The Holy Eucharist
Christmas Day Lessons & Carols
December 25, 2022 at 9:30 AM
Worship Leader: Ms. Charlotte Toni Blue
Music Director: Ms. Beryl C. Dandy
Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/
About This Service
This morning’s service is a traditional “Christmas Festival of Lessons and Music” (also known as “Christmas Lessons and Carols”). It is drawn from The Episcopal Church’s Book of Occasional Services 2018. By custom is contains nine lessons from the Bible and nine Christmas hymns (a.k.a. carols).
These lessons of Scriptures and their accompanying carols are intended to teach the overarching Christmas story as revealed throughout the Jewish and Christian Scriptures. It begins with stories of creation and the first sins in Genesis and moves to the witness of the prophet Isaiah who called people to repentance and predicted a coming Savior. Next it features stories from the Gospel according to St. Luke about the leadup to John the Baptist’s and Jesus’ births and the Christmas story itself. Finally, we hear two later reflections on the significance of Jesus’ birth for the salvation of the world, from St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians and the Gospel according to St. John.
The service begins with a Christmas Bidding Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer, and it concludes with a suitable collect and prayer for blessing. Because this worship service does not include the Sacrament of Holy Communion, it does not need to be led by a priest or a deacon. Our lay officiant this morning is Ms. Charlotte Blue, Senior Warden and Licensed Lay Eucharistic Minister.
Christmas Lessons & Carols
A Bidding Prayer
[The Book of Occasional Services 2018, pp. 35-36]
Dear People of God: In this Christmas Season, let it be our duty and delight to hear oncemore the message of the Angels, to go to Bethlehem and see the Son of God lying in a manger.
Let us hear and heed in Holy Scripture the story of God’s loving purpose from the time of our rebellion against him until the glorious redemption brought to us by his holy Child Jesus, and let us make this place glad with our carols of praise.
But first, let us pray for the needs of his whole world, for peace and justice on earth, for the unity and mission of the Church for which he died, and especially for his Church in our country and in this city.
And because he particularly loves them, let us remember in his name the poor and helpless, the cold, the hungry and the oppressed, the sick and those who mourn, the lonely and unloved, the aged and little children, as well as all those who do not know and love the Lord Jesus Christ.
Finally, let us remember before God his pure and lowly Mother, and that whole multitude which no one can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom, in Jesus, we are one for evermore.
And now, to sum up all these petitions, let us pray in the words which Christ himself has taught us, saying:
Our Father, who art in heaven: Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom 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 kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Almighty God bless us with his grace; Christ give us the joys of everlasting life; and to the fellowship of the citizens above, may the King of Angels bring us all. Amen.
A Reading from the Book of Genesis (2:4b-9, 15-25)
On the day the Lord God made earth and sky— before any wild plants appeared on the earth, and before any field crops grew, because the Lord God hadn’t yet sent rain on the earth and there was still no human being to farm the fertile land, though a stream rose from the earth and watered all of the fertile land -- the Lord God formed the human from the topsoil of the fertile land and blew life’s breath into his nostrils. The human came to life. The Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east and put there the human he had formed. In the fertile land, the Lord God grew every beautiful tree with edible fruit, and also he grew the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
The Lord God took the human and settled him in the garden of Eden to farm it and to take care of it. The Lord God commanded the human, “Eat your fill from all of the garden’s trees; but don’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because on the day you eat from it, you will die!” Then the Lord God said, “It’s not good that the human is alone. I will make him a helper that is perfect for him.” So the Lord God formed from the fertile land all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky and brought them to the human to see what he would name them. The human gave each living being its name. The human named all the livestock, all the birds in the sky, and all the wild animals. But a helper perfect for him was nowhere to be found.
So the Lord God put the human into a deep and heavy sleep, and took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh over it. With the rib taken from the human, the Lord God fashioned a woman and brought her to the human being. The human said, “This one finally is bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh. She will be called a woman because from a man she was taken.” This is the reason that a man leaves his father and mother and embraces his wife, and they become one flesh. The two of them were naked, the man and his wife, but they weren’t embarrassed.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn #83: O Come All Ye Faithful
1 O come, all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
come, and behold him,
born the King of angels;
REFRAIN:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.
