Christmas Services and Readings

Christ Church welcomes you this Christmas and throughout the year. May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through.

Join us for our celebration of Christmas at any or all of these special services!

Christmas Eve -- Dec. 24, 2011 -- 7 pm -- Christ Mass with children's pageant
Christmas Eve -- Dec. 24, 2011 -- 11 pm  -- Christ Mass with special music beginning at 10:40
Christmas Day -- Dec. 25, 2011 -- 11 am -- Christ Mass with Baptism and blessing of the gifts
Feast of the Holy Name -- January 1 -- 11 am -- Still celebrating Christmas with this one Sunday service!

Readings Christmas Eve 7pm 2011

Reader:  A reading from Isaiah [9:2-7]

The prophet’s hymn foretells the coming of a new king who will establish a glorious kingdom and rule in peace forever.

Reader: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

People:  Open our ears to hear your Word.

The people who walked in darkness
   have seen a great light.
For those who lived in a land of deep shadows—
   light! sunbursts of light!
You repopulated the nation,
   you expanded its joy.
Oh, they're so glad in your presence!
   Festival joy!
The joy of a great celebration,
   sharing rich gifts and warm greetings.
The abuse of oppressors and cruelty of tyrants—
   all their whips and cudgels and curses—
Is gone, done away with, a deliverance
   as surprising and sudden as Gideon's old victory over Midian.
The boots of all those invading troops,
   along with their shirts soaked with innocent blood,
Will be piled in a heap and burned,
   a fire that will burn for days!
For a child has been born—for us!
   the gift of a son—for us!
He'll take over
   the running of the world.
His names will be: Amazing Counselor,
 Strong God, Eternal Father,  
Prince of Wholeness.
His ruling authority will grow,
   and there'll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.
He'll rule from the historic David throne
   over that promised kingdom.
He'll put that kingdom on a firm footing
   and keep it going
With fair dealing and right living,
   beginning now and lasting always.
The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies
   will do all this.

Reader: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

People:  Open our ears to hear your Word.
Readings Christmas Eve 2011 11pm

+The First Lesson: The prophet’s hymn foretells the coming of a new king who will establish a glorious kingdom and rule in peace forever

A Reading from Isaiah [9:2-7]

The people who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness--

on them light has shined.

You have multiplied the nation,

      you have increased its joy;

they rejoice before you

as with joy at the harvest,

as people exult when dividing plunder.

For the yoke of their burden,

and the bar across their shoulders,

the rod of their oppressor,

you have broken as on the day of Midian.

For all the boots of the tramping warriors

and all the garments rolled in blood

shall be burned as fuel for the fire.

For a child has been born for us,

a son given to us;

authority rests upon his shoulders;

and he is named

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

His authority shall grow continually,

and there shall be endless peace

for the throne of David and his kingdom.

He will establish and uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

from this time onward and forevermore.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Reader: The Word of the Lord                                                                                           People: Thanks be to God

Psalm 96 Page 725, BCP

Sing to the LORD a new song; *
sing to the LORD, all the whole earth.

Sing to the LORD and bless his Name; *
proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.

Declare his glory among the nations *
and his wonders among all peoples.

For great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; *
he is more to be feared than all gods.

As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols; *
but it is the LORD who made the heavens.

Oh, the majesty and magnificence of his presence! *
Oh, the power and the splendor of his sanctuary!

Ascribe to the LORD, you families of the peoples; *
ascribe to the LORD honor and power.

Ascribe to the LORD the honor due his Name; *
bring offerings and come into his courts.

Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness; *
let the whole earth tremble before him.

Tell it out among the nations: "The LORD is King! *
he has made the world so firm that it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity."

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
let the sea thunder and all that is in it; *
let the field be joyful and all that is therein.

Then shall all the trees of the wood shout for joy
before the LORD when he comes, *
when he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness *
and the peoples with his truth.

  

+The Second Lesson: Jesus the Savior has offered himself to free us from our sins. As we await the appearance of God's glory, we are to be disciplined in doing God’s will.

A Reading from Titus  [2:11-14]:

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

Reader: The Word of the Lord                                                                                          
People: Thanks be to God  

Readings Christmas Day 2011 11am

+The First Lesson: The prophet rejoices that the Lord will bring comfort to his people. The salvation God offers will extend to the ends of the earth.

A Reading from Isaiah [52:7-10]

How beautiful upon the mountains

are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,

who brings good news,

who announces salvation,

who says to Zion, "Your God reigns."

Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices,

together they sing for joy;

for in plain sight they see

the return of the LORD to Zion.

Break forth together into singing,

you ruins of Jerusalem;

for the LORD has comforted his people,

he has redeemed Jerusalem.

The LORD has bared his holy arm

before the eyes of all the nations;

and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Reader: The Word of the Lord                                                                                           People: Thanks be to God

Psalm 98 Page 727, BCP

Sing to the LORD a new song, *
for he has done marvelous things.

With his right hand and his holy arm *
has he won for himself the victory.

The LORD has made known his victory; *
his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.

He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel*
and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

Shout with joy to the LORD, all you lands; *
lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.

Sing to the LORD with the harp, *
with the harp and the voice of song.

With trumpets and the sound of the horn *
shout with joy before the King, the LORD.

Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it, *
the lands and those who dwell therein.

Let the rivers clap their hands, *
and let the hills ring out with joy before the LORD,
when he comes to judge the earth.

In righteousness shall he judge the world *
and the peoples with equity.

+The Second Lesson: In the past, God has spoken through the prophets. But Jesus, God’s own Son, shows forth the Lord’s infinite grace perfectly as the bearer of divine nature.

A Reading from Hebrews  [1:1-4,5-12]:

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

For to which of the angels did God ever say,

"You are my Son;

today I have begotten you"?

Or again, 

"I will be his Father,

and he will be my Son"?

And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,

"Let all God's angels worship him."

Of the angels he says,

"He makes his angels winds,

and his servants flames of fire."

But of the Son he says,

"Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,

and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.

You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;

therefore God, your God, has anointed you

with the oil of gladness beyond your companions."

And,

"In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth,

and the heavens are the work of your hands;

they will perish, but you remain;

they will all wear out like clothing;

like a cloak you will roll them up,

and like clothing they will be changed.

But you are the same,

and your years will never end."

Reader: The Word of the Lord                                                                                         

People: Thanks be to God