WORSHIPPING, CARING, GROWING, REACHING OUT, IN THE NAME OF CHRIST
We are people gathered by God from across the National Capital area, to be a witness of Christian hope at the centre of the region CHRISTMAS EVE 2022 |
A Service of the Nativity | Pageant and Carols
THE GATHERING: WE COME INTO GOD'S PRESENCE
Organ Prelude
Matthew Larkin, organist
Over 100 people, from the ages of 2 to 82 years old, were asked to fill in the blank for the
statement: “My story is….” From the voices of different generations, hear their answers:
Teenagers: Amazing! Children: Just beginning. Adults: A wee bit messy, with lots of love.
Older Adults: Privileged. Teenagers: Hopeful. Children: Full of silliness.
Adults: Still unfolding. Older Adults: Long, but good. Teenagers: One of resilience.
Children: Incomplete, thank goodness. Adults: Multilingual. Older Adults: A work in progress.
Teenagers: My story is not just mine, it is tied to yours.
Tonight we tell the story that we tell each year – the story of Christ’s birth, the story of love made flesh. It’s a story that weaves through every generation. It’s a story that picks up the bits and pieces of our narrative and braids us together.
Adults: So tonight we will tell the story and light the Christ candle, because from generation to generation, our story belongs to God.
All together: Thanks be to God for a love like that, Amen.
Hymn 159 Oh come, all ye faithful vv 1-3 “Adeste fideles” Anonymous
Words: Latin, John Francis Wade (1711-1786) trans F. Oakeley (1802-1880)
Prayers of Approach & Confession
Assurance of God’s Love
Prayer of Illumination
A Service of the Nativity
Scene 1: Mary hears from God
Luke 1: 26 - 38
Hymn 136 The first nowell vv 1,3,6 “The First Nowell” English traditional carol
Scene 2: Joseph must decide what to do
Matthew 1: 18 - 24
Scene 3: The Census Problem
Hymn 164 O Little Town of Bethlehem vv 1-3 “Forest Green” English traditional
Words: Phillips Brook (1835-1893)
Scene 4: The Bethel Inn
Hymn 153 Joy to the World “Antioch” Lowell Mason ( 1792-1872)
Words: Isaac Watts (1674-1748)
Scene 5: Message to the Shepherds
Luke 2: 1 – 7, 8 - 19
Our Response to the Good News of Great Joy
Scene 6: The Gifts of the Magi
Matthew 2: 1 - 12
Invitation to the Offering www.standrewsottawa.ca/one-time-gifts or envelopes are located in the pews
Offering Hymn 138 While shepherds watched “Winchester old” Este’s Psalter (1592)
Words: Nahum Tate (1652-1715)
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Lighting Christ Candle Insert Laurentine Mouchingham Mefire and family
Hymn 154 Silent night “Stille Nacht” Franz Gruber (1787-1863)
Words: German, trans. John Freeman Young (1820-1885)
The Sending: We Go out into God’s World
Charge and Benediction
Organ Postlude
(You are invited to STAND, if you are able, where indicated by )
The pageant portion of this service is inspired and adapted from Cloth for the Cradle,
copyright Wild Goose Resource Group © 1997 WGRG, Iona Community, Glasgow G51 3UU, Scotland.
Call to worship by Reverend Sarah Speed.
From Generation to Generation © 2022 | A Sanctified Art LLC | All Rights Reserved.