We hear God’s CALL TO WORSHIP in Psalm 66:7–8
Bless our God, you peoples;
make the voice of his praise to be heard;
who holds our souls in life,
and will not allow our feet to slip.
We listen in silence for God’s still small voice, CENTERING ourselves, becoming aware of God’s presence within us and around us
We respond to God with ADORATION using the words of Jonathan Edwards
The appearance of every thing is altered,
a calm, sweet cast or appearance of divine glory,
in almost every thing,
God’s excellency, his wisdom, his purity, and love,
appearing in every thing:
in the sun, moon, and stars;
in the clouds and blue sky;
in the grass, flowers, trees;
in the water and all nature.
We hear God’s CALL TO REPENTANCE in 1 John 1:8–9; Isaiah 1:18; Isaiah 55:7
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them; and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
We respond with CONFESSION using the words of Alcuin of York
Almighty and merciful God, the fountain of all goodness, you know the thoughts of our hearts. We confess to you that we have sinned against you and done evil in your sight. Wash us, we pray, from the stains of our past sins, and give us grace and strength to put away all that is harmful; so that, set free from the bondage of sin, we may bring forth worthy fruits of repentance.
Eternal Light, shine into our hearts.
Eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil.
Eternal Power, be our support.
Eternal Wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance.
Eternal Mercy, have mercy on us;
so that with all our heart, and mind, and strength, we may seek your face, and be brought by your infinite mercy into your holy presence; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
We hear God’s teaching for our lives in THE READING OF THE LAW in Isaiah 58:6–7
Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen:
to release the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and that you break every yoke?
Isn’t it to distribute your bread to the hungry,
and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house?
When you see the naked, that you cover him;
and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh?
We PRAISE God in the INVITATORY PSALM, the VenitePsalm 95:1–7 · Venite, exultemus
1O come, let us sing to the Lord; *
let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.
2Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, *
and show ourselves glad in him with psalms.
3For the Lord is a great God, *
and a great King above all gods.
4In his hand are all the corners of the earth, *
and the strength of the hills is his also.
5The sea is his, and he made it; *
and his hands prepared the dry land.
6O come, let us worship and bow down, *
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7For he is the Lord our God, *
and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit:
As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
We PRAISE God in THE PSALM OF THE DAYPsalm 2:6–13 · Quare fremuerunt gentes?
6“I myself have set my king *
upon my holy hill of Zion.”
7Let me announce the decree of the Lord: *
he said to me, “You are my Son; *
this day have I begotten you.
8Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance *
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
9You shall crush them with an iron rod *
and shatter them like a piece of pottery.”
10And now, you kings, be wise; *
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
11Submit to the Lord with fear, *
and with trembling bow before him;
12Lest he be angry and you perish; *
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
13Happy are they all *
who take refuge in him!
We pray a PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION in the words of John Calvin
Grant, Almighty God, that as you shine on us by your Word, we may not be blind at midday, nor willfully seek darkness, and thus lull our minds asleep; but may we be roused daily by your words, and may we stir up ourselves more and more to fear your name and thus present ourselves and all our pursuits as a sacrifice to you, that you may peaceably rule, and perpetually dwell in us, until you gather us to your celestial habitation, where there is reserved for us eternal rest and glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We hear God speaking to us in THE READING for the dayHebrews 1:1–14
Wednesday, 29 December 2027 · Christmas
1God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. 3His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4having become as much better than the angels as the more excellent name he has inherited is better than theirs. 5For to which of the angels did he say at any time,
“You are my Son.
Today I have become your father?”
and again,
“I will be to him a Father,
and he will be to me a Son?”
6When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.” 7Of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels winds,
and his servants a flame of fire.”
8But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of your Kingdom.
9You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.”
10And,
“You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth.
The heavens are the works of your hands.
11They will perish, but you continue.
They all will grow old like a garment does.
12You will roll them up like a mantle,
and they will be changed;
but you are the same.
Your years won’t fail.”
13But which of the angels has he told at any time,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?”
14Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
World English Bible. Or read it at Bible Gateway in the NRSV: Hebrews 1:1–14 · the short form, Hebrews 1:1–4.
We REFLECT in silence
We greet the day with THE SONG OF ZECHARIAH, the Benedictus Luke 1:68–79
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old,
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
We pray the LORD’S PRAYER as Jesus taught his disciples, in those words which are most meaningful to us
Our [ Father / Mother / Creator ] in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our [ trespasses / sins ]
as we forgive those who [ trespass / sin ] against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
We pray a PRAYER OF INTERCESSION in the words of John Bradford
Let your mighty hand and outstretched arm, Lord,
be still our defense;
your mercy and loving kindness in Jesus Christ your dear Son,
our salvation;
your true and holy Word,
our instruction;
your grace and Holy Spirit,
our comfort and consolation
unto the end, and in the end.
Amen.
We silently pray PERSONAL PRAYER
Followed by
Amen.
We pray a PRAYER FOR UNITY OF ALL PEOPLE
God, you have made of one blood all nations of the earth, and your will is that all your children should be gathered into one family of love: break down, we pray you, the walls that divide us; deliver us from hardness of heart and from contempt for those who differ from us; and hasten the time when all shall dwell together in that peace which passes understanding, knowing you as Father and one another as brothers and sisters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, in whom there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, but all are one. Amen.
We pray a PRAYER OF GENERAL THANKSGIVING in the words of Hugh Cameron
For the life which you have given and preserved,
the world in which we dwell,
and the hope of everlasting blessedness,
we thank you, O God.
For the pains and distresses which have moulded us as clay is moulded by the potter,
and for the consolations which so often like springs in the desert have refreshed our weariness,
we thank you, O God.
For comfort and help in sorrow,
in pain,
in bereavement,
and when flesh and heart failed,
we thank you, O God.
For the warnings of your spirit speaking to our spirits when the sky was bright and all people spoke well of us,
we thank you, O God.
For the life and doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ,
for his love and sacrifice,
for his boundless compassion,
and for the glorious company of those who have followed him in weakness unto victory,
we thank you, O God.
A concluding BENEDICTION or blessing Numbers 6:24–26
The Lord bless us and keep us;
the Lord make his face to shine upon us,
and be gracious to us;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon us,
and give us peace.
Amen.