Sunday, December 31, 2017

Let's end the year right by making holy vigil and being at prayer





Happy New Year's Eve Beloved Community!

A warm welcome to all who haven't been a part of the many traditions here at Walk With Me On Our Journey. We still prayer walk when we can. This season has been one of a challenge due to my having a cardiac event monitor that would need to be charged when I should have been prayer walking. This will change in one week when I am no longer hooked up. That's TMI (too much information). Here at Walk With Me we do annual vigils and services that coincide with seasonal change. Tonight we come together and make vigil as we prepare for a new year. If you have been with us in the past you will see familiar lessons and prayers. A time of comfort before we change our calendar page.


Let us begin with the Be Stills!

Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

Inhale:
Exhale.
Pause.
Repeat until you feel peace from with in and your heart home gently expanding.



Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord.

 Thanks be to God


Everyone looks for the good, therefore everyone looks for God.
Saint Basil


It is not ourselves that we proclaim; we proclaim Christ
Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants, for Jesus’ sake.
For the same God who said, “Out of darkness let light shine,”
has caused his light to shine within us, to give the light of
revelation––the revelation of the glory of God in the face of
Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:5-6


The human being is an animal who has received the vocation to become God.
Saint Basil


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

O Gracious Light Phos hilaron

O gracious Light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.

Image result for new years candle

Remember your Creator]
Ecclesiastes 12:1-8
Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come, and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return with the rain; in the day when the guards of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the women who grind cease working because they are few, and those who look through the windows see dimly; when the doors on the street are shut, and the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low; when one is afraid of heights, and terrors are in the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along and desire fails; because all must go to their eternal home, and the mourners will go about the streets; before the silver cord is snapped, and the golden bowl is broken, and the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel broken at the cistern, and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath returns to God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher; all is vanity.


Psalm 130
1 Out of the depths have I called to you, O Lord;
Lord, hear my voice; *
let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.
2 If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss, *
O Lord, who could stand?
3 For there is forgiveness with you; *
therefore you shall be feared.
4 I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him; *
in his word is my hope.
5 My soul waits for the Lord,
more than watchmen for the morning, *
more than watchmen for the morning
6 O Israel, wait for the Lord, *
for with the Lord there is mercy;
7 With him there is plenteous redemption, *
and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins.

Let us pray. (Silence)

Immortal Lord God, you inhabit eternity, and have brought
us your unworthy servants to the close of another year:
Pardon, we entreat you, our transgressions of the past, and
graciously abide with us all the days of our life; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Marking the times, and winter

Sirach 43:1-22New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Splendor of the Sun
43 The pride of the higher realms is the clear vault of the sky,
    as glorious to behold as the sight of the heavens.
2 The sun, when it appears, proclaims as it rises
    what a marvelous instrument it is, the work of the Most High.
3 At noon it parches the land,
    and who can withstand its burning heat?
4 A man tending[a] a furnace works in burning heat,
    but three times as hot is the sun scorching the mountains;
it breathes out fiery vapors,
    and its bright rays blind the eyes.
5 Great is the Lord who made it;
    at his orders it hurries on its course.

The Splendor of the Moon
6 It is the moon that marks the changing seasons,[b]
    governing the times, their everlasting sign.
7 From the moon comes the sign for festal days,
    a light that wanes when it completes its course.
8 The new moon, as its name suggests, renews itself;[c]
    how marvelous it is in this change,
a beacon to the hosts on high,
    shining in the vault of the heavens!

The Glory of the Stars and the Rainbow
9 The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven,
    a glittering array in the heights of the Lord.
10 On the orders of the Holy One they stand in their appointed places;
    they never relax in their watches.
11 Look at the rainbow, and praise him who made it;
    it is exceedingly beautiful in its brightness.
12 It encircles the sky with its glorious arc;
    the hands of the Most High have stretched it out.

The Marvels of Nature
13 By his command he sends the driving snow
    and speeds the lightnings of his judgment.
14 Therefore the storehouses are opened,
    and the clouds fly out like birds.
15 In his majesty he gives the clouds their strength,
    and the hailstones are broken in pieces.
17a The voice of his thunder rebukes the earth;
16     when he appears, the mountains shake.
At his will the south wind blows;
17b     so do the storm from the north and the whirlwind.
He scatters the snow like birds flying down,
    and its descent is like locusts alighting.
18 The eye is dazzled by the beauty of its whiteness,
    and the mind is amazed as it falls.
19 He pours frost over the earth like salt,
    and icicles form like pointed thorns.
20 The cold north wind blows,
    and ice freezes on the water;
it settles on every pool of water,
    and the water puts it on like a breastplate.
21 He consumes the mountains and burns up the wilderness,
    and withers the tender grass like fire.
22 A mist quickly heals all things;
    the falling dew gives refreshment from the heat.


