Quiz of the Day, December 2018

Quiz of the Day, December 31, 2018

Caspar, the name of a Magi, most likely derived from which of the following sources?

a. Acts of Thomas, an apocryphal writing associated with the famous "doubter"
b. the Gospel of Matthew
c. a reference in the Psalms referring to kings
d. a Parthian inscription found in Iran

Quiz of the Day, December 30, 2018

In the beginning was the Word.  What is the Greek word for "word" used in John 1:1?

a. lexi
b. rhema
c. dabar
d. logos

Quiz of the Day, December 29, 2018

What was the primary reason for a pilgrimage to Canterbury such as was recorded in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales?

a. to visit the See and the Chair of Augustine of Canterbury
b. for the Easter Visit to the Cathedral to be blessed by the Archbishop
c. to obey the command of the Monarch to make the pilgrimage
d. to visit the crypt of the martyred Thomas a Becket

Quiz of the Day, December 28, 2018

The Gospel writers' penchant for parallel themes in the life of Jesus with themes in the lives of Hebrew Scriptures brought the feast of the Holy Innocent.  What is the Hebrew Scripture parallel?

a. Pharaoh's edict to slaughter all infant boys in the time of Moses
b. the plague involving the death of all first born sons
c. the sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham
d. the death of David's first son born to Bathsheba


Quiz of the Day, December 27, 2018

Why have man asserted that John the Evangelist and John the Divine are not the same person?

a. the language of the Book of Revelation is significant different than the Johannine Gospel and Epistles
b. the theology of revelation is different from the other Johannine writings
c. Several Early Church Fathers/Persons asserted they were different people
d. all of the above

Quiz of the Day, December 26, 2018

What ordained ministry of the church did St. Stephan have?

a. priest
b. bishop
c. presbyter
d. deacon
e. prophet
f. apostle
g. martyr

Quiz of the Day, December 25, 2018

Why is Christmas often rendered as Xmas?

a. the secular world want to leave Christ out of Christmas
b. X stands a missing word
c. X is actually the Greek letter Chi, the first letter in Christos, the Greek work for Christ
d. X is for the Hebrew word for Messiah

Quiz of the Day December 24, 2018

In which book does it say a child has been born who shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace?

a. Micah
b. Zachariah
c. Haggai
d. Isaiah

Quiz of the Day, December 23, 2018

When did the text of the Hail Mary come to its current form?

a. in the Gospels
b. at the council of Trent
c. in printed text of Savonarlo in 1495
d. in Pius VI Roman breviary in 1568

Quiz of the Day, December 22, 2018

In the Bible, what is the city of David?

a. Jerusalem
b. Zion
c. Shiloh
d. Bethlehem

Quiz of the Day, December 21, 2018

Which of the following is not true regarding the Immaculate Conception?

a. it refers to Mary
b. it refers to Jesus
c. it cannot be found in Holy Scriptures
d. it is a teaching of the Roman Catholic Church

Quiz of the Day, December 20, 2018

The phrase in the "Hail Mary,"  "blessed art thou among women," is a quote of which biblical person?

a. Gabriel
b. Simeon
c. Anna
d. Elizabeth

Quiz of the Day, December 19, 2018

Which Gospel begins with John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus?

a. Matthew
b. Mark
c. Luke
d. John

Quiz of the Day, December 18, 2018

Whom of the following did not compose a song found in the Bible?

a. Miriam
b. Hannah
c. Mary
d. Anna

Quiz of the Day, December 17, 2018

Of the following biblical women, which does not match in significant life events?

a. The Virgin Mary
b. Elizabeth
c. The widow of Zarephath
d. Sarah
e. Hannah

Quiz of the Day, December 16, 2018

What was the occupation of the father of John the Baptist?

a. rabbi
b. scribe
c. priest
d. seer

Quiz of the Day, December 15, 2018

The 3rd Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday?  What does gaudete mean?

a. Repent
b. Confess
c. Rejoice
d. Exalt

Quiz of the Day, December 14, 2018

The purgative, illuminative and unitive are spiritual stages in the writing of what mystic?

a. John Climacus
b. Nicolas of Cusa
c. John of the Cross
d. Teresa of Avila
e. Walter Hilton

Quiz of the Day, December 13, 2018

In which Gospel does Jesus say, "Let the one without sin among you cast the first stone at her?"

a. Matthew
b. Mark
c. Luke
d. John

Quiz of the Day, December 12, 2018

Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima and Medjugorje are places associated with what saint?

a. Paul
b. Therese
c. Francis
d. Mary

Quiz of the Day, December 11, 2018

Pius XII regarded whom of the following to be the most important theologian since Thomas Aquinas?

a. Paul Tillich
b. Reinhold Niebuhr
c. Karl Barth
d. Karl Rahner

Quiz of the Day, December 10, 2018

This American Trappist monk on the Episcopal calendar of saints, died of accidental electrocution in Bangkok, Thailand in 1968.

