Join us at 9:30 a.m. from any telephone by calling: 1-312-626-6799
Then, enter the meeting ID: 870 6086 9596
Christmas Schedule
- All service bulletins/info, Zoom links, and a video will be posted on the Online Worship page.
- Dec. 24 @ 4 p.m. – Family Service: intergenerational worship service via Zoom
- Dec. 24 @ 6 p.m. – Pre-recorded Service of the Word with Spiritual Communion and special music by Mari Grace Smith, Kaylee Smith, Addison Smith, and Stanley E. Workman, Jr. This is a joint project with Christ Church, Ironton. The video will be available on this page, our Facebook page, and our YouTube channel for you and your family to worship at your leisure.
- Dec. 24 @ 11 p.m. – A Christmas Eve reflection and a toast via Zoom.
- Dec. 25 @ 11 a.m. – Christmas Day worship via Zoom.
Morning Prayer, Rite II
The service printed here is from The Book of Common Prayer (BCP).
Hymn “Come, thou long-expected Jesus” Stuttgart
Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free; from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art: dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.
Born thy people to deliver, born a child, and yet a king, born to reign in us for ever, now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone; by thine all-sufficient merit raise us to thy glorious throne.
Opening Sentence: The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
The Confession of Sin
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
The Absolution
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.
Officiant: Lord, open our lips.
People: And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
All: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia!
Jubilate “Be joyful in the Lord” sung by all; St. Stephen
Be joyful in the Lord, you lands, and serve God all your days; Come now and stand before the Lord with songs of love and praise.
Know this: the Lord is truly God and made us all to keep; We are God’s people, God’s alone, God’s people and God’s sheep.
Approach God’s courts with thankfulness; go through the gates with praise; Give thanks to God and humbly call upon God’s Name always.
Lord, you are good; your mercy stands forever strong and true, And so your faithfulness endures, age-old and ever new.
Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26 Anglican Chant; chanted by the cantor
Your love, O Lord, for ever will I sing; from age to age my mouth will proclaim your faithfulness. For I am persuaded that your love is established for ever; you have set your faithfulness firmly in the heavens. “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn an oath to David my servant: ‘I will establish your line for ever, and preserve your throne for all generations.'” You spoke once in a vision and said to your faithful people: “I have set the crown upon a warrior and have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him. My hand will hold him fast and my arm will make him strong. No enemy shall deceive him, nor any wicked man bring him down. I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. My faithfulness and love shall be with him, and he shall be victorious through my Name. I shall make his dominion extend from the Great Sea to the River. He will say to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.’ Gloria Patri.
The First Lesson 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
When the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, “See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.” Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you.”
But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever.
Reader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God.
Canticle 11 Third Song of Isaiah (metrical); sung by all; Winchester New
Arise, now, shine, your light has come, God’s glory rises like the sun; Though darkness still enshrouds the land, Deep gloom remains on every hand.
The Lord will rise above his own, His glory rest on you alone; The nations will stream to your light, And kings come to your dawning bright.
Your gates will always be unbarred, Your portals open night and day; Your name, the City of the Lord, Zion, on whom his love is poured.
Here violence will be no more, Within your borders peace is sure; Your walls will bear Salvation’s name, Your gates the name of Praise shall claim.
You will not need the sun by day, Nor yet by night the moon’s bright ray; The Lord will be your shining light And God your glory day and night.
The Second Lesson Romans 16:25-27
Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith– to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.
Reader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God.
Canticle 3 The Song of Mary (Magnificat) Luke 1:46-55; chanted by the cantor
My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden. For behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me, and holy is his Name. And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations. He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away. He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever. Gloria Patri
The Third Lesson Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Reader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God.
Homily The Rev. Paul A. Bennett
Announcements
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Prayers
The Salutation
Officiant: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Officiant: Let us pray.
The Lord’s Prayer Traditional
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Suffrages A
Officiant: Show us your mercy, O Lord;
People: And grant us your salvation.
Officiant: Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
People: Let your people sing with joy.
Officiant: Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
People: For only in you can we live in safety.
Officiant: Lord, keep this nation under your care;
People: And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Officiant: Let your way be known upon earth;
People: Your saving health among all nations.
Officiant: Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
People: Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Officiant: Create in us clean hearts, O God;
People: And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
Collect of the Day
Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Office Hymn “O come, O come, Emmanuel” Veni, veni, Emmanuel
O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!
O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent, here;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!
O come, Desire of nations, bind all peoples in one heart and mind;
bid envy, strife, and discord cease, Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!
Prayers of the People Form II
In the course of the silence after each bidding, the People offer their own prayers, either silently or aloud.
I ask your prayers for God’s people throughout the world; for our Bishop(s) _______; for this gathering; and for all ministers and people. Pray for the Church. Silence
I ask your prayers for peace; for goodwill among nations; and for the well-being of all people. Pray for justice and peace. Silence
I ask your prayers for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the oppressed, and those in prison. Pray for those in any need or trouble. Silence
I ask your prayers for all who seek God, or a deeper knowledge of him. Pray that they may find and be found by him. Silence
I ask your prayers for the departed [especially ]. Pray for those who have died. Silence
Praise God for those in every generation in whom Christ has been honored [especially whom we remember today]. Pray that we may have grace to glorify Christ in our own day. Silence
Concluding Collect.
The General Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
A Prayer of St. Chrysostom
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.
The Dismissal and Grace
Officiant: Let us bless the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
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