Read-along Service for Tuesday, December 24, 2024 – Christmas Eve / Communion

Trinity-St. Andrew’s United Church
Order of Worship
Tuesday, December 24, 2024 – Christmas Eve, 7pm

Prelude
Words of welcome, announcements

Lighting the Christ Candle
In this season of darkness, a light shines and the darkness cannot overcome it. The past and the present are closely woven together on this night, as the eternal and the everyday come together to reveal something beautiful and unexpected. From the light of a single candle we can see the light of a star. In the candle’s glow we can see the radiance and beauty of one another, and we will see the world through God’s eyes. For the light of God shines out with a timeless love which is for all people. May the light of God’s love shine for all to see.

Introit “Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song)” by Amy Grant – Melissa Friske

Call to Worship
Welcome everyone, on this holiest of nights. As Mary readied herself to give birth to Jesus, let us prepare ourselves to welcome new birth into our own lives. As a child prepares to open a special gift, let us prepare our hearts to receive the wonder of God’s love. As heaven and earth sing of great joy, let us sing our joyful praises to God. Come let us celebrate God of life and love.

Hymn Joy to the World VU 59

Joy to the world! the Lord is come:
let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! the Saviour reigns:
let all their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground:
he comes to make his blessings flow
far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the earth with truth and grace
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness
and wonders of his love, and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.

Lighting the Advent Candle – Mike and Deb Gorman

Reader 1: In preparation for this day, we have lit candles along the way.

Reader 2: We have lit a candle for hope, so we might have the courage to begin again.

Reader 1: We have lit a candle for peace, so we might be in harmony with one another.

Reader 2: We have lit a candle for joy, for God’s gift has changed what is possible.

Reader 1: We have lit a candle for love, so we might have the courage to care.

Reader 2: Tonight we light the center candle, for Christ is born. God is with us.

Reader 1: In Christ we find our center. He is the light that shines in the darkness.

Reader 2: Come, all is ready. Let the light of these candles, called HOPE and PEACE and JOY and LOVE, bring brightness to your spirits. May the light of Christ shine for you this day. Amen.

Solo “Old Tin Star” by Murray McLaughlin – Ross McEwen

Prayer of Approach
O God, we come with filled with excitement to hear again the Christmas story, on this holiest of nights. Open wide the crowded inns of our hearts, so we may see with new eyes, what happened that night so long ago. Open our ears so we may hear your voice in the voices of those around us. Fill us with wonder and mystery so we may experience your presence with us now, we pray. Amen.

Hymn O Come, All Ye Faithful VU 60

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.

God of Gord, light of light,
Lo, he abhors not the virgin’s womb;
very God, begotten, not created: Refrain

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exhultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;
glory to God in the highest: Refrain

See how the shepherds summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear;
we too with thither bend our joyful footsteps; Refrain

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing: Refrain

Scripture Reader: Mike Gorman
First Scripture Isaiah 9:2-7

Hymn While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks VU 75

While shepherds watched their flocks by night
all seated on the ground,
the angel of the Lord came down,
and glory shone around.

“Fear not,” said he, for mighty dread
had seized their troubled mind;
“glad tidings of great joy I bring
to you and humankind.

“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:

“The heavenly babe you there shall find
to human view displayed,
all meanly wrapped in swaddling bands,
and in a manger laid.”

Thus spake the seraph; and forthwith
appeared a shining throng
of angels praising God, who thus
addressed their joyful song:

“All glory be to God on high
and to the earth be peace!
Good will to all from highest heaven
begin, and never cease.”

Gospel: Luke 2:1-20

Anthem “Little Star”

Homily “The Beauty of it All”

Hymn Angels We Have Heard on High VU 38

Angels we have heard on high
sweetly signing o’er the plains,
and the mountains in reply,
echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
which inspire your heavenly song? Refrain

Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ whose birth the angels sing;
come, adore on bended knee
Christ, the Lord, the newborn King. Refrain

See him in a manger laid,
whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
while our hearts in love we raise. Refrain

The offering
We give thanks for everyone who continues to support TSA and our many ministries. Your gifts of support and encouragement mean a lot to us. You can get more information about making a donation by contacting the church office or by visiting our website. There are also many opportunities for you to volunteer in our different ministries so you can share your talents with others. For all the gifts you share, for all the people you bless by your serving and giving as a disciple of Jesus all year long, we give thanks.

Offering Prayer
Loving God, we give you thanks for the gift of Jesus. Bless every gift we give and receive as part of this celebration of Christ’s birth. May each gift reveal your love. In this time of darkness, may we learn how to shine, as we share your gifts of hope, peace, joy and love. Amen.