2 God from God,
Light from Light eternal,
lo! he abhors not the Virgin's womb;
only-begotten
Son of the Father; [Refrain]
3 Sing, choirs of angels,
sing in exultation;
sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;
glory to God,
glory in the highest; [Refrain]
4 See how the shepherds,
summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
we too will thither
bend our joyful footsteps; [Refrain]
5 Child, for us sinners
poor and in the manger,
we would embrace thee, with love and awe;
who would not love thee,
loving us so dearly? [Refrain]
6 Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given;
Word of the Father,
now in flesh appearing; [Refrain]
[Words: John Francis Wade; tr. Frederick Oakeley and others. Music: Adeste fideles, present form of melody att. John Francis Wade; harm. The English Hymnal. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #EXS00153SD. All rights reserved.]
A Reading from the Book of Genesis (3:1-15)
The snake was the most intelligent of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say that you shouldn’t eat from any tree in the garden?” The woman said to the snake, “We may eat the fruit of the garden’s trees but not the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden. God said, ‘Don’t eat from it, and don’t touch it, or you will die.’” The snake said to the woman, “You won’t die! God knows that on the day you eat from it, you will see clearly and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” The woman saw that the tree was beautiful with delicious food and that the tree would provide wisdom, so she took some of its fruit and ate it, and also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then they both saw clearly and knew that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together and made garments for themselves.
During that day’s cool evening breeze, they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden; and the man and his wife hid themselves from the Lord God in the middle of the garden’s trees. The Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” The man replied, “I heard your sound in the garden; I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree, which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman you gave me, she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.” The Lord God said to the woman, “What have you done?!” And the woman said, “The snake tricked me, and I ate.”
The Lord God said to the snake, “Because you did this, you are the one cursed out of all the farm animals, out of all the wild animals. On your belly you will crawl, and dust you will eat every day of your life. I will put contempt between you and the woman, between your offspring and hers. They will strike you head, but you will strike at their heels.”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn #82: Of The Father’s Love Begotten
1 Of the Father's love begotten,
ere the worlds began to be,
he is Alpha and Omega,
he the source, the ending he,
of the things that are, that have been,
and that future years shall see,
evermore and evermore!
2 O that birth for ever blessèd,
when the Virgin, full of grace,
by the Holy Ghost conceiving,
bore the Savior of our race;
and the Babe, the world's Redeemer,
first revealed his sacred face,
evermore and evermore!
3 Let the heights of heaven adore him;
angel hosts, his praises sing;
powers, dominions, bow before him,
and extol our God and King;
let no tongue on earth be silent,
every voice in concert ring,
evermore and evermore!
4 Christ, to thee with God the Father,
and, O Holy Ghost, to thee,
hymn and chant and high thanksgiving,
and unwearied praises be;
honor, glory and dominion,
and eternal victory,
evermore and evermore!
[Words: Marcus Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, tr. John Mason Neale and Henry Williams Baker, Public Domain. Music: Divinium mysterium, Sanctus trope, 11th cent., adapt. Piae Cantiones, Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #87255. All rights reserved.]
A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (40:1-11)
Comfort, comfort my people! says your God. Speak compassionately to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her compulsory service has ended, that her penalty has been paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins!
A voice is crying out: “Clear the Lord’s way in the desert! Make a level highway in the wilderness for our God! Every valley will be raised up, and every mountain and hill will be flattened. Uneven ground will become level, and rough terrain a valley plain.The Lord’s glory will appear, and all humanity will see it together; the Lord’s mouth has commanded it.”
A voice was saying: “Call out!” And another said, “What should I call out?” All flesh is grass; all its loyalty is like the flowers of the field. The grass dries up and the flower withers when the Lord’s breath blows on it. Surely the people are grass. The grass dries up; the flower withers, but our God’s word will exist forever.
Go up on a high mountain, messenger Zion! Raise your voice and shout, messenger Jerusalem! Raise it; don’t be afraid; say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” Here is the Lord God, coming with strength, with a triumphant arm, bringing his reward with him and his payment before him.
