St. Columba's Anglican United Church

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St. Columba Church Christmas Eve Service

Rev. Christine Muise

Friday, December 24, 2021

Order of Service and Hymns

Playlist

ST. COLUMBA
ANGLICAN-UNITED CHURCH
PO Box 1260, Port Hardy, BC V0N 2P0
Office Phone: 250-949-6247
E-mail: admin@stcolumbaporthardy.ca
Minister: Rev. Christine Muise
E-mail: cmuise@bc.anglican.ca
Wardens: Robert Fyles and Priscilla O’Neil;
Treasurer: Judy Fyles
Music Ministry: Roldan Yuipco
Video: Ammie Yuipco
Community Partner: Cathie Wilson
Youth Leadership and
VST Indigenous MDiv Student: Sheila Cook
www.stcolumbaporthardy.ca
Christmas Eve Service
December 24, 2021
†††††

Mission Statement
As followers of Jesus Christ, our church is a community called to love, honour, worship, and serve God.
We invite others to share our Christian journey as we grow in faith and engage in ministry in our town and mission in our world.

Welcome and Announcements

Land Acknowledgement

Hymn: VU 59 Joy to the World

Joy to the world! the Lord is come:
let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the world! the Savior reigns:
let all their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground:
he comes to make his blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the earth with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.

Words: Isaac Watts, alt. Music: attrib. George Frideric Handel arr. Lowell Mason

Call to Worship (Inspired by Psalm 98 and Hebrews 1:1–4)

We come to sing a new song of something that happened long ago and is still happening even now.
We come to remember what steadfast love feels like in our own flesh.

We come to wander back and through time to find ourselves wondering if there is enough goodness and loving kindness to welcome such tender hope again.
We come to make a joyful noise for the reflection of God’s glory we see in newborn skin and to believe that somehow that exact imprint of God’s very being is also in me and you.

We come to wander through all that feels calm and bright to wonder how our meek souls might receive this news then and now.
We come to see all that will be revealed in God’s incarnation.

Lighting the Advent Candle

Voice 1: For all that we didn’t know we were waiting for,
we light this candle.
(First candle is lit: hope)

Voice 2: For the acceptance we now feel that things are not as they should be,
we light this candle.
(Second candle is lit: peace)

Voice 3: For this journey we share together,
we light this candle.
(Third candle is lit: joy)

Voice 4: For the work of birth we share on Christmas,
we light this candle.
(Fourth candle is lit: love)

Lighting the Christ Candle

For the good news of great joy for all people, For the peace on Earth that is promised in this tiny bundle, for Earth rejoicing and the heavens proclaiming such glory, for the goodness and loving kindness that comes in this newborn cry, for all the expectation and wandering hope that has brought us to this moment, for the Light of the World that shines again with fresh wonder tonight,
we light this candle. (Christ candle is lit).

VU 6 A Candle is Burning (All Verses)

A candle is burning, a flame warm and bright,
a candle of hope in December’s dark night.
While angels sing blessings from heaven’s starry sky
our hearts we prepare now, for Jesus is nigh.

A candle is burning, a candle of peace,
a candle to signal that conflict must cease:
for Jesus is coming to show us the way;
a message of peace humbly laid in the hay.

A candle is burning, a candle of joy,
a candle to welcome brave Mary’s new boy.
Our hearts fill with wonder and eyes light and glow
As joy brightens winter like sunshine on snow.

A candle is burning, a candle of love,
a candle to point us to heaven above.
A baby for Christmas, a wonderful birth,
For Jesus is bringing God’s Love to our earth.

We honour Messiah with Christ-candle’s flame,
our Christmas Eve candles glad tidings proclaim.
O come, all you faithful, rejoice in this night
As God comes among us, the Christian’s true light.

Words: Sandra Dean and music: James R. Murray

Collect

THE STORY OF FAITH IS PROCLAIMED

Hebrew Scripture: Isaiah 9:2-7

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined.

You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.

For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.

For a child has been born for us, a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.

He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness
from this time onwards and for evermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to her Church.
Thanks be to God.

Psalm 96

O sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.

Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvellous works among all the peoples.
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be revered above all gods.

For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
Honour and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts.

Worship the LORD in holy splendour;
tremble before him, all the earth.
Say among the nations, ‘The LORD is king!
The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.
He will judge the peoples with equity.’

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the field exult, and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
before the LORD; for he is coming,
for he is coming to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with his truth.

Epistle: Titus 2: 11-14

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church,
Thanks be to God. Amen.

