In
the Service of Christ...
(Please note that this was scanned in from the Bulletin, and so very likely contains a number of typographical errors, especially in the Danish)
Pastor's
Christmas Reflection
"To You"
Imagine a gift, lying under the tree, with a tag that reads simply,
"To you." No name on it, just "to you." Anyone who saw it,
and bent down, and picked it up could say, "This one's for me."
Anyone could unwrap the gift and claim it as his own. That's what the tag on
this bundle wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in Bethlehem's manger reads.
It says, "To you, from God." Here, lying in the manger, is God's
unconditional love for you. Here, wrapped in swaddling cloths, is God's gift to
you.
It is a gift that will outlast ail the others. This little Child in the
manger will give to you when you need most to be given to. It is so difficult
for us to be given to. We are so proud, so afraid of being humbled, so
resistant to receiving. When we get that unexpected gift from someone, our joy
is mixed with other feelings.
"Oh, you shouldn't have," we say. We mean it. Now I have to
go out and get you something. We do the same with God. We don't want to be
given to, we want to get for ourselves. We don't want to receive, we want to
accept. But the baby in the manger pulls the
plug on all that kind of talk. God came when no one asked for Him. He was born
where there was no room for Him. Before He was invited, He came in the most
humble of ways. Before we called on Him, He called on us. Before we let Him
into our hearts, God took us into His own heart, and gave us His Child.
This little One, whose birth we remember this night, is a Savior born
to us, to save us from our sins, to deliver us from our death, to redeem us. Do
not be afraid, says the angel. Look on this child's face, and see the face of
God come down to save us. The shepherds heard the preaching of the angel. They
heard the "to you" of the angel's birth announcement and left their
work and ran to Bethlehem worship at the manger. "Come to Bethlehem and
see, Him whose birth the angels sing. Come, adore, on bended knee. Christ, the
Lord, the newborn king." Receive through faith this gift from God,
"To You".
May you be richly blessed by this wonderful gift of Christ.
Have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year
GLædelig Jul og Godt Nytår
Frohe Weihnacht
Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année
Handbells ‑ Call to
worship: "O Come, All
Ye Faithful"
Organ Prelude: "From Heaven
Above to Earth I come" ‑ F. W.
Zachau
Christmas Dialogue:
P: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy spirit.
C: Amen.
P: The Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen His
glory.
C: Oh, come, let us worship Him.
P: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.
C: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome
it.
P: Those who lived in a land of deep darkness ‑ on them light has
shined.
C: We have seen Christ's glory, the glory as of a child, full of grace
and truth.
P: For a child has been born for us, a son given to us.
C: What has come into being in Him was life, and the life was the life
of all people.
P: Tonight Christ is born; tonight salvation has appeared.
C: Glory to God in the highest! Alleluia!
Confession & Forgiveness:
P: Stir up Your Power, O Lord, and come. Take away the hindrance of our sins and make us ready for the celebration of Your birth, that we may receive You in joy and serve You always; For You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
C: Amen.
P. We remember the lights that we followed which we mistook for the
true lights, we confess that we have blindly followed lights that led only to
darkness, we remember the lights which promised to lead us to the true light
which we have not followed.
C: Forgive us, Lord.
P. Our God, the true light, does indeed forgive us, renew us, and
promise to lead us until we are safely in the light of His eternal glory.
Prayer
of the day:
,,.
Gracious and all‑loving
God, you made this holy night shine with the brightness of the true Light.
Grant that here on earth we may walk in the light of Jesus' presence and in the
last day wake to the brightness of the true Light. Grant that here on earth we
may walk in the light of Jesus' presence and in the last day wake to the
brightness of His glory, through this same Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
Opening Hymn: "Hark, the Herald Angels" (LBW 60)
Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled".
Joyful, all you nations rise; Join the triumph of the skies;
With angelic hosts proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Refrain:
Hark!
The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newhorn King!"
Christ, by highest heav'n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold him come, Offspring of a virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the God‑head see! Hail, incarnate deity!
Pleased as man with us to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Refrain:
Hail the heav'n‑born Prince of Peace! Hail the sun of
righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings, Ris'n with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by, Born that we no more may die,
Born to raise each child of earth, Born to give us second birth.
Refrain:
Scripture Lesson: To Us a Child Is Born ‑ Isaiah
9:2‑7 (Anne)
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light: light has dawned
upon them, dwellers in a land as dark as death. Thou hast increased their joy
and given them great gladness; they rejoice in thy presence as men rejoice at
harvest, or as they are glad when they share out the spoil; for thou hast
shattered the yoke that burdened them, the collar that lay heavy on their
shoulders, the driver's goad, as on the day of Midian's defeat. All the boots
of trampling soldiers and the garments fouled with blood shall become a burning
mass, fuel for fire. For a boy has been born for us, a son given to us to bear
the symbol of dominion on his shoulder; and he shall be called in purpose
wonderful, in battle God‑like, Father for all time, Prince of Peace.
Great shall the dominion be, and boundless the peace bestowed on David's throne
and on his kingdom, to establish it and sustain it with justice and
righteousness from now and for evermore. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall do
this.
Special music: Christmas
Duet (Kirsten and
Eric)
Hymn: "Mit Hjerte altid Vanker" (# 198 DDK)
Mit hjerte altid vanker I Jesu føderum
Did samles mine tanker I deres hovedsum;
Der er min længsel hjemme, Der har min tro sin skat;
Jeg kan dig aldrig glemme, Du søde julenat!
But, oh, my heart is riven With grief and sore dismay
To see the Lord of Heaven Repose on straw and hay,
That He, whom angels offer Their worship and acclaim,
From sinful man must suffer Such scorn, neglect, and shame.
En perle, der forgættes, Så nøje ledes op;
Den blanke demant sættes I gylden krones top;
Man kaster ej en drue Blandt tørre grene ned;
Skal jeg min Gud da skue I sådan usselhed?
The sparrow finds a gable Where it may build its nest,
The oxen know their stable For shelter, food, and rest.
Must then my Lord and Saviour A homeless stranger go,
Denied the simplest favour His lowly creatures know?
Ak, kom, jeg vil oplukke Mit hjerte, sjæl og sind
Med tusind længselssukke, Kom, Jesus, kom herind!
Det er ej fremmed bolig, Du har den dyre købt,
Her skal du blive trolig I kærligheden svøbt.
Scripture Lesson: God's Grace Has Appeared ‑ Titus 2:11‑14 (Rendell)
For the grace of God has dawned upon the world with healing for all
mankind; and by it we are disciplined to renounce godless ways and worldly
desires, and to love a life of temperance, honesty, and godliness in the
present age, looking forward to the happy fulfillment of our hope when the
splendour of our great God and Saviour
Christ Jesus will appear. He is it who sacrifices himself for us, to
set us free from all wickedness and to make us a pure people marked out for his
own, eager to do good.
Hymn: "Good Christian Friends Rejoice" (LBW 55)
Good Christian friends, rejoice With heart and soul and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say: Jesus Christ is born today;
Ox and ass before him bow, And he is in the manger now.
Christ is born today !
Good Christian friends, rejoice With heart and soul and voice;
Now ye hear of endless bliss: Jesus Christ was born for this !
He has opened heaven's door, And we are blest forevermore.
Christ was born for this ! .:
Good Christian friends, rejoice With heart and soul and voice;
Now ye need not fear the grave; Jesus Christ was born to save !
Calls you one and calls you all To gain his everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save ! .:
Away in a Manger
Scripture Lesson: The Birth Of Jesus ‑ Luke 2:1‑12 (Danish)
(Hanne)
Men det skete i de dage at der udgik en befaling fra kejser Augustus, at al verden skulle skrives i mandtal. (Det var den første indskrivning, sour skete, mens Kvirinius var landshøvding i Syrien). Og alle gik hen for at lade sig indskrive, hver til sin by. Og fordi Josef var af Davids hus og slægt, drog også han op fra Galilæa, fra byen Nazaret, til Judæa til Davids by, sour hedder Bethlehem, for at lade sig indskrive tillige med Maria, sin trolovede, sour var frugtsommelig. Og det skete, medens de var der, kom tiden, da hun skulle føde. Og hun fødte sin søn, den førstefødte, og svøbte ham og lagde ham i en krybbe, thi der var ikke plads til dem i herberget. I den samme egn var der hyrder, som lå ude på marken og holdt nattevagt over deres hjord. Og en Herrens engel stod for dem, og Herrens herlighed strålede over dem, og de blev grebet af stor frygt. Men engelen sagde til dem: "Frygt ikke; thi se, jeg forkynder eder en stor glæde, som skal være til hele folket. Thi eder er i dag en frelser født i Davids by; han er Jesus Kristus, Herren! Og dette skal være jer et tegn: I skal finde et barn svøbt og liggende i en krybbe."
Choir Anthem: "This
Peaceful Night"
Scripture Lesson: Adoration Of The Shepherd ‑ Luke 2:15‑20 (Samuel)
After the angels had left them and gone into heaven the shepherds said
to one another, "Come, we must go straight to Bethlehem and see this thing
that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with
all speed and found their way to Mary and Joseph; and the baby was lying in the
manger. When they saw him, they recounted what they had been told about this
child; and all who heard were astonished at what the shepherds said. But Mary
treasured up all these things and pondered over them. Meanwhile the shepherds
returned glorifying and praising God for what they had heard and seen; it all
happened as they had been told.
Choir Anthem: "Ding‑Dong! Merrily on
High"
Christmas Offering
Hymn: " Once in Royal David's City "
Once in Royal David's city stood a lowly cattle shed,
When a mother laid her baby in a manger for his bed;
Mary was the Mother mild, Jesus Christ the little Child.
He came down to earth from heaven who is God and Lord of all,
And his shelter was a stable, and his cradle was a stall;
With the poor and mean and lowly, lived on earth our Saviour holy.
And through all his wondrous childhood he would honour and obey,
Love and watch the lowly maiden in whose gentle arms he lay;
Christian children all must be mild, obedient, good as he.
For he is our childhood's pattern: day by day like us he grew;
He was little, weak, and helpless; tears and smiles like us he knew;
And he feeleth for our sadness, and he shareth in our gladness.
Not in that poor lowly stable, with the oxen standing by,
We shall see him; but in heaven, set at God's right hand on high,
When like stars his children crowned all in white shall wait around.
Reflection: " Grace to You "
Hymn: "En rose så jeg
skyde ‑ Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming"
En rose så jeg
skyde, op af den frosne jord.
Alt som os fordum spåde, profetens trøsteord.
Den rose spired frem
Midt i den kolde vinter om nat
ved Bethlehem.
Isaiah 'twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind, ~, `
With Mary we behold it, the Virgin Mother kind. ‑
To show God's love aright,'
She bore to men a Saviour, when half spent was the night.
For rosen nu jeg kvæder om kap med Himlens hær;
En jomfru var hans moder, Maria ren og skær.
I ham brød lyset frem
Midt i den mørke vinter om nat ved Bethlehem.
O Saviour, Child of Mary, who felt our human woe;
O Saviour, King of Glory, who dost our weakness know,
Bring us at length we pray To the bright courts of heaven, and to the
endless day.
Prayer: Our Father/ Fader Vor
Closing remarks: Chairperson:
Don Findlay
Closing Hymn: "Silent Night"
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,
Fred på jord, fryd på jord, Jesus‑barnet blandt os bor!
Engle sjunge om barnet så smukt,
Han har Himmerigs dør oplukt,
Salig er englenes sang.
Durch der Engel Halleluja, Tont es laut von fern and nah,
Christ, der Retter, ist da.:
O nuit d'amour! Sainte nuit! Dans l’étable, aucun bruit;
Sur la paille est couché l'enfant, Que la vierge endort chantant;
Il repose en ses langes, Son
Jesus ravissant.
Salig fred, himmelsk fred Toner julenatt her ned.
Engler bringer til store og små
Bud om ham som i krybben lå
Fryd dig hver sjel han har
frelst! .:
Silent night, Holy night! Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from your holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at your birth.:
Benediction
Deacon's prayer
Handbells: "Silent Night"
Organ Postlude: "In Thee is Gladness" ‑ J.
S. Bach
Web Page maintained by
Roger Kenner and Jette Blair.
Last Updated: 2003/01/20
St. Ansgar's Lutheran Chruch -
Montreal