Choral Eucharist for Christmas Day will be livestreamed and available online at Holy Trinity’s YouTube site from 10.25am at
https://www.youtube.com/live/0wdlWwb1YEM
INTROIT: sung by the choir
Riu Riu Chiu (anon, poss. Mateo Flecha d.1553)
With the cry of Riu Riu Chiu, like a Kingfisher, God kept the wolf from our Lamb. The raging wolf sought to bite her, but God Almighty knew how to defend her; He chose to make her so that she could not sin; no original sin was found in the virgin.
WELCOME
OPENING HYMN
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.
FIRST LESSON: Genesis 1: 1-5, 24-31
A reading from the book of Genesis
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.’ And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’
So God created humankind in his image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
HYMN
The First Noel, the Angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel!
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the East beyond them far
And to the earth it gave great light
And so it continued both day and night.
Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel!
Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made Heaven and earth of nought
And with his blood mankind has bought.
Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel!
ANTHEM: A child is born in Bethlehem
(Samuel Scheidt 1587-1654)
A Child is born in Bethlehem, In Bethlehem; And joy is in Jerusalem, Allelujah! Allelujah! A lowly maiden all alone, So all alone, Gave birth to God's own Holy Son. Give thanks and praise eternally, Eternally,To God, the Holy Trinity. Allelujah! Allelujah!
THE GOSPEL: St John 1:1-14
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John
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.
Yea, Lord, we greet thee, Born this happy morning,
Jesu, to thee be glory given;
Word of the Father, Now in flesh appearing:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord
SERMON
PEACE
We meet in Christ’s name
Let us share his peace
OFFERTORY HYMN
God rest you merry, gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
For Jesus Christ our Saviour
Was born upon this day,
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray:
refrain: O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.
From God our heavenly Father
A blessed angel came,
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tidings of the same,
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name:
O tidings ...
The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm and wind,
And went to Bethlehem straightway,
This blessed Babe to find:
O tidings ...
But when to Bethlehem they came,
Whereat this Infant lay,
They found Him in a manger,
Where oxen feed on hay;
His mother Mary kneeling,
Unto the Lord did pray:
O tidings ...
Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth efface:
O tidings ...
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING (stand)
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 God thanks and praise.
Worship and praise belong to you, Almighty God,
for you created all things; in you we live and move and have our being.
Your power is shown in land and sea and sky.
As a mother gathers her children,
so you gather your people,
to teach us the way of compassion and love.
On this holy day, you sent Christ your son to dwell among us;
by the message of an angel, to be born of the Virgin Mary.
You send your Holy Spirit to draw us into deeper faith,
to inspire us to greater works, to sustain us in our calling.
Now with all creation, who seek Christ
in the darkness and in the light,
we raise our voices in joy and praise,
singing the hymn of your unending Glory.
SANCTUS (to the setting in F by Harold Darke)
Holy holy Holy Lord God of Hosts:
Heaven and earth are full of Thy Glory:
Glory be to Thee O Lord Most High. Amen.
Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord:
Hosanna in the Highest.
Glory and thanksgiving be to you, most Holy God,
in Jesus Christ, who came among us as servant and King.
Through him, the light to all nations,
you call a people to yourself,
to deliver them from bondage to a land of promise,
where all your children shall be free.
On the night when he was given up to death
Alight with the vision of the kingdom
which his new life would bring,
at supper with his disciples
he took bread and offered you thanks.
He broke the bread, and gave it to them, saying,
‘Take, eat. This is my Body: it is broken for you.’
After supper, he took the cup, he offered you thanks,
and gave it to them saying:
‘Drink this, all of you.
This is my Blood of the new covenant;
it is poured out for you, and for all,
that sins may be forgiven.
Do this in remembrance of me.’
We now obey your Son’s command.
We recall his blessed passion and death,
his glorious resurrection and ascension;
and we look for the coming of his Kingdom.
Made one with him,
we offer you these gifts
and with them ourselves,
a single, holy, living sacrifice.
Hear us, most merciful God, and send your Holy Spirit upon us
and upon this bread and this wine,
that, overshadowed by his life-giving power,
they may be the Body and Blood of your Son,
and we may be kindled with the fire of your love
and renewed for the service of your Kingdom.
Help us, who are baptised
into the fellowship of Christ’s Body
to live and work to your praise and glory;
may we grow together in unity and love,
until at last, in your new creation,
we enter into our heritage
in the company of the Virgin Mary,
the apostles and prophets,
and of all our brothers and sisters
living and departed.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom, and in whom,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be to you,
Lord of all ages, world without end. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Saviour Christ has commanded and taught us,
we are bold to say:
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.
INVITATION
Gracious God, your holy light shines with the brightness of your love. As you come to us in this holy child, be with us now in your gifts of bread and wine.
COMMUNION
HYMN
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,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels fall 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.
THANKSGIVING AND SENDING OUT
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is gracious.
And his mercy endures for ever.
POST COMMUNION PRAYER
Father of all,
This holy day, you have united earth and heaven
in sending your Son to take our human nature.
May we who have tasted heavenly things
share in the life of his eternal Kingdom.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
BLESSING
Now may Christ, who by his incarnation
gathered all things earthly and heavenly into a single peace,
fill us with all joy and peace in the power of believing.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with us, and all who need our prayers,
this night and for ever more. Amen.
DISMISSAL
Let us go in peace, to love and serve the Lord
In the Name of Christ. Amen.
HYMN
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the new-born 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:
Refrain: Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the new-born King.
Christ, by highest heaven 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: Refrain
Hail the heaven-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 the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth: Refrain