Words for Worship

Ministry Today

 

Welcome

 

HYMN…………

 

 

Lord as you dispelled

The fears of a maiden mother

By whispering the promise of your presence

So banish the world’s misconceptions

About you and your ways

 

Come to each of us

 

Roll back the clouds of doubt and pessimism

 

Fill our individual lives with servant love

 

And direct the nations to humble awareness

For you are God

Rich in mercy

Strong in righteousness

Ready to make your home with us

Now and for ever

 

Therefore for all time

we ask

Christ the sun of righteousness

Shine upon us

And scatter the darkness from our path

 

And in that ardent hope

And absolute certainty

We pray just as Christ taught us,

 saying

 

Our Father which art in Heaven

Hallowed be thy name

Thy Kingdom come

Thy will be on earth

As it is in heaven

 

Gives this day our daily bread

And forgive us our debts

As we forgive our debtors

 

And lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil

For thine is the Kingdom

The power and the glory for ever

 

Amen

 

HYMN…………….

 

Lesson Luke 2.8-20 (or other Nativity text)

 

 

 

As I sit writing this,

I can look out

and see the Christmas lights

of the house across the street.

 

And it struck me,

that we too

often allow these simple acts

to go unnoticed.

 

Because as this is

such a busy time of year,

we can

in all the hustle and bustle

take others’ efforts

for granted.

 

For how often do we think

of the strangers

who put Christmas trees

in their windows

to brighten

the yuletides of passers-by?

 

How often

do we offer up thanks

to those who decorate

streets and shop windows,

those who cheer up

hospital wards and schools

and those

who make sure our churches

are suitably dressed

for this holy season?

 

How often indeed

do we offer a prayer

for those that ensure

the lonely and homeless

have cause to celebrate

their Christmas?

 

So let us now,

at least,

stop and give thanks

for all who do

the little and big things

so that our Lord's birth

is publicly celebrated.

 

But then

let not our gratitude

be kept just in our thoughts

but let it spring into action!

 

Rather let our thanks-giving

be inspired

by the words of Washington Irving.

 

For this American writer

had one of his characters

in The sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon

say of Christmas:

I love to see this day well-kept

by a rich and poor;

it is a great thing

to have one day in the year,

at least,

when you are sure of being welcome

wherever you go,

and of having,

as it where,

the world all thrown open to you...

Here then are the words

that truly capture the spirit

of Christmas.

 

Here is the way

to join the ranks of al

l who work

to make Christmas brighter.

 

Moreover, here is the best way

to say thank you

for that amazing gift

of the miracle

of ‘God with us’.

 

And it is not so much

‘to keep a good Christmas’

but to give to all –

a divine one.

A very merry and peaceful Christmas

to you all

when it comes.

 

Amen

 

 

 

 

 

Let us pray

 

 

O lord

There sit apart in lonely places

On this, the gladdest season of all the year

Some stricken ones

With sad and weary faces

To whom the thought of Christmas brings no cheer

For these, o father, our petition hear

And send the pitying Christ child near

 

Amen

 

HYMN………………………

 

 

 

Christmas Tree Lights (full service Script)