Tonight’s service is led by the Revd Andy Braunston
Call to Worship
O Come, O Come Emmanuel, and redeem us – held captive to the pressures and ideologies of our age.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel!
O Come, O Come, Wisdom from on high, teach us Your ways, that we may turn away from the insanity of our world.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel!
O come, O Come, You Spring of Day, disperse the clouds of gloom which blind us to what’s going on in our world.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel!
O Come, O Come, Desire of nations, teach us the ways of peace. That we may turn our back on war and terror.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel!
Hymn O Come O Come Emmanuel
From the 12th Century Latin texts translated by J. M. Neale (1851) public domain.
Sung by the St. Augustine by-the-Sea in Santa Monica, California, community and conducted by music director John-Kevin Hilbert and used with their kind permission.
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!
O come, thou Wisdom from on high, who orderest all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!
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.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!
O come, thou branch of Jesse’s tree, free them from Satan’s tyranny
that trust thy mighty power to save, & give them victory o’er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!
O come, Thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heavenly home;
make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!
O come, Thou Day-spring from on high, and cheer us by thy drawing nigh;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night, & death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!
O come, Desire of Nations, bind in one the hearts of all our kind;
bid Thou our sad divisions cease, and be Thyself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!
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!
Prayers of Approach, Confession, and Forgiveness
Long ago, O Most High,
your prophet foretold of a great light,
shining in the gloom, increasing joy, and bringing freedom.
On a hillside in Palestine,
angels proclaimed Your glory to poor shepherds
and announced peace on earth.
Since those times we’ve waited
for the culmination of the hope of peace and glory.
Yet as we wait, we prefer the gloom to the light,
war and terror more than peace,
despondency and doubt more than hope and glory.
Forgive us, Lord Jesus,
when we’ve turned away from Your message,
when we’ve justified violence,
when pragmatism and expediency
have triumphed hope and faith.
Give us time to change Most Holy Spirit,
that as we hear again the ancient prophecies and stories,
we may be moved to dream your dreams of peace and justice,
and work to change our world
into the coming Kingdom. Amen.
Dear friends, we are kin to each other in Christ,
hear again the words of the angels “Do not be afraid; for see –
I am bringing you good news of great joy”
Your sins are forgiven – have the strength to forgive others
and forgive yourselves. Amen.
Prayer for Illumination
Break open your word to us, O God, that as people walking in darkness we may see the great light that comes from You, shining from the Bible, illuminating Your Word to us, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Reading Isaiah 9: 2 – 7
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Reading Titus 2:11-14
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.
Hymn See Him Lying on a Bed of Straw
Michael Perry © 1965 Jubilate Hymns (Admin. Hope Publishing Company) Reprinted and Podcast under the terms of ONE LICENSE # A-734713 Sung by members of Frodsham Methodist Church and used with their kind permission.
See him lying on a bed of straw,
a draughty stable with an open door;
Mary cradling the babe she bore —
the Prince of glory is his name.
O now carry me to Bethlehem
to see the Lord of love again:
just as poor as was the stable then,
the Prince of glory when he came!
Star of silver, sweep across the skies,
show where Jesus in the manger lies;
shepherds, swiftly from your stupor rise
to see the Saviour of the world!
O now carry me to Bethlehem
to see the Lord of love again:
just as poor as was the stable then,
the Prince of glory when he came!
Angels, sing again the song you sang,
sing the glory of God’s gracious plan;
sing that Bethl’em’s little baby can
be salvation to the soul.
O now carry me to Bethlehem
to see the Lord of love again:
just as poor as was the stable then,
the Prince of glory when he came!
Mine are riches, from your poverty;
from your innocence, eternity;
mine, forgiveness by your death for me,
child of sorrow for my joy.
O now carry me to Bethlehem
to see the Lord of love again:
just as poor as was the stable then,
the Prince of glory when he came!
Reading St Luke 2:1-20
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see–I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Sermon
Christmas is a time of contradictions; many of us gather with our wider families to celebrate the birth of a child whose own wider family is missing from the story. We enjoy the warmth of homes and hospitality to mark a birth in a cold draughty stable. People gather to hear and sing the angels’ words of peace in a world at war where messages of peace are shouted down. Politicians give Christmas speeches whilst struggling to understand the basics of the Christian message of welcome, grace, peace, and inclusion, preferring instead to focus gearing up for the next election. But we’ve been round the block a few times and know the contradictions of Christmas as they echo the contradictions of Christianity.
We celebrate the birth of a child who was driven into exile due to Herod’s murderous rage. We ponder the child who grew up into an itinerant preacher to proclaimed freedom to the oppressed, recovery of sight to the blind, and liberation to the poor. For this he was rejected. For this he was despised. For this he was feared. For this he was killed. And for this he was vindicated by God who raised him on high.
This baby whose birth we celebrate this night grew up and preached a message that would and still does change the world. A message that challenges and transforms us, a message that is so subversive we resist it. A message that causes governments and institutions to cringe if it’s spelled out to them.
