Minutes for Mission – December 24th, 2009

LANGLEY UNITED CHU= RCH

“Guide= d by the Holy Spirit, we are called together by Jesus:

to worship God= ; to grow as disciples of Christ; to serve the world and each other;<= /span>

and to offer hospitality and welcome to all.”

<= /o:p>

Minister Re= v. Rod MacKinnon 604-530-5912

December 24= ^th, 2009 10 pm

Christmas E= ve

We Gather in God’s Name

(Memorial candles may be= lit anytime during the service)

Prelude: Prelude, Fugue, and Toccata on Adeste Fideles by Marcel Dupre<= /span>

Greetings a= nd Announcements

Preparation= for Worship, Quiet Meditation, Candle Lighting

Introit: &nbs= p; VU #62 Once in Royal David’s City (vs. 2&4) &= nbsp;

Call to Wor= ship:

One: Come good friends= , come to Bethlehem!

All: <= /span>Come to Bethlehem, and celebrate

a newborn child with Mary and Joseph.=

Women and g= irls:

&= nbsp; Come to Bethlehem, and rejoice that God’s symbol of love is a tiny, helpless baby.<= /o:p>

Men and boy= s:

&= nbsp; Come to Bethlehem, and sing praises with the shepherds for what God has done.

One: Come to Bethlehem, and fa= ll silent in awe and wonder.

<= i>(silent reflection)

One: = Jesus is born! God’s Word lives!

All: Let us come and worship,

= C= hrist the new born King!

Hymn: = VU #59 Joy to the World

<= span lang=3DEN-CA style=3D'font-size:13.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-CA'>Lighting th= e Christ Candle:

<= span lang=3DEN-CA style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-CA'> It is Chris= tmas Eve.

The time of waiting is over.

The candles= of hope, peace, joy, and love are lit.

= Only one re= mains, and it is the Christ Candle.

We light it= now, in awe and wonder. (= The candle is lit)

= &= nbsp; May Jesus, born so long ago in a stable,

= be born in our hearts this night.

= &= nbsp; May his birth bring to our world the gifts of his life

= and justice, peace, and hope for all.

Hymn: &= nbsp; VU #64 O Little Town of Bethle= hem

Opening pra= yer:

Gracious and loving God,

= We thank yo= u for coming to be with us

= &= nbsp; in Jesus Christ.

= We rejoice = that he lived as one of us,

= &= nbsp; knew our joys and sorrows,

= &= nbsp; our pains and hopes and dreams.<= /p>

= As he came = to show your love to us,

= &= nbsp; help us to show our love to others

=         &= nbsp;   today and always.&nbs= p; Amen

Anthem:    = Beautiful Impossible by Joseph Martin

Prayer of Confession:

One:     = We are in the presence of God, whose love never fades, whose love is ever green. <= o:p>

      =       Let us confess our sins to the one who longs to forgive us.
All:      <= /span>Forgive us, God of love.

One:     God of green hope= ,

        &= nbsp;         as we gather to celebrate your presence among us =

        &= nbsp;         we confess that sometimes we prefer to think of Jesus = as a baby,

        &= nbsp;         and we have turned away from the lessons

        &= nbsp;         of love and mercy he taught us when he was an adult= .

All:      <= /span>Forgive us, God of love.

One:     In our disobedien= ce we have hurt others and have forgotten to love our neighbour.

All:      <= /span>Forgive us, God of love.

One:     In our selfishnes= s we have not stood up for what is right and have forgotten to share the joy of = your presence with others.

All:      <= /span>Forgive us, God of love.

One:     We are sorry and = ask you to change us on the inside so that we can live in a way that pleases yo= u.

All:      <= /span>Amen

Assurance of Pardon:

      One:     God’s love = is ever green.

        &= nbsp;         Your sins are forgiven.

      All:      Thanks be to God!

Passing the= Peace of Christ:

      One:     The Peace of Chri= st is with you.

      All: &n= bsp;   And also with you.

Sung Response: MV #124 Glory to God in the Highest= <= o:p>

We Listen for God’s Word<= o:p>

The Reading from the Prophet: Isaiah 9: 2-7

= The prophet= Isaiah wrote at a time when the nation

was facing an uncertain future, but he knew that<= /o:p>

whatever happened, God would be with the people <= /o:p>

and would deliver them. He spoke of a new ruler who

would bring about peace, justice and righteousness.

Hymn: VU #6= 0 O Come, All Ye Faithful

The Gospel Lesson: Luke 2: 1-19 <= /span>(remain sea= ted)=

In these familiar verses from Luke’s gospel we hear=

again the wonderful story of how God loved the world

so much, God sent Jesus to be our saviour.

