Call to Prayer
Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Prayer of Confession
Holy God, you sent a star to guide the Magi to the child Jesus. We confess that we have not followed the light of your Word. We have not searched for signs of your love in the world or trusted your good news to be good. We have failed to praise your Son’s birth and refused his peace on earth. We have expected little and hoped for less. Forgive our doubt and renew in us all fine desires, that we may watch and wait and once more hear the glad story of our Savior, Jesus Christ, the Lord. Amen
Assurance of Pardon
To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Carol: O Come Let Us Adore Him
O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem. Come and behold Him, born the king of angels.
Sing choirs of angels, sing in exultation, sing all ye bright hosts of heav’n above. Glory to God, all glory in the highest.
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning, Jesus, to Thee be all glory given. Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.
O Come let us adore Him. O come let us adore Him. O come let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord.
Psalm: Psalm 147:12-20
Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father, and to the son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen
Scripture Readings
Old Testament: Isaiah 61:10-62:5
New Testament: Galatians 3:23-4:7
Gospel: John 1:1-18
Carol: Joy to the Word
Joy to the world! The Lord is come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room. And heaven and nature sing. And heaven and nature sing. And heaven and heaven and nature sing.
Joy to the world! The Savior reigns. Let men their songs employ. While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains repeat the sounding joy. Repeat the sounding joy. Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love, and wonders of His love, and wonders, wonders of His love.
Intercession
For Our Nation
Almighty God, who has given us this good land for our heritage, we humbly ask that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of your favor and glad to do your will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure conduct. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom, in your name, we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to your law, we may show forth your praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in you to fail, all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your Name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen
Collect
Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word. Grant that this light, kindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Benediction
May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sources
The Book of Common Prayer. (Huntington Beach, CA: Anglican Liturgy Press, 2019).
The Worship Sourcebook. (Kalamazoo, MI: Faith Alive Christian Resources, 2004).
Worship the Lord, The Liturgy of the Reformed Church in America. (Reformed Church Press, 2005).
