The First Sunday after Christmas Day
Welcome to this celebration of praise and thanksgiving! It is a joy to be able to celebrate together.
Opening Hymn #100: Joy to the world!
Priest Blessed be the one, holy, and living God.
People Glory to God for ever and ever.
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Priest The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Priest Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
A reading from the Prophet Isaiah, Chapter 61, Verse 10 through Chapter 62, Verse 3
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
my whole being shall exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until her vindication shines out like the dawn,
and her salvation like a burning torch.
The nations shall see your vindication,
and all the kings your glory;
and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will give.
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
The Word of the Lord / Thanks be to God!
Psalm 147
1 Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing praises to our God! *
how pleasant it is to honor him with praise!
2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem; *
he gathers the exiles of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted *
and binds up their wounds.
4 He counts the number of the stars *
and calls them all by their names.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; *
there is no limit to his wisdom.
6 The Lord lifts up the lowly, *
but casts the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; *
make music to our God upon the harp.
8 He covers the heavens with clouds *
and prepares rain for the earth;
9 He makes grass to grow upon the mountains *
and green plants to serve mankind.
10 He provides food for flocks and herds *
and for the young ravens when they cry.
11 He is not impressed by the might of a horse; *
he has no pleasure in the strength of a man;
12 But the Lord has pleasure in those who fear him, *
in those who await his gracious favor.
13 Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem; *
praise your God, O Zion;
14 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; *
he has blessed your children within you.
15 He has established peace on your borders; *
he satisfies you with the finest wheat.
16 He sends out his command to the earth, *
and his word runs very swiftly.
17 He gives snow like wool; *
he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
18 He scatters his hail like bread crumbs; *
who can stand against his cold?
19 He sends forth his word and melts them; *
he blows with his wind, and the waters flow.
20 He declares his word to Jacob, *
his statutes and his judgments to Israel.
21 He has not done so to any other nation; *
to them he has not revealed his judgments.
Hallelujah!
A reading from Paul’s letter to the Galatians, Chapter 3, Verses 23 – 25 and Chapter 4, Verses 4 – 7
Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian.
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.
The Word of the Lord / Thanks be to God!
Sequence Hymn #497: How bright appears the morning star
All stand for the reading of the Gospel.
Priest The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
A reading from the Gospel according to John, Chapter 1, Verses 1 – 18
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'”) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
Priest The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The people may be seated for the sermon.
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father,
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayers of the People
Priest To us a child is born, to us a son is given; let us pray for the world and all the people he came to save, saying, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done.”
Intercessor Wonderful Counsellor, you order all things with your wisdom: help the Church to reveal the mystery of your love and fill her with the Spirit of truth. Your Kingdom come,
People Your will be done.
Intercessor Mighty God, the government is on your shoulders: guide the leaders of the nations and bring in your kingdom of justice and righteousness. Your Kingdom come,
People Your will be done.
Intercessor Everlasting Father, you call us to live together in unity: protect by your mercy all your children, nourish your creation, and bless our families and renew our communities. Your Kingdom come,
People Your will be done.
Intercessor Prince of Peace, you bring reconciliation through the cross: by your healing power give your gift of wholeness and peace to all who suffer. Your Kingdom come,
People Your will be done.
Intercessor Son of God, Son of Mary, you hear the prayers of our hearts and lips with tender love and compassion: give your gifts of grace, peace and healing to all those we lift up to you. We pray for Cheryl W., Amy & Ethan, Cathy & Del, Brent B., Susan F., Debbie L., Margo, William R., Donna E., Pat & Linda, Amory K., Anderson L., Adam E., John, Faith G., Julie T., Mindy B., Trent B., Corrinne D., Tracia D., the Walker Family, the Ewing Family, Anna S., the Bromage Family, Linda H., Clyde M., Ashley G., and those we name silently or aloud. Your Kingdom come,
People Your will be done.
Intercessor Christ Child, your radiance filled a lowly manger: give the glory of your resurrection to all who rest in you. Your Kingdom come,
People Your will be done.
Priest Eternal light, shine in our hearts; eternal goodness, deliver us from evil; eternal power, be our support; eternal wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance; eternal pity, have mercy upon us; that with all our heart and mind and soul and strength, we may seek your face and be brought, through your infinite mercy, to your holy presence; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Priest The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People And also with you.
The peace is briefly shared. After the peace, a time for sharing and celebrating blessings and
birthdays will follow.
The Offertory begins with the following:
Priest Through Christ let us offer to God a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving;
People With gladness we present the offerings of our life and labor to the Lord.
Offertory Hymn #82: Of the Father’s love begotten
Eucharistic Visit:
Donna Ellway
After the Altar is prepared, the following is said:
Priest Everything in heaven and earth is yours, O Lord;
People All things come from you, and of your own have we given you.
The Great Thanksgiving – Eucharistic Prayer B
Priest The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Priest Lift up your hearts.
People We lift them to the Lord.
Priest Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Priest It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and every-
where to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of
heaven and earth.
Because you gave Jesus Christ, your only Son, to be born for us; who, by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, was made perfect Man of the flesh of the Virgin Mary his mother; so that we might be delivered from the bondage of sin, and receive power to become your children.
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and
Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever
sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
Priest We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love
which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling
of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the
prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your
Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from
the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world.
In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy
to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error
into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
On the night before he died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ took
bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and
gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body,
which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given
thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you:
This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you
and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink
it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
Therefore, according to his command, O Father,
All We remember his death,
We proclaim his resurrection,
We await his coming in glory;
Priest And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you,
O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this
bread and this wine.
We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon
these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of
Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your
Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him,
being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time,
put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to
that heavenly country where, with all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation.
By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and
for ever. AMEN.
And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say:
All Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
The bread is now broken, and a moment of silence is observed before the Fraction Anthem below is said or sung.
Priest The Gifts of God for the People of God.
Communion Hymn #324: Let all mortal flesh keep silence
People may be seated while waiting to come forward. All are welcome to share in communion.
After Communion, the priest says Let us pray.
Post-communion Prayer
Eternal God, heavenly Father,
you have graciously accepted us
as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ,
and you have fed us with spiritual food
in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.
Send us now into the world in peace,
and grant us strength and courage
to love and serve you
with gladness and singleness of heart;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessing
May Almighty God, who sent his Son to take our nature upon him, bless you in this holy season, scatter the darkness of sin, and brighten your heart with the light of his holiness. Amen.
May God, who sent his angels to proclaim the glad news of the Savior’s birth, fill you with joy, and make you heralds of the Gospel. Amen.
May God, who in the Word made flesh joined heaven to earth and earth to heaven, give you his peace and favor. Amen.
And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit, be upon you and remain with you for ever. Amen.
The priest then dismisses the people, to which they respond, Thanks be to God!
Closing Hymn #421: All glory be to God on high
All are invited to coffee hour in the parish hall.
Serving today:
Celebrant: Fr. Joseph Farnes
Lectors: Stephanie Elder & Sue Nims
Eucharistic Minister: Laura Harbert
Altar Guild: Linda Stark & Anita Wallinger
Ushers: Jim Reynolds & Ray Stark
Sunday School: Carolyn Cornwall & Julie Walker
Music Director: Shauna Emara
Music: Amy Hutchins
Camera: Dean Hagerman
Coffee Hour: Borg-Borm Family