Revd Rex A E Hunt
eMail: rexae@optusnet.com.au
Web site: www.rexaehuntprogressive.com
LITURGY FOR THE CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS EVE
24 December 2008. (White).
Including the liturgy for Blue Christmas
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) and their stewardship
of this land throughout the ages.
St James is a safe place for all people to worship regardless of
race, creed, gender, cultural background or sexual orientation
GATHERING
Gathering in silence
The gong is sounded three times
Entry into worship
v1 Shshshsh!
v2 Shshshsh!
v3 Shshshsh!
Silence
v1 The people
v2 The people
v3 The people
Silence
v1 The people who walked
v2 The people who walked
v3 The people who walked
Silence
v1 The people who walked in darkness
v2 The people who walked in darkness
v3 The people who walked in darkness
Silence
v1 Have seen a great light!
Silence
From the corners of this city,
from the confusion of life,
from the loneliness of our hearts
All Gather us, O God.
To feed our minds,
to fire our imagination,
to free our hearts
All Gather us, O God. The Iona Community
Let us celebrate the richness and diversity of life
in the presentness of God!
Hymn "Cloth for the cradle" (Tune: Scottish traditional) 54 HSNW
Chorus:
Cloth for the cradle, cradle for the child,
The child for our every joy and sorrow;
Find him a shawl that's woven by us all
To welcome the Lord of each tomorrow.
Darkness and light and all that's known by sight,
Silence and echo fading,
Weave into one a welcome for the Son,
Set earth its own maker serenading.
Claimant and queen, wage earners in between,
Trader and travelling preacher,
Weave into one a welcome for the Son,
Whose word brings new life to every creature.
Hungry and poor, the sick and the unsure,
Wealthy, whose needs are stranger,
Weave into one a welcome for the Son,
Leave excess and want beneath the manger.
Wrinkled or fair, carefree or full of care,
Searchers of all the ages,
Weave into one a welcome for the Son,
The Saviour of shepherds and of sages. (Bell& Maule)
People sit
Lighting of the Christmas Eve candles
Christmas Eve is a time for candlelight.
It is a time when one desires nothing more
than family and soft music.
Who can say what passes through
our hearts on Christmas Eve?
Strange thoughts.
Undefinable emotions.
Sudden tears.
All this and more, unbidden, come without reason.
All And we light our candles for this is Christmas Eve.
Some candles are lit
Christmas Eve is not a time to be merry, but quietly glad.
It is the proper time to wish upon a star.
It is the time to watch children
with excited, happy eyes,
troop off to bed to await the miracle of dawn.
It is a time to wonder, of thankfulness
that life is still being created out of darkness.
It is a time of quiet awakening to beauty
that still lives on through the strife
of a war-torn world.
All And we light our candles for this is Christmas Eve.
Some candles are lit
Christmas Eve is a time of heartbreak,
when those who are not at our side are most missed.
Christmas Eve is a time of blessing
when all the heartbroken world gives thanks
for the quiet beauty of rest.
When one is closest to one's companions
and is not then enemy to any person.
All And we light our candles for this is Christmas Eve.
Some candles are lit
Christmas Eve is a time of memory,
when one remembers past happiness and love
and often sighs for the good that might have been.
Peace on earth.
The story of the first Christmas... so old, and yet so new.
We lose ourselves in legend, and dream of storybook people:
Tiny Tim,
The other Wise One,
Shepherds and angels,
live again in the memory of human hearts.
All And we light our candles for this is Christmas Eve. (Adapt.TPullman/cc)
Some candles are lit
Prayer
We pray:
Spirit of truth, whom the world can never grasp,
touch our hearts with the shock of your coming.
Fill us with desire for your disturbing peace
and a longing to speak your compassionate word.
Amen.
Hymn "Carol our Christmas" 9 AA
Carol our Christmas,
an upside down Christmas;
snow is not falling and
trees are not bare.
Carol the summer, and
welcome the Christ Child,
warm in our sunshine and
sweetness of air.
Sing of the gold and the
green and the sparkle,
water and river and lure
of the beach.
Sing in the happiness
of open spaces,
sing a nativity summer
can reach!
Shepherds and musterers
move over hillsides,
finding, not angels,
but sheep to be shorn;
wise ones make journeys
whatever the season,
searching for signs of the
truth to be born.
Right side up Christmas belongs
to the universe,
made in the moment
a woman gives birth;
hope is the Jesus gift,
love is the offering,
verywhere, anywhere,
here on the earth. SMurray.
Welcome
May I extend a warm to you all this night...
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 liturgy and invite their participation.
CENTERING
Silence
Let there now be a safe silence among us…
(Silence)
May our silence grow profound
as we are embraced by the spirit
of our highest hopes.
(Silence)
Special music
EXPLORING
Reading from our broad religious tradition
Our Christmas Eve stories come from our broad religious tradition.