Luke 2:1-7<= i>

= Hymn: VU #6= 9 Away in a Manger

Luke 2: 8-14

= Hymn: VU #4= 8 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Luke 15-19

= Solo: A Slumber Song of the Madonna, Vicki Richard= son = =

We Respond to God’s Word<= o:p>

Hymn: VU #74 What Child= is This

Prayers of = the People and Our Lord’s Prayer:

= One: Tonight we celebr= ate, for Jesus Christ is born.

All: God is with= us, hallelujah!

One: Let us pray for o= ur world and all those in need.

All: Loving Jesu= s, hear our prayer.

One: &n= bsp; Child of Bethlehem,

= <= span class=3DGramE>you were forced to flee from hatred and violence.

= We pray for all those who are refugees,

= <= span class=3DGramE>bring them to a place of safety.

All: Loving Jesu= s, hear our prayer.

One: Jesus, you were f= orced to hide by a selfish and cruel leader. &nbs= p; &= nbsp;

&= nbsp; We pray for the leaders of the world that they would make &n= bsp; = ;

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; wise and fair decisions.

All: Loving Jesu= s, hear our prayer.

One: Prince of Peace, =

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; you came to bring peace so that nation would not take = up &= nbsp; &nbs= p;

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; sword against nation.

&= nbsp; We pray for those countries where there is no peace.

&= nbsp; We ask that swords would be beaten into ploughshares and

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; that there would be peace on earth.<= /p>

All: Loving Jesu= s, hear our prayer.

One: Jesus, when you g= rew up you fed the hungry and brought = &nb= sp; =

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; healing to all those who came to you in need.

&= nbsp; We pray for everyone who is in need today,

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; that you would reach out and comfort them. =

&= nbsp; Help us to share with other.

All: Loving Jesu= s, hear our prayer.

One: Emmanuel, you rea= ched out and walked with outcasts, so &nbs= p; &= nbsp;

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; that they could learn of God’s love. =

&= nbsp; We pray for those who feel rejected and unloved today.

&= nbsp; We ask that they would know the joy of your presence.

&= nbsp; Help us to follow your example,

&= nbsp; &nbs= p; reaching out in love to those around us.

All: Loving Jesu= s, hear our prayer.

Our Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father,=

&= nbsp; who art in heaven,

&= nbsp; hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come &= nbsp; =

= 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 that

= 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

Presenting = Our Gifts

Offertory:<= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> Gesu Bambino, Barb Nelson= and Tim Bailey

Doxology: VU 55 (Verse 4) What Can I Give Him?

Sacrament of Communion

The Invitat= ion:

      One:     God is with you.<= o:p>

      All: &n= bsp;   And also with you.

      One:     Lift up your hearts.

      All: &n= bsp;   We lift them up to God.

      One:     Let us give thanks to G= od.

      All: &n= bsp;   It is right to give God our thanks and praise.

      Breaking the bread and filling the= cup=

      Prayer after Communion:

      We give tha= nks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us at your table by granting us the presence of Jesus Christ. Strengthen our faith, increase our love for one another and send us forth into the world united in courage and peace, rejoi= cing in the power of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ our Saviour.   Amen.

We Go Forth to Serve=

Closing Hymn:    VU #38 Angels We Have Heard on High

Commissioni= ng and Benediction:

One:     We have heard the= good news: Jesus is born!

All:      <= /span>We go to share God’s love with others.

One:     Know that Jesus h= as come not just for us,

           &= nbsp;      but for all the world.

All:      <= /span>We go to share God’s love with others.

One:     May the love of G= od who created us,

           &= nbsp;      who came as one of us, and who is with us still, =

      =             <= span class=3DGramE>bless you and keep you this day and always.=

Threefold A= men:       MV= #208 Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen!

Hymn:     &= nbsp; VU #67 Silent Night, Holy Night

Postlude: Hark the Herald Angels Sing (Toccata) by Mendelssohn

      <= span lang=3DEN-CA style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-CA'>(Please rem= ain seated during the Postlude)

A Christmas Affirmation of Faith =

by Laura J. Turnbull

We believe = in Jesus Christ, and the beauty of the gospel begun in Bethlehem.

We believe in the One whose spirit glorifie= d a little town, and whose spirit brings music to people all over the world in communities both large and small.

We believe = in the One for whom the crowded inn could find no room, and we confess that our he= arts still sometimes want to exclude Christ from our lives today.

We believe = in the One whom the rulers of the earth ignored and the proud could never understand, whose life was among common people, whose welcome came from persons of hungry hearts.

We believe = in the One who proclaimed the love of God to be invincible; whose cradle was a mot= her’s arms, whose modest home in Naz= areth had love as its only wealth.

We believe = in the One who looked at people and made them see what God’s love saw in the= m, who by love brought sinners back to purity, and who lifted human weakness u= p to meet the strength of God.

We confess = our ever-lasting need of God, the need for forgiveness for our selfishness and greed.

We acknowledge our need for life for our empty souls, and the need f= or love in hearts grown cold.     Amen.=