepted, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: this is my body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
 
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
 
Therefore, Father, according to his command,
we remember his death,
we proclaim his resurrection,
we await his coming in glory;
 
and we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.
 
We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts, that they may be the sacrament of the body of Christ and his blood of the new covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we, made acceptable in him, may be sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
 
In the fullness of time, reconcile all things in Christ, and make them new, and bring us to that city of light where you dwell with all your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation;
 
by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory are yours, almighty Father, now and for ever. Amen.
 
The Lord’s Prayer
Rejoicing in the presence of God here among us,
as our Saviour taught us, so we pray
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.
 
Breaking of the Bread
We break the bread of life,
and that life is the light of the world.
God here among us,
light in the midst of us,
bring us to light and life.
 
Lamb of God [sung]
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world
grant us your peace.
 
Giving of Communion
Christ is the true bread
which has come down from heaven.
Lord, give us this bread always.
 
Hymns-during-communion
126 Away in a Manger
121 O Little Town of Bethlehem
139 The First Nowell
137 What Child Is This
146 ‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime
 
119 Silent Night
 
The Sending Forth of the Community
Prayer after Communion
Let us pray,
Father of all, the child born for us is the Saviour of the world. May he who made us your children welcome us into your kingdom, where he is alive and reigns with you now and for ever. Amen.
 
A doxology
Praise God for gifts of hope and peace
Praise God for gifts of joy and love
Praise God for sending Christ to dwell
On earth for us – Emmanuel. Amen.
 
The Blessing
May the God of infinite goodness
scatter the darkness of sin
and brighten your hearts with holiness;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
 
154 Joy to the World

The Scattering (Mark 4:20)
Alleluia! Go in peace.
Proclaim the birth of the Saviour.
Glory, thanks and praise to God. Alleluia!