Revd Rex A E Hunt
eMail: rexae@optusnet.com.au
Web site: www.rexaehuntprogressive.com
LITURGY FOR THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE
25 December 2010. Christmas Day. (White).
Acknowledgement of land
(An act towards reconciliation)
For thousands of years Indigenous people have walked
in this land, on their own country.
Their relationship with the land is at the centre of their lives.
We acknowledge the (NN) People and their stewardship
of this land throughout the ages.
(NN) is a safe place for all people to worship regardless of
race, creed, age, cultural background or sexual orientation
Gathering music
Silence
Entry into celebration
The gong is sounded three times
May the love that breathes life
into all humanity
and all of creation
All Be born in us today.
On this Australian Christmas Day may we celebrate
the richness and diversity of life, in the presentness of God.
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
"Joy to the world" (Tune: 88 88 88 66. 268 TiS) (Inclusive) 6 FSSC
Joy to the world! The Christ is here!
The gift of peace to bring!
Let ev'ry heart a welcome place prepare.
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n, and heav'n and nature sing!
Joy to the earth! The saviour lives!
With song your voice employ;
While fields and floods, rock, plains and hills
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy!
Christ fills the world with truth and grace,
And asks each life to prove
The glories of God's righteousness
And wonders of God's love,
And wonders of God's love,
And wonders, and wonders of God's love! GPHaddon
Remain standing
Opening sentences
God of creation, shaper of seas and stars
of planets and of people
All God is here with us.
God, born in Bethlehem
gurgling, crying, laid in a manger
All God is here with us.
God, breath of the universe
flickering, dancing in the candle flame
All God is here with us.
God, Emmanuel, among us, within us
All We bring ourselves and our dreams
for we want to be here with you. Iona Community
Prayer
We pray:
Days of blazing sunlight, clear blue skies and sunbaked earth,
colourful birds,
fiery bottle brush,
pastel jacaranda,
the fragrance of each season beneath the Southern Cross...
We offer our praise and thanks for God is in our midst.
Amen.
Hymn “The three drovers” 1 ACC
Across the plains one Christmas night,
Three drovers riding blythe and gay
Looked up and saw a starry light
More radiant than the Milky Way
And on their hearts such wonder fell
They sang with joy, Noel, Noel,
Noel, Noel, Noel.
The air was dry with summer heat
And smoke was on the yellow moon
But from the heavens, faint and sweet,
Came floating down a wond'rous tune
And as they heard, they sang full well
These drovers three, Noel, Noel,
Noel, Noel, Noel.
The black swans flew across the sky
The wild dog called across the plain
The starry lustre blazed on high
Still echoed on the heavenly strain
And still they sang Noel, Noel
These drovers three, Noel, Noel,
Noel, Noel, Noel. JWheeler
People sit
Welcome
In your own words
A warm welcome is extended to you all this Christmas Day.
Those of you who may be worshipping at (NN) for the first time,
and those who have returned
to celebrate this special season
with family or friends.
Your presence both enriches us and this time of celebration together.
Refer to printed liturgy.
Those visiting, please sign our Visitors book.
Lighting of the Christmas candle
Over the past four Sundays we at (NN) have lit our Advent candles.
We light them again and remember...
the ways peace, hope, joy and love
are always brought to birth in, through, and among, all creation.
Four candles lit
Last night we lit our Christmas Eve candles.
It was a time for memories and remembering...
To wonder and to give thanks.
And of quiet awakening to beauty
that still lives on through the strife
of personal griefs and a war-torn world.
Now we come to light our Christmas candle.
It is a friendly candle.
It brings light and love as we celebrate in the warmth of summer.
It is a candle of understanding which drives away fear.
It is a candle of truth.
It will lead one in unknown paths
to learn more about the mysteries of life.
All Once upon a time a little baby was born
who taught us to love and understand one another.
And they called his name, Jesus.
The Christmas candle is lit
Centering silence
Let there be a quiet time among us.
(Silence)
Come apart from the busyness of family and work,
and dwell in the presentness of God
who is our source of being.
(Silence)
May the silence which we now share
quieten us,
touch our need,
refresh our courage,
enlarge our wonder.
(Silence)
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
“Star-Child, earth-Child” 40(ii) COC
Star-Child, earth-Child
go-between of God,
love Child, Christ Child,
heaven's lightning rod,
Refrain:
This year, this year,
let the day arrive,
when Christmas comes for everyone,
everyone alive!
