Common Worship: Times and Seasons President's Edition

Common Worship

Times and Seasons

President’s Edition for Holy Communion

Church House Publishing

Copyright

Published by Church House Publishing

Church House

Great Smith Street

London SW1P 3AZ

Copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2010

First published 2010

ISBN 978-0-7151-2170-2

ISBN (for this ePub Edition) 978-0-7151-2243-3

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, except as stated below, without written permission.

Texts for local use: the arrangements which apply to local editions of services cover reproduction on a non-commercial basis both for a single occasion and for repeated use. Details are available in the booklet A Brief Guide to Liturgical Copyright (see Copyright Information here for further information).

Music typeset by The Art of Music

Designed by Derek Birdsall RDI and John Morgan

Contents

A note on using this Common Worship EPUB edition

Authorization

Introduction

Seasonal Material

Holy Communion Order One

Collects and Post Communions

Material for Use Throughout the Year

Authorized Forms of Confession and Absolution

Creeds and Authorized Affirmations of Faith

Intercessions

Material for Baptism and Pastoral Services

Music for the Eucharistic Prayers

Copyright Information

Acknowledgements

For the Calendar and Rules to Order the Christian Year, see Common Worship: Times and Seasons, pages 7–30.

A note on using this Common Worship EPUB edition

This Common Worship eBook is designed for use on any device able to read EPUB electronic books, such as an iPad using iBooks, or a Nook or Kobo eReader.

The following notes on navigating this publication on an eReader may be helpful, bearing in mind that using a prayer book is likely to be quite different to the experience of reading a novel or similar.

Finding your way around easily

♦  The Contents list contains links to each section of the book.

♦  You can access the Contents list from any section in the book by clicking on the underlined main heading.

♦  You will also find underlined cross-reference links – e.g. from a service to the text of The Lord’s Prayer. Click on the underlined ‘here’ to go to The Lord’s Prayer. When you have finished reading The Lord’s Prayer, press the Back button to return to the section you have just left.

♦  Selecting the Menu will also give you the option to search the text for a particular word or phrase.

Personalizing your Common Worship eBook

♦  You can bookmark particular sections to mark a place to which you want to return (in much the same way as you might use a ribbon in a printed liturgical book). Click on the bookmark icon in the menu bar.

♦  You can also add a note or highlight a particular section with a note, which may be helpful when planning worship or studying. Check the user guide for your device/eReader application for how to do this.

¶    Authorization

The following material is authorized pursuant to Canon B 2 of the Canons of the Church of England for use until further resolution of the General Synod:

¶    Texts in the Seasonal Material that are marked #sd in the list of sources in Common Worship: Times and Seasons

¶    Holy Communion Order One

¶    Collects and Post Communions

¶    Material for Use Throughout the Year (except the Short Prefaces and certain Simple Blessings)

¶    Authorized Forms of Confession and Absolution

¶    Creeds and Authorized Affirmations of Faith

¶    Forms of Intercession for Use Throughout the Year

¶   Material for Baptism and Pastoral Services

The following material has been commended by the House of Bishops of the General Synod for use by the minister in exercise of his or her discretion under Canon B 5 of the Canons of the Church of England:

¶    The remaining texts in the Seasonal Material

¶    Short Proper Prefaces for the Sundays before Lent and after Trinity

¶   Additional Blessings included in the Material for Use Throughout the Year

Canon B 3 provides that decisions as to which of the authorized services are to be used (other than the occasional offices) shall be taken jointly by the incumbent and the parochial church council. In the case of occasional offices (other than Confirmation and Ordination), the decision is to be made by the minister conducting the service, subject to the right of any of the persons concerned to object beforehand to the form of service proposed.

¶    Introduction

When to use this book

This volume contains all the material required by the president for the celebration of Holy Communion Order One in contemporary language on Sundays and ordinary weekdays (ferias) throughout the year.

Material is provided for Passiontide (including the Liturgy of Palm Sunday) and the Easter Season (including a new order for a mid- morning Eucharist on Easter Day) but not for the days of Holy Week or for the Easter Liturgy. Common Worship: Holy Week and Easter offers a comprehensive resource for the period from Palm Sunday to Easter Day.