What if we really believed in the angels’ message of peace – how might we reconcile peace on earth with the evil that stalks our world committed to terror, land grabs, apartheid, and injustice? Can we deal peacefully with bullies? It’s a puzzle that is as old as Christianity itself. The first converts to the faith were pacifist; Roman soldiers who converted had to leave the army but after a while the Church adapted itself to what it saw as realities and before too long the Church found ways to approve of war and violence. That great proponent of non-violence civil resistance, Ghandi, held that the only way to peace was for the great powers to renounce both warfare and their imperial designs. Whilst his absolute commitment to non-violence – like Jesus’ – is challenging it’s worth pondering.
And what if we believed in Jesus’ absolute ability to tell the truth? Could we, like Jesus, tell the truth but at the same time hold such influence as we have without being written off as naïve? Before Herod Jesus kept silent – who can blame him, Herod had murdered his cousin, and Jesus didn’t deign to dignify Herod’s authority with an answer. Could we be that direct, that rude? With Pilate Jesus is a little more forthcoming but, in the dialogue, always seems to hold the power. To speak truth to power is something the Church needs to do more instead of cosying up to it.
And there’s the contradiction of forgiveness. Jesus taught us to forgive, to not let another have power over us as we hold on to the hurt, the anger, and the wounds that have beset us. Further, Jesus taught that we are to forgive if we are to hope to be forgiven. Forgiveness is hard; it’s not to forget nor is it to act as if the sin never happened. It is to say that this person, this act, this circumstance no longer has power over me. It is to free oneself from a cycle of anger and despair but it’s so hard.
These contradictions and challenges intrigue, puzzle, annoy, and – dare I say it – delight us. We must work out how to follow Christ for ourselves. We must work out how to understand the puzzle of a God who became human, how glory is found in a stable and, later, in a rubbish tip. We must see how weakness is strong, how vulnerability is key, and how humility and grace are ways of wisdom.
The ancients longed for a Messiah, a chosen one, who would free them from oppression, drive out the invaders – whether that was Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks or Romans – and set them free. They longed for a political and military leader – like the ones that had been raised up in the past – who would restore their fortunes. Yet their longings were unfulfilled. Instead, God’s own self took on flesh and, in the weakness of a poor itinerant preacher, showed a different path; a way both clear and contradictory to live.
In the vulnerability of a baby, wrapped in a woman’s blood, born into poverty and exile, worshipped by shepherds, sheltered in a stable wisdom is found. A wisdom that contradicts that of our world. A wisdom that offers us life, freedom, and grace. A wisdom seen in a baby’s soft sleep.
Let’s pray.
On this night, O God,
we gather to hear the song of the angels,
to celebrate good news of peace and joy,
to rejoice in the birth of a baby.
On this night O God,
we ponder the mystery of your incarnation,
how grace is seen in weakness,
how strength is found in vulnerability,
how the centre is found at the edge.
On this night O God,
we ask for Your wisdom,
that through all the contradictions we face,
we may find and proclaim your peace. Amen.
Hymn On Christmas Night
Public domain BBC Songs of Praise
On Christmas night all Christians sing
to hear the news the angels bring;
on Christmas night all Christians sing
to hear the news the angels bring:
News of great joy, news of great mirth,
news of our merciful King’s birth.
When sin departs before His grace,
then life and health come in its place;
when sin departs before His grace,
then life and health come in its place;
Angels and earth with joy may sing,
all for to see the new-born King.
All out of darkness we have light,
which made the angels sing this night;
all out of darkness we have light,
which made the angels sing this night:
“Glory to God and peace to all,
now and forevermore. Amen.”
Affirmation of Faith
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.
You have increased our joy O God!
For the yoke of our burden, and the bar across our shoulders, the rod of our oppressor, have been broken.
You have increased our joy O God!
For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace.
You have increased our joy O God!
We are not afraid. We believe in the good news of great joy for all the people, the birth of Christ, You tabernacled with us, for
You have increased our joy O God!
Glory to You, O God, in the highest heaven! We believe that peace on earth will come if we work at it.
You have increased our joy O God!
Intercessions
In a world at war, we hear the angels song of peace. In a world of terror, we see strength unveiled in the weakness of a baby. In a world of might, we see grace in vulnerability and so we bring our prayers to the Most High.
At the end of each prayer, I will say “we hear the angels sing, O God” please respond with “give us peace and justice.”
Eternal One,
we pray for all who are looking for shelter this night,
displaced by war, terror, poverty, trafficking, climate change and greed. Give grace to Your people that we might be welcoming just as the innkeeper of Bethlehem once was.
pause
We hear the angels sing, O God. Give us peace and justice.
Lord Jesus,
we pray for all who work for peace this night & seek to alleviate suffering, hated by the press, rounded on by combatants, & made to look foolish. Give Your wisdom to peacemakers and peacekeepers, that the song of the angels may come true.
pause
We hear the angels sing, O God. Give us peace and justice.
