CALL TO WORSHIP, AND OPENING PRAYER

The Word was made flesh and lived among us:

Come, let us worship.

Give praise to the Father almighty,

to his Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord,

to the Spirit who dwells in our hearts,

both now and for ever. Amen.

Alleluia!

Blessed are you, Christ our Lord,

our everlasting light

and redeemer of the world.

   [a few words of praise and adoration may be said here]

By taking upon yourself our mortal nature

you saved humanity

and restored joy to the whole world.

Blessed be God for ever!

PSALM, AND SCRIPTURE SONG

Psalm 99

The Lord is king; let the peoples tremble!
   He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! 
The Lord is great in Zion;
   he is exalted over all the peoples. 
Let them praise your great and awesome name.
   Holy is he! 
Mighty King, lover of justice,
   you have established equity;
you have executed justice
   and righteousness in Jacob. 
Extol the Lord our God;
   worship at his footstool.
   Holy is he! 

Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
   Samuel also was among those who called on his name.
   They cried to the Lord, and he answered them. 
He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;
   they kept his decrees,
   and the statutes that he gave them. 

O Lord our God, you answered them;
   you were a forgiving God to them,
   but an avenger of their wrongdoings. 
Extol the Lord our God,
   and worship at his holy mountain;
   for the Lord our God is holy.

Give praise to the Father almighty,

to his Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord,

to the Spirit who dwells in our hearts,

both now and for ever. Amen.

A Song of Redemption

[Colossians 1.13-20]

The Father has delivered us

from the dominion of darkness,

and transferred us

to the kingdom of his beloved Son;

in whom we have redemption,

the forgiveness of our sins.

He is the image of the invisible God,

the first-born of all creation.

For in him all things were created,

in heaven and on earth,

visible and invisible.

All things were created

through him and for him,

he is before all things

and in him all things hold together.

He is the head of the body, the Church;

he is the beginning,

the first-born from the dead.

For it pleased God that in him

all fullness should dwell,

and through him

all things be reconciled to himself.

Give praise to the Father almighty,

to his Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord,

to the Spirit who dwells in our hearts,

both now and for ever.  Amen.

SHORT READING

Titus 2.11-14

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.

a time for reflection on the scriptures …

… completed with:

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.

In order that the world might be saved, he gave his only Son.

CANTICLE OF THE SEASON

The Song of Mary

[Luke 1.46-55]

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,

who has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me

and holy is his name.

God has mercy on those who fear him,

from generation to generation.

The Lord has shown strength with his arm

and scattered the proud in their conceit,

casting down the mighty from their thrones

and lifting up the lowly.

God has filled the hungry with good things

and sent the rich away empty.

He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,

to remember the promise of mercy,

the promise made to our forebears,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

Give praise to the Father almighty,

to his Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord,

to the Spirit who dwells in our hearts,

both now and for ever. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER,

thanksgiving, petition, intercession

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.

a time for personal prayer and intercession …

… you may include this ‘Prayer for the Earth’:

Enabling God,

we pray for your blessing on the environment of our making,

for town and countryside, buildings and fields.

We give thanks for the ingenuity and artistry

of engineers and architects.

We give thanks for those who maintain the fabric

of our green and pleasant land.

… and sum up your own prayers with these responses:

Glory to God in the highest heaven;

goodwill to his people on earth.

Let the mountains be laden with peace,

and the hills with prosperity.

May righteousness flourish in our time.

Your dominion stretch from sea to sea.

O God give justice to the poor;

deliver the needy when they cry.

For you alone do great wonders.

Let the whole earth be filled with your glory.

CONCLUDING PRAYER, AND ENDING

Gracious Father,

your love for us shines forth in Christ,

the Word made flesh.

Grant us his humble spirit, that,

recognising your presence

in those whose lives we touch,

we may honour you by serving them;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

May God, who has called us out of darkness into his wonderful light,

give us his peace and goodwill. Amen.

River Tyne, Christmas Day 2010, melting