On ordinary weekdays (including Commemorations), the liturgical texts for the seasons and for Ordinary Time, contained in this volume, are used. The provisions for Festivals, Lesser Festivals, the Common of the Saints and Special Occasions may be found in Common Worship: Festivals.

Contents of this book

A President’s Edition of Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England was published in 2000. In the introduction to that volume, it was noted that parts of Common Worship were yet to be published and that some of the future provisions (particularly the volume of seasonal texts) would include further presidential material. In addition to the relevant material from the 2000 President’s Edition, the present volume includes the material in Common Worship: Times and Seasons that is intended for use at the Eucharist (though not the resources for specifically non-Eucharistic worship), selected material from Common Worship: Festivals and Common Worship: Pastoral Services, as well as the Additional Collects authorized in 2004. The result is a book whose scope, in respect of resources for Holy Communion Order One, is considerably greater than that of the earlier volume.

Arrangement of the material

The first part of the book contains a comprehensive selection of material for the Seasons, set out in a format similar to that found in Times and Seasons. For each season there is a selection of:

¶    Invitations to Confession

¶    Kyrie Confessions

¶    Gospel Acclamations

¶    Introductions to the Peace

¶    Prayers at the Preparation of the Table

¶    Short Prefaces (for use with Eucharistic Prayers A, B, C and E)

¶    Extended Prefaces (for use with Eucharistic Prayers A, B and E)

¶    Simple and Solemn Blessings

¶   Short Passages of Scripture

For Principal Feasts and other Principal Holy Days there are fully worked-out orders of service, for example the Eucharist of Christmas Night or Morning (here) and the Liturgy of Ash Wednesday (here).

At the centre of the book is the text of Holy Communion: Order One. This traditional position locates the material that is used on every occasion in the place where the book lies open most easily. Following this are the Collects and Post Communions. (Unlike the texts that are for use throughout a season or throughout the year, each of these is for use only in one week, and they are therefore presented separately.) Then comes a set of texts, corresponding to the seasonal material, that are for use throughout the year. Authorized forms of Confession and Absolution, Creeds and Affirmations of Faith, and forms of Intercession follow.

Towards the end of the book there are texts (comparable to the seasonal material and set out in the same format) for use after the Peace at Baptisms, Marriages and Funerals. (It is assumed that Common Worship: Christian Initiation or Common Worship: Pastoral Services will be used in the earlier part of the service.) The service of Laying on of Hands with Prayer and Anointing at a Celebration of Holy Communion is included as a fully worked-out service.

The final section of the book provides musical settings (to the traditional tones) for Eucharistic Prayers A, B, C and E. There are also settings of a large number of Short Prefaces and Extended Prefaces – at least one for each season and occasion for which provision is included in the main part of the book.

All the liturgical texts that are included may be found elsewhere, but in the printed edition of this book they are presented in a large, clear format, suitable for use by the president at Holy Communion. Ribbons are provided to enable pages to be marked and to ease forward and backward movement throughout the book.

Seasonal Material

Contents

Advent

Christmas

Epiphany

Lent

The Annunciation of Our Lord

Passiontide

Easter

Trinity to All Saints

All Saints to Advent

Creation

For Material for Use Throughout the Year, see here.

Advent

Contents

Seasonal Material

Invitations to Confession

Kyrie Confessions

Gospel Acclamation

Introductions to the Peace

Prayers at the Preparation of the Table

Short Prefaces

Extended Prefaces

Simple Blessings

Solemn Blessings

An Alternative Dismissal for Advent Sunday

Short Passages of Scripture

For an introduction to the season, see Common Worship: Times and Seasons, page 33.

For material for use at the Advent Wreath, see Common Worship: Times and Seasons, pages 50–55.

For Intercessions, see here.

Seasonal Material

Invitations to Confession

When the Lord comes,

he will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness,

and will disclose the purposes of the heart.