Gospel Hymn: VU 55 In the Bleak Midwinter

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
in the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign:
in the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
the Lord God almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for him, whom cherubim worship night and day,
a breast full of milk, and a manger full of hay.
Enough for him, whom angels fall down before,
the ox and ass and camel which adore.

What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a wise man, I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him -- give my heart.

Words: Christina Georgina Rossetti; Music: Gustav Theodor Holst

One: May God be with you!
All: And also with you!
One: The Holy Gospel of Christ according to Luke
All: Glory to you Jesus the Christ.

The Gospel: Luke 2: 1-20

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.

He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and 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 heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and
pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

One: The Gospel of Christ
All: Praise to you Jesus the Christ.

Sermon/ Reflection: The Rev. Christine Muise

A New Creed
(Voices United #918 © 1968)

We are not alone, we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God

Prayer of Confession

Dear friends,
The Creator is steadfast in love and infinite in mercy; God welcomes those who have fallen away from their love and invites us back into the love of community. (silence)

Most loving Creator,
We are sorry that we have gone against your hopes for our lives
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart,
we have not loved ourselves,
we have not loved our neighbours.
We have not respected the dignity of all people,
we have not protected the sanctity of all created order.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of Jesus the Christ,
help us learn to walk in a good way,
show us to have and share love in ways that are embodied.
Forgive us for the ways that we fall
and have mercy for all who suffer our broken relations,
forgive us, free us, love us,
so that we may delight in Your will
and walk following Your ways, with the help of the Spirit.
Amen.

Words of Assurance

Almighty Creator, have mercy upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our falls away from you, confirm your Love for us and strengthen us in deep goodness, and keep us in your embrace for all eternity, in the name of Jesus, the Christ.
Amen

Prayers of the People

(in joy and humility, let us pray to the Creator saying: God, grant us peace)

...hear us God.
God grant us peace.

Peace
The peace of God be always with you!
And also with you!
(we share the peace in physically distant yet socially cohesive ways)

Offertory Hymn: VU 38 Angels We Have Heard On High

Angels we have heard on high
sweetly singing o'er the plains,
and the mountains in reply,
echoing their joyous strains.
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
which inspire your heavenly song?
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ whose birth the angels sing;
come, adore on bended knee
Christ, the Lord, the newborn King.
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!

See him in a manger laid,
whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
while our hearts in love we raise.
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Words: French traditional; trans. James Chadwick; Music: French carol melody; arr. Edward Shippen Barnes.

Prayer over the Gifts

The Lord's Prayer

Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be.
Parent of us all, Loving Creator, in whom is heaven:
The sacredness of your name echoes through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by peoples of the world!
Your creative order will be adhered to by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom
sustain our hope and our work to bring it into being.
With the food we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the way of Love, now and for ever. Amen.

Glory to God,
whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever.
Amen

Hymn VU 67 Silent Night

Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
sleep in heavenly peace,
sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night! Holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight:
glories stream from heaven afar,
heavenly hosts sing Hallelujah,
Christ the Saviour is born,
Christ the Saviour is born.

Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, love's pure light
radiant beams from thy holy face,
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

Words: Joseph Mohr, 1818 trans. John Freeman Young. Music: Franz Xavier Gruber.

Blessing

Three-fold Amen

Gila’kasla! Merry Christmas! Alleluia! Amen.
Gila’kasla! Merry Christmas! Alleluia! Amen.

Prayers from United Church of Canada: Seasons of the Spirit™ SeasonsFusion Advent • Christmas • Epiphany 2021–2022 and The Book of Alternative Services of the Anglican Church of Canada ©1985.
Call to Worship (Inspired by Psalm 98 and Hebrews 1:1–4)
Collect (Anglican Church of Canada: Common Worship: Additional Collects (2004)
Scripture passages from New Revised Standard Version, NRSV
Words of Assurance (BAS Anglican Church of Canada p. 191)-edits CMuise 2021)
The Lord's Prayer (A Paraphrase-© 1988 Jim Cotter VU 916 edit CMuise 2021)

VU 59 Joy to the World Words: Isaac Watts, 1719, alt. Music: attrib. George Frideric Handel 1742; arr. Lowell Mason, 1836 Copyright: Public domain.

VU 55 In the Bleak Midwinter Words: Christina Georgina Rossetti, ca. 1872; Music: Gustav Theodor Holst, 1906. Copyright: Public domain.

VU 38 Angels We Have Heard On High Words: French traditional; trans. James Chadwick, 1860 Music: French carol melody; arr. Edward Shippen Barnes, 1937. Copyright: Public domain.

VU 67 Silent Night Words: Joseph Mohr, 1818; trans. John Freeman Young, 1863. Music: Franz Xavier Gruber, 1818. Copyright: Public domain.

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