2020 Christmas Eve Service for Oakdale - Communion at J.D and Bobbies! 11 Minutes

Christmas Eve Communion Service for Oakdale

I would like to welcome each of you here this evening for our Christmas Eve communion.

We will have a short devotion,,, then the reading of the communion liturgy that I handed out.

Before we begin,,, I wanted to have prayer then we will begin with our scripture reading.

Prayer: Our Most Gracious and Loving God,,, as we gather here this evening on Christmas Eve,,, as always we thank you for our many blessings and the greatest gift of all,,, your Son,,, Jesus Christ. Help us to honor You and remember You as we celebrate the best way that we can under these conditions. May this Christmas service help each one of us as we leave here to go back to our home,,, to remember the sacrifice that was made for us and exactly how much we are loved by You today. These things and all others we ask,,, in Jesus' precious name,,, Amen!

Our scripture reading is John 3:16 and it will be from the King James Version since that is the way that I have it memorized and I imagine that is the way that it is familiar to most of you as well.

John 3:16 — 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

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It's hard to imagine Christmas without love,,, and God shows His love for us by sending His Son,,, born as a little baby in a lowly manger,,, a little over 2000 years ago,,, just so that He could grow up and die for "our sins".

Tomorrow we will gather together,,, each of us with our own parts of families and loved ones,,, along with people all over the world,,, to celebrate the birth of this baby sent for us!

In the cold this evening,,, I wanted to keep it short,,, but I want us to remember the sacrifice that Christ made for us,,, even as we get ready to celebrate His miraculous birth!

Because it's through His love for us,,, even as sinners,,, that this Christmas season is celebrated,,, and we have this joyous occasion to gather,,, together here as we celebrate communion,,, and tomorrow with our loved ones as well!

So let's take our handouts as we read together the words for our communion service this evening!

Communion:

Pastor: In this season of expectant waiting, we are invited to Christ’s table here and now. Coming to Christ’s table is a way to experience the grace of God. Therefore it is open to all. The only requirement is a sincere heart. So we come together as a people to confess our sins to God. We confess to free our own hearts and minds, so we may remove the barriers we build between ourselves, our God, and our brothers and sisters.

All: We confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. We go about our lives as if Christmas is an event to be celebrated, but not lived. We hear the good news, but do not heed it. Forgive us, we pray. Forgive us and free us for joyful obedience. Remove the barriers that we construct, and empower us to be a people doing the real, holy, graceful, loving work of Christmas every day. In the name of the Holy Spirit, we pray. Amen!

(pause for silent confession and prayer)

Pastor: Out of the wilderness a voice calls out. Prepare ye the way of the Lord. The Christ child was born in the midst of darkness. The waiting is over. Christ may be born today in your heart. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are all forgiven.

All: Joy to the World. Amen.

Pastor: It is good to give our thanks and praise to you, O God. It is a good and joyful thing always and everywhere to give thanks to you, God Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. You promised the coming of an anointed one, who would lead the people to peace and righteousness.

All: Great and mighty are your promises, O Lord.

Pastor: John the Baptist came, telling the people to “Change your hearts and lives! Here comes the kingdom of heaven!” And so now we come, having confessed our sins, searching for the Holy Spirit to come and fill us with expectant grace. We come to be transformed by what has already come, and waiting with hope for what is to come. We deck our halls with joy, but it is our hearts that truly matter.

All: Prepare the way of the Lord in our world,,, our communities,,, and our churches. But most importantly,,, prepare the way of the Lord in our hearts.

Pastor: And so, in hopeful anticipation, we give thanks to you, God of salvation, God of hope and deliverance, and God of us all. We join in praise and come together to sing unending hymns of the saints of glory.

All: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord. God of power and might, heaven and earth are shining bright with the glory of your light. Loud Hosannas now we sing. In the highest they may ring. Blessed is the coming one. Christ Emmanuel your son. Glory in the highest.

Pastor: Holy are you, and holy is your Son Jesus Christ, who is the Word made flesh.

All: Holy are you, and Holy is your Son Jesus Christ.

Pastor: Who came to show us the way to your love. He proclaimed good news to the poor. He restored the sight to the blind.

All: Holy are you, and Holy is your Son Jesus Christ.

Pastor: Who was betrayed by those who loved him. Who was persecuted by those who feared him. Who was crucified by those who thought that his death would be the end of him.

All: Holy are you, and Holy is your Son Jesus Christ.

Pastor: Who, on the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:

All: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Pastor: And when the supper was over, took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples and said:

All: “Drink from this, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Pastor: And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

All: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

Pastor: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. Make us a Christmas people, secure in what has come, and hopeful for what is yet to be. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world. Keep us vigilant in our Advent waiting until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever.

All: Amen.