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Choral Eucharist for Christmas Season will be livestreamed and available online at Holy Trinity’s YouTube site from 10.55am at
WELCOME
Grace and peace to you from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
OPENING HYMN
1 Christians, awake! salute the happy morn,
whereon the Saviour of the world was born;
rise to adore the mystery of love,
which hosts of angels chanted from above:
with them the joyful tidings first begun
of God incarnate and the Virgin's Son.
5 O may we keep and ponder in our mind
God's wondrous love in saving lost mankind;
trace we the Babe, who has retrieved our loss,
from his poor manger to his bitter cross;
tread in his steps, assisted by his grace,
till our first heavenly state again takes place.
6 Then may we hope, the angelic hosts among,
to sing, redeemed, a glad triumphal song:
he that was born upon this joyful day
around us all his glory shall display;
saved by his love, incessant we shall sing
eternal praise to heaven's almighty King.
APPROACH TO GOD
The angel of the Lord brought tidings to Mary;
and she conceived by the Holy Spirit.
And the word became flesh and dwelt among us;
and we have seen his glory, beheld his truth.
Come, let us sing praises to the Lord;
let us shout in triumph to the God of our salvation.
O worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness;
let the whole earth stand in awe of him.
COLLECT FOR PURITY
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.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.
If we confess our sins,
he who is faithful and just forgives us.
So let us confess our sins in penitence and faith.
We share a few moments of silence
CONFESSION
Almighty God, we confess to you,
and to our fellow members in the Body of Christ,
that we have sinned in thought, word and deed,
and in what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry.
Forgive us our sins,
and deliver us from the power of evil,
for the sake of your Son who died for us,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
THE ABSOLUTION
God, who is both power and love,
forgive us and free us from our sins,
heal and strengthen us by your Spirit,
and raise us to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.
GLORIA
COLLECT
FIRST READING
A reading from the first book of Samuel (1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26)
Samuel was ministering before the LORD, a boy wearing a linen ephod. His mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year, when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, ‘May the LORD repay you with children by this woman for the gift that she made to the LORD’; and then they would return to their home.
Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favour with the LORD and with the people.
ends with:
This is the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
GRADUAL HYMN
1 Infant holy, Infant lowly,
For his bed a cattle-stall;
Oxen lowing, little knowing
Christ the Babe is Lord of all.
Swift are winging angels singing,
Nowells ringing, tidings bringing:
Christ the Babe is Lord of all.
Christ the Babe is Lord of all.
2 Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping
Vigil till the morning new;
Saw the glory, heard the story,
Tidings of a gospel true.
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow,
Praises voicing, greet tomorrow,
Christ the Babe was born for you.
Christ the Babe was born for you!
GOSPEL
When the Gospel is announced:
Glory to Christ our Saviour.
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke (Luke 2:41-52)
Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travellers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour.
At the end:
Give thanks to the Lord for his glorious Gospel
Praise to Christ our Lord.
SERMON
NICENE CREED
I believe in one God
The Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
I believe in Jesus Christ,
God’s only son our Lord,
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died and was buried;
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again,
He ascended into heaven;
He is seated at the right hand of the Father,
From then he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy catholic church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the dead,
And the life everlasting. Amen.
INTERCESSIONS
PEACE
We meet in Christ’s name.
Let us share his peace.
OFFERTORY HYMN
1 While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
all seated on the ground,
the angel of the Lord came down,
and glory shone around.
2 'Fear not,' said he (for mighty dread
had seized their troubled mind);
'glad tidings of great joy I bring
to you and all mankind.
3 'To you in David's town this day
is born of David's line
a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord;
and this shall be the sign:
4 'The heavenly babe you there shall find
to human view displayed,
all meanly wrapped in swathing bands,
and in a manger laid.'
5 Thus spake the seraph; and forthwith
appeared a shining throng
of angels praising God, who thus
addressed their joyful song;
6 'All glory be to God on high,
and on the earth be peace;
good will henceforth from heaven to all
begin and never cease.'
The Liturgy of the Sacrament
PRAYERS OF OFFERING
Let us present our offerings to the Lord.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory,
the splendour and the majesty;
for everything in heaven and on earth are yours.
All things come from you, and of your own do we give you.
THE SURSUM CORDA
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 him thanks and praise.
THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
It is just and right that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks 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.
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,
and to sustain us in our calling.
Now with all creation
we raise our voices to proclaim your glory, sing your praise:
SANCTUS AND BENEDICTUS
CONSECRATION PRAYER please sit or kneel
Blessed are 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
knowing that his hour had come,
having loved his own, he loved them to the end.
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 oAer 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 FRACTION
The living bread is broken for the life of the world.
Lord, unite us in this sign.
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
Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.
Happy are we who are called to share in his supper.
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word, and my
soul shall be healed.
COMMUNION HYMN
1 What child is this, who, laid to rest
on Mary's lap is sleeping?
whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
while shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
come, greet the infant Lord,
the babe, the son of Mary.
2 Why lies he in such mean estate,
where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians fear: for sinners here,
the silent word is pleading:
Nails, spear, shall pierce him through,
the cross be borne for me, for you:
hail, hail the word made flesh,
the babe, the son of Mary.
3 So bring him incense, gold and myrrh,
come rich and poor to own him,
the King of kings salvation brings,
let loving hearts enthrone him:
Raise, raise the song on high
the Virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy, for Christ is born
the babe, the son of Mary.
THANKSGIVING AND SENDING OUT
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is gracious.
And his mercy endures for ever.
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER
Almighty God, whose way is light, whose Kingdom peace:
may we, who have this day partaken of holy things,
walk as children of light,
and be worthy heirs of your Kingdom.
This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord;
Amen.
BLESSING this or some other may be used
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
believing; and the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy
Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.
DISMISSAL
Let us go in peace, to love and serve the Lord
In the name of Christ. Amen.
FINAL HYMN
1 Unto us a boy is born!
King of all creation,
came he to a world forlorn,
the Lord of every nation.
the Lord of every nation.
2 Cradled in a stall was he
watched by sleepy cows and asses;
but the very beasts could see
that he the world surpasses.
that he the world surpasses.
3 Then the fearful Herod cried:
'power is mine 'in Jewry!'
so the blameless children died
the victims of his fury.
the victims of his fury.
4 Now may Mary's son, who came
long ago to love us,
lead us all with hearts aflame
unto the joys above us.
unto the joys above us.
5 Omega and Alpha he!
Let the organ thunder,
while the choir with peals of glee
doth rend the air asunder.
doth rend the air asunder.
ORGAN VOLUNTARY