Therefore in the light of Christ let us confess our sins.

cf 1 Corinthians 4.5

(or)

A voice cries out in the wilderness,

‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’

So let us listen, and turn to the Lord in penitence and faith.

cf John 1.23

(or)

‘The axe is laid at the root of the trees;

every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down.’

But confident in God’s mercy we confess our sins.

cf Matthew 3.10

Kyrie Confessions

Turn to us again, O God our saviour,

and let your anger cease from us:

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

Show us your compassion, O Lord,

and grant us your salvation:

Christ, have mercy.

All   Christ, have mercy.

Your salvation is near for those that fear you,

that glory may dwell in our land:

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

(or)

God, through Jesus Christ,

will judge the secret thoughts of all:

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’

will enter the kingdom of heaven:

Christ, have mercy.

All   Christ, have mercy.

Let anyone who has an ear

listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches:

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

(or)

Lord Jesus, you came to gather the nations

into the peace of your kingdom:

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

You come in word and sacrament

to strengthen us in holiness:

Christ, have mercy.

All   Christ, have mercy.

You will come in glory

with salvation for your people:

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

Light

Heavenly Father,

you have created a universe of light:

forgive us when we return to darkness.

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,

you are the light of the world:

cleanse and heal our blinded sight.

Christ, have mercy.

All   Christ, have mercy.

Holy Spirit,

you give us light in our hearts:

renew us in faith and love.

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

Repentance

Heavenly Father,

you call us to repent of our sins:

soften our proud and stubborn hearts.

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,

you declared the forgiveness of God:

teach us to forgive one another.

Christ, have mercy.

All   Christ, have mercy.

Holy Spirit,

you search our hearts and show us the truth:

direct us in your way of righteousness.

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

John the Baptist

Heavenly Father,

you call us to prepare for the coming of your Son:

forgive us our unreadiness to receive him.

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,

you were proclaimed by John the Baptist:

help us also to prepare your way.

Christ, have mercy.

All   Christ, have mercy.

Holy Spirit,

you speak through the prophets:

make us attentive to hear your word.

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

The Blessed Virgin Mary

Heavenly Father,

you exalted the humble and meek:

give us humble and contrite hearts.

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,

you grew towards birth in the Virgin’s womb:

be planted also in our hearts and lives.

Christ, have mercy.

All   Christ, have mercy.

Holy Spirit,

you overshadowed Mary,

that she might become the God-bearer:

fill us with your heavenly gifts.

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

This absolution may be used

Almighty God,

who in Jesus Christ has given us

a kingdom that cannot be destroyed,

forgive us our sins,

open our eyes to God’s truth,

strengthen us to do God’s will

and give us the joy of his kingdom,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All   Amen.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia.

Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,

and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

cf Isaiah 40.3-5

All   Alleluia.

Introductions to the Peace

In the tender mercy of our God,

the dayspring from on high shall break upon us,

to give light to those who dwell in darkness

and in the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

(or)

God will speak peace to his people,

to those who turn to him in their hearts.

(or)

May the God of peace make you completely holy,

ready for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(or)

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.

Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.

Prayers at the Preparation of the Table

As this bread was scattered

and then gathered and made one,

so may your Church be gathered into your kingdom.

All   Glory to you, O God, for ever.

Wisdom has built her a house;

she has mixed her wine; she has set her table.

All   Glory to you, O God, for ever.

(or)

Look upon us in mercy not in judgement;

draw us from hatred to love;

make the frailty of our praise

a dwelling place for your glory.

All   Amen.

(or)

As the grain once scattered in the fields

and the grapes once dispersed on the hillside

are now reunited on this table in bread and wine,

so, Lord, may your whole Church soon be gathered together

from the corners of the earth

into your kingdom.

All   Amen.

Short Prefaces

For music, see here.

And now we give you thanks

because you sent him to redeem us from sin and death,

and to make us inheritors of everlasting life;

that when he shall come again in power and great triumph

to judge the world,

we may with joy behold his appearing,

and in confidence may stand before him.

(or)

And now we give you thanks

because when he humbled himself

to come among us in human flesh,

he fulfilled the plan you formed long ago

and opened for us the way of salvation.

