+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentences:
John bore witness to the Word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, by telling everything he had seen.
We praise You, O God, we acclaim You as Lord; the glorious company of Apostles praise You.
They told of Your glory and might and the wonders that You had performed.
A Reading from Letters: 1 John 1:1-4
Peter and John Running to the Tomb Eugène Burnand, 1898 Musée d’Orsay, Paris
We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.
A Reading from the Gospels: John 20:1-8 (NLT)
Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed.
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Canticle
Christ, as a light illumine and guide me. Christ as a shield overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek and all-powerful.
Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
Blessing:
May the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentences:
Yesterday the Lord was born on earth, that Stephen might be born in heaven; He entered into the world, that Stephen might enter into heaven.
Save Your people, Lord, and bless Your inheritance; govern and uphold us, now and always.
Let Your face shine upon Your servant; save me in Your kindness.
A Reading from Acts: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59
St. Stephen from The Demidoff Altarpiece Carlo Crivelli, 1476 The National Gallery, London
Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.
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The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”
Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
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A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 10:17-22 (NLT)
But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking — it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
“A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved.
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Prayer
Give us grace, Lord, to follow You wherever You lead. Teach us to love our enemies as we keep the feast of Saint Stephen, who prayed even for the men who stoned him to death. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Blessing:
And may the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentences:
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.
Christ is born for us; O come, let us adore Him.
A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 2:15-20 (NLT)
“Adoration of the Shepherds” by Gerard van Honthorst, 1622 Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Cologne, Germany
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
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Canticle
Let the light of Christ in our hearts shine through all that we do or say.
Jesus Christ is born!
Blessing:
May the Lord bless us and protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
+ In the name the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening prayer:
Good and gracious God, on this holy night You gave us Your Son, the Lord of the universe, wrapped in swaddling clothes, the Saviour of all, lying in a manger. On this holy night draw us into the mystery of Your love. Join our voices with the heavenly host, that we may sing Your glory on high.
Give us a place among the shepherds, that we may find the One for whom we have waited, Jesus Christ, Your Word made flesh, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, in the splendour of eternal light, God for ever and ever.
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A Reading from the Old testament: Isaiah 9:2-7 (NLT)
The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.
You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder. For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire.
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
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A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 96 (NLT)
Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods. The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens! Honor and majesty surround him; strength and beauty fill his sanctuary.
O nations of the world, recognize the Lord; recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong. Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him. Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly.
Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.
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A Reading from the Letters: Titus 2:11-14 (NLT)
For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.
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A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 2:1-14 (NLT)
Holy Night (Birth of Christ) Altdorfer, Albrecht, ca. 1511 Gemäldegalerie (Berlin, Germany)
At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.
And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
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Intercessions:
Sisters and brothers, standing together in the brightness of this Christmas celebration, let us ask God to fill the whole world with His light.
+ For those who mark the birth of Christ all over the world this night – that the celebration may bring a refreshing new light to their lives…. Lord, hear us.
+ For all whose lives are darkened by war and violence (especially the people of the Middle East) – that the peace and goodwill proclaimed by the angels may become a reality . Lord, hear us.
+ For the hungry, the sick and the homeless – that they may have comfort, healing and friendship…. Lord, hear us.
+ For all the people in our churches who are lonely – that the light Christ may brighten their lives…. Lord, hear us.
+ For our communities and families – that Christ may find the same warm welcome among us as he received from Mary and Joseph and the shepherds that first Christmas night…. Lord, hear us.
+ For our friends who have fallen asleep in Christ, and for all who have died since last Christmas, whom we remember now… – that the peace and joy of heaven may be theirs. Lord, hear us.
Maker of heaven and earth, Your Son is born for us, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God: hear our prayers offered with confidence, through the same Christ, our Lord, Amen.
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Benediction:
We rejoice at the coming of the Saviour in our flesh, and we await His return again in glory. May God the almighty and merciful bless You by the light of Christ’s coming, and enrich Your lives with every grace.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentences:
The Lord is close at hand: come let us worship him.
O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.
Today you will know that the Lord is coming, and in the morning you will see his glory.
A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 1:67-79 (NLT)
Photo of the Tower of David, David’s Citadel, מגדל דוד, Migdal David, taken at dawn. Jerusalem Israel.
Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:
“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant — the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live.
“And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”
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Canticle
Lord, let your lovingkindness be upon me – your salvation as you promised.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Tomorrow the sin of the world will be taken away, and the Savior of the world will reign over us, and he will take away all weakness.
Blessing:
In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
The Peanut Gallery 