Like a shepherd, God will tend the flock; he will gather lambs in his arms and lift them onto his lap. He will gently guide the nursing ewes.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
LEV #11: Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord
REFRAIN:
Prepare ye the way of the Lord.
Prepare ye the way of the Lord.
1 Make straight in the desert
a highway for our God. Refrain.
2 Fill ev'ry valley,
bring all mountains low. Refrain.
3 Go up to a mountain
and shout with a loud voice. Refrain.
4 Say to all people
here is your God. Refrain.
[Words: Isaiah 40:3-4, 9. Music: James E. More, Jr. Copyright © 1992 G.I.A. Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #94872. All rights reserved.]
A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (7:10-15)
Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
LEV #22: Mary Borned A Baby
[Repeat as desired]
Mary borned a baby, Mary borned a baby,
Mary borned a baby, praise His name.
Mm... What shall we call Him, what shall we call Him,
What shall we call Him? Praise His name!
Mm... Call Him Emanuel, call Him Emanuel,
Call Him Emanuel Praise His name, praise His name.
[Words: Traditional, Public Domain. Music: Negro Spiritual, arr. Noah Francis Ryder © Noah Francis Ryder. All rights reserved.]
A Reading from the Gospel according to Luke (1:26-38)
When Elizabeth was six months pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee, to a virgin who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. When the angel came to her, he said, “Rejoice, favored one! The Lord is with you!” She was confused by these words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. God is honoring you. Look! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. He will rule over Jacob’s house forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom.”
Then Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen since I haven’t had sexual relations with a man?”
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come over you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the one who is to be born will be holy. He will be called God’s Son. Look, even in her old age, your relative Elizabeth has conceived a son. This woman who was labeled ‘unable to conceive’ is now six months pregnant. Nothing is impossible for God.”
Then Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be with me just as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn #81: Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
1 Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming
from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse's lineage coming
as seers of old have sung.
It came, a blossom bright,
amid the cold of winter
when half spent was the night.
2 Isaiah 'twas foretold it,
the Rose I have in mind:
with Mary we behold it,
the Virgin Mother kind.
To show God's love aright
She bore to us a Savior
When half spent was the night.
3 O Flower, whose fragrance tender
with sweetness fills the air,
dispels with glorious splendor
the darkness everywhere;
true man, yet very God,
from sin and death now saves us
and share our every load.
[Words: St. 1-2, German, 15th cent.; tr. Theodore Baker. st. 3 Fredrich Layritz; tr. Harriet Reynolds Krauth Spaeth; ver. Hymnal 1940. Music: Es ist ein Ros, melody from Alte Catholische Geistliche Kirchengesang,; harm. Michael Praetorius. Copyright ©1995, Greg Scheer. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #105752. All rights reserved.]
A Reading from the Gospel according to Luke (1:39-56)
Mary got up and hurried to a city in the Judean highlands. She entered Zechariah’s homeand greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. With a loud voice she blurted out, “God has blessed you above all women, and he has blessed the child you carry. Why do Ihave this honor, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. Happy is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill the promises he made to her.”
Mary said, “With all my heart I glorify the Lord! In the depths of who I am I rejoice in Godmy savior. He has looked with favor on the low status of his servant. Look! From now on,everyone will consider me highly favored because the mighty one has done great things for me. Holy is his name. He shows mercy to everyone, from one generation to the next, who honors him as God. He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered those with arrogant thoughts and proud inclinations. He has pulled the powerful down from their thrones and lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty-handed. He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, remembering his mercy, just as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to Abraham’s descendants forever.”
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned to her home.
When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a boy. Her neighbors and relatives celebrated with her because they had heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn #438: Tell Out My Soul the Greatness of the Lord
1 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his Word;
in God my Savior shall my heart rejoice.
2 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age the same;
his holy name, the Lord, the Mighty One.
3 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
4 Tell out, my soul, the glories of his Word! Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure. Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord to children's children and forevermore!
[Words: Timothy Dudley-Smith; based on The Song of Mary. Copyright © 1962. Renewal 1990 by Hope Publishing Company. Music: Woodlands, Walter Greatorex. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #01409. All rights reserved.]