So now we watch for the day,

knowing that the salvation promised us will be ours

when Christ our Lord will come again in glory.

(or)

And now we give you thanks

because you prepared the way of your Son Jesus Christ

by the preaching of your servant John the Baptist,

who proclaimed him as the Lamb of God, our Saviour.

(or)

And now we give you thanks

because your Son our Lord was awaited by the prophets,

announced by an angel,

conceived by a virgin,

and proclaimed at last to men and women of every race.

(or)

And now we give you thanks

because in his coming the day of our deliverance has dawned;

and through him you will make all things new,

as he comes in power and triumph to judge the world.

Extended Prefaces

For music, see here.

From the First Sunday of Advent until 16 December

It is indeed right and good to give you thanks and praise,

almighty God and everlasting Father,

through Jesus Christ your Son.

For when he humbled himself to come among us in human flesh,

he fulfilled the plan you formed before the foundation of the world

to open for us the way of salvation.

Confident that your promise will be fulfilled,

we now watch for the day

when Christ our Lord will come again in glory.

And so we join our voices with angels and archangels

and with all the company of heaven

to proclaim your glory

for ever praising you and saying:

(or)

From 17 December until Christmas Eve

It is indeed right and good to give you thanks and praise,

almighty God and everlasting Father,

through Jesus Christ your Son.

He is the one foretold by all the prophets,

whom the Virgin Mother bore with love beyond all telling.

John the Baptist was his herald

and made him known when at last he came.

In his love Christ fills us with joy

as we prepare to celebrate his birth,

so that when he comes again he may find us watching in prayer,

our hearts filled with wonder and praise.

And so, with angels and archangels,

and with all the company of heaven,

we proclaim your glory,

and join in their unending hymn of praise:

Simple Blessings

Christ the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you,

scatter the darkness from before your path,

and make you ready to meet him when he comes in glory;

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

All   Amen.

(or)

May God himself, the God of peace,

make you perfect and holy,

and keep you safe and blameless, in spirit, soul and body,

for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

All   Amen.

Solemn Blessings

May God the Father,

who loved the world so much that he sent his only Son,

give you grace to prepare for life eternal.

All   Amen.

May God the Son,

who comes to us as redeemer and judge,

reveal to you the path from darkness to light.

All   Amen.

May God the Holy Spirit,

by whose working the Virgin Mary conceived the Christ,

help you bear the fruits of holiness.

All   Amen.

And the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

All   Amen.

(or)

May God the Father, judge all-merciful,

make us worthy of a place in his kingdom.

All   Amen.

May God the Son, coming among us in power,

reveal in our midst the promise of his glory.

All   Amen.

May God the Holy Spirit make us steadfast in faith,

joyful in hope and constant in love.

All   Amen.

And the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

All   Amen.

An Alternative Dismissal for Advent Sunday

Acclamation

After the post-communion prayers a hymn may be sung and/or the following acclamation may be used

With love and compassion,

All   come, Lord Jesus.

With judgement and mercy,

All   come, Lord Jesus.

In power and glory,

All   come, Lord Jesus.

In wisdom and truth,

All   come, Lord Jesus.

The Dismissal Gospel

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.

All   Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying,

‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent,

and believe in the good news.’

Mark 1.14,15

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

All   Praise to you, O Christ.

The Blessing

This or another blessing may be used

May God the Father, judge all-merciful,

make us worthy of a place in his kingdom.

All   Amen.

May God the Son, coming among us in power,

reveal in our midst the promise of his glory.

All   Amen.

May God the Holy Spirit make us steadfast in faith,

joyful in hope and constant in love.

All   Amen.

And the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

All   Amen.

The Dismissal

As we await our coming Saviour,

go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

All   In the name of Christ. Amen.

(or)

As we await our coming Saviour,

go in the peace of Christ.

All   Thanks be to God.

Short Passages of Scripture

Now is the time to wake out of sleep,

for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

Romans 13.11

The night is far spent, the day is at hand:

let us therefore cast off the works of darkness

and let us put on the armour of light.

