Christmas Eve / Christmas Day
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series III, Cycle A
Object:
Gathering
P: Born into this world,
C: born into our lives,
P: God made flesh.
C: O Emmanuel, we praise you now and forever. Amen.
Hymn Of Praise
O Come, All Ye Faithful or Jesus, What A Wonderful Child
Gospel Procession
Have the children (dressed as Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds) process and then read the gospel from the center of the congregation.
Intercessory Prayers
After each petition:
L: O God of love,
C: be born in us today.
Eucharistic Prayer
P: Angels sing the story.
Shepherds' eyes glow with wonder.
All creation bursts forth in praise of the one
who from the beginning of time was one with you.
The prophets believed in his coming.
The poor ones raised their hearts in hope.
Those who knew nothing but the darkness of sorrow
cried out for relief;
and into this world Jesus came,
breaking bread, giving thanks, and saying,
"This is my body given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me."
Taking a cup, and as always giving thanks, saying,
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me."
O Holy Spirit, breathe your life into us now,
that our beating hearts might forever move
to the impulse of your love.
O Holy Spirit, breathe your life into us now,
that through these gifts we may live in ways
that declare your grace.
O Holy Spirit, breathe your life into us now,
that we may sing with joy at the birth of God's Son.
The Great Doxology
C: Suggested Hymn -- Joy To The World (Sing as the angels do in the presence of the Lord.)
Presider, refrain from lifting the elements at the Words of Institution, but now lift them high during the Doxology.
Post-Communion Prayer/Sharing Of The Christ-Light
A: The sun shall be no more your light by day,
nor for brightness shall the moon
give light to you by night.
But the Lord will be your everlasting light
and your God will be your glory.
P: Almighty and all-loving God
who has guided us with gentle hands,
C: awaken our spirits as you did for Mary.
P: Bring us forward into the life of mercy and grace.
C: Open our hearts to the cares of the world.
P: Open us to look with hope.
C: Illumine our lives that we may spread your love.
Post-Communion Hymn
Silent Night
Benediction
P: May the child born for us grow in our hearts,
may his authority shape our lives and our world,
and may his justice and righteousness
transform our sorrows and our fears;
for he who is the Wonderful Counselor,
the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father,
is also the Prince of Peace.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
Choral Music
"A Virgin Most Pure" -- arr. Carl Halter (Concordia)
"Glory To God In The Highest" -- David Lantz III (Glory Sound)
"Of The Father's Love Begotten" -- trans. John M. Neele and Henry W. Baber (Lawson-Gould Music Publishers, Inc.)
Service Notes
Tonight is the night to sing the Savior into his birth. Use your favorite hymns and carols, but don't have the entire congregation sing every verse of every hymn. The choir can sing a few verses a cappella, the children and/or teenagers can sing a verse, new immigrants can sing a verse in their native tongue, and/or older immigrants can sing a favorite verse from their childhood. A verse of a hymn may also be spoken over an instrumental (organ and violin descant) accompaniment.
Liturgical Art For The Christmas Season
If your congregation gathers for a remembrance of the Holy Innocents, congregational members might place their baby photographs in a straw-lined manger in the narthex for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services, then remove them, leaving an empty manger for the liturgy on the following Sunday.
Another option is to place a creche on a table of sand in the narthex, with the wise men at the far end of the table. Throughout the twelve days they are moved closer to the stable until Epiphany arrives. An icon or old master's painting of Mary and Jesus, with floor-standing candles on either side might also be placed in the narthex. Consider the twelfth-century Russian icon, Our Lady of Vladimir, or the fifteenth-century painting, The Virgin of the Chair by Raphael. White paraments, poinsettias, fresh green wreaths with gold and white ribbons, and stockings with oranges, nuts, and candy will delight all the senses.
P: Born into this world,
C: born into our lives,
P: God made flesh.
C: O Emmanuel, we praise you now and forever. Amen.
Hymn Of Praise
O Come, All Ye Faithful or Jesus, What A Wonderful Child
Gospel Procession
Have the children (dressed as Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds) process and then read the gospel from the center of the congregation.
Intercessory Prayers
After each petition:
L: O God of love,
C: be born in us today.
Eucharistic Prayer
P: Angels sing the story.
Shepherds' eyes glow with wonder.
All creation bursts forth in praise of the one
who from the beginning of time was one with you.
The prophets believed in his coming.
The poor ones raised their hearts in hope.
Those who knew nothing but the darkness of sorrow
cried out for relief;
and into this world Jesus came,
breaking bread, giving thanks, and saying,
"This is my body given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me."
Taking a cup, and as always giving thanks, saying,
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me."
O Holy Spirit, breathe your life into us now,
that our beating hearts might forever move
to the impulse of your love.
O Holy Spirit, breathe your life into us now,
that through these gifts we may live in ways
that declare your grace.
O Holy Spirit, breathe your life into us now,
that we may sing with joy at the birth of God's Son.
The Great Doxology
C: Suggested Hymn -- Joy To The World (Sing as the angels do in the presence of the Lord.)
Presider, refrain from lifting the elements at the Words of Institution, but now lift them high during the Doxology.
Post-Communion Prayer/Sharing Of The Christ-Light
A: The sun shall be no more your light by day,
nor for brightness shall the moon
give light to you by night.
But the Lord will be your everlasting light
and your God will be your glory.
P: Almighty and all-loving God
who has guided us with gentle hands,
C: awaken our spirits as you did for Mary.
P: Bring us forward into the life of mercy and grace.
C: Open our hearts to the cares of the world.
P: Open us to look with hope.
C: Illumine our lives that we may spread your love.
Post-Communion Hymn
Silent Night
Benediction
P: May the child born for us grow in our hearts,
may his authority shape our lives and our world,
and may his justice and righteousness
transform our sorrows and our fears;
for he who is the Wonderful Counselor,
the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father,
is also the Prince of Peace.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
Choral Music
"A Virgin Most Pure" -- arr. Carl Halter (Concordia)
"Glory To God In The Highest" -- David Lantz III (Glory Sound)
"Of The Father's Love Begotten" -- trans. John M. Neele and Henry W. Baber (Lawson-Gould Music Publishers, Inc.)
Service Notes
Tonight is the night to sing the Savior into his birth. Use your favorite hymns and carols, but don't have the entire congregation sing every verse of every hymn. The choir can sing a few verses a cappella, the children and/or teenagers can sing a verse, new immigrants can sing a verse in their native tongue, and/or older immigrants can sing a favorite verse from their childhood. A verse of a hymn may also be spoken over an instrumental (organ and violin descant) accompaniment.
Liturgical Art For The Christmas Season
If your congregation gathers for a remembrance of the Holy Innocents, congregational members might place their baby photographs in a straw-lined manger in the narthex for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services, then remove them, leaving an empty manger for the liturgy on the following Sunday.
Another option is to place a creche on a table of sand in the narthex, with the wise men at the far end of the table. Throughout the twelve days they are moved closer to the stable until Epiphany arrives. An icon or old master's painting of Mary and Jesus, with floor-standing candles on either side might also be placed in the narthex. Consider the twelfth-century Russian icon, Our Lady of Vladimir, or the fifteenth-century painting, The Virgin of the Chair by Raphael. White paraments, poinsettias, fresh green wreaths with gold and white ribbons, and stockings with oranges, nuts, and candy will delight all the senses.