Hymn What Child Is This VU 74

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;
                   haste, haste to bring him laud,
                   the Babe, the Son of Mary!

Why lies he in such mean estate
where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear; for sinners here
the silent Word is pleading. Refrain

So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh;
come, one and all, to own him.
The King of Kings salvation brings;
let loving hearts enthrone him. Refrain

Service of Holy Communion

Invitation to the table

The Great Thanksgiving

May the gifts of God be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts in hope and peace.
Tonight we proclaim God’s joy and love.
Let us join our voices with the angel choirs
Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth.

Angels, from the Realms of Glory (VU 36) will be sung interspersed throughout Communion

Blessed are you, gracious God, Creator of light, Giver of all life, Source of love. We bless you for all your gifts. You bring creation to birth. You send prophets to awaken us to your advent among us. We praise you for this holy night of hope. We celebrate the wonder of this time of joy. We thank you for people like Mary who have the courage to give birth to your love in the world. We thank you for people like the shepherds who dare to seek out the Child of Bethlehem.

Hymn Angels From The Realms Of Glory VU 36, v.1

Angels, from the realms of glory,
wing your flight o’er all the earth;
ye who sang creation’s story,
now proclaim Messiah’s birth:
come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the newborn King.

We praise you for showing your everlasting light to us. From the cradle to the cross, your love is made known in our broken world. We thank you for the gift of Jesus Christ, in whom you gather the hopes and fears of all the years. We bless your Holy Name, and thank you for these glad tidings of comfort and joy. For you have sent us Jesus, your Gift of Grace, our Prince of Peace, Light and Flame. You have poured out your Spirit upon us, to create, renew, inspire, so we might be whole. We bless you, for your Spirit wraps us in your presence, drawing us closer together.

Shepherds in the field abiding,
watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing,
yonder shines the infant Light: Refrain

And so it is on this Christmas Eve, we give you praise and thanks for your many gifts. Mighty and tender God, in Jesus of Nazareth, we recognize the fullness of your grace. You are the light of the world. You are the fullness of life. You are God’s love, revealed to us in words which confront and comfort us. You offer us teachings which challenge and change us. Your compassion heals and frees us.

And now we gather at this table to be filled with such longing for your kingdom, that we may rise together and follow you. At this time, we also remember all those with whom you would have us share your feast.

We pray for our families, both far and near. We pray for those who are in sorrow and pain. For those who are ill and alone. For those who live with fear and hunger. For all who strive for peace and justice. All whom the world counts as last and least.

Sages, leave your contemplations;
brighter visions beam afar;
seek the great desire of nations;
ye have seen his natal star: Refrain

Send, O God, your Holy Spirit upon us and upon all the gifts we share this night. May every gift we share be a sign of your redeeming love. May all who share in this loaf and cup be the body of Christ. May we be your gift of light, your life and love being born into this world. In this hope, and as your people, we praise you, this night and always.
Amen.

Saints before the altar bending,
watching long in hope and fear,
suddenly the Lord, descending,
in his temple shall appear: Refrain

Distribution of the Elements

Solo Michael Gorman “Joseph’s Song” by Michael Card

Words of Institution
This is the body of Christ, broken for us all. This is the bread of life. May God bless this food, to feed and strengthen us all. Take and eat, the gifts of God, given for you. May God bless you and feed you always.

This is the blood of Christ, shed for us all. This is the cup of blessing, to heal us in body, mind and spirit. Amen.

Now May God bless us all as we share in this feast together. Take and drink, for God’s Spirit is given to you.

Sharing of the Bread and Cup

Candle Lit Carols:

Away in a Manger VU 69

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.

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.

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.

Silent Night VU 67

Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night! Holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight:
glories stream from heaven afar,
heavenly hosts sing Hallelujah,
Christ the Saviour is born, Christ the Saviour is born.

Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, love’s pure light
radiant beams from thy holy face,
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

Benediction
May you be filled with the wonder of Mary, the trust of Joseph, the joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherds, the determination of the magi, and the peace of the Christ Child. May hope, peace, joy and love be in every gift you give and receive. May the light of God shine in you, this night and always. Merry Christmas, and Amen!

Postlude

“The Beauty of It All”. Christmas Eve Message, Dec. 24 2024
Preached by Rev. James Murray at Trinity-St. Andrew’s United Church, Renfrew

Well I’ve got my list. I’ve checked it twice. I know who’s been naughty and nice. Now, don’t worry. I’m not Santa Claus and this is not his gift list. This is the list which decides whose outdoor decorations are tacky or not.

