Westworth United Church
1750 Grosvenor Avenue, Winnipeg
December 24, 2018—Christmas Eve, 9:00 pm
We Gather to Worship
Welcome & Announcements
Prelude: “What Child is This?” Noel Rawsthorne
Christ Candle Litany
Introit: “Carol of the Bells” Music: Leontovych, lyrics Wilhousky
A Christmas Prayer VU 66 (unison)
Hymn VU 36 “Angels, from the Realm of Glory” REGENT SQUARE
The Peace of Christ
One: May the peace of Christ be with you.
All: And also with you.
Please extend to others a blessing of peace with words such as,
“Peace be with you,” or “Peace,” with the response, “And also with you.”
We Hear the Word
First Lesson: Isaiah 9:2, 6
A Story of Light
Hymn VU 40 “Before the Marvel of This Night” MARVEL
Second Lesson: Luke 2:1-7
A Story of Grace
Hymn VU 71 “ ’Twas in the Moon of Wintertime” JESOUS AHATONHIA
(remain seated)
Third Lesson: Luke 2:8-14
Hymn VU 38 “Angels We Have Heard on High” GLORIA
(remain seated)
Fourth Lesson: Luke 2:15-20
Anthem: “Wonderful Peace” Gustaf Nordquist
A Story of Compassion
Hymn VU 49 “No Crowded Eastern Street” HERITAGE
We Gather at the Table
Offering
Offertory: “The Coventry Carol” Lloyd Webber
Dedication Hymn VU 74 “What Child is This?”
Offering Prayer
The Sacrament of Holy Communion (see insert)
(Once the communion servers are in place, please proceed up the centre aisle, take a piece of bread and dip in the cup, eat and return to your seat along the side aisles. The central station at the front has gluten-free rice crackers and juice. If you have difficulty walking, please signal servers as they come down the centre aisle and they will serve you in your pew)
The Sacrament of Holy Communion: Christmas Eve
(Communion Setting E: VU 942)
May God be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to God most holy.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.
On this holy night we come to taste anew
the wonder of a holy love.
We come in awe of the mystery of God
becoming vulnerable, a baby needy and naked,
utterly dependent upon human warmth and care.
We celebrate the mystery of the Anointed One
who offered warmth and care to others vulnerable and needy. We celebrate the mystery of Love incarnate as we sing:
♪Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might (repeat),
heaven and earth are full, full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. (repeat)
Blessed is the he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest. (repeat)
On the night before Jesus died, he had supper with his disciples. He took bread, thanked you as we have thanked you,
broke the bread and gave it to his friends, saying,
“Take this, all of you, and eat it.
This is my body given for you.
Each time you eat this bread, remember me.”
After supper he took the wine, thanked you for it,
and passed a cup of wine to his friends, saying
“This cup is the new promise God has made with you in my blood. Each time you drink from this cup, remember me.”
At this time, we also remember all who are poor, cold and hungry like the shepherds, that they may receive good news.
We pray for all who are wandering and searching like the magi, that they may find the place to leave their gifts and their burdens.
We pray for all who are busy, hurried, and preoccupied like the innkeeper, that they may know the peace that comes from genuine acts of hospitality.
We pray for all like Herod who have power, that they may use it with good will.
We pray for ourselves—we who need comfort, peace and joy, even in this starlit season, and all the days of our lives. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer VU #921
With the words Jesus taught us, we now pray to God,
our Mother and 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,
the power, and the glory,
forever and ever.
Amen.
In the bread broken and the cup poured,
we proclaim the good news of Christ,
which restores to memory and hope
those who are broken and unremembered.
We long for the bread of tomorrow
and the wine of the age to come.
Therefore, as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we sing:
♪Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
One: Come, life-giving Spirit of God, bring us together
in unity at your table.
Shower us with your grace that we may know,
in the depths of our being,
that each one of us is dearly loved and warmly welcomed
to this table of healing and wholeness.
May these gifts of life be a sign of your grace to us.
Through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory is yours,
God most holy, now and forever.
♪Amen, amen, amen, amen.
Sharing the Bread and the Cup
The Bread of Life; The Cup of Communion
The gifts of God for the people of God.
Everyone who follows Jesus Christ,
regardless of church affiliation,
is welcome to come to this table.
Come, for all things are now ready.
Prayer after Communion
Divine love, we have tasted the holy mystery of your incarnation in a little one. Be incarnate in our lives, that we may love the little ones of this world as you have loved us.
Benediction
Hymn VU 67 “Silent Night, Holy Night” STILLE NACHT
(remain seated) Jewel Casselman, recorder
Words by Joseph Mohr; Music by Franz Xavier Grüber
- 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 Hallelujah, Christ the Saviour is born,
Christ the Saviour is born.
- Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
Postlude: “In dulci jubilo” J.S. Bach
Ushers: Kirk W. and Alan W.
Advent Candle-lighters: Cheryl M. D. and Gerald D.
Scripture Readers: Kathy W. and Frank W.
Communion Servers: Ron and Melissa B., Barbara and Frank W., Norm, Jennifer and Shealagh S.
All are welcome to our Christmas Services!
Worship Around The Breakfast Tables
December 30, 2018 in the Gym
10:30 a.m. 11 a.m.
Breakfast Worship
Sharing our favourite carols
Upcoming Events in 2019
Vocal Ascent Concert: Jan. 27, 2019, 7:00pm
Samedi Swing Big Band & Dance: Mar. 2, 2019, 7:00pm
Westworth 2019 Interfaith Dialogue: Responding to the TRC
Mondays, 7-9 pm:
March 11 at Congregation Etz Chayim with Shahina Siddiqui, Muslim, & Elder Theodore Fontaine
March 18 at Manitoba Buddhist Temple with Steve Heinrichs, Mennonite, & Elder Stan McKay
March 25 at Winnipeg Central Mosque with Brian McLeod, Buddhist, & Elder Adrian Jacobs
April 1 at Westworth United Church with Ruth Ashrafi, Jewish, &
Elder Chickadee Richard
The Staff of Westworth United Church
Wish you and your lvoed ones
A very blessed Christmas and
A Happy New Year!
