Christmas Day at All Hallows (December 25, 2025)

Welcome to Christmas Day at All Hallows

Up until the 1930s “Old Christmas” was celebrated in Eastern Kentucky, in Appalachia. “Old Christmas” fell on January 6, what had been Christmas Day, according to the Julian Calendar. With the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar in the sixteenth century Christmas Day was moved in Roman Catholic countries to December 25, twelve days earlier. In England, a Protestant country, however, the Gregorian Calendar was not adopted until the eighteenth century. While Eastern Kentucky was not settled until after England had adopted the Gregorian Calendar, the early settlers continued to celebrate Christmas on the old date.

Today’s message is a reflection on Luke 2: 8-20.

GATHERED IN GOD’S NAME

Open this link in a new tab to hear the traditional Irish Christmas carol, “The Wexford Carol.”

1 Good people all, this Christmas time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done,
In sending His belovèd Son.
With Mary holy we should pray
To God with love this Christmas Day;
In Bethlehem upon the morn
There was a blest Messiah born.

2 Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep
Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep;
To whom God’s angels did appear
Which put the shepherds in great fear.
Prepare and go, the angels said,
To Bethlehem, be not afraid;
For there you’ll find, this happy morn,
A princely babe, sweet Jesus born.

[Instrumental interlude]

3 With thankful heart and joyful mind,
The shepherds went the babe to find,
And as God’s angel has foretold,
They did our Savior Christ behold.
Within a manger He was laid,
And by His side the virgin maid
Attending on the Lord of Life,
Who came on earth to end all strife.

4 Good people all, this Christmas time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done,
In sending His belovèd Son.
With Mary holy we should pray
To God with love this Christmas Day;
In Bethlehem upon the morn
There was a blest Messiah born.

The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.

Through Christ, let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Hebrews 13:15

Open this link in a new tab to hear John Mason Neale's adaptation of the 14th-century Latin carol “Good Christians All Rejoice” (In Dulci Jubilo).

1 Good Christians all, rejoice
with heart and soul and voice!
Listen now 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;
Christ is born today!

2 Good Christians all, rejoice
with heart and soul and voice!
Hear the news of endless bliss,
Jesus Christ was born for this:
he has opened heaven's door,
and we are blessed for evermore!
Christ was born for this;
Christ was born for this!

3 Good Christians all, rejoice
with heart and soul and voice!
Now you need not fear the grave;
Jesus Christ was born to save:
Come at his most gracious call
to find salvation, one and all!
Christ was born to save;
Christ was born to save!

Let us confess our sins to God our Father.

Silence

Heavenly Father,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour
in thought and word and deed,
through negligence, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault;
by what we have done
and by what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ who died for us,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life
to the glory of your name. Amen.

Merciful Lord,
grant to your faithful people pardon and peace,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins,
and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear James Montgomery’s “Angels from the Realms of Glory.”

1 Angels from the realms of glory,
wing your flight o'er all the earth;
ye who sang creation's story
now proclaim Messiah's birth:
Gloria, in excelsis deo.
Gloria, in excelsis deo.

2 Shepherds, in the field abiding,
watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing,
yonder shines the infant Light:
Gloria, in excelsis deo.
Gloria, in excelsis deo.

3 Saints before the altar bending,
watching long in hope and fear,
suddenly the Lord, descending,
in his temple shall appear:
Gloria, in excelsis deo.
Gloria, in excelsis deo.

4 Though an infant now we view him,
he shall fill his Father's throne,
gather all the nations to him;
ev'ry knee shall then bow down:
Gloria, in excelsis deo.
Gloria, in excelsis deo.

Let us pray.

