Hymn. O Come All Ye Faithful # 60VU
Advent-Candlelighting Litany: 1: Today is the final day of Advent.
2: Our waiting has come to an end.
1: Tonight we rejoice in the gift of a Saviour, God’s gift love for us.
2: Tonight we welcome the Prince of Peace, in whom we put our hope.
1: Tonight we light all the candles: the candles of hope, peace, joy, and love, and at the centre of them all, the Christ candle.
2: and we welcome the one who comes to be the light of all the world.
Scripture Lessons: Isaiah 9:2-7
Psalm 96 p.816VU
Luke 2:1-20
Carol. Away in a Manger #69VU
Message
Prayer: Lord, in the beginning when all was very dark, you said: “Let there be light.” And there was light and life throughout the universe.
And when the human race was exhausted, tired and weary, in the darkness of anxiety, confusion and sin, into that darkness you came as light in Jesus Christ God became a human being among us all.
Once again it is dark. Not just dark at midnight but dark in ourselves: dark with doubt, dark with fear and uncertainty, dark with confusing and conflicting voices in our ears.
Come, light of life, lighten the darkness in our lives with your mighty word of love. Lighten our hearts with the joy of your promised coming. Lighten our world with the hope that faith in you still brings.
We go out into Christmas Day in the peace of Jesus Christ. May his peace, that lightens the soul with faith, lifts the spirit with hope and leaven’s the world with love, be yours tonight and always.
And the blessing of God, the Creator, the Son and the Spirit, go with you, and remain with you, now and always. Amen. ( a prayer by John Harvey, printed in the Iona Community’s Candles and Conifers.)
Hymn. Silent Night #67VU
There is a Christmas Eve service in St Paul’s in Ormstown tonight at 7:30pm. There will also be a Carol service at 11:00 on Sunday, December 28th at 11:00 in the hall in Ormstown.
The Moderator of the United Church, the Right Rev. Kimberly Heath has posted a Christmas message, which can be found on the United Church’s website, united-church.ca or on Facebook or on the United Church’s YouTube channel. (There is also an Epiphany edition coming up.)
May the Blessing of God, whose faithfulness and love is made in the birth, the life, the teachings, and the death and the resurrection of Jesus the Christ and through the power and possibility of the Holy Spirit.
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