Street child, beat child
no place left to go,
hurt child, used child,
no one wants to know,
Refrain:
Grown child, old child,
mem'ry full of years,
sad child, lost child,
story told in tears,
Refrain:
Spared child, spoiled child,
having, wanting more,
wise child, faith child
knowing joy in store,
Refrain:
Hope-for-peace Child,
God's stupendous sign,
down-to-earth Child,
star of stars that shine,
Refrain:
This year, this year,
let the day arrive,
when Christmas comes for everyone,
everyone alive! SEMurray
Readings from our religious tradition
Some readings from our broad religious tradition shall now be read.
Hebrew scriptures:
Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 (Inclusive Text)
The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light;
on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone.
For there is a child born for us.
An heir given to us upon whose shoulder government will rest.
They will name this one:
Wonder-Counselor, Mighty-God,
Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace.
This dominion - and this peace - will grow without end,
on David's judgement seat and over David's realm,
established and made secure in justice and integrity,
from this time onward and forevermore.
The world around us:
"Come Christmas!"
By Maureen Killoran. (Adapted)
No one is ever really ready for Christmas.
If we were really all prepared:
If every gift we had contemplated had been obtained;
If every present was beautifully beribboned;
If all the goodies our friends deserve were baked and cooled, and stored just so;
If each and every person we love was gathered for our celebration;
If we never snapped at someone we care about, nor stopped short of being all that we could be;
If our minds were 100 per cent loving and our hearts were 100 per cent generous;
They truly would be ready - and truly we would not need Christmas quite so much.
So welcome, Christmas, most needed of seasons.
Come with the reminder that love does not depend on
perfection but on willingness to risk connection.
Come into the unready manger of our hearts
that we may feel the warmth of new life
and give flesh to the promise of hope
that cries to bring healing into our world.
Hymn "Here in the dryness and dust" (Tune: 310(ii) TiS, ‘Spean’ 11 10 11 10)
Here in the dryness and dust of our climate,
snow is remote as the tale we repeat,
barren the ground in the heat of the outback,
barren the welcome: they wait on the street.
Mary and Joseph stand stunned and disabled,
wonder what shelter they'll find for the night,
here in the colour and warmth of the sunshine
we can imagine the fear of their plight.
Warm is the straw on the floor of the stable,
soft is the sun as it filters through trees,
now it is Christmas we welcome the Christ-child,
all of creation is brought to its knees.
Love is incarnate, the source of all being
cradled by Mary, yes, born on this earth;
looking she loves him, though strained and exhausted,
knowing her child is of infinite worth. © APratt 2005
Gospel:
Luke 2:8-20 (Inclusive Text)
In the countryside close by there were shepherds
who lived in the fields and took it in turns to watch
their flocks during the night.
The angel of God appeared to them and the glory of God
shone around them. They were terrified, but the angel said,
Do not be afraid.
Listen, I bring you news of great joy,
a joy to be shared by the whole people.
Today in the town of David
a saviour has been born to you who is the Christ.
And here is a sign for you:
you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.
And suddenly with the angel
there was a great throng of the heavenly host,
praising God and singing,
'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace to all who enjoy God's favour'.
Now when the angels had gone from them into heaven,
the shepherds said to one another,
"Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened
which God has made known to us."
So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph,
and the baby lying in the manger.
When they saw the child
they repeated what they had been told about him,
and everyone who heard it was astonished
at what the shepherds had to say.
As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen.
It was exactly as they had been told.
Contemporary word
Silence for personal reflection
Special music
A Christmas litany
People stand as they are able
Blessed are they who find Christmas
in the fragrant eucalypt,
the song of the cicada,
and the soft flicker of candles...
All To them shall come memories of love and happiness.
Blessed are they who find Christmas
in the Christmas star...
All Their lives may ever reflect its light and beauty.
Blessed are they who find Christmas in the age-old story
of a child born in a stable and laid in a manger...
All To them a little child will always mean
hope and promise in a troubled world.
Blessed are they who find Christmas
in the joy of gifts sent lovingly to others...
All They shall share the gladness and joy
of the shepherds and sages of old.
Blessed are they who find Christmas
in the message of Jesus of Nazareth...
All They shall ever strive to help bring
peace on earth, good will to all. /cc
Hymns "Christmas Bowl" (Tune:'Winchester Old', 86 86. 299 TiS)
An empty bowl, uplifted hands:
a challenge there we see,
to share with neighbours in all lands
our one humanity.