Romans 13.12

Break forth together into singing,

you waste places of Jerusalem;

for the Lord has comforted his people.

Isaiah 52.9

Lift up your heads, O gates;

be lifted up, you everlasting doors;

and the King of glory shall come in.

Psalm 24.7

Watch at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.

Luke 21.36

Stand up and raise your heads,

because your redemption is drawing near.

Luke 21.28

Our Lord says, ‘Surely, I come quickly.’

Even so; come, Lord Jesus.

Revelation 22.20

Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,

and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isaiah 7.14

Christmas

Contents

Seasonal Material

Invitations to Confession

Kyrie Confessions

Confession

Absolutions

Gospel Acclamation

Introductions to the Peace

Prayer at the Preparation of the Table

Short Prefaces

Extended Preface

Simple Blessings

Solemn Blessing

Short Passages of Scripture

Eucharist of Christmas Night or Morning

For an introduction to the season, see Common Worship: Times and Seasons, page 64.

For Intercessions, see here.

Seasonal Material

Invitations to Confession

Hear the words of the angel to Joseph:

‘You shall call his name Jesus,

for he will save his people from their sins.’

Therefore let us seek the forgiveness of God

through Jesus the Saviour of the world.

cf Matthew 1.21

(or)

(particularly during the night)

Christ the light of the world has come

to dispel the darkness of our hearts.

Let us turn to the light and confess our sins.

(or)

(particularly in the morning)

The sun of righteousness has dawned

with healing in his wings.

Let us come to the light of Christ,

confessing our sins in penitence and faith.

cf Malachi 4.2

(or)

As we kneel with the shepherds before the newborn Christ-child,

we open our hearts in penitence and faith.

Kyrie Confessions

God our Father,

you sent your Son full of grace and truth:

forgive our failure to receive him.

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

Jesus our Saviour,

you were born in poverty and laid in a manger:

forgive our greed and rejection of your ways.

Christ, have mercy.

All   Christ, have mercy.

Spirit of Love,

your servant Mary responded joyfully to your call:

forgive the hardness of our hearts.

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

(or)

You were born for our salvation:

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

You came as Saviour to bring wholeness and peace:

Christ, have mercy.

All   Christ, have mercy.

You come to bring light into the darkness of our lives:

Lord, have mercy.

All   Lord, have mercy.

Confession

Lord of grace and truth,

we confess our unworthiness

to stand in your presence as your children.

We have sinned:

All   forgive and heal us.

The Virgin Mary accepted your call

to be the mother of Jesus.

Forgive our disobedience to your will.

We have sinned:

All   forgive and heal us.

Your Son our Saviour

was born in poverty in a manger.

Forgive our greed and rejection of your ways.

We have sinned:

All   forgive and heal us.

The shepherds left their flocks

to go to Bethlehem.

Forgive our self-interest and lack of vision.

We have sinned:

All   forgive and heal us.

The wise men followed the star

to find Jesus the King.

Forgive our reluctance to seek you.

We have sinned:

All   forgive and heal us.

Absolutions

May the God of all healing and forgiveness

draw you to himself

and cleanse you from all your sins,

that you may behold the glory of his Son,

the Word made flesh,

Jesus Christ our Lord.

All   Amen.

(or)

May God who loved the world so much

that he sent his Son to be our Saviour

forgive us our sins

and make us holy to serve him in the world,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All   Amen.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia.

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,

and we have seen his glory.

cf John 1.14

All   Alleluia.

Introductions to the Peace

Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given,

and his name shall be called the Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9.6

(or)

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace

to all in whom he delights.

Luke 2.14

Prayer at the Preparation of the Table

Word made flesh, life of the world,

in your incarnation you embraced our poverty:

by your Spirit may we share in your riches.

All   Amen.

Short Prefaces

For music, see here.

And now we give you thanks

because, by the power of the Holy Spirit,

he took our nature upon him

and was born of the Virgin Mary his mother,

that being himself without sin,

he might make us clean from all sin.