a. Thomas Keating
b. Thomas Merton
c. Fulton Sheen
d. Basil Pennington

Quiz of the Day, December 9, 2018

Which of the following words would be fit the meaning of repentance?

a. penance
b. education
c. piety
d. ritual

Quiz of the Day, December 8, 2018

To which church did St. Paul write to address the concern that members have about the fate of people who predeceased the return of Christ?

a. Corinthian
b. Thessalonian
c. Philippian
d. Galatian

Quiz of the Day, December 7, 2018

Which saint was chosen to be bishop before he was even baptized?

a. Clement I
b. Ambrose
c. Basil the Great
d. Athanasius

Quiz of the Day, December 6, 2018

Santa Claus is derived from whom?

a. Nicolas of Cusa
b. Pope Nicolas I
c. Pope Nicolas II
d. Nicholas of Myra

Quiz of the Day, December 5, 2018

Which of the following is not true regarding Clement of Alexandria?

a. he knew the apostle Peter
b. Origen and Alexander of Jerusalem were his pupils
c. he believe Plato gained knowledge from the Egyptians
d. he confronted what has come to be called Gnosticism

Quiz of the Day, December 4, 2018

John of Damascus is not known for which of the following?

a. being an iconoclast
b. supporting the Assumption of Mary
c. serving an Islamic Caliph
d. was in favor of icons and their devotional significance

Quiz of the Day, December 3, 2018

Who was a co-founder of the Jesuits who was a successful missionary to Asia while riding the coat tails of Portuguese colonial power?

a. Alfonso Salmeron
b. Francis Xavier
c. Ignatius Loyola
d. Peter Faber

Quiz of the Day, December 2, 2018

The writer of the Epistle of Peter wrote that for the Lord, one day is like a thousand day and thousand days are like one day.  Where in Hebrew Scriptures can this exact saying be found?

a. Proverbs
b. Psalms
c. Isaiah
d. Jeremiah

Quiz of the Day, December 1, 2018

What writer immortalized Nicolas Ferrar's community of Little Gidding as a place "where prayers have been valid?"

a. C.S. Lewis
b. G.K. Chesterton
c. Charles Williams
d. T. S. Eliot

Nice Play Shakespeare

1 Christmas  C     December 30, 2018

Is.61:10-62:3     Ps. 147:13-21

Gal. 3:23-25,4:4-7  John 1:1-18

Lectionary Link

Youth Sermon for December 30, 2018

1-William Shakespeare was and is probably the greatest playwright of the English language.  Actors for more than four hundred years have wanted to perform his words.  It could be that William Shakespeare performed in his own plays because he was an actor too.  He was a playwright and an actor, and he probably directed too.  He was quite a genius with words both in writing and in acting and in the directing of his plays in the English language.

2-We might understand God as the playwright of the entire world.  But not just the playwright but also the star actor in the great play of the entire world.  Why could we say this?  The writer of the Gospel of John might think so too.  The Gospel writer wrote "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.  And everything came into being through the Word."  So, God as Word is the creator or playwright of us existing as human beings.

  

3-But the Word is not just the great Playwright.  The Word became the very best actor too.  The Gospel writer wrote, "The Word became flesh and lived with us."  So, we understand Christ to be the eternal Word and the Playwright of life itself; and Jesus is the star actor of the great play of life created by the Eternal Word Playwright.

4-But is this just some nice poetry?  Does it have any practical meaning for our lives?  What does it mean for us that the Word creates everything?  What does it mean that the Word became flesh in Jesus and lived with us?

1-It could be that what makes us human is the fact that we are language users and our lives are made up of collections of words.  Even though we might think that we are flesh and bones and blood and nerves and brains with thought and hearts with feelings.  Flesh, bones, blood, nerves, brains, hearts and feelings are words that we use to describe ourselves.  Words are what we use to find meaning for our lives.  The best meanings of our lives are what we call truth.

  

2-To find and know truth in our lives, we have to find the best meanings.  To find the best meanings, we need to find people who can be the very best examples for us to teach us the best meanings for our lives.  That is what we believe about Jesus Christ.  He was the best Actor in the great play of life.  He taught us, and he lived the very best meanings of life.  He taught us how to find the best scripts in life to live.  And he gives us the very best acting lessons.

3-In the theater, acting is only pretending to be the person that you are playing.  In the real play of life, acting is not pretending.  It is trying to live out the very best script in all that we do or say.

4-Sometimes we find ourselves acting some bad scripts.  Sometimes we have some bad habit of speaking and acting that we just keep repeating.  We have learned these bad scripts from following the examples of some not so perfect actors and by having some imperfect directors.  We sometimes have accepted less than perfect scripts to follow.

