The First Noel   instrumental

Musical Prelude

Taladh Chriosda   Nora Jackson & The Nine Points of Roguery

In the Bleak Midwinter

1. In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, in the bleak midwinter, long ago.
2. Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain; heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign:

in the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed the Lord God incarnate, Jesus Christ.

• Angels and archangels may have gathered there, cherubim and seraphim thronged the air; but his mother only, in her maiden bliss, worshiped the beloved with a kiss.
• What can I give him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; if I were a wise man, I would do my part; yet what I can I give him–give my heart.

What Child is This    instrumental

Suo-gan Adult Choir

Let there be peace on earth  Mike Fager See Amid the Winter’s Snow Adult Choir Miracle Hymn Martha Caruso

The Holy Eucharist

Opening Hymn O come, all ye faithful

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;

Come and behold him born the King of angels;

O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels; sing in exultation, Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above; Glory to God in the highest;

O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Celebrant           Blessed are you, holy and living One.

People               You come to your people and set them free.

The Collect for Purity

Hymn of Praise Angels we have heard on high

Angels we have heard on high sweetly singing o’er the plains And the mountains in reply echoing their joyous strains Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

The Collect of the Day

A Reading from the Prophet Isaiah

Psalm 96, responsively by half-verse

Sing to God a new song; sing to God, all the whole earth.

Sing and bless God’s holy Name; proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.

Declare God’s glory among the nations, God’s wonders among all peoples.

For God is great and greatly to be praised; more to be feared than all gods.

As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols; but it is God who made the heavens.

Oh, the majesty and magnificence of God’s presence! Oh, the power and the splendor of God’s sanctuary!

Ascribe to God, you families of the peoples; ascribe to God honor and power.

Ascribe due honor to God’s holy name; bring offerings and come into God’s courts.

Worship the Most High in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth tremble before God. Tell it out among the nations that God reigns! God has made the world so firm that it cannot be moved and will judge the peoples with equity.

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea thunder and all that is in it; let the field be joyful and all that is therein.

Then shall all the trees of the wood shout for joy before the Lord who will come, who will come to judge the earth.

God will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with truth. A Reading from the Letter to Titus

Before the Gospel        Love came down at Christmas

Love came down at Christmas, Love all lovely, Love Divine, Love was born at Christmas, Star and Angels gave the sign.

The Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ according to Luke

Response before: Glory to you, O Christ. Response after: Praise to you, O Christ.

The Sermon       A period of silence follows the sermon.

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.

He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Prayers of the People                    Response: Shine in our hearts.

The Peace and Announcements

The Holy Communion

Eucharistic Prayer 3 from Enriching Our Worship

The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

All thanks and praise are yours at all times and in all places, our true and loving God; through Jesus Christ, your eternal Word, the Wisdom from on high by whom you created all things.

You laid the foundations of the world and enclosed the sea when it burst out from the womb; You brought forth all creatures of the earth and gave breath to humankind.

Wondrous are you, Holy One of Blessing, all you create is a sign of hope for our journey;

And so as the stars sing your praises we join the heavenly beings and all creation as we shout with joy: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Glory and honor are yours, Creator of all, your Word has never been silent; you called a people to yourself, as a light to the nations, you delivered them from bondage and led them to a land of promise. Of your grace, you gave Jesus to be human, to share our life, to proclaim the coming of your holy reign and give himself for us, a fragrant offering. Through Jesus Christ our Redeemer, you have freed us from sin, brought us into your life, reconciled us to you, and restored us to the glory you intend for us.

We thank you that on the night before he died for us Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, gave it to his friends and said: “Take, eat, this is my Body, broken for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After supper Jesus took the cup of wine, said the blessing, gave it to his friends and said:

“Drink this, all of you: this cup is the new Covenant in my Blood, poured out for you and for all for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

And so, remembering all that was done for us: the cross, the tomb, the resurrection and ascension, longing for Christ’s coming in glory, and presenting to you these gifts your earth has formed and human hands have made, we acclaim you, O Christ:

Dying, you destroyed our death. Rising, you restored our life. Christ Jesus, come in glory!

Send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts of bread and wine that they may be to us the Body and Blood of your Christ.

Grant that we, burning with your Spirit’s power, may be a people of hope, justice and love. Giver of Life, draw us together in the Body of Christ, and in the fullness of time gather us with blessed Martin and all your people into the joy of our true eternal home.

Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ, by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, we worship you our God and Creator in voices of unending praise.

Blessed are you now and for ever. AMEN.

The Lord’s Prayer

The Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:          We break this bread to share in the Body of Christ.

People:              We who are many are one body, for we all share in the one bread.

Music at Communion  Lo, how a rose e’er blooming          Martha Caruso

Silent Night  first verse solo in Italian    Frank Caruso Astro del ciel, Pargol divin, mite Agnello Redentor!

Tu che i Vati da lungi sognar, Tu che angeliche voci nunziar,

luce dona alle genti pace infondi nei cuor! luce dona alle genti, pace infondi nei cuor!

Silent night, holy night, All is calm, all is bright

‘Round yon virgin Mother and Child, Holy infant so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight!

Glories stream from heaven afar; Heavenly hosts sing Al-le-lu-ia! Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born!

Post-communion Prayer

God of abundance, you have fed us with the bread of life; united us with Christ and one another; and made us one with all your people in heaven and on earth. In this night you have made known to us again the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now fix our eyes on him and send us forth in the power of your Spirit to proclaim your redeeming love to the world and continue forever in the risen life of Christ our Morning Star. Amen.

Blessing of Christmas

Closing Hymn Joy to the World, vs. 1 and 4

Joy to the world! the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare him room, And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven and nature sing, And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love.

The Dismissal

Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit. Thanks be to God.