Sunday December 25, 2022 Christmas

Christmas Day
Sunday December 25, 2022

Welcome/Announcements

Sing together: Joy to the World

Sing together: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

Call to worship
One: Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people!
All: Our savior is born in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord!
One: The Word became flesh, and made his home among us!
All: We have seen his glory, full of grace and truth!
One: Come! Let us worship Emmanuel, God is with us!
All: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth, peace.

Service of the Scriptures
One: Lord, open our hearts and minds by the power of your Holy Spirit, that, as the
Scriptures are read and your Word proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today.

Many: Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be
born of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption
and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with
you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

One: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John [1:1-14]

Many: Glory to You, Lord Christ!

In the beginning was the Word
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
The Word was with God in the beginning.
Everything came into being through the Word,
and without the Word
nothing came into being.
What came into being
through the Word was life,
and the life was the light for all people.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light.
A man named John was sent from God. He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that
through him everyone would believe in the light. He himself wasn’t the light, but his mission was to
testify concerning the light.
The true light that shines on all people
was coming into the world.
The light was in the world,
and the world came into being through the light,
but the world didn’t recognize the light.
The light came to his own people,
and his own people didn’t welcome him.
But those who did welcome him,
those who believed in his name,
he authorized to become God’s children,
born not from blood
nor from human desire or passion,
but born from God.
The Word became flesh
and made his home among us.
We have seen his glory,
glory like that of a father’s only son,
full of grace and truth.

One: This is the Gospel of the Lord!
Many: Praise to you, Lord Christ!

Communion

One: The Lord be with you!
Many: And also with you!
One: Lift up your hearts!
Many: We lift them up to the Lord!
One: Let us give thanks!
Many: It is just and right to give thanks!

It is just and right and a good and joyful thing,
always and everywhere to give our thanks and praise to
almighty God, creator of heaven and earth. So let us pray:
God, you spoke and your Word became flesh, breathing a new song of joy and praise into the world.
Grant that we may bear the good news of your salvation, proclaiming your promise of peace to the
ends of the earth.

As your Word became flesh, born of woman, on that night long ago, so we remember that on the night
that our Lord Jesus Christ was betrayed, he took bread and after giving thanks, he broke it, and he gave
it to his disciples and said, “This is my body, given for you.”

Likewise, after supper, he took the cup and after giving thanks said, “This is the cup of the new
covenant in my blood which is poured out for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me.”
And so, we gather as the Body of Christ to offer ourselves to you in praise and thanksgiving as we
proclaim the mystery of our faith:

Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!

Because we all partake of the one bread and the one cup, we, though we are many, are one… no
matter what divides us. So let us join together and pray the prayer the Lord taught all his disciples to
pray. Let us be so bold as to say:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.
Amen.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us and on these your gifts. Make them by the power of your Spirit to be
for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the Body of Christ, redeemed by His
blood.

By your Spirit make us one in Christ, one with each other, and one in the ministry of Christ to all the
world, until Christ comes in final victory. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And all God’s
People said, Amen.

Then invite with the words:
The Table is prepared; all who are hungry and thirsty are invited to receive these gifts of grace; may
Christ be fully formed in you.

(After everyone has received):
One: God of love, the risen Christ has been made known to us in the breaking of the bread; help us now
grow in love for you and for each other; Thank you for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are
living members of the Body of Christ.

Sing together: Go Tell it on the Mountain

Sending Forth/Benediction
May God bless you and keep you; may God’s face shine upon you and be gracious unto you; may God’s
countenance be lifted upon you and give you peace, from this day forth and forevermore.
Many: And now, God, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as
faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To Christ, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory,
now and for ever. Amen.

After service, everyone is invited to stay for a “Hymn Sing” of Christmas Carols.