Minister: Rev. Alistair G. Bennett, BSc.BD
Ordained Local Minister: Rev. Cindy Campbell
Organist: Oliver B. Grant, BA (Hons), PG Dipl.
Choir Master & Deputy Organist: Winton Brangman, BA
Welcome and Notices
Call to Worship Psalm 96
Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Sing to the Lord and bless God’s name;
tell the good news of salvation from day to day.
Declare God’s glory among the nations,
God’s marvelous works among all the peoples.
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice.
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world, and those who live in it.
Let the whole creation sing for joy
at the presence of God, who is coming.
HYMN: O Come All Ye Faithful. #306
1 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,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
2 God of God,
Light of light,
Lo! he abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
very God,
begotten, not created;
3 Sing, choirs of angels,
sing in exultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heaven above,
‘Glory to God
in the highest’:
Prayer
Christmas Offering
As we gather on this holy night, let us hear together the story of the birth of Jesus – the telling of which will be aided by our children dressed as various characters.
THE ANGEL TELLS MARY AND JOSEPH ABOUT THE BIRTH OF JESUS
HYMN: Hark the Herald Angels Sing #301
1 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 hosts proclaim,
‘Christ is born in Bethlehem’.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
‘Glory to the new-born King’.
2 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 Immanuel!
3 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:
THE BABY JESUS IS BORN IN BETHLEHEM
– Mary and Jesus come forward and Angel Gabriel
HYMN – Away in a Manager #312
1 Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head;
the stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
2 The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,
but little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love you, Lord Jesus! look down from the sky,
and stay by my side until morning is nigh.
3 Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask you to stay
close by me for ever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in your tender care,
and fit us for heaven, to live with you there.
THE SHEPHERDS HEAR ABOUT JESUS FROM THE ANGELS AND VISIT THE BABY
Shepherds, Sheep and Angels come forward
HYMN: Angels we have Heard on High
1. Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.
Refrain:
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
2. Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavn’ly song? [Refrain]
3. Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing.
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King. [Refrain]
THE CHRISTMAS STAR AND THE WISEMEN’S VISIT
Wisemen come forward
LIGHTING OF THE CHRISTMAS CANDLE AND CHRISTINGLES