The Order of Service follows below.
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We acknowledge the Kaurna people as the traditional carers of the land on which our church is built.
Welcome
Introit and Lighting of the Candles: One Star
Malcolm Archer
Call to Worship
Sing and rejoice for the birth of Jesus,
Emmanuel, God with us, our saviour and friend.
With glad hearts sing carols,
and with wonder and delight worship this day.
For Christ is born and all of creation joins in heaven’s song:
“Glory to God in the highest heaven!”
Opening Prayer
We Sing: O Come All Ye Faithful
O come, all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphant,
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.
See how the shepherds
summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw nigh with holy fear;
we too will thither
bend our joyful footsteps:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.
Sing, choirs of angels,
sing in exultation,
sing all ye citizens of heaven above,
‘Glory to God,
glory in the highest’:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.
Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
born this happy morning,
Jesus, to thee be glory given;
Word of the father
now in flesh appearing:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.
TiS 304. Words by William Thomas Brooke 1848 – 1917. Public domain.
Lighting of the Advent Candles
Musical Reflection: God’s Gift to the World
Passing of the Peace
The peace of our God be with you.
And also with you.
Children’s Time
Scripture Reading: Luke 2 :1-7
For the word of God, born among us,
thanks be to God.
Choral Anthem: Christmas Tree
James & Wheeler
Sermon
We Sing: Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
Infant holy,
infant lowly,
for his bed a cattle stall;
oxen lowing,
little knowing
Christ the babe is Lord of all;
swift are winging
angels singing,
nowells ringing,
tidings bringing,
Christ the babe is Lord of all,
Christ the babe is Lord of all.
Flocks were sleeping,
shepherds keeping
vigil till the morning new
saw the glory,
heard the story,
tidings of a gospel true;
thus rejoicing,
free from sorrow,
praises voicing,
greet the morrow,
Christ the babe was born for you,
Christ the babe was born for you.
TiS 292. Polish Carol (13th cent.). Edith Gellibrand Reed 1885-1933. Translation from The Kingsway Carol Book © E. G. Reed by permission HarperCollins Publishers. Public Domain.
Offering
To give electronically to the church or Gifts and Goodies please go to bpuc.org/give
Prayers of the People
And now with the confidence of the children of God, let us pray the prayer Jesus taught us saying…
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 in the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours
now and forever. Amen.
We Sing: Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
Hark! the herald angels sing
glory to the new-born King,
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled.
Joyful, all you nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with the angelic host proclaim,
‘Christ is born in Bethlehem’.
Hark! the herald angels sing
glory to the new-born King.
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of a virgin’s womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail the incarnate Deity,
pleased in human flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing
glory to the new-born 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 need die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing
glory to the new-born King.
TiS 303. Charles Wesley 1707-88 and others. Public Domain.
Sending Forth and Benediction
Sung Blessing: Southern Cross
Rosemary Nairn
In order to avoid crowding at the exits, please wait for a steward to indicate it is time to leave. May you know the peace, love, joy and hope the Christ child brings to all the world.