Silence

Almighty God,
you have given us your only Son
to take our nature upon him
and at this time to be born of a pure virgin:
grant that we, being born again
and made your children by adoption and grace,
may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit;
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

A reading from the Book of Isaiah
Isaiah 62: 6-12

Upon your walls, O Jerusalem,
I have posted sentinels;
all day and all night
they shall never be silent.
You who remind the Lord,
take no rest,
and give him no rest
until he establishes Jerusalem
and makes it renowned throughout the earth.
The Lord has sworn by his right hand
and by his mighty arm:
I will not again give your grain
to be food for your enemies,
and foreigners shall not drink the wine
for which you have labored,
but those who harvest it shall eat it
and praise the Lord,
and those who gather it shall drink it
in my holy courts.
Go through, go through the gates;
prepare the way for the people;
build up, build up the highway;
clear it of stones;
lift up an ensign over the peoples.
The Lord has proclaimed
to the end of the earth:
Say to daughter Zion,
“Look, your savior comes;
his reward is with him
and his recompense before him.”
They shall be called, “The Holy People,
The Redeemed of the Lord,”
and you shall be called, “Sought Out,
A City Not Forsaken.”

Silence

Open this link in a new tab to hear John Rutter’s arrangement of Isaac Watts’ “Joy to the World” (Psalm 98).

1 Joy to the world! the Lord is come:
let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

2 Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns:
let all their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

3 No more let sin and sorrow grow
nor thorns infest the ground;
he comes to make his blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.

4 He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.

A reading from Paul’s Letter to Titus.
Titus 3:4-8a

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water [Greek washing] of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is sure.

Silence

Open this link in a new tab to hear David Willcocks’ arrangement of the traditional Polish carol, “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly.”

1 Infant holy, infant lowly,
for his bed a cattle stall;
oxen lowing, little knowing
Christ the babe is Lord of all.
Swift are winging angels singing,
nowells ringing, tidings bringing:
Christ the babe is Lord of all,
Christ the babe is Lord of all.

2 Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping
vigil till the morning new;
saw the glory, heard the story,
tidings of a gospel true.
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow,
praises voicing, greet the morrow:
Christ the babe was born for you,
Christ the babe was born for you.

A reading from the gospel according to Luke.
Luke 2: 8-20

Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, 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 Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, 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.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.

Silence

“To Certain Poor Shepherds”

New Testament scholars do not agree on the social status of shepherds at the time of Jesus’ birth. Some claim that they were on the fringes of Jewish society. Others dispute that claim, arguing that it was based upon the opinion of a Greek writer who lived well before Jesus’ time and in a different part of the world. Those who make that claim are merely echoing the prejudice of this writer. In any event it was to shepherds watching their flock on the hillsides surrounding Bethlehem that an angel first announced the birth of the Messiah, the one God had promised to send to deliver his people.

I don’t know if you have spent much time outdoors on a clear night away from the lights of a town when the only light is the light of the stars shining overhead. It is a marvelous sight. But it would have been a sight to which the shepherds were accustomed as they were to the sounds of their sheep.

To the shepherds’ amazement and to their terror an angel appears before them and speaks to them. The night sky is suddenly filled with bright light, light so bright that it dazzles their eyes. When the angel has finished speaking to them, they see that the angel is not alone but is accompanied by a great host of angels, scores of them, far too many to count. The night is filled with the sound of unearthly voices praising God.

Let us consider for a moment the words of the angel.

“Do not be afraid, for see, 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 Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”

“Good news of great joy for all the people.” Not just for the Jews, for the descendent of the people of Israel, for those with whom God had made a covenant. But for all people!

As we read on in Luke’s narrative, both in his Gospel and his Act of the Apostles, the full implications of the angel’s words become evident. The newborn baby, wrapped in swaddling cloths, bands of cloth, as was the practice of the time, and lying in a manager, a not uncommon sight in the houses of the common people of that day when people and livestock sheltered under the same roof and had done so since earlier times, was the Savior of all humankind!

How did the shepherds react to what they had heard and seen? Did they express doubts, ask questions, show hesitance? No! They went with haste to Bethlehem, found the newborn baby, and shared with others what they had heard and seen. They most likely did not leave their flock scattered across the hillside before they left but erected a temporary fold from thorn bushes. Indeed, they may have already enfolded their sheep for the night.

Amazing as the events of that night had been, it is unlikely that the shepherds, when they gazed upon the newborn baby, realized that the infant lying in the manger was God in the person of the Son who had willingly humbled himself to be born a human being, to show us how much God loves us, to suffer and die a cruel death on a cross to put things right between God and ourselves, and to rise from the dead so that we might have new life in him. None of them had an inkling of all that he would accomplish. None of them would have realized that lying in the manager was the very Lord of Life.