1-What do we do when we find ourselves as bad actors in a bad play with some bad scripts?  The first thing that we do is to accept our freedom.  As actors we can choose the scripts.  As actors we can choose the directors of our play in life.  As actors we can choose the acting teachers to help us do our very best.

2-A good actor is always hoping to get better. A good actor is always looking for better roles.  He or she might look at all the roles that have been played.  An actor might want to play the same role again on stage because he or she might think that the role can be performed better.

3-Today we are about at the end of the year.  We are about to finish Act 2018 of our lives.  Today we may want to be the theater critics of Act 2018 of our lives.  How was our acting this past year?  Where did we improve and get better than we did in 2017?  Did we eat more broccoli and other healthy foods?  But more importantly, how did we do in the most important roles in life?   How did we do with love?  Kindness?  Self-control?  Patience?  Faith?

4-Let us review the scripts that we have followed in 2018 as we prepare for the next big play of our lives, the year 2019.  To write the scripts of our lives for 2019, let us consult the scripts in the Bible to improve our new roles for 2019.  Let us especially study the life of Jesus as our model of best behaviors.  Let us choose good role models who are in our lives now to help write the scripts for 2019.

1-Now the new year can seem like a big challenge and sometimes when we are on the big stage of life we can feel all alone.  But we should remember that we have an entire cast and crew of fellow friends and Christians to help us be the very best in our roles for the New Year.  Don't try to do 2019 alone.  Accept the very best advice and support from the best supporting cast in your life.

  

2-And remember when you think that you are alone on the stage of 2019, remember you have something better than cue cards when you forget your lines.  You have the very best prompter of all; you have God's Holy Spirit inside of you whispering what you need to say and to do.  God's Holy Spirit is with you as you walk on the stage of 2019.

3-Okay.  First Scene of Act 2019.  Quiet on the set. Camera.  Action. Roll.  Break a leg in the New Year!  Good luck.  God bless us as we follow Jesus.  We have been given the Word of God and Jesus as our acting model and teacher.  And may we have many curtain calls at the end of the year.  Amen.

Sunday School, December 30, 2018 1 Christmas C

Sunday School, December 30, 2018    1 Christmas C

Theme: Jesus the Christ long before Bethlehem

The birth of Jesus stories are only found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.  They are not found in the Gospels of Mark and John.   The Gospel of Mark begins with Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist and there is a heavenly voice which proclaim about Jesus, “This is my beloved Son.”  The Gospel of Mark begins with the announcement of the Sonship of Jesus.

The Gospel of John begins with a poem about how the divinity of Jesus existed before he was born.  He was called the Word.  The Word of with God and the Word was God.  So Word is another name for Jesus Christ.

The Gospel of John begins with the same three words which are found to begin the book of Genesis:  “In the beginning.”  If Jesus Christ was God, the writer of John wants to show how Christ was present at the creation of the world.  In the creation story, God speaks and things are created.  So God the Father spoke the Word; the Creating Word that God the Father Spoke was the Christ, and the Holy Spirit moved over the face of the deep to create everything that was created.   This is how the writer of John’s Gospel showed how the Father, the Son and the Spirit were at Creation from the beginning.  This is the poetry of the writer of the Gospel of John.

The human world is created because we have words, we have language.  In the Garden of Eden Adam was different from the other animals because Adam was responsible for giving the animals names.

Naming or using words is what makes human being different.  So having words is what create our unique human experience.  So God as the Word is the perfect way to understand the creation of human experience.  We cannot know fully human experience without having words.  As babies who cannot speak words, we are more like puppy dogs.  To become developed as a human person is to learn how to use word and language and human beings learn words and language while puppies don’t.

The world is full of words and we need words organized and put into the actions and body language of a person to show us how to live good lives.  And this happened:  The Gospel of John writer wrote: “And the Word became Flesh and dwelled among us.”  And God the Word became the perfect human example in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ lived as the best example of what God would be like for human beings.

Do you see how this is a different Christmas birth story about Jesus?   And do understand why we read this different birth story about Jesus?

A children’s sermon

Text:

  Let’s pretend for just a minute.  Let us pretend that we cannot see.  Let us pretend that we cannot hear.  Let us pretend that we cannot speak.

  It is hard to pretend this.  Because if we had never learned the word pretend, we wouldn’t know what pretend.

  Maybe we should think about a little baby who is crying.  Do we know why a baby cries?  Can the baby tell us why exactly he or she is crying?  No, but we try to guess.  Do we need to change a diaper, or give the baby some milk, or give the baby some medicine?  Do we need to burp the baby?  Does the baby have a tummy ache?  Or is the baby cold?  Or is the baby too hot?  Or is the baby lonely?

