The Advent wreath is lit
Blessed are you, Sovereign Lord, merciful and gentle; to you be praise and glory for ever! Your light has shone in our darkened world through the child-bearing of blessed Mary; grant that we who have seen your glory may daily be renewed in your image and prepared like her for the coming of your Son, who is the Lord and Saviour of all. Blessed be God for ever.
Lord Jesus, Light of the world, blessed is Gabriel who brought good news; blessed is Mary your mother and ours: Bless your Church preparing for Christmas; and bless us your children who long for your coming.
Hymn 177 Tune Irby
Once in royal David’s city, stood a lowly cattle shed
Where a mother laid her baby, in a manger for his bed
Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.
He came down to earth from heaven, who is God and Lord of all
And his shelter was a stable, and his cradle was a stall
With the poor, and mean, and lowly, lived on earth our Saviour holy.
And through all his wondrous childhood, he would honour and obey
Love and watch the lowly maiden, in whose gentle arms he lay
Christian children all must be mild, obedient, good as he.
For he is our childhood’s pattern, day by day, like us he grew
He was little, weak and helpless, tears and smiles like us he knew
And he feeleth for our sadness and he shareth in our gladness.
And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love
For that child so dear and gentle, is our Lord in heaven above
And he leads his children on to the place where he is gone.
Not in that poor lowly stable, with the oxen standing by
We shall see him; but in heaven, set at God’s right hand on high
Where like stars his children crowned all in white shall wait around.
First Reading: Isaiah 9.2, 6-7
The prophet foretells the coming of the Saviour.
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Hymn 119 Tune Cross of Jesus
1 Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
2 Israel’s strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.
3 Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
4 By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.
Second Reading: Isaiah 11.1-4, 6-9
The peace that Christ will bring is foreshown.
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots: and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. With righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
Hymn 149 Tune Cradle Song
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes
I love thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my side until morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever and love me I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care
And fit us for heaven to live with thee there.
The angel Gabriel salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary.
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Hymn 174 Tune Forest Green (first tune)
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.
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.
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.
O holy Child of Bethlehem descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in, be born to us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell,
O come to us, abide with us our Lord Emmanuel.
St Luke tells of the birth of Jesus.
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Hymn 151 Tune Bunessan
Child in the manger, infant of Mary,
outcast and stranger, Lord of all,
Child who inherits all our transgressions,
all our demerits on him fall.
Once the most holy child of salvation
gently and lowly, lived below;
now as our glorious mighty Redeemer,
see him victorious o’er each foe.
Prophets foretold him, infant of wonder;
Angels behold him on his throne;
worthy our Saviour of all our praises;
happy forever are his own.
Fifth Reading: Luke 2.8-16. The shepherds go to the manger.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
Hymn 139 Tune Gabriel’s message
The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;
‘All hail,’ said he, ‘thou lowly maiden Mary,
most highly favoured lady.’ Gloria!
‘For known a blessèd Mother thou shalt be,
all generations laud and honour thee,
thy son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold;
most highly favoured lady.’ Gloria!
Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,
‘To me be as it pleaseth God,’ she said,
‘My soul shall laud and magnify his holy name’:
most highly favoured lady. Gloria!
Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ was born
in Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn,
and Christian folk throughout the world will ever say
‘Most highly favoured lady.’ Gloria!
The wise men are led by the star to Jesus.
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judæa: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
Hymn 184 (omit verse 5) Tune Puer nobis nascitur (2)
1. Unto us is born a son,
King of choirs supernal:
See on earth his life begun,
Of lords the Lord eternal.
2. Christ, from heav’n descending low, Comes on earth a stranger;
Ox and ass their Owner know
Now cradled in a manger.
3. This did Herod sore affray,
And grievously bewilder,
So he gave the word to slay,
And slew the little childer.
4. Of his love and mercy mild
Hear the Christmas story:
O that Mary’s gentle Child
Might lead us up to glory!
Seventh Reading: John 1.1-14 (please stand)
St John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Hymn 172 verses 1-4 (and collection) Tune Adeste fideles
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;
O come let us adore him Christ the Lord.
God of God, light of light,
lo he abhors not the virgin’s womb;
very God, begotten not created:
O come let us adore him Christ the Lord.
Sing choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
sing all ye citizens of heaven above;
glory to God in the highest:
O come let us adore him Christ the Lord.
Yea, Lord, we bless thee, born for our salvation;
Jesu, to thee be glory given;
word of the Father, now in flesh appearing:
O come let us adore him Christ the Lord.
A Christmas Collect
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 Christmas Blessing
Christ, who by his incarnation
gathered into one all things earthly and heavenly,
grant you the fullness of inward peace and goodwill,
and make you partakers of the divine nature;
and the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you and remain with you always. Amen.
Hymn 160 Tune Christmas (Mendelssohn)
Hark! the herald angels sing “Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim: “Christ is born in Bethlehem”:
Hark! The herald angels sing “Glory to the newborn King!”
Christ by highest heav’n adored, Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come, offspring of a Virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel:
Hark! The herald angels sing “Glory to the newborn King!”
Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings, risen with healing in His wings:
Mild, He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die;
Born to raise each child of earth, born to give us second birth:
Hark! The herald angels sing “Glory to the newborn King!”
Christmas Day
10.00 Eucharist St Audoen Cornmarket
11.30 Eucharist St Catherine & St James Donore Avenue
