Service Orders
Readings
Sermons
Liturgy & Prayers
Children
Music
Visual Arts & Drama
Liturgy and Prayers - Sunday, 26 December 2021 – First Sunday after Christmas, Year C
Liturgy in one document: Liturgy in One Document, Christmas 1C
Opening sentence
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
since as members of one body you were called to peace. (Col 3:15 NIV)
Prayer of the day - (Collect):
Traditional
Almighty and eternal God,
direct our actions according to your good pleasure,
that in the name of your beloved Son
we may be made to abound in good works;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Modernised Traditional
Almighty and eternal God,
direct our actions according to your good pleasure.
Make us rich in good works,
in the name of your dear Son,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Alternative
(Let us pray that we may love one another as God has loved us. [silence])
Lord, help us,
in all our dealings with one another,
to be subject to you, the Father of all.
May we follow the pattern of your Son, Jesus Christ,
who was obedient to your will,
and gave up his life for us.
For he lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
New
(Let us pray that through Jesus we share in God’s nature. [silence])
Almighty and merciful God,
we thank you for sending your Son
to become human like us,
so that we might become your children.
Make us who trust in Jesus
to be more and more like him.
For he lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
OR, one of the collects for Christmas Day
Alleluia Verse
Alleluia, alleluia. (Luke 2:40)
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom,
and the favour of God was upon him. (Alleluia.)
Alleluia.
Prayer after the Gospel
This is the gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ (, Light of the world).
Lord Jesus, thank you for growing up
obedient to your earthly parents and to your heavenly Father.
Help us to enjoy being in the Father’s house.
Amen.
Offering Prayer
Thank you, loving heavenly Father,
for sending your Son to live among us.
Teach us to trust in him,
to forget about ourselves,
and to follow his example of humility and service,
doing everything in his name.
Amen.
Additional Prayer Points
Services with Holy Communion:
Preface
It is indeed right and good,
Lord God, holy Father,
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks to you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
You have revealed your glorious presence to us
in a new way
through the mystery of the Word made flesh,
so that as we see you in your Son,
we are drawn to love you
whom we cannot see.
And so, with angels and archangels,
and with all the company of heaven,
we adore and praise your glorious name:
Communion Invitation
Jesus says: ‘I am the living bread
that came down from heaven.
The bread that I will give you is my flesh,
which I give so that the world may live.’
(Thanks be to God.)
Come, everything is ready.
Prayer after Communion
Heavenly Father, renew our lives
as we celebrate the beginning
of your Son’s life on earth,
and strengthen us
who have taken his body and blood.
For he lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
OR
Father, in this good, beautiful world,
where chaos and disorder
sometimes threaten to overwhelm
all that you have made:
let us see in the cradle and the cross of Jesus
the proof of your endless care
and the extent of your faithfulness;
and thus, empowered by your commitment
to all that you have made,
may we continue to seek
and to do your will,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Or the third prayer of the day (as listed above) may be used at this point. It may be modified as follows.
Lord, as we have received
the body and blood of your Son
in this sacrament,
help us to be subject to you,
the Father of all,
and follow the pattern of Christ,
who, in obedience to your will,
gave up his life for us,
yet lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Dismissal
SEASONAL BLESSING
This seasonal blessing is used together with (ie before) the usual blessing in the order of service:
Christ the Son of God give you joy and peace by his presence with you; . . .
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
Thanks be to God.
OR In the name of Christ. Amen.