A Reading from the Gospel according to Luke (1:57-80)
When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a boy. Her neighbors and relatives celebrated with her because they had heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy. On the eighth day, it came time to circumcise the child. They wanted to name him Zechariah because that was his father’s name. But his mother replied, “No, his name will be John.”
They said to her, “None of your relatives have that name.” Then they began gesturing to his father to see what he wanted to call him. After asking for a tablet, he surprised everyone by writing, “His name is John.” At that moment, Zechariah was able to speak again, and he began praising God.
All their neighbors were filled with awe, and everyone throughout the Judean highlands talked about what had happened. All who heard about this considered it carefully. They said, “What then will this child be?” Indeed, the Lord’s power was with him.
John’s father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, “Bless the Lord God of Israel because he has come to help and has delivered his people. He has raised up a mighty savior for us in his servant David’s house, just as he said through the mouths of his holy prophets long ago. He has brought salvation from our enemies and from the power of all those who hate us. He has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and remembered his holy covenant, the solemn pledge he made to our ancestor Abraham. He has granted that we would be rescued from the power of our enemies so that we could serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness in God’s eyes, for as long as we live. You, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way. You will tell his people how to be saved through the forgiveness of their sins. Because of our God’s deep compassion, the dawn from heaven will break upon us, to give light to those who are sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide us on the path of peace.”
The child grew up, becoming strong in character. He was in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn #89: It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
1. 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 men,
from heaven's all-gracious King."
The world in solemn stillness lay,
to hear the angels sing.
2. Still through the cloven skies they come
with peaceful wings unfurled,
and still their heavenly music floats
o'er all the weary world;
above its sad and lowly plains
they bend on hovering wing,
and ever o'er its Babel-sounds
the blessed angels sing.
3. Yet with the woes of sin and strife
the world has suffered long;
beneath the heavenly hymn have rolled
two thousand years of wrong;
and warring humankind hears not
the tidings which they bring;
O hush the noise and cease your strife
and hear the angels sing!
4. For lo! the days are hastening on,
by prophets seen of old,
when with the ever-circling years
shall come the time foretold,
when peace shall over all the earth
its ancient splendors fling,
and the whole world give back the song
which now the angels sing.
[Words: Edmund H. Sears, alt. Music: Carol, Richard Storrs Wills. Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #EXS00251SD. All rights reserved.]
A Reading from the Gospel according to Luke (2:1-20)
In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should been rolled in the tax lists. This first enrollment occurred when Quirinius governed Syria. Everyone went to their own cities to be enrolled. Since Joseph belonged to David’s house and family line, he went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to David’s city, called Bethlehem, in Judea. He went to be enrolled together with Mary, who was promised to him in marriage and who was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for Mary to have her baby. She gave birth to her firstborn child, a son, wrapped him snugly, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the guestroom.
Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord. This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.”
When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go right now to Bethlehem and see what’s happened. Let’s confirm what the Lord has revealed to us.” They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw this, they reported what they had been told about this child. Everyone who heard it was amazed at what the shepherds told them. Mary committed these things to memory and considered them carefully. The shepherds returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Everything happened just as they had been told.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn #79: O Little Town of Bethlehem (Verses 1-4)
1. O 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.
2. For Christ is born of Mary;
and gathered all above,
while mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together
proclaim the holy birth!
and praises sing to God the King,
and peace to men on earth.
3. How silently, how silently,
the wondrous Gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming,
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him, still
the dear Christ enters in.
4. Where children pure and happy
pray to the blessed Child,
where misery cries out to thee,
Son of the mother mild;
where charity stand watching
and faith holds wide the door,
the dark night wakes, the glory breaks,
and Christmas comes once more.
[Words: Phillips Brooks. Music: St. Louis, Lewis H. Redner. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #111797. All rights reserved.]
A Reading from the Gospel according to St. John (1:1-18)
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was with God in the beginning. Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being. What came into being through the Word was life, and the life was the light for all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light.
A man named John was sent from God. He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that through him everyone would believe in the light. He himself wasn’t the light, but his mission was to testify concerning the light.
