Holy Communion: Fourth Sunday of Advent and services through Christmas

Sunday 22nd December (Advent 4)

Micah 5.2–5a

2 You, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,   who are one of the little clans of Judah,from you shall come forth for me   one who is to rule in Israel,whose origin is from of old,   from ancient days.3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time   when she who is in labour has brought forth;then the rest of his kindred shall return   to the people of Israel.4 And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,   in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great   to the ends of the earth;5 and he shall be the one of peace.

Hebrews 10.5–10

5Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,   but a body you have prepared for me;6 in burnt-offerings and sin-offerings   you have taken no pleasure.7 Then I said, “See, God, I have come to do your will, O God”   (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).’8When he said above, ‘You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt-offerings and sin-offerings’ (these are offered according to the law), 9then he added, ‘See, I have come to do your will.’ He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. 10And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Luke 1.39–55

39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’

46 And Mary said,‘My soul magnifies the Lord,47   and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,48 for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,   and holy is his name.50 His mercy is for those who fear him   from generation to generation.51 He has shown strength with his arm;   he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,   and lifted up the lowly;53 he has filled the hungry with good things,   and sent the rich away empty.54 He has helped his servant Israel,   in remembrance of his mercy,55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,   to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Christmas Eve

Isaiah 52.7–10

7 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.’8 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.9 Break forth together into singing,  you ruins of Jerusalem;for the Lord has comforted his people,   he has redeemed Jerusalem.10 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.

Hebrews 1.1-12

1Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, 2but 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. 3He 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, 4having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

5 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’?6And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’7Of the angels he says,‘He makes his angels winds,   and his servants flames of fire.’8But of the Son he says,‘Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever,   and the righteous sceptre is the sceptre of your kingdom.9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;therefore God, your God, has anointed you   with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.’10And,‘In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth,   and the heavens are the work of your hands;11 they will perish, but you remain;   they will all wear out like clothing;12 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.’

John 1.1–14

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

Christmas Day

Isaiah 9.2–7

2 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.3 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.4 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.5 For all the boots of the tramping warriors   and all the garments rolled in blood   shall be burned as fuel for the fire.6 For a child has been born for us,   a son given to us;authority rests upon his shoulders;   and he is namedWonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.7 His authority shall grow continually,   and there shall be endless peacefor the throne of David and his kingdom.   He will establish and uphold itwith justice and with righteousness   from this time onwards and for evermore.The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Titus 2.11–14

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all,12training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, 13while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 14He 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.

Luke 2.1–20

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3All went to their own towns to be registered. 4Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,14 ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,   and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

15 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.’ 16So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Sunday 29th December

1 Samuel 2.18–20, 26

18 Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy wearing a linen ephod. 19His mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year, when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, ‘May the Lord repay you with children by this woman for the gift that she made to the Lord’; and then they would return to their home.

26 Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favour with the Lord and with the people.

Colossians 3.12–17

12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Luke 2.41-52

41 Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. 42And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 43When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44Assuming that he was in the group of travellers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 46After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ 49He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’50But they did not understand what he said to them. 51Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour.