Here is Paul’s homily if you missed it or would like to listen again:
Morning Prayer, Rite II
The service printed here is from The Book of Common Prayer (BCP).
Hymn “Angels we have heard on high” Gloria
Angels we have heard on high, singing sweetly through the night, and the mountains in reply echoing their brave delight. Gloria in excelsis Deo. (organ interlude)
Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why these songs of happy cheer? What great brightness did you see? What glad tidings did you hear? Gloria in excelsis Deo. (organ interlude)
Come to Bethlehem and see him whose birth the angels sing; come, adore on bended knee Christ, the Lord, the newborn King. Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Opening Sentence: Behold, the dwelling of God is with mankind. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them, and be their God. Revelation 21:3
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; Richmond
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 147:13-21 read in unison
Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem; *
praise your God, O Zion;
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; *
he has blessed your children within you.
He has established peace on your borders; *
he satisfies you with the finest wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth, *
and his word runs very swiftly.
He gives snow like wool; *
he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
He scatters his hail like bread crumbs; *
who can stand against his cold?
He sends forth his word and melts them; *
he blows with his wind, and the waters flow.
He declares his word to Jacob, *
his statutes and his judgments to Israel.
He has not done so to any other nation; *
to them he has not revealed his judgments. Hallelujah!
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.
The First Lesson Isaiah 61:10-62:3
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.
Reader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God.
Canticle 16 Song of Zechariah (metrical); sung by all; Morning Light
Blessed be the God of Israel, who comes to set us free; he visits and redeems us, he grants us liberty. The prophets spoke of mercy, of freedom and release; God shall fulfill his promise and bring his people peace.
He from the house of David a child of grace has given; a Savior comes among us to raise us up to heaven. Before him goes his herald, forerunner in the way, the prophet of salvation, the harbinger of Day.
On prisoners of darkness the sun begins to rise, the dawning of forgiveness upon the sinner’s eyes. He guides the feet of pilgrims along the paths of peace. O bless our God and Savior, with songs that never cease.
All Glory to the Father and Glory to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, eternal Three in One, till all the ransomed number who stand before the throne ascribe all power and glory and praise to God alone.
The Second Lesson Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7
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.
Reader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God.
Canticle 7 Te Deum laudamus; sung by all; Grosser Gott
Holy God, we praise thy Name, Lord of all, we bow before thee; all on earth thy scepter claim, all in heaven above adore thee; infinite thy vast domain, everlasting is thy reign.
Hark, the loud celestial hymn angel choirs above are raising; cherubim and seraphim, in unceasing chorus praising, fill the heavens with sweet accord: holy, holy, holy Lord!
Lo, the apostolic train join, thy sacred Name to hallow; prophets swell the loud refrain, and the white-robed martyrs follow; and, from morn till set of sun, through the Church the song goes on.
Holy Father, holy Son, Holy Spirit, Three we name thee, while in essence only One, undivided God we claim thee; then, adoring, bend the knee and confess the mystery.
The Third Lesson John 1:1-18
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.
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
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.
Office Hymn “Let all mortal flesh keep silence” sung by all; Picardy
Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand; ponder nothing earthly-minded, for with blessing in his hand Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand.
King of kings, yet born of Mary, as of old on earth he stood, Lord of lords in human vesture, in the Body and the Blood he will give to all the faithful his own self for heavenly food.
Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way, as the Light of Light descendeth from the realms of endless day, that the powers of hell may vanish as the darkness clears away.
At his feet the six-winged seraph; cherubim with sleepless eye veil their faces to the Presence, as with ceaseless voice they cry, “Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, Lord Most High!”
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; 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 God.
Pray that they may find and be found by God.
Silence
I ask your prayers for the departed. Pray for those who have died.
Silence
Praise God for those in every generation in whom Christ has been honored.
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.
Permission to podcast/stream/reprint the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with license #A-721346. All rights reserved.