  We try to guess why a baby is crying, but we cannot be sure why a baby is crying.  Why?  Because a baby does not yet know how to speak or to use language.  And when a baby begins to use language, a baby starts to become more like a grown-up.  Why?  Because the baby can now talk to mom and dad and to brothers and sisters and Grandmothers and grandfathers.  And so we always celebrate when a baby says the first words, because we know that the baby is becoming able to tell us how she feels.

  There once was little girl named Helen Keller.  When she was a baby she had a sickness and she lost her ability to see, to talk and to hear.  Because she could not see, talk or hear, she had no way to learn how to talk.  Can you imagine what her life was like?  She was not happy and she was very hard to care for, because she had no way to talk with her parents.

  Her parents hired a teacher to try to teach her.  And it is very hard to teach someone who cannot see, hear or talk.  But the teacher used her hands to make letters in her hand.  But she did not even know the letters, until one day when water was pouring over her hand, the teacher spelled “w-a-t-e-r” into the hand of Hellen Keller.  And Helen suddenly understood what words meant.  And she was so excited she wanted to know the name of everything that she could touch.  And when she could use words, her life was suddenly new, because she could now talk with her parents using her hands.  Helen Keller grew up to be a famous and well educated person, and she helped andinspired people who did have the ability to see, hear or speak.

  Jesus Christ is called the Word of God.  And from the life of Helen Keller, you and I can understand how important Words are for us.  Everything in our world is created with Word, because we don’t know what anything is if we don’t have words.

  Let us be thankful today that we have words.  With words we don’t have to live alone and be lonely, because with words we can talk with the important people in our lives.  And let us be thankful that God our creator made us special because we were made to use words.  And so today we use our words to thank God who made us to have words in our lives.  And we should be very careful about how we use the words of our lives.  Our words can create love and kindness; or our word can cause war and fighting.  Let remember when we use words; they are special gifts to us that God gave us to use. Amen.

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church

17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

December 30, 2018: The First Sunday after Christmas

Gathering Songs: Go Tell It On the Mountain; What Child Is This?; O Little Town of Bethlehem; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Liturgist: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever.  Amen.

Liturgist:  Oh God, Our hearts are open to you.

And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.

Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship you.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Song: Go Tell It On the Mountain, (Blue Hymnal, # 99)

Chorus: Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere; go tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born!

While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night, behold, throughout the heavens there shone a holy light. Chorus

The shepherds feared and trembled when lo above the earth rang out the angel chorus that hailed our Savior’s birth.  Chorus

Down in a lowly manger the humble Christ was born, and God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn.  Chorus

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Litany of Praise: Chant: Alleluia

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia

O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia

O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia

O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia

O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia

A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Galatians

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God..

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Let us read together from Psalm 147

Hallelujah! How good it is to sing praises to our God! * how pleasant it is to honor him with praise!

Great is our LORD and mighty in power; * there is no limit to his wisdom.

The LORD lifts up the lowly, * but casts the wicked to the ground.

Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; * make music to our God upon the harp.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Litanist:

For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!

For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!

For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!

For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!

For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!

For work and for play. Thanks be to God!

For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!

For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!

For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.

   Thanks be to God!

Liturgist:         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.  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. (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'") From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy.

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

Youth Liturgist:          The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

People:                        And also with you.

Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering

What Child Is This  (Blue Hymnal # 115)

What child is this, who, laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping?  Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping?

Chorus: This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing;

   haste, haste to bring him laud, the babe, the son of Mary.

Why lies he in such mean estate where ox and ass are feeding?  Good Christian fear: for sinners here the silent Word is pleading.  Chorus

So bring him incense, gold and myrrh, come, peasant, king, to own him; the King of kings salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone him.  Chorus

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Prologue to the Eucharist

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of God.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

Baptism is a celebration of birth into the family of God.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.  Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

All may gather around the altar

Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;

You have made us in your image

And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:

Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.

And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph

And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.

Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat

  the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as  

  this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

The Prayer continues with these words

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Bless and sanctify us so that we may love God and our neighbor.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and that his presence will be with us in our future.

Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ.  May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.

By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory

 is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing,

(Children rejoin their parents and take up their instruments)

Our Father: (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)

Our Father who art in heaven:  Hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.

Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.

Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.

And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.

Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:       Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Words of Administration

Communion Hymn: O Little Town Of Bethlehem (Hymnal # 79)

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by; yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light; the hope and fears of all of the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary; and gathered all above, while mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.  O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth! And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth.

Post-Communion Prayer

Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;

We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.

And His Presence has been known to us.

We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers

    and sisters in Christ.

Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the

     bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,

As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Closing Song: God Rest You Merry Gentlemen (Blue Hymnal # 105)

God rest you merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay; remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas day, to save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray.  Chorus: O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy; O tiding of comfort and joy!

From god our heavenly Father a blessed angel came and unto certain shepherds brought tiding of the same: how that in Bethlehem was born the Son of God by name.  Chorus

Dismissal:   

Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ. 

People: Thanks be to God!