An All Hallows Service of the Word for the Feast of St. Stephen (December 26, 2020)
Welcome to All Hallows Murray's St. Stephen's Day Service. Take a moment to quieten your mind and settle your thoughts. When you are ready, open the first link and join us in the worship of God.
Open this link to hear the Christmas carol, “Good King Wenceslas looked out.”Good King Wenceslas last looked out
On the Feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gathering winter fuel
Hither, page, and stand by me,
If thou knowst it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?
Sire, he lives a good league hence,
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes fountain.
Sire, the night is darker now
And the wind blows stronger
Fails my heart, I know not how
I can go no longer.
Mark my footsteps, my good page
Tread thou in them boldly
Thou shall find the winters rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly.
In his master’s step he trod
Where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye, who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing.
Silence may be kept.
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
O Christ, Son of God, existing before time,
you came into the world to save us.
Lord, have mercy.
Sun of Righteousness, shining with the Father’s love,
you illumine the whole universe.
Christ, have mercy.
Son of Mary: born a child,
you shared our humanity.
Lord, have mercy.
May the Lord forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are and direct what we shall be, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessed is the Lord:
Who has heard the voice of our prayer.
Therefore shall our hearts dance for joy:
And in our song will we praise our God.
Open this link to hear Richard Proulx’s choral arrangement of the Gloria in Excelsis for choir and bells.
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen. Amen.
Silence is kept.
Let us pray
A short period of silent prayer is recommended before the Collect of the Day is said.
We give you thanks, O Lord of glory,
For the example of Stephen, the first martyr,
Who prayed for his persecutors,
And looked to him who was crucified,
Your Son Jesus Christ,
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
One God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
A reading from the Second Book of Chronicles
Now after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and did obeisance to the king; then the king listened to them. They abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and served the sacred poles and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord; they testified against them, but they would not listen.
Then the spirit of God took possession of Zechariah son of the priest Jehoiada; he stood above the people and said to them, “Thus says God: Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has also forsaken you.” But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of the Lord. King Joash did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him, but killed his son. As he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Silence is kept.
Psalm 31:1-8
All may pray the psalm together.
In you, O Lord, I seek refuge;
do not let me ever be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me.
2 Incline your ear to me;
rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me.
3 You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me.
3 You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
4 take me out of the net that is hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
6 You hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,
but I trust in the Lord.
you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
6 You hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,
but I trust in the Lord.
7 I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love,
because you have seen my affliction;
you have taken heed of my adversities,
because you have seen my affliction;
you have taken heed of my adversities,
8 and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
you have set my feet in a broad place.
Silence is kept.
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Silence is kept.
Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Stephen, a holy day that is the second day of Christmastide, the twelve days of Christmas. Stephen was one of seven men who were of good repute and full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom and whom the members of the church at Jerusalem picked to “serve at tables,” a reference to the daily distribution to widows. The church had grown to the point where some widows were neglected—those who spoke Greek rather than Aramaic and came from the Jewish diaspora.
The Jewish Church was divided into those who spoke Aramaic and who lived in Roman Palestine and those who spoke Greek and who lived in other parts of the Roman Empire and neighboring countries. Jerusalem had a large population of elderly Jews who moved there to be close to the Temple to participate in its worship and, when they died, to be buried in the vicinity of Jerusalem. Consequently, Jerusalem had an Aramaic-speaking Jewish population and a Greek-speaking Jewish population. Greek had become the lingua franca of the Roman Empire.
The Jews believed that the Temple was the center of the world and the closer one lived to the Temple, the closer one was to God’s presence. Some Bible scholars believe that Jesus himself understood Greek as well as Hebrew and Aramaic. The New Testament is written in a particular form of Greek known as koine Greek.
Full of faith and faith, Stephen stood out among the seven men that the Jerusalem church picked. He was outspoken in proclaiming the Gospel. We learn from the Acts’ account of the ministry of Stephen and Phillip that the ministry of the seven men was not confined to the daily distribution to widows. They also became evangelists and preachers. They were called “deacons,” which simply means minister or servant. They would play a much larger role in the New Testament church than was originally envisioned.
If you study the history of the diaconate in the early Church, you will discover that deacons came to play an even larger role. At one time they not only distributed the bread and wine of the Holy Eucharist but also they consecrated the eucharistic elements in the absence of the bishop. The presbyters saw this practice as an infringement of their prerogatives as elders of the church and petitioned the Council of Orange to suppress the practice. The Council of Orange sided with the presbyters and banned the practice.
The New Testament does not specify or infer who should consecrate the elements at a celebration of the Lord’s Supper. While some denominations permit only an ordained minister, a pastor, or an ordained minister of a particular office and rank, a bishop or presbyter, to consecrate the eucharistic elements and deacons and, or lay people to assist in the elements’ distribution, other denominations permit deacons and lay people to consecrate the elements.
Archbishop Cranmer, the architect of the English Reformation, believed that the consecration of the bread and wine—its setting apart for sacramental use—occurred when the communicants ate the bread and drank the wine in the remembrance of Jesus in obedience to his command, “Do this in remembrance of me.” The prayer at the Holy Table was not a consecratory prayer but a prayer for the communicants that, when they ate the bread and drank the cup, they would receive the benefits of the sacrament. The reception of these benefits was not tied to the elements themselves but to their eating and drinking in a right manner—with repentance, faith, and love and charity toward others. Christ’s presence was not in the elements but in the heart of the believing communicant. The minister took any remaining bread and wine home for his own use.
We remember Stephen because he was the first martyr of the Christian Church. He was falsely accused of blasphemy. He was arrested and taken before the Sanhedrin, the council of elders of Jerusalem. False witnesses testified against him. Stephen made a defense in which he had a vision of Jesus standing at the right side of God and which enraged those present. A lynch mob dragged him outside of the city and stoned him to death.
Stoning is a brutal form of execution. The mob throws sharp-edged stones at the condemned. If these stones do not kill him or her, several local toughs bludgeon the condemned to death with larger rocks.
Stephen is the first of many Christians who have been tortured and killed for their faith. In our time lynch mobs in India and Pakistan have attacked Christians falsely accused of blasphemy and other offenses and brutally murdered them. One Pakistani Christian couple who were brickmakers and who were falsely accused of desecrating the Quran were burned alive in their own brick kiln In Nigeria entire villages have been massacred because the village was Christian.
In the United States we hear complaints from Christians that they are suffering persecution for their faith. Christian leaders familiar with severe persecution that Christians are experiencing in China, India, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, and other parts of the world, point out that what US Christians are suffering is nothing compared to what Christians are experiencing in these countries and should not even be regarded as persecution. Those making the complaints are like the boy who cried “wolf.” The boy kept crying “wolf” when he was not in danger from a wolf. The people of his village became tired of his repeated false alarms When a wolf finally attacked him, the villagers ignored his cries for help and the wolf killed and ate him.
When they do experience real persecution, they will be ignored due to their history of raising false alarms. The local governments are not tearing down churches like the local Communist parties are doing. They are not arresting Christians and sending them to “re-education” camps. The US government is not incarcerating Christians in forced labor camps and starving them to death like the North Korean government is.
The same Christian leaders have further pointed out that those making the complaints are often so preoccupied with what they perceive as persecution that they ignore the real persecution that Christians are experiencing around the world. They do not pray for these persecuted Christians or offer them help. They support policies that deny these persecuted Christians a refuge in the United States and prevent their resettlement in this country.
The martyrdom of Stephen was a turning point in history of the Christian Church. It was one of a series of events which caused the new faith to spread from Jerusalem and its vicinity throughout the ancient Mediterranean world. From Spain and North Africa, it would eventually spread to the British Isles and Ireland and from there it would spread to Northern Europe. The new faith would also spread as far as India. What are now Muslim countries were once Christian ones.
The Church needs more men and women like Stephen, men and women who are full of faith and the Holy Spirit and who are willing to risk their lives to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, in their own country as well as in other parts of the world. Let us pray that God will raise up more such men and women not only in other churches but in our own, that God will so strengthen our own faith and fills us with his Holy Spirit that we will not shrink from the task of witnessing to Jesus Christ in our own communities, to showing and sharing his love.
Open this link to keith and Kristyn Getty and Stuart Townsend's hymn, "We Believe."
you have set my feet in a broad place.
Silence is kept.
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Silence is kept.
Stephen the First Martyr
Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Stephen, a holy day that is the second day of Christmastide, the twelve days of Christmas. Stephen was one of seven men who were of good repute and full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom and whom the members of the church at Jerusalem picked to “serve at tables,” a reference to the daily distribution to widows. The church had grown to the point where some widows were neglected—those who spoke Greek rather than Aramaic and came from the Jewish diaspora.
The Jewish Church was divided into those who spoke Aramaic and who lived in Roman Palestine and those who spoke Greek and who lived in other parts of the Roman Empire and neighboring countries. Jerusalem had a large population of elderly Jews who moved there to be close to the Temple to participate in its worship and, when they died, to be buried in the vicinity of Jerusalem. Consequently, Jerusalem had an Aramaic-speaking Jewish population and a Greek-speaking Jewish population. Greek had become the lingua franca of the Roman Empire.
The Jews believed that the Temple was the center of the world and the closer one lived to the Temple, the closer one was to God’s presence. Some Bible scholars believe that Jesus himself understood Greek as well as Hebrew and Aramaic. The New Testament is written in a particular form of Greek known as koine Greek.
Full of faith and faith, Stephen stood out among the seven men that the Jerusalem church picked. He was outspoken in proclaiming the Gospel. We learn from the Acts’ account of the ministry of Stephen and Phillip that the ministry of the seven men was not confined to the daily distribution to widows. They also became evangelists and preachers. They were called “deacons,” which simply means minister or servant. They would play a much larger role in the New Testament church than was originally envisioned.
If you study the history of the diaconate in the early Church, you will discover that deacons came to play an even larger role. At one time they not only distributed the bread and wine of the Holy Eucharist but also they consecrated the eucharistic elements in the absence of the bishop. The presbyters saw this practice as an infringement of their prerogatives as elders of the church and petitioned the Council of Orange to suppress the practice. The Council of Orange sided with the presbyters and banned the practice.
The New Testament does not specify or infer who should consecrate the elements at a celebration of the Lord’s Supper. While some denominations permit only an ordained minister, a pastor, or an ordained minister of a particular office and rank, a bishop or presbyter, to consecrate the eucharistic elements and deacons and, or lay people to assist in the elements’ distribution, other denominations permit deacons and lay people to consecrate the elements.
Archbishop Cranmer, the architect of the English Reformation, believed that the consecration of the bread and wine—its setting apart for sacramental use—occurred when the communicants ate the bread and drank the wine in the remembrance of Jesus in obedience to his command, “Do this in remembrance of me.” The prayer at the Holy Table was not a consecratory prayer but a prayer for the communicants that, when they ate the bread and drank the cup, they would receive the benefits of the sacrament. The reception of these benefits was not tied to the elements themselves but to their eating and drinking in a right manner—with repentance, faith, and love and charity toward others. Christ’s presence was not in the elements but in the heart of the believing communicant. The minister took any remaining bread and wine home for his own use.
We remember Stephen because he was the first martyr of the Christian Church. He was falsely accused of blasphemy. He was arrested and taken before the Sanhedrin, the council of elders of Jerusalem. False witnesses testified against him. Stephen made a defense in which he had a vision of Jesus standing at the right side of God and which enraged those present. A lynch mob dragged him outside of the city and stoned him to death.
Stoning is a brutal form of execution. The mob throws sharp-edged stones at the condemned. If these stones do not kill him or her, several local toughs bludgeon the condemned to death with larger rocks.
Stephen is the first of many Christians who have been tortured and killed for their faith. In our time lynch mobs in India and Pakistan have attacked Christians falsely accused of blasphemy and other offenses and brutally murdered them. One Pakistani Christian couple who were brickmakers and who were falsely accused of desecrating the Quran were burned alive in their own brick kiln In Nigeria entire villages have been massacred because the village was Christian.
In the United States we hear complaints from Christians that they are suffering persecution for their faith. Christian leaders familiar with severe persecution that Christians are experiencing in China, India, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, and other parts of the world, point out that what US Christians are suffering is nothing compared to what Christians are experiencing in these countries and should not even be regarded as persecution. Those making the complaints are like the boy who cried “wolf.” The boy kept crying “wolf” when he was not in danger from a wolf. The people of his village became tired of his repeated false alarms When a wolf finally attacked him, the villagers ignored his cries for help and the wolf killed and ate him.
When they do experience real persecution, they will be ignored due to their history of raising false alarms. The local governments are not tearing down churches like the local Communist parties are doing. They are not arresting Christians and sending them to “re-education” camps. The US government is not incarcerating Christians in forced labor camps and starving them to death like the North Korean government is.
The same Christian leaders have further pointed out that those making the complaints are often so preoccupied with what they perceive as persecution that they ignore the real persecution that Christians are experiencing around the world. They do not pray for these persecuted Christians or offer them help. They support policies that deny these persecuted Christians a refuge in the United States and prevent their resettlement in this country.
The martyrdom of Stephen was a turning point in history of the Christian Church. It was one of a series of events which caused the new faith to spread from Jerusalem and its vicinity throughout the ancient Mediterranean world. From Spain and North Africa, it would eventually spread to the British Isles and Ireland and from there it would spread to Northern Europe. The new faith would also spread as far as India. What are now Muslim countries were once Christian ones.
The Church needs more men and women like Stephen, men and women who are full of faith and the Holy Spirit and who are willing to risk their lives to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, in their own country as well as in other parts of the world. Let us pray that God will raise up more such men and women not only in other churches but in our own, that God will so strengthen our own faith and fills us with his Holy Spirit that we will not shrink from the task of witnessing to Jesus Christ in our own communities, to showing and sharing his love.
Open this link to keith and Kristyn Getty and Stuart Townsend's hymn, "We Believe."
We believe in one true God
Father, Spirit, Son
One Church, one faith, one Lord of all
His kingdom come
We believe in God the Father
Almighty, Lord of life
Creator of the Heavens
The earth, the sea, the sky
And we believe in Jesus
The only son of God
Born of the virgin Mary
Who lived as one of us
We believe in one true God
Father, Spirit, Son
One Church, one faith, one Lord of all
His kingdom come
We believe that Jesus suffered
Was beaten, crucified
He died and he was buried
Entombed in darkest night
The third day rose victorious
Ascended into Heav'n
Will one day come to judge us
The living and the dead
We believe in one true God
Father, Spirit, Son
One Church, one faith, one Lord of all
His kingdom come
We believe in God the Spirit
One Church, empowered by Him
Communion of God's people
Forgiveness of our sin
Our bodies resurrected
To everlasting life
To worship, love and wonder
Before the throne of Christ
We believe in one true God
Father, Spirit, Son
One Church, one faith, one Lord of all
His kingdom come
We believe in one true God
Father, Spirit, Son
One Church, one faith, one Lord of all
His kingdom come
Silence is kept.
Let us pray for all people and the Church throughout the world.
After each petition silence may be kept. Further specific petitions may be added at appropriate points in the prayers or before the response.
We pray for the peace of the world, for the leaders of the nation, and for all in authority.
God of grace, hear our prayer.
We pray for the welfare of your holy church, our bishop William, and for all clergy and people.
God of grace, hear our prayer.
We pray that we nay share with justice the resources of the earth, and live in trust and goodwill with one another,
God of grace, hear our prayer.
We pray for the aged and infirm, for the bereaved and the lonely, and for the sick and the suffering.
God of grace, hear our prayer.
We pray for the poor and the oppressed, for prisoners and captives, and for all who care for them.
God of grace, hear our prayer.
We pray for ourselves and each other.
God of grace, hear our prayer.
We praise you, Lord God, for your servant, Stephen, for the communion of the saints, and for the glorious hope of the resurrection to eternal life.
God of grace, hear our prayer.
Faithful God,
you have promised to hear the prayers
of all who ask in Jesus’ name.