(or)

And now we give you thanks

because in coming to dwell among us as man,

he revealed the radiance of your glory

and brought us out of darkness

into your own marvellous light.

(or)

And now we give you thanks

because, in the incarnation of the Word,

a new light has dawned upon the world;

you have become one with us

that we might become one with you in your glorious kingdom.

(or)

And now we give you thanks

because for love of our fallen race

he most wonderfully and humbly chose to be made man,

and to take our nature as nevermore to lay it by,

so that we might be born again by your Spirit

and restored in your image.

(or)

The Holy Family

And now we give you thanks

because in his earthly childhood

you entrusted him to the care of a human family.

In Mary and Joseph you give us an example

of love and devotion to him,

and also a pattern of family life.

(or)

The Blessed Virgin Mary

And now we give you thanks

because in choosing the Blessed Virgin Mary

to be the mother of your Son

you have exalted the humble and meek.

Your angel hailed her as most highly favoured;

with all generations we call her blessed

and with her we rejoice and magnify your holy name.

Extended Preface

For music, see here.

All glory and honour be yours always and everywhere,

mighty creator, ever-living God.

We give you thanks and praise for your Son,

our Saviour Jesus Christ,

who for love of our fallen race humbled himself,

and [on this night] was born of the Virgin Mary

by the power of your Spirit,

and lived as one of us.

In this mystery of the Word made flesh

you have caused his light to shine in our hearts,

to give knowledge of your glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

In him we see our God made visible

and so are caught up in the love of the God we cannot see.

Therefore with all the angels of heaven

we lift our voices to proclaim the glory of your name

and sing our joyful hymn of praise:

Simple Blessings

Christ, who by his incarnation gathered into one

things earthly and heavenly,

fill you with peace and goodwill

and make you partakers of the divine nature;

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

All   Amen.

(or)

Christ the Son of God, born of Mary,

fill you with his grace to trust his promises and obey his will;

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

All   Amen.

(or)

May the joy of the angels,

the eagerness of the shepherds,

the perseverance of the wise men,

the obedience of Joseph and Mary,

and the peace of the Christ-child

be yours this Christmas;

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

All   Amen.

Solemn Blessing

May the Father,

who has loved the eternal Son

from before the foundation of the world,

shed that love upon you his children.

All   Amen.

May Christ,

who by his incarnation gathered into one

things earthly and heavenly,

fill you with joy and peace.

All   Amen.

May the Holy Spirit,

by whose overshadowing Mary became the God-bearer,

give you grace to carry the good news of Christ.

All   Amen.

And the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

All   Amen.

Short Passages of Scripture

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;

those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,

on them has light shined.

Isaiah 9.2

I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:

to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,

who is Christ, the Lord.

Luke 2.10,11

The shepherds said to one another,

‘Let us go now to Bethlehem

and see this thing that has taken place,

which the Lord has made known to us.’

Luke 2.15

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,

and we beheld his glory.

John 1.14

The bread of God is he who comes down from heaven

and gives life to the world.

John 6.33

Eucharist of Christmas Night or Morning

¶    The Gathering

The service may begin at the crib.

A hymn or carol may be sung.

These words may be said

Welcome all wonders in one sight!

Eternity shut in a span.

Summer in winter, day in night,

heaven in earth and God in man.

Great little one whose all-embracing birth

brings earth to heaven, stoops heaven to earth.

(or)

‘Do I not fill heaven and earth?’ says the Lord.

All   Now the Word is made flesh and laid in a narrow manger.

From eternity to eternity you are God,

All   and now we see you as a newborn child.

The Greeting

The president greets the people

Grace, mercy and peace

from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ

be with you

All   and also with you.

Blessing of the Crib

If there is no dedication of the crib, the service continues with the Prayers of Penitence.

Dear friends, as we meet to celebrate the birth of Christ, let us pray that God will bless this crib, that all who worship his Son, born of the Virgin Mary, may come to share his life in glory.

God our Father,

on this night [day]

your Son Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary

for us and for our salvation:

bless this crib,

which we have prepared to celebrate that holy birth;

may all who see