Gathering Hymn 182 Stille Nacht
The Greeting
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Lord be with you! And also with you.
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.
Call to Penitence
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins,
to intercede for us in heaven, and to bring us to eternal life.
Let us then confess our sins in penitence and faith,
firmly resolved to keep God’s commandments
and to live in love and peace.
Penitential Kyries
Lord God, mighty God, you are the creator of the world.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, Son of God and Son of Mary, you are the Prince of Peace.
Christ, have mercy Christ, have mercy.
Holy Spirit, by your power the Word was made flesh and came to dwell among us.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Absolution
Almighty God,
who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy on you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gloria in Excelsis
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
The Collect
Almighty God, you have given us your only-begotten Son
to take our nature upon him
and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin:
Grant that we, who have been born again
and made your children by adoption and grace,
may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Proclaiming and Receiving the Word
A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah.
How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
who announces salvation,
who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’
Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices,
together they sing for joy;
for in plain sight they see
the return of the Lord to Zion.
Break forth together into singing,
you ruins of Jerusalem;
for the Lord has comforted his people,
he has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord has bared his holy arm
before the eyes of all the nations;
and all the ends of the earth shall see
the salvation of our God.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God. Isaiah 52:7-10
Psalm, Cantate Domino (98) Chant, Goss in A (470)
1 Sing to the Lord a new song, •
for he has done marvellous things.
2 His own right hand and his holy arm •
have won for him the victory.
3 The Lord has made known his salvation; •
his deliverance has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.
4 He has remembered his mercy and faithfulness
towards the house of Israel, •
and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
5 Sound praises to the Lord, all the earth; •
break into singing and make music.
6 Make music to the Lord with the lyre, •
with the lyre and the voice of melody.
7 With trumpets and the sound of the horn •
sound praises before the Lord, the King.
8 Let the sea thunder and all that fills it, •
the world and all that dwell upon it.
9 Let the rivers clap their hands •
and let the hills ring out together before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
10 In righteousness shall he judge the world •
and the peoples with equity.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
A reading from the epistle to the Hebrews.
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
This is the Word of the Lord.Thanks be to God. Hebrews 1: 1-4,
The Gradual Hymn 149 Cradle song
Hear the Gospel of our Saviour Christ, according to St John.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. John 1: 1-14
The 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 Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
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 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 and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is worshipped and glorified,
who 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.
Prayers of Intercession
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Merciful Father,
accept these our prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Peace (please stand)
Unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given,
and his name shall be called
the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
The peace of the Lord be always with you!
And also with you.
The Offertory Hymn (and collection) 185 Quem Pastores
The Taking of the Bread and Wine
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us.
therefore let us celebrate the feast.
The Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Father, almighty and everliving God, at all times and in all places it is right to give you thanks and praise; You have given Jesus Christ your only Son to be born of the Virgin Mary, and through him you have given us power to become the children of God: and so with all your people, with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and saying;
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed are you, Father, the creator and sustainer of all things; you made us in your own image; male and female you created us; even when we turned away from you, you never ceased to care for us, but in your love and mercy you freed us from the slavery of sin, giving your only begotten Son to become man and suffer death on the cross to redeem us; he made there the one complete and all-sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world: he instituted and in his holy Gospel commanded us to continue, a perpetual memory of his precious death until he comes again.
On the night that he was betrayed he took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.
In the same way, after supper he took the cup; and when he had given thanks to you, he gave it to them, saying, Drink this, all of you, for this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
Therefore, Father, with this bread and this cup
we do as Christ your Son commanded:
we remember his passion and death,
we celebrate his resurrection and ascension,
and we look for the coming of his kingdom.
Accept through him, our great high priest, this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; and as we eat and drink these holy gifts, grant by the power of the life-giving Spirit that we may be made one in your holy Church and partakers of the body and blood of your Son, that he may dwell in us and we in him;
Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord,
by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all honour and glory are yours, Almighty Father,
for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer (sit or kneel to pray)
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, the power, and the glory
for ever and ever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread
The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.
We being many are one body, for we all share in the one bread.
Agnus Dei
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us;
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us;
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
grant us peace.
The Invitation
Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, who has taken away the sins of the world.
Happy are those who are called to his supper.
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,
but only say the word and I shall be healed.
The bread and the wine are laid out where people can approach and receive them independently. Many people like to dip the wafer in the wine.
The Post Communion Prayer
God our Father,
whose Word has come among us
in the Holy Child of Bethlehem:
may the light of faith illumine our hearts
and shine in our words and deeds;
through him who is Christ the Lord. Amen.
The Prayer of Thanksgiving
Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory.
Amen.
The Blessing
Christ, who by his incarnation gathered into one all things earthly and heavenly, fill you with his joy and peace: and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you always.
Amen.
The Dismissal
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!
In the name of Christ.
Amen.
Thanksgiving Hymn 160 tune Christmas
From the forthcoming January 2022 ‘Church Review’ Notes
St Audoen’s Cornmarket, 10.00 Eucharist (through the Visitor Centre if the main door is closed)
St Catherine & St James, Donore Avenue, 11.30 Service of the Word (usually)
Keeping on
Thank you to those who have been keeping on throughout the pandemic, with its ups and downs, and more recently to those who have decorated the Parish Churches for the festive season and have made preparations for the church services, which have been maintained as much as we have been able, and despite small numbers and the prohibition on singing. Some parishes closed their church doors on St Stephen’s Day but we decided to remain open. While we hope for better things to come in 2022, we are glad of the fine music played on the organ and we are delighted to hear the bells ringing as they used to do.
The modern parish has some property of its own, apart from the houses in the care of the ancient parish, as we used to call it. We have been benefitted greatly from the labours of willing voluntary Vestry members who have overseen the renovation of St Kevin’s Rectory, which now provides a regular rental income, a valuable support to the parish, facing the rising costs of fuel oil and (like so many others) a fall in contributions through free-will offerings and church collections.