We may be tempted to imagine some arcane connection between the shepherds and the newborn baby in the manger as does at least one social media post circulating on the internet. The appearance of the angels to the shepherds, however, is testimony to a simple truth: God meet us in the midst of our everyday lives. God appeared to Moses while he was tending sheep. God appeared to Gideon while he was threshing wheat.. God appeared to Elisha while he was ploughing a field. Jesus called Simon-Peter, James and John on the shores of the Sea of Galilee where they were washing their nets. Jesus called Levi while he was seated at his counting table

We, unlike the shepherds, may never hear the sound of unearthly voices praising God late one night or gaze upon the face of the infant Jesus. But the same God whom the angels were praising and who sent the shepherds hastening to Bethlehem extends to us his grace, his goodwill and favor.

The same Jesus who, when he had grown to adulthood, miraculously fed a large crowd, “about five thousand men, besides women and children,” with five loaves and two fishes offers to those who are spiritually hungry the Bread of Life—himself. Through his righteous life freely lived in obedience to God’s will and through his suffering and death on the cross at Calvary Jesus has thrown open to all humankind the way not only to pardon and peace with God but also to a new life, a far more meaningful life, in him.

Silence

Open this link in a new tab to hear the nineteenth century Cornish carol, “The Sans Day Carol (Now the Holy Bears a Berry).”

1 Now the holly bears a berry as white as the milk,
And Mary bore Jesus, who was wrapped up in silk:
And Mary bore Jesus Christ our Saviour for to be,
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly!
Holly! Holly!
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly!

2 Now the holly bears a berry as green as the grass,
And Mary bore Jesus, who died on the cross:
And Mary bore Jesus Christ our Saviour for to be,
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly!
Holly! Holly!
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly!

3 Now the holly bears a berry as black as the coal,
And Mary bore Jesus, who died for us all:
And Mary bore Jesus Christ our Saviour for to be,
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly!
Holly! Holly!
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly!

4 Now the holly bears a berry as blood it is red,
Then trust we our Saviour, who rose from the dead:
And Mary bore Jesus Christ our Saviour for to be,
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly!
Holly! Holly!
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly!

Let us confess our faith, as we say:

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER

Let us pray for all people and for the Church throughout the world.

Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ has promised that you
will hear us when we ask in faith: receive the prayers we offer.

We pray for the peace of the world and the welfare of your holy Church.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for our Bishop N, and for all the clergy and people.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for [Charles our King][…… our President], for the leaders of the nations, and for all in authority.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

[We pray for seasonable weather, and for an abundance
of the fruits of the earth.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.]

[We pray that we may share with justice the resources of
the earth, and live in trust and goodwill with one
another.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.]

We pray for the aged and the infirm, for widows and
orphans, and for the sick and suffering.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the poor and oppressed, for prisoners and captives, and for all who care for them.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for ourselves and for each other.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We praise you, Lord God, for the communion of saints, and
for the glorious hope of the resurrection to eternal life.

All glory to you, gracious God,
for the gift of your Son,
whom you sent to save us.
With the angels, let us praise your name,
and tell the earth his story,
that all may believe, rejoice, and proclaim your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

Accept our prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who taught us to pray,

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,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear David Willcocks’ arrangement of Charles Wesley’s “Hark, the Herald-Angels Sing.”

1 Hark, the herald-angels sing
glory to the new-born King;
peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled:
joyful, all ye nations rise,
join the triumph of the skies,
with th'angelic host proclaim,
'Christ is born in Bethlehem.'
Hark, the herald-angels sing
glory to the new-born King.

2 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 Godhead see,
hail, the incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with us to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark, the herald-angels sing
glory to the new-born King.

3 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 us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.
Hark, the herald-angels sing
glory to the new-born King.

THE SENDING FORTH OF GOD’S PEOPLE

Eternal God and Father, by whose power we are created and
by whose love we are redeemed: guide and strengthen us by
your Spirit, that we may give ourselves to your service, and
live every day in love to one another and to you; through Jesus
Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

[Let us go now in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.]