An empty bowl, uplifted hands:
may our commitment be
that peace and justice in all lands
shall be reality.
An empty bowl, uplifted hands:
to set the captives free
and joining people in all lands
in one community.
A cup of wine, uplifted hands:
O Christ, lead us to be
your body broken for all lands,
now and eternity. RFaser
Offerings
Let us now make real the words of our hymn
as our gifts to the Christmas Bowl are received and presented.
Presentation People stand as they are able, as gifts are presented
The generosity of life is all around us.
Even in difficult times we can discover the spirit of generosity.
May we receive this generosity for our growing enrichment,
and may we give to this generosity
for the world's growing compassion. FMacnab/h
Conversation with the children
Reflections and prayers
Care candle:
We are people of all ages who enter this space
bringing our joys and concerns.
Joys and concerns shared.
Listening response:
In the living of this day,
All May we find the courage to let go of our fears,
accept the challenges before us,
and open ourselves to the still, small voice (GVosper/hb).
In all our joys and in all our concerns, may we be ever mindful
of the presentness of God among us,
and to see the new possibilities of the now.
The Care candle is lit
And let us recommit ourselves to the inclusive ways of Jesus.
Pastoral prayers:
Lord's Prayer:
You are invited to pray the Lord's Prayer in your original language, as that is appropriate.
All Father, may your name be holy.
May your rule take place.
Give us each day our daily bread.
Pardon our debts, for we ourselves pardon everyone in debt to us.
And do not bring us to trial into a trying situation. (B Mack/Q)
Amen.
Hymn The people stand as they are able, to sing
"Carol of the Earth"
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
how lovely are your branches.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
how lovely are your branches.
Upon those branches hangs a ball
which is most delicate and small
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
how lovely are your branches.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
you are the tree most loved.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
you are the tree most loved.
The ball which hangs there with such grace,
it is the earth which spins in space.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
you are the tree most loved.
Remain standing
Words of mission
Mysterious God,
confounding our expectations
meeting us where we least expect to find you...
All Stay with us now.
Child of the manger,
healing our pain, sharing our weakness...
All Stay with us now.
Source of life,
birth of God within our own experience...
All Stay with us now.
Stay with us in our frailty
stay with us on our journey...
All Walk beside us, live within us,
lead us to glory, lead us home. (Iona Community)
Blessing words
And may the God of Christmas fill your hearts
with all joy and peace in believing!
All Amen!
The blessing of the manger, God's creation all around.
The blessing of the shepherds, God's people with feet on the ground.
The blessing of the angels, good news for all, and peace for the world...
Be with you all now and for ever.
All Amen.
Hymn (Cont.) "Carol of the Earth"
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
your beauty green will teach me
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
your beauty green will teach me
that planet earth can ever be
a friendly home for you and me.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
your beauty green will teach me. AHill
Recessional music
You are invited to keep this copy of the liturgy and take it home with you
to share with another member of your family, or with a friend
I recommend the use of
LicenSing - Copyright cleared music for churches
Some of the resources used in shaping this liturgy:
Carol our christmas. A book of New Zealand carols. 1996. NZ: Raumati. New Zealand Hymnbook Trust.
Haddon, G. P. 1994. Feminist sacred songs for christmas. CN: Scotland. Plus Publications.
Inclusive readings. Year C. 2006. QLD: Brisbane. Inclusive Language Project. In private circulation.
Iona Community. 2001. Iona abbey worship book. GtB: Glasgow. Wild Goose Publications.
Mack, B. L. 1993. The lost gospel. The book of Q and christian origins. NY: New York. HarperSanFrancisco.
Macnab, F. 1996. Hope: The deeper longings of the mind and heart. VIC: Richmond. Spectrum Publications.
Seaburg, C. (ed). 1983. Celebrating christmas. An anthology. MA: Boston. UUMA.
Vosper, G. 2004/2010. Holy
Breath. Prayers for worship and reflection. New & Revised edition. QLD: Brisbane. The Centre for Progressive
Religious Thought Brisbane.
Wild Goose Worship Group. 1997. Cloth for the cradle. Worship resources and readings for advent, christmas & epiphany. GtB: Glasgow. Iona Community.
Web sites:
Killoran, Hill. UUA Worship Web. MA: Boston. UUA.
Andrew Pratt UK. Direct from the author.