Most Holy Spirit,
We pray for those who search for meaning and purpose this night, for those who, like the shepherds, don’t know what they are looking for,
for those, like the Magi, who explore from faraway places, for those, like the innkeeper, who find purpose thrust upon them. Give Your Church the wit and wisdom to help those who search, so that all restless hearts find their rest in You.
pause
We hear the angels sing, O God. Give us peace and justice.
Eternal Trinity of Love,
we bring before You all whom we love and worry about this night.
longer pause
We hear the angels sing, O God. Give us peace and justice.
We unite all our prayers as we pray as Jesus taught saying,
Our Father…
Offering
Christmas is about giving; ever since the Magi brought their gifts to the Holy Family we’ve been giving gifts. Gifts of love, gifts of need, gifts of grace. We give because we delight in the joy that giving brings; we give because it’s good for us. God loves cheerful givers but copes well with grumpy ones too! So tonight we give; we give of our time, our talents, and our treasure.
God of giving,
we thank You for the many gifts You shower upon us;
gifts of love, gifts of grace, the gift of Your very self in Jesus.
As a mother delights in the joy of her children, you delight in us.
And so we thank you for these gifts; give us the grace to use them wisely,
that through our lives and these gifts, Your kingdom may come. Amen.
Hymn It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
Edmund H. Sears (1849) public domain Choir of Winchester Cathedral
It came upon the midnight clear,
that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth
to touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, good will to all,
from heaven’s all-gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
to hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come
with peaceful wings unfurled,
and still their heavenly music floats
o’er all the weary world;
above its sad and lowly plains,
they bend on hovering wing,
and ever o’er its Babel sounds
the blessed angels sing.
Yet with the woes of sin and strife
the world has suffered long;
beneath the angel-strain have rolled
two thousand years of wrong;
and we at bitter war hear not
the love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye folk of strife,
and hear the angels sing.
For lo! the days are hastening on,
by prophet seen of old,
when with the ever-circling years
shall come the time foretold
when peace shall over all the earth
its ancient splendours fling,
and the whole world send back the song
which now the angels sing.
Holy Communion
Long ago, at midnight, the angels proclaimed the birth of Christ, and shepherds rushed to the stable to see their Messiah.
Long ago, at midnight, peace and goodwill to all was proclaimed, and the heavenly choirs sang of God’s glory.
Here and now, at midnight, we gather around this table and welcome Jesus again into our hearts and lives.
Just as, in the night,
Jesus shared in the simplicity of a meal with his friends,
so now we share in the everyday things of bread and wine,
knowing that our lives are changed,
our spirits lifted and our bodies and souls fed by Jesus’ own self
as we are lifted from the things of earth
to be united with the Church in every age and place,
as we enjoy the presence of the Most High,
who shines us as the stars of night.
Long ago Jesus took bread, said the ancient blessing,
broke the bread, and gave it to his friends saying:
“Take this all of you and eat it, this is my body, broken for you.
Do this in memory of me.”
In the same way, when meal was over, Jesus took the wine, said the ancient words of blessing, and gave it to his friends saying:
“Take this, all of you, and drink from it.
This is the cup of my blood,
the blood of the new and everlasting covenant.
It will be shed for you and for all,
so that sins may be forgiven.
Do this in memory of me.”
Let us proclaim the central mystery of our faith:
Christ has died! Christ has risen! Christ will come again!
Eternal One,
send now your Spirit on these gifts of bread and wine,
which we have separated from all common use,
that they may be the communion with the body and blood
of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Send now your Spirit on us, gifts of your creation,
rich and varied though we are,
united in our desire to serve you, make peace, and proclaim justice.
As these gifts feed our bodies and nurture our souls,
so may we feed Your people, proclaim Your Gospel,
and nurture the weak,
that they, with us, will find in You, strength and joy.
Bless with Your love all who gather around tables like these this night,
and all who search for you with sincere hearts,
that in the wonder and love of this season,
all creation may sing Your praise, proclaim your peace
and find restless hearts stilled.
Through Jesus, with Jesus and in Jesus,
with the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honour is Yours,
our Rock and Redeemer,
now and forever, Amen.
These are holy gifts for holy people.
Eat and drink remembering that Christ was born and died for you
and now feeds You with his own self.
Communion Music Child of the Poor/What Child is This
Played by Chris Brunelle and Nichlas Schall and used with their kind permission. https://www.youtube.com/@ChrisBrunelle
Post Communion Prayer
O God, creator of the stars of night,
You have met us here at this table,
strengthen our faith and fix our eyes on Jesus the babe of Bethlehem,
the Morning Star who gladdens our hearts
and guides our way. Amen.
Hymn Hark the Herald
Charles Wesley (1739) altered by George Whitefield. Sung by the Northern Baptist Association
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King:
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with th’angelic hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King”
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of the Virgin’s womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th’incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King”
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 we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King”
Blessing
May the joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherds,
the perseverance of the wise men, the obedience of Joseph and Mary,
and the peace of the Christ-child be yours this Christmas;
and the blessing of almighty
God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be with you now and always, Amen.
This material is only for use in local churches not for posting to websites or any other use. Local churches must have copyright licences to allow the printing and projection of words for hymns.