Topping the Tacky list this Christmas are those inflatable Santas. I understand people like the impact they make because they take up so much space. But during the day when they aren’t inflated they just look like a pile of trash in the yard. In close second are the inflatable Yodas and Minions and whatever cartoon characters are popular right now. And the Inflatable Grinch from Dr. Seuss does get an honourable mention in this category. Now don’t get me wrong here. I appreciate the need for novelty at Christmas. We need to have something new every year, otherwise we will stagnate. Without innovation, we wouldn’t have those nice softer LED Christmas lights and those programmable flashing lights. I just wonder why no one has an inflatable manger scene.

So what is on my list of Beautiful decorations this year? There are some really wonderful big wreaths on people’s doors which really look welcoming. Those impressed me a lot. People who manage to string lights up in their trees always inspires a sense of wonder. A lot of people still stick with the classic theme of stars and angels. And the classic candle in the window is always a winner, whether it is a single candle or a whole menorah full.

It is always a challenge to decide what is beautiful. Some say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Most of us would agree that Christmas is the most beautiful time of the year. All around us are the most elaborate decorations which light up our neighbourhoods and homes during the darkest time of year. It takes a certain something special to turn ordinary things into something beautiful. Beauty is a feeling. You feel it in your heart in ways your brain often can’t always articulate. Beauty involves a certain harmony of all the elements. It involves a coming together of the parts which is more than the sum of the parts. There is a transcendent quality to beauty.

Beauty is important to us, because Beauty can communicate important truths to us. We normally think of Truth as involving historical facts and philosophic principles. But there is more to Truth than simple facts or mere words. Some truths you just feel in your gut, in ways words can never express. The Beauty of Truth, the Truth of Beauty, lies beyond words. Without that deeper truth, all of our art, all of our decorations, are meaningless. When art or decorations are beautiful, they are beautiful because they are revealing some truth about the nature of things. This is why this is the most beautiful time of the year. All of our decorations, our art work, our music are expressing the truth of Christmas. We go to all these great lengths, with the food, the music, the gatherings, the gifts, because these truths are so deeply felt.

The truth of Christmas is so simple a child can understand it. The truth of Christmas is so powerful every generation of artists is inspired to capture their beauty. This beauty is all around us. And that message is encapsulated in one simple scene, which has become an iconic symbol of this event. You’ll find it in front of the Renfrew Town Hall. You’ll find it front and center at the front of our church. It’s where we meet Jesus, in a manger, with Mary and Joseph, and all the other characters in this story.

The manger scene is made up of a number of elements that tell the Christmas story in a beautiful way. At the top of every manger scene we have the Star of Bethlehem shining brightly. The star proclaims that heaven and earth are one. The light of God’s love is being revealed right here where we live.

We have the angel, who is God’s messenger, telling everyone who will listen of God’s great gift of love which is for all people.

The stable shows the transforming power of hope. When there is no room for them at the inn, the gift of a humble stable becomes the birthplace of someone so important. The stable reminds us that even simple acts of human kindness can transform even the most impossible of situations. When we live our compassion, we will find a way, and a place will be found.

The Wise ones represent our Wisdom. Our wisdom and intellect are welcomed by God. All who seek God can find what they are looking for. Wisdom finds its fullest potential when it is paired with a healthy faith in God.

The Shepherds show how all people are welcomed in by God’s love. They were the cowboys of their day and they lived outside of polite society. So no one is to be excluded, regardless of how society looks at them. God comes at Christmas to all.

The sheep, the ox, and the donkey are present to testify how all of creation is important to God. This world is brought together and made one by God’s reconciling gift of salvation.

Then there is poor Mary and Joseph who stand in the middle of this imperfect, scandal-filled situation. In the chaos of our troubled lives, God seeks to bless us. God seeks to work miracles through us so we might bless the whole world.

And of course, what manger scene would be complete without the Baby Jesus. Here we have a human face to God almighty. The all-powerful creator has been incarnated in human form. The great distant divine power can be fully known through the unconditional love of a poor helpless baby.

All of these images come together to show how there are no more barriers between us and God. This is the truth of Christmas. God’s love has come to us. God’s love can be found in the manger. God’s gift of hope can be found in our community. God’s gift of peace can be found in our homes. And the gift of God’s joy can be found in our hearts.

So in the end, whether we have inflatable Santas, or the Grinch, or a display of lights that knocks your socks off, the beauty of decorations always points to the story we hear in the gospel of Luke.

They all express the truth that God is with us, even in the messiest parts of our life.
This is the beauty of it all.
God loves us even when we’re feel like the Grinch.
This is the beauty of it all.
Look all around you. Can you see it?
These gifts are being offered to you, just as you are, without any conditions attached.
This is the beauty of it all.

Read-along Service for Tuesday, December 24, 2024 – Christmas Eve / Communion

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