Christmas Eve

The Laughter Behind Grace
God laughed and brought forth Jesus. Jesus laughed and brought forth the Holy Spirit. All three laughed and brought forth us."

(Meister Eckhart in Elder Wisdom by Eugene Bianchi)

The Christmas Eve service has always been one of my favorite services, in part, because of the delightful expressions seen behind the flames of the candles. In this time of deep darkness, when the Northern Hemisphere is just past her longest night, we celebrate light coming into the world.

This year, however, many of us in western Washington are home bound due to the weather. So I offer here a copy of the services I have used in the past. May this liturgy continue to bring you the wonderment and laughter of the season.

- Joel

INVITATION TO WORSHIP
Leader: Christ is born; give him glory!
People: Christ has come down from heaven; receive him! Christ is now on earth; exalt him!
Leader: O you earth, sing to the Lord!
People: O you nations, praise him in joy, for he has been glorified!

(Traditional Byzantine Christmas Prayer, alt.)

INVOCATION
Send, O God, into the darkness of this troubled world, the light of your Son. Let the star of your hope touch the minds of all people with the bright beams of mercy and truth; and so direct our steps that we may ever walk in the way revealed to us, to the manger where he dwelled, who now and ever reigns in our hearts, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(John Suter, USA, 20th Cent., Alt)

HYMN: "O Come, All Ye Faithful" #234 (v. 1, 3 & 6)*

Lighting of the Advent Candles and Christ Candle

PROCLAMATION IN LESSON AND CAROLS
Scripture: Isaiah 42: 1-4
Hymn: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” #211 (v 1-4)
Scripture: Luke 1: 26-35, 38
Hymn: “To a Maid Engaged to Joseph” #215 (v 1, 2, 6)
Scripture: John 1: 1-5, 14
Hymn: “O Little Town of Bethlehem” #230
Scripture: Luke 2: 1-7
Hymn: “Away in a Manger” #217
Scripture: Luke 2: 8-12
Hymn: “The First Noel” #245 (vs. 1-2)
Scripture: Luke 2: 13-14
Hymn: “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” #218
Scripture: Luke 2: 15-20
Hymn: “Angels We Have Heard on High” #238

Prayers of the People**
Celebrating the birth that brings grace and salvation to all, let us place before God our needs and those of the whole world.

As we pray FOR THE CHURCH wherever it is in the world

• For the church here and throughout the world, that our worship and praise may give glory to You, O God, and our witness and ministry promote peace on earth.

And we remember THE WORLD

• For peoples of every race and nation, that the celebration of the birth of You, the Prince of Peace, may encourage a new birth of righteousness and justice.

We pray also FOR THOSE OPPRESSED, AFFLICTED OR IN NEED

• For those bowed down by injustice or despair, that Your power, the power of God, and the zeal of Your servants may break the rod of oppression and lift the yoke of life’s burdens.
• For refugees and aliens, for homeless people and unwed mothers, that in them we may see the image of Mary and Joseph, and recognize Your face, O Christ.

We hold THE NEEDS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY close to our hearts, O God, so we pray:

• For family and friends near and far, for the hospitalized and homebound, that the good news of Christmas may be for all who are dear to us the end of darkness and fear, the dawn of light and joy.

Finally, Lord God, we pray for ourselves, THIS ASSEMBLY

• For this assembly, that by Your grace – the grace of Christ’s coming – may live upright and godly lives, and bear witness to our blessed hope for Your, Our Savior’s, glorious return.

INTRODUCTION TO THE LORD’S PRAYER:

• The Word became flesh and dwelled among us, that as children of God we might dare to pray: OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN . . . 

Hymn: “What Child Is This” #219

SENDING FORTH
Passing the Light
Hymn: “Silent Night, Holy Night” #239
Proclamation: Isaiah 9: 2-4, 6-7
Hymn: “Joy to the World” #246

Benediction
Rejoicing in Emmanuel, God-is-with-us, go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

* These are the hymn/page numbers in the United Methodist Hymnal

** Prayers of the People are adapted from Peter Scagnelli's Prayers: Year B.

Advent

Make ready for the Christ,
whose smile – like lightning –
sets free the song of everlasting glory
that now sleeps, in your paper flesh
– like dynamite.

Thomas Merton


Years ago I had the opportunity to be introduced to an Orthodox church as part of a retreat field-trip. The icons of John the Baptist and Mary Theotokos struck me. Looking from the sanctuary, these icons were on each side of the chancel area, while above the altar table was an icon of Jesus crucified. The three icons formed a triptych.

How appropriate for Advent to find ourselves living between the images of John the Baptist, and Mary Theotokos. On the one hand, John the Baptist reminds us of the prophetic tradition out of which Jesus arises. It is a tradition concerned with the orphan, the widow and the sojourner, and siding with the oppressed, the forsaken, and the ignored. I see John the Baptist inviting us to live our faith in the flesh and bones of present reality, not only in our theory and belief, but also in praxis.

And then we have Mary Theotokos, Mary the God-bearer. Mary who also calls forth a world in which present realities are turned upside down, the poor walking away filled, while the rich walk away empty. She reminds me of the ways in which I, too, am called to carry the image of God into the world.

What does this mean for us? Are we, too, to wear camel skins and eat wild honey and locusts? I’m not sure that necessarily fits our context. But how do we live in a way that is different, that is just, that recognizes the divine spark in us, and in our neighbor that comes from being created in the Divine Image? Perhaps part of the answer comes from striving to move more and more to living in ways that are sustainable, not only for ourselves, our communities, but also for the world around us.

May the end of your Advent be filled with expectation of the Coming Christ, as well as ponderings of how to live out the present reality of the kingdom/kin-dom.

Peace –

Joel

I heard on the radio today that this marks the anniversary of Marconi's receiving the first trans-Atlantic a radio signal from Europe (from Poldhu, Cornwall) at Signal Hill in St. John's, Newfoundland. Maybe it is somewhat ironic that it also marks the start of this blog of Winds of Grace via a wireless connection. Stay tuned for more.