In your mercy, accept our prayers.
give us what we asked in faith,
according to your will;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray the prayer that Jesus gave us.
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,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Send us out with confidence in your word
to tell the world of your saving acts,
and bring glory to your name. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear the Christmas carol, “God rest ye merry gentleman.”
God rest ye merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan's pow'r
When we were gone astray.
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
Fear not then, said the Angel
Let nothing you affright
This day is born a Savior
Of a pure Virgin bright
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan's pow'r and might.
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
The shepherds at those tidings
rejoiced much in mind,
and left their flocks a-feeding,
in tempest, storm, and wind,
and went to Bethlehem straightway,
this blessed babe to find.
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
But when to Bethlehem they came,
where’er this infant lay,
they found him in a manger
where oxen feed on hay;
his mother Mary kneeling,
unto the Lord did pray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.
To the Lord sing praises
all you within this place,
and with true love and brotherhood
each other now embrace;
the holy tide of Christmas
all others doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
May the God of all grace bless us. Amen.
Father, Spirit, Son
One Church, one faith, one Lord of all
His kingdom come
We believe in God the Father
Almighty, Lord of life
Creator of the Heavens
The earth, the sea, the sky
And we believe in Jesus
The only son of God
Born of the virgin Mary
Who lived as one of us
We believe in one true God
Father, Spirit, Son
One Church, one faith, one Lord of all
His kingdom come
We believe that Jesus suffered
Was beaten, crucified
He died and he was buried
Entombed in darkest night
The third day rose victorious
Ascended into Heav'n
Will one day come to judge us
The living and the dead
We believe in one true God
Father, Spirit, Son
One Church, one faith, one Lord of all
His kingdom come
We believe in God the Spirit
One Church, empowered by Him
Communion of God's people
Forgiveness of our sin
Our bodies resurrected
To everlasting life
To worship, love and wonder
Before the throne of Christ
We believe in one true God
Father, Spirit, Son
One Church, one faith, one Lord of all
His kingdom come
We believe in one true God
Father, Spirit, Son
One Church, one faith, one Lord of all
His kingdom come
Silence is kept.
Let us pray for all people and the Church throughout the world.
After each petition silence may be kept. Further specific petitions may be added at appropriate points in the prayers or before the response.
We pray for the peace of the world, for the leaders of the nation, and for all in authority.
God of grace, hear our prayer.
We pray for the welfare of your holy church, our bishop William, and for all clergy and people.
God of grace, hear our prayer.
We pray that we nay share with justice the resources of the earth, and live in trust and goodwill with one another,
God of grace, hear our prayer.
We pray for the aged and infirm, for the bereaved and the lonely, and for the sick and the suffering.
God of grace, hear our prayer.
We pray for the poor and the oppressed, for prisoners and captives, and for all who care for them.
God of grace, hear our prayer.
We pray for ourselves and each other.
God of grace, hear our prayer.
We praise you, Lord God, for your servant, Stephen, for the communion of the saints, and for the glorious hope of the resurrection to eternal life.
God of grace, hear our prayer.
Faithful God,
you have promised to hear the prayers
of all who ask in Jesus’ name.
In your mercy, accept our prayers.
give us what we asked in faith,
according to your will;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray the prayer that Jesus gave us.
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,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Send us out with confidence in your word
to tell the world of your saving acts,
and bring glory to your name. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear the Christmas carol, “God rest ye merry gentleman.”
God rest ye merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan's pow'r
When we were gone astray.
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
Fear not then, said the Angel
Let nothing you affright
This day is born a Savior
Of a pure Virgin bright
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan's pow'r and might.
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
The shepherds at those tidings
rejoiced much in mind,
and left their flocks a-feeding,
in tempest, storm, and wind,
and went to Bethlehem straightway,
this blessed babe to find.
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
But when to Bethlehem they came,
where’er this infant lay,
they found him in a manger
where oxen feed on hay;
his mother Mary kneeling,
unto the Lord did pray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.
To the Lord sing praises
all you within this place,
and with true love and brotherhood
each other now embrace;
the holy tide of Christmas
all others doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
May the God of all grace bless us. Amen.
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