Christmas Day Parish Eucharist pewsheet

Today’s Eucharistic Prayer E

Colour: White

Welcome to the Church of

St-Peter-in- the-Forest, Walthamstow

Christmas Day – 25^th December 2012

Parish Eucharist

Presiding and presiding today is Fr Paul Trathen

The ORDER OF SERVICE can be found on page 3 of the Church Service Book

 

Before the service starts we sing:

Born in the night,

Mary’s child,

a long way from your home;

coming in need,

Mary’s child,

born in a borrowed room.

INTROIT HYMN

84

Christians awake

Greeting

Priest:   Grace, mercy and peace

from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

All:         And also with you.

Lighting of Advent candles

We light the white, Christ candle as we say together:

Lord Jesus, Light of light,

you have come among us.

Help us who live by your light

to shine as lights in your world.

Glory to God in the highest.

Amen.

PRAYER OF PREPARATION (page 3)

PRAYERS OF PENITENCE (page 4)

ABSOLUTION

GLORIA

THE COLLECT

Lord Jesus Christ,

your birth at Bethlehem

draws us to kneel in wonder at heaven touching earth:

accept our heartfelt praise

as we worship you,

our Saviour and our eternal God.

Amen.

We sit for the first two readings

FIRST READING	Isaiah 62:6-end (page 710)
SECOND READING	Titus 3:4-7 (page 1134)
GRADUAL HYMN	283	Joy to the world
GOSPEL READING	Luke 2:8-20 (page 970) read by Fr Paul Trathen

Reader   Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke

All sing   Glory to you, O Lord.

Reader   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

All sing   Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON – by Fr Paul Trathen

 

A Christmas Creed

I believe in Jesus Christ and in the beauty of the gospel begun in Bethlehem.

I believe in the one whose spirit glorified a little town;

and whose spirit still brings music to persons all over the world,

in towns both large and small.

I believe in the one for whom the crowded inn could find no room,

and I confess that my heart still sometimes wants to exclude Christ

from my life today.

I believe in the one who the rulers of the earth ignored

and the proud could never understand;

whose life was among common people,

whose welcome came from persons of hungry hearts.

I believe in the one who proclaimed the love of God to be invincible:

I believe in the one whose cradle was a mother's arms,

whose modest home in Nazareth had love for its only wealth,

who looked at persons and made them see what God's love saw in them, who by love brought sinners back to purity,

and lifted human weakness up to meet the strength of God.

I confess my ever-lasting need of God:

the need of forgiveness for our selfishness and greed,

the need of new life for empty souls,

the need of love for hearts grown cold.

I believe in God who gives us the best of himself.

I believe in Jesus, the son of the living God,

born in Bethlehem today, for me and for the world.

PRAYERS

THE PEACE – page 8 of the service books

OFFERTORY HYMN	554	While shepherds watched
During the offertory hymn, a collection will be taken.  If you would like information on how to gift-aid your donation, please see Peter Shrubsole after the service.  Information on setting up standing orders is also available from Peter.
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER E (Service Book page 18)
Adults who are baptized and children who’ve received preparation are welcome to receive communion. If you do not receive communion, please feel free to go forward for a blessing.

Priest:    We break the bread of life,

and that life is the light of the world.

All:          God here among us,

light in the midst of us,

bring us to light and life.

Priest:    Christ is the true bread which has come down from heaven.

All:          Lord, give us this bread always.

COMMUNION HYMN   51  Away in a manger

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

God our Father,

whose Word has come among us

in the Holy Child of Bethlehem:

may the light of faith illumine our hearts

and shine in our words and deeds;

through him who is Christ the Lord.  Amen.

FINAL HYMN

199

Hark the herald angels sing

BLESSING & DISMISSAL

Priest:   Go in peace. Proclaim the Word made flesh.

All:         Glory, thanks and praise to God.

It’s sharing your gifts, not purchasing gifts;

it’s not wrapping presents,

its being present and wrapping your arms around the ones you love;

it’s not getting Christmas cards out on time,

it’s sending any card, anytime, at the right time;

it’s not having the biggest and best Christmas light display,

it’s displaying the Christ light that comes from your heart;

it’s not Santa coming down the chimney,

it’s Jesus coming down from heaven, and giving us the gift of eternal life.

Weekday evenings & weekends contact: The Vicar: Fr Paul Trathen St Peter’s Vicarage 121 Forest Rise, Walthamstow E17 3PW 020 8521 5000 www.church-in-the-forest.co.uk thejourneyhomeresumed.blogspot.com

Weekday office hours contact: The Parish Administrator: Sarah Collins Peterhouse Centre 122 Forest Rise, E17 3PW 020 8509 1811 www.peterhousecentre.co.uk peterhousecentre@btconnect.com