From the world around us:
"A giving time"
By Virginia Becher. Shine on, star of Bethlehem/41-42.
Advent is a twinkling time
Of stars and candles
Of bright Christmas lioghts in city streets.
Advent is a time of light,
To celebrate the light
That Jesus brought.
Christmas is a giving time
Of presents and cards.
Of mince pies and shared Christmas lunch.
Christ as is a time of gifts
To celebrate the gift
Jesus brought.
This twinkling, giving time
Is full of promise, expectation, hope
As we celebrate the big surprise:
God’s greatest gift – The Christ.
But do we look for new surprises?
Do we look for God
Amonst our gifts and Christmas lights?
Gospel:
Luke 2:1-14 (Inclusive Text)
Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a census of the whole world to be taken.
This census - the first - took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria,
and everyone went to their own town to be registered.
So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee
and travelled up to Judea, to the town of David called Bethlehem,
since he was of David's House and line,
in order to be registered with Mary,
his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there, the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to a son, her first-born.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger
because there was no place for them at the inn.
In the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields,
and took it in turns to watch their flock 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 saying,
'Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace to all who enjoy God's favour!'
Contemporary word
Silence for personal reflection
AFFIRMING
A Christmas litany
In solidarity with those for whom standing is not easy or possible, we will remain seated for the litany...
May this time together lead us to the heart of the season, which is peace.
May we breathe deeply of peace in this safe place,
and let our hearts be open to the evening's story.
Wm Like the wandering couple, may we find
that our greatest trials issue forth from our greatest joys.
Mn Like the harried innkeeper, may we find
ways to be of help to others.
Wm Like the lumbering beasts, may we be
silent witnesses to the unfathomable glory of life.
Mn Like the shepherds on the hill, may we know
that we need never be afraid.
Wm Like the journeying wise, may we always
have the courage to follow our stars.
Mn Like the angels, may we cry peace to a troubled world.
(Silence)
May this season of peace and goodwill
All nudge our world towards its ideals,
for then will Christmas truly dawn. (Adapt.CRobinson)
The peace
Let us take a moment to celebrate each other.
The peace of God is here... to stay.
All Thanks be to God.
You are invited to share the peace with your neighbours
Hymn of the Month
“You are born in us again” (Tune: ‘Dunstan’) 52 COC
You are born in us again
Like the warmth of the summer wind you come,
to melt away the icicles of vanity and pride;
you come to blow the very doors of loving open wide.
Like the warmth of the summer wind you come,
like the warmth of the summer wind you come.
You are born in us again
Like the scent of the summer rain you come,
You come to quench the thirsty and to freshen up the land;
you come to clean away the dust that settled in our hand.
Like the scent of the summer rain you come,
like the scent of the summer rain you come.
You are born in us again
Like the light of the summer sun you come,
to give light to the places that have never seen the Son;
you come now to embrace us, you’re the holy, holy one.
Like the light of the summer sun you come,
like the light of the summer sun you come. MWilson
Prayers and silent reflection
Prayer
Celebrating God, with another Christmas,
we celebrate the gift of life itself
and the gift of every resource that enhances life.
Above all, we are thankful for the life and spirit of Jesus of Nazareth,
for leading us to put our hope and trust
in the spirit of life and love
moving in the depths of our being.
May we too be creators of a better world.
May we find a good purpose and satisfaction in the life that we are given.
May we leave behind us a trail of encouragement and hope.
Amen.
Lord's Prayer
You are invited to pray in the spirit of the Lord's Prayer, and in your original language, as that is appropriate
All Gracious Spirit,
Who loves us like a mother,
Whose realm is blooming among us now. And within.
We pray that your compassion guide us in every action.
Give us what we need for each day,
and help us to be satisfied with the miracle of that alone.
Forgiver, whose embrace brings us to wholeness without our asking,
May we reconcile ourselves to one another in humility.
And may we cancel the crushing debts that imprison our neighbours
So that communities of joy and health may flourish.
May we neither profit from nor ignore evil.
But ever work to thwart it with non-violence
As we co-create the realm of peace in this world.
Now and each day. Amen. (BHesla/wsj)
CELEBRATING
CELEBRATING COMMUNITY: SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
The offering
Let us present our offerings to the Christmas Bowl and our gifts of bread and wine.
The presentation People stand as gifts presented
Receive these our gifts, gracious God.
In hope and thanksgiving
we offer them this night. (FMacnab/h)
People sit
Thanksgiving
May it be well with you.
All And also with you.
Life is a gift and we its celebration.
All May we rejoice in the beauty that we are. GVosper/wwg
We celebrate a Creative Presentness, a God-here-with-us
beyond our words,
beyond our images,
a reality that grounds and sustains everything that exists.
We sense this Creative Presentness
in the immensity of our universe,
in the incredible display of life-forms on this planet,
and in the development of consciousness in the human species.
All our collected human wisdom
is a visible expression of this Creative Presentness
active for millions of years in human development,
active in all places, at all times, in individuals and cultures,
seeking expression in the betterment of humanity.
As Christians we rejoice in the birth of Jesus.
In him we see the fullness of human possibility:
to make God visible in our lives.
In him we have seen this Presentness
come to expression in human form.
Like all of us he grew in wisdom as he aged.
He questioned.
He searched for meaning.
He shaped his convictions.
He experienced love and came to know love's connectedness with God.
He stood firmly in his own religious tradition
and preached good news to all people
dreaming of a better humanity.
We rejoice that his teaching sets us free
from imagining a manipulative, intervening God
and from thinking we are distant from the Creative Presence
in which our very existence is grounded.
We rejoice that Jesus led people
to discover the sacred in the ordinary:
All in the crowd,
in the lowly,
in everyday life,
in human yearnings to be better people,
and in being neighbour to one another.
Bread and wine
And so we recall the ancient story...
We remember the night before he died, according to our tradition,
when he shared a meal with his friends,
Jesus took some bread, and set aside some wine,
honouring the God of faithful presence in the ordinary of life.
He gave thanks for all the blessings in his life.
Broke the bread.
Poured out the wine.
And shared both with his friends.
We break bread as Jesus broke bread,
Break bread
mindful of the call to love generously and faithfully,
whatever the cost.
We pour out wine
Pour wine
mindful of our responsibility
to be bearers of forgiveness,
tolerance, and understanding.
All To this commitment we give our 'Amen'
and offer it as our Christmas gift
to our family and friends and neighbours.
Communion
The bread and wine is served
After communion
We give thanks for God being with us
in the love from family and friends,
in whatever has been,
in the circumstances of life now,
and in whatever the future holds for us.
Our Christmas prayer is that we
may recognise and actively acknowledge
the presence of the sacred in places we are reluctant to look:
in the stables of our own lives,
among the downtrodden in our society,
in refugees,
in people who are diferenct from us.
All May we recognise God-in-us and give generous expression
to this wonderful gift we all share. (Adapt.MMorwood)
SCATTERING
Hymn "As the sun beats down" (Tune: 10 7 10 7) 2 (v1-3) FFS
As the sun beats down and the heat invades,
and creation burns and dries;
let us sing to God of a promised hope
in the midst of anxious cries.
As the parching winds relentless blow,
and creation browns away;
let us sing to God, who restores and calms
all foreboding and dismay.
As the feed dies back and the stock decline,
and creation's bones show through;
let us sing to God of the bread of life,
to refresh, restore, renew.
Blessing words
And now may the blessings of life be upon us,
and upon this congregation.
May the memories we gather here give us hope for the future.
May the love that we share
bring strength and joy to our hearts,
and the peace of this community be with us
until we meet again.
All Amen.
Hymn (Cont) "As the sun beats down" (Tune: 10 7 10 7) 2 (v4-5) FFS
As the silent birds sing a silent song
in creation's still blue sky;
let us sing to God of the songs of hope,
through a gentle rain's reply.
As the season comes and the season goes,
and we search the skies each day;
let us sing to God of a rainbow faith,
and a promised green display. BBennett
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:
Alleluia Aotearoa. Hymns and songs for all churches. 1993. NZ: Raumati. New Zealand Hymnbook Trust.
Bell, J.; G. Maule. 1989. Heaven shall not wait. Wild Goose Songs Vol. 1. Revised edition. GtB: Glasgow. Wild Goose Publications.
Carol our christmas. A book of New Zealand carols. 1996. NZ: Raumati. New Zealand Hymnbook Trust.
Duncan, G. (ed). 2001. Shine on, star of bethlehem. A worship resource for advent, christmas and epiphany. GtB: Norwich. The Canterbury Press.
Faith forever singing. Songs for a new day. 2000. NZ: Raumati. New Zealand Hymnbook Trust.
Inclusive readings. Year C. 2003. Qld: Brisbane. Inclusive Language Project. In private circulation.
Macnab, F. 1996. Hope: The deeper longings of the mind and heart. VIC: Richmond. Spectrum Publications.
Morwood, M. 2003. Praying a new story. VIC: Richmond. Spectrum Publications.
Nelson-Pallmeyer, J; B. Hesle. 2005. Worship in the spirit of Jesus. Theology, liturgy, and songs without violence. OH: Cleveland. The Pilgrim Press.
Seaburg, C. (ed). 1983. Celebrating christmas. An anthology. MA: Boston. UUMA.
Vosper, G. 2008. With or without God. Why the way we live is more important that what we believe. Canada: Toronto. HarperCollins.
Wild Goose Worship Group. 1997. Cloth for the cradle. Worship resources and readings for advent, christmas & epiphany. GtB: Glasgow. Iona Community.
Web sites:
UUA Worship Web. MASS: Boston. UUA.