The true light that shines on all people was coming into the world. The light was in the world, and the world came into being through the light, but the world didn’t recognize the light. The light came to his own people, and his own people didn’t welcome him. But those who did welcome him, those who believed in his name, he authorized to become God’s children, born not from blood nor from human desire or passion, but born from God. The Word became flesh and made his home among us. We have seen his glory, glory like that of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.
John testified about him, crying out, “This is the one of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than me because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace; as the Law was given through Moses, so grace and truth came into being through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made God known.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
5. O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin and enter in,
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Emmanuel!
[Words: Phillips Brooks. Music: St. Louis, Lewis H. Redner. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #111797. All rights reserved.]
Parish Announcements
Christmas Season Worship Schedule: During the Christmas Season (12/24/2022–01/06/2023), St. Matthew's will hold the following worship services:
Sat., 12/31 New Year's Eve: Watch Night Worship at 6:00 PM ONLINE ONLY
Sun., 1/1 New Year's Day: Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus Worship at 9:30 AM
Fri., 1/6 Feast of the Epiphany: Holy Eucharist at 6:00 PM
MLK Day Parade 1/16/23: The Savannah Martin Luther King Jr Observance Day Parade is scheduled to make its triumphant return on Monday, January 16, 2023, after two years off due to the pandemic. St. Matthew’s has once again organized a walking and riding group in the parade for all the Savannah Episcopal parishes. We plan to hold a worship service and reception after the parade.
COVID-19 Safety Guidelines: On August 24, the Vestry adopted new, simplified COVID-19 Safety Guidelines. Masks will still be required for all who attend in-person worship services and events. To read the new guidelines in full, click here: https://www.stmattsav.org/post/new-covid-19-safety-guidelines-august-2022.
T/W/Th Evening Prayer on Hiatus until 1/3: On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, St. Matthew's invites you to pray Evening Prayer over Zoom. The video will continue to stream to Facebook Live at 5:00 PM. Please join the Zoom call by 4:55 PM. Otherwise, watch the prayer service on Facebook Live.
Note: Evening Prayer videos will be on hiatus until January 3.
The Offertory
[BCP, p. 80]
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Alleluia! To us a child is born:
O Come, let us adore Him! Alleluia!
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Hymn #96: Angels, We Have Heard on High
1. Angels we have heard on high
sweetly singing through the night,
and the mountains in reply
echoing their brave delight.
REFRAIN:
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
2. Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why these songs of happy cheer?
What great brightness did you see?
What glad tidings did you hear? [Refrain]
3. Come to Bethlehem and see
him whose birth the angels sing;
come, adore on bended knee
Christ, the Lord, the newborn King. [Refrain]
4. See him in a manger laid,
whom the angels praise above;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
while we raise our hearts in love. [Refrain]
[Words: French carol; tr. James Chadwick, alt. Music: Gloria, French carol; arr. Edward Shippen Barnes. Words and Music Copyright © 1979 by Hope Publishing Company. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #98688. All rights reserved.]
AAHH #651: Doxology
[See also Hymn # 380, v. 3]
Praise God, Praise God, Praise God!
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
[Words: Thomas Ken, Public Domain. Music: Old 100th, attributed to Louis Bourgeois, Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #84260. All rights reserved.]
Concluding Collect
[BCP, 213]
Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled 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 for ever. Amen.
The Grace
[BCP, 102]
The almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless us and keep us. Amen.
The Parish Prayer List
PRAYER LIST: Anita Arboleda-Silva, Martha Avery, Mary Bonaparte, Jacqueline Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien Jr., Jordan Jones Green, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Benjamin Jones, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Bette Milledge, Jeffrey Miller, John "Butch" Mitchell, Linda Angela Odom, Jeanette Outing, Paulette Sibert, and Jewel Wheeler
BIRTHDAYS: N/A
WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES: N/A
RECENT DEATHS: N/A
May the souls of all the departed rest in peace; and may light perpetual shine upon them. Amen.
Permissions and Credits: This service is reproduced from The Book of Common Prayer 1979 (BCP), Enriching Our Worship 1 (EOW1), The Hymnal 1982 (Hymn), Lift Every Voice and Sing II: An African American Hymnal (LEV), and other sources cited. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible.
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