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.
God is coming indeed,
to judge the earth with righteousness, and the
peoples with equity and truth. Praise the Lord!
HYMN: Once in Royal David’s City #315
1 Once in royal David’s city
stood a lowly cattle shed,
where a mother laid her Baby
in a manger for his bed.
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little Child.
2 He came down to earth from heaven
who is God and Lord of all,
and his shelter was a stable,
and his cradle was a stall.
With the poor and meek and lowly
lived on earth our Saviour holy.
3 And our eyes at last shall see him,
through his own redeeming love;
for that Child so dear and helpless
is our Lord in heaven above;
and he leads his children on
to the place where he is gone.
First Lesson: Isaiah 9:2 6–7. The prophet foretells the coming of the Savior. (Page 632)
HYMN: O Come, O Come Emmanuel #273
Veni, Emmanuel
1 O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.
2 O come, O come, thou Lord of might,
who to thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
in ancient times didst give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe:
5 O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death’s dark shadows put to flight:
Second Lesson: Luke 1:26 – 35, 38. Angel Gabriel salutes Mary. (Page 56 TNT)
HYMN: The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came #285
1 The Angel Gabriel from heaven came,
his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;
‘All hail,’ said he, ‘thou lowly maiden Mary,
most highly favoured lady.’
Gloria!
2 ‘For known a blessèd Mother thou shalt be,
all generations laud and honour thee,
thy son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold;
most highly favoured lady.’
Gloria!
3 Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,
‘To me be as it pleaseth God,’ she said.
‘My soul shall laud and magnify his holy name’:
most highly favoured lady.
Gloria!
Third Lesson: Matthew 1:18-24 The Lord appears to
Joseph in a Dream. (Page 1 TNT)
HYMN: Love Came Down at Christmas #316
1 Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love Divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
star and angels gave the sign.
2 Worship we the Godhead,
Love Incarnate, Love Divine;
worship we our Jesus:
but wherewith for sacred sign?
3 Love shall be our token,
love be yours and love be mine,
love to God and all men,
love for plea and gift and sign.
Fourth Lesson Luke 2:1 3–7. Luke tells of the birth of Jesus. (Page 58 TNT)
HYMN: Still the Night #309
1 Still the night, holy the night!
Sleeps the world; hid from sight,
Mary and Joseph in stable bare
watch o’er the Child be lovèd and fair,
sleeping in heavenly rest,
sleeping in heavenly rest.
2 Still the night, holy the night!
Shepherds first saw the light,
heard resounding clear and long,
far and near, the angel-song,
‘Christ the Redeemer is here!’
‘Christ the Redeemer is here!’
3 Still the night, holy the night!
Son of God, O how bright
love is smiling from thy face!
Strikes for us now the hour of grace,
Saviour, since thou art born!
Saviour, since thou art born!
Fifth Lesson from Luke 2:8–16. The shepherds go to the manger. (Page 58 TNT)
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,
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:
Sixth Lesson Matthew 2:1–12. The wise men are led by the star to Jesus. (Page 2 TNT)
HYMN: The First Nowell #323
1 The first Nowell the angel did say
was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay:
in fields where they lay a-keeping their sheep
on a cold winter’s night that was so deep:
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell,
born is the King of Israel.
2 They lookèd 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.
to seek for a king was their intent,
and to follow the star wherever it went.
3 And by the light of that same star
three wise men came from country far;
to seek for a king was their intent,
and to follow the star wherever it went.
6 Then let us all with one accord
sing praises to our heavenly Lord,
that hath made heaven and earth of naught,
and with his blood mankind hath bought.
Offering
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Midnight Bell, lighting of Christmas Candle
Seventh Lesson: John 1:1–14. St. John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation. (Page 91 TNT)
Closing Hymn. HYMN: O Come All Ye Faithful # 306
During which your own candle will be lighted to take out into the darkness.
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’:
4 Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
* born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given:
Word of the Father,
now in flesh appearing: