Today Is: Christmas Eve

Collect for: Christmas Eve
O God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth of your only Son Jesus Christ: Grant that we, who joyfully receive him as our Redeemer, may with sure confidence behold him when he comes to be our Judge; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Old Testament
Isaiah 52:7-10

7 How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns!' 8 Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, With their voices they shall sing together; For they shall see eye to eye When the LORD brings back Zion. 9 Break forth into joy, sing together, You waste places of Jerusalem! For the LORD has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. 10 The LORD has made bare His holy arm In the eyes of all the nations; And all the ends of the earth shall see The salvation of our God.

Officiant: The Word of the Lord.
The People: Thanks be to God.

Psalm
Psalm 96

1 Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. 3 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. 4 For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens. 6 Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. 7 Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Give to the LORD glory and strength. 8 Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts. 9 Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth. 10 Say among the nations, 'The LORD reigns; The world also is firmly established, It shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously.' 11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; Let the sea roar, and all its fullness; 12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the LORD. 13 For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.

*At the end of the Psalms this is sung or said
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

New Testament
Hebrews 1:1-5

1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You'? And again: 'I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son'?

Officiant: The Word of the Lord.
The People: Thanks be to God.

Gospel
Luke 2:1-14

Introduction to the Gospel:
Deacon:The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you. Or And with your spirit
Deacon: May the Lord be on our minds, on our lips, and on our hearts as we hear His Holy Gospel. The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke.
People: Glory to You, Lord Christ.
Deacon: We are reading from Luke's Gospel chapter 2, beginning at verse 1.

1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.' 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!'

After the Gospel reading, the deacon elevates the book and says:
Deacon: The Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, Lord Christ.

Prayers of the People

Prayers of the People for: Christmas Eve

Brothers and sisters, in Christmas joy and hope, let us confidently present to God our needs and those of the whole world. For the people of God; that they will celebrate the birth of Christ with a renewed commitment to share this Good News at every opportunity.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

For the leaders of the Church; that through humility and compassion they will show forth the love that God has demonstrated to us by sending Jesus.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

For our inner cities; that they will be places free of poverty, violence and oppression.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

For peace in the world; that nations will resolve their conflicts by submitting to the Prince of Peace.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

For those who are marginalized in society; the abandoned, the oppressed, the homeless and the unwanted child.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

For the sick; that they will join their sufferings to the sufferings of Christ as they wait expectantly for their healing.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

For those families that have lost loved ones this year and will be celebrating the holidays for the first time without them.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

Faithful Father, the birth of Your Son renews our hope. Hear our prayer and give us the grace to make Your salvation known among the nations. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Gracious and compassionate God, You have prepared a table for us in the presence of our enemies. Hear our prayer and give us eyes to see and a heart to desire the feast You have prepared for us at Your heavenly Banquet Table.
We ask this