24th December 2021
Here you can find resources for our liturgy to pray at home or wherever you are.
The readings for today and some of the prayers of our liturgy are on the downloadable pew sheet.
Downloads (PDF)
Preparation
In church, the crib is blessed during the carol
Blessing of the Crib
Dear friends,
as we meet to celebrate the birth of Christ,
let us pray that God will bless this crib,
that all who worship his Son, born of the Virgin Mary,
may come to share his life in glory.
God our Father,
on this night
your Son Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary for us and for our salvation:
+ bless this crib, which we have prepared to celebrate that holy birth;
may all who see it be strengthened in faith and receive the fullness of life he came to bring,
who lives and reigns forever. Amen.
Hymn – O little town of Bethlehem
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. O morning stars together
proclaim the holy birth.
And praises sing to God the King
and peace to men on earth.
For Christ is born of Mary
and gathered all above
while mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wondering love.
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. 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
virtual recording by Stirling University Choir
Opening
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Collect for Purity
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession and Absolution
God is love and we are God’s children, there is no room for fear in love.
We love because God loved us first.
Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith.
silence
God our Father,
we confess to you
and to our fellow members in the Body of Christ
that we have sinned in thought, word and deed,
and in what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry.
Forgive us our sins,
and deliver us from the power of evil.
For the sake of your Son who died for us,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
God, who is both power and love,
forgive us and free us from our sins,
heal and strengthen us by the Holy Spirit
and raise us to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gloria reflection – Johann Gottfried Walther: Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr
Collect
O God,
you have made this most holy night
grow radiant with the brilliance of the true Light:
grant that, as we have known the mystery of that Light on earth,
so we may delight in him in heaven;
through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end.
Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
First reading: Isaiah 52.7-10 (read by David Brown)
Second reading: Hebrews 1.1-4 (read by David Brown)
Gospel acclamation – Celtic Alleluia
Gospel: John 1.1‐14 (The Rector)
Sermon (Bishop Ian)
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord,
Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God, begotten, not made,
of one substance with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and was made human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord,
the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father.
With the Father and the Son,
he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Intercessions – set prayers for Christmas Eve (The Rector)
The Peace
We meet in Christ’s name.
Let us share his peace.
The Liturgy of the Sacrament
In church we continue with the Liturgy of the Sacrament
Reflection – Gordon Phillips: O little town of Bethlehem
Offertory Prayer
Let us present our offerings to the Lord.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory,
the splendour and the majesty;
for everything in heaven and on earth is yours.
All things come from you, and of your own we give you.
Eucharistic Prayer
The Breaking of the Bread
The Lord’s Prayer
Please join in the prayer Jesus himself taught us:
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.
Do not bring us to the time of trial
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.
Amen.
Thanksgiving and Sending Out
The Blessing
Christ the Sun of Righteousness shine upon us
and scatter the darkness from before our path;
and may the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be among us and remain with us always. Amen.
The Dismissal
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Organ Postlude – Flor Peeters: Of the Father’s love begotten
THIS WEEK
Saturday 25th December
CHRISTMAS DAY
- 10.30 am Sung Eucharist with Carols
Sunday 26th December
CHRISTMAS 1
- 10.30 am Sung Eucharist
Sunday 2nd January
CHRISTMAS 2
- 10.30 am Sung Eucharist
Thursday 6th January
EPIPHANY
- 6.30 pm Sung Eucharist
Sunday 9th January
BAPTISM OF CHRIST
- 10.30 am Sung Eucharist
- 6.30 pm Epiphany Carol Service
online resources will be available on this website