Psalm 148
1 Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord from the heavens; *
praise him in the heights.
2 Praise him, all you angels of his; *
praise him, all his host.
3 Praise him, sun and moon; *
praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, heaven of heavens, *
and you waters above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the Name of the Lord; *
for he commanded, and they were created.
6 He made them stand fast for ever and ever; *
he gave them a law which shall not pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth, *
you sea-monsters and all deeps;
8 Fire and hail, snow and fog, *
tempestuous wind, doing his will;
9 Mountains and all hills, *
fruit trees and all cedars;
10 Wild beasts and all cattle, *
creeping things and winged birds;
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, *
princes and all rulers of the world;
12 Young men and maidens, *
old and young together.
13 Let them praise the Name of the Lord, *
for his Name only is exalted,
his splendor is over earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up strength for his people
and praise for all his loyal servants, *
the children of Israel, a people who are near him.
Hallelujah!


Let us pray. (Silence)
Almighty Father, you give the sun for a light by day, and the
moon and the stars by night: Graciously receive us, this
night and always, into your favor and protection, defending
us from all harm and governing us with your Holy Spirit,
that every shadow of ignorance, every failure of faith or
weakness of heart, every evil or wrong desire may be
removed far from us; so that we, being justified in our Lord
Jesus Christ, may be sanctified by your Spirit, and glorified
by your infinite mercies in the day of the glorious appearing
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.


The Acceptable Time

2 Corinthians 5:17-6:2New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself,[a] not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

6 As we work together with him,[b] we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,

“At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
    and on a day of salvation I have helped you.”

See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!


Canticle 17
Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.


Most gracious and merciful God, you have reconciled us to
yourself through Jesus Christ your Son, and called us to new
life in him: Grant that we, who begin this year in his Name,
may complete it to his honor and glory; who lives and reigns
now and for ever. Amen.




61. A Prayer of Self-Dedication
Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to thee, so
guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our
wills, that we may be wholly thine, utterly dedicated unto
thee; and then use us, we pray thee, as thou wilt, and always
to thy glory and the welfare of thy people; through our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

We continue to hold sacred space for all who mourn  in this healing circle of love: We continue to remember and as in the African Proverb:
"IF YOU SPEAK MY NAME, I WILL LIVE FOREVER."
We speak these names before you this night: Zelda, Jennifer, Leann, Joy, Erica Garner and all others whom we name before you now.

Help us to remember this as we pray and make vigil tonight:

IN LAK’ECH

Tú eres mi otro yo.

You are my other me.

Si te hago daño a ti,

If I do harm to you,

Me hago daño a mi mismo.

I do harm to myself.

Si te amo y respeto,

If I love and respect you,

Me amo y respeto yo.

I love and respect myself.

Luis Valdez


Image result for in lak'ech

Let us prepare to let go and let God as we put away this year and look towards the next, by praying this prayer:

A Smudging Prayer
Creator,
our Father in heaven,
we come to you as your children.
We confess that we are weak and broken images of you.
We pray for the forgiveness and healing you give in Jesus Christ.
May his Spirit clean our spirits, minds, hearts, and bodies.
We pray that your Holy Spirit
 will help us to worship in spirit and truth.
We pray in the name of Jesus,
so that his Spirit will carry our prayers to you.
Amen.


Image result for Native American Smudging Ritual



Let us take time to meditate on the new year to come. Here is tonight's meditation and listening music:

Copeland- The Promise of Living ,

Copeland- Fanfare for the Common Man

Paul McCartney -Liverpool Oratorio

Let us tonight pray for this new year to come with lots of love, hope, peace, and joy!

God who set the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars in their courses set our feet on the path that you have chosen for us  with love in our heart homes and without fear.

God who set the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars in their courses and fixed times and seasons be with all those who are homeless, hungry, and ill clothed who do not have shelter from the cold. We pray that there maybe family members who will lovingly respond to their needs and lead them toward shelter and food.

God who set the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars in their courses and became incarnate as Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem or House of Bread, May we like him bring hope and proclaim the Good News in Jesus name with love and tenderness. Help us we pray to be when necessary the only Bible someone ever reads.

God who set the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars in their courses, we pray for peace in this fragile and broken world of yours. May we proclaim as in the words of the Prophet Isaiah:

The Good News of Deliverance
61 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
    because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
    to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
    and release to the prisoners;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
    and the day of vengeance of our God;
    to comfort all who mourn;
3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
    to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
4 They shall build up the ancient ruins,
    they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
    the devastations of many generations.
5 Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,
    foreigners shall till your land and dress your vines;
6 but you shall be called priests of the Lord,
    you shall be named ministers of our God;
you shall enjoy the wealth of the nations,
    and in their riches you shall glory.
7 Because their[a] shame was double,
    and dishonor was proclaimed as their lot,
therefore they shall possess a double portion;
    everlasting joy shall be theirs.
8 For I the Lord love justice,
    I hate robbery and wrongdoing;[b]
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
    and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their descendants shall be known among the nations,
    and their offspring among the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge
    that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
    my whole being shall exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
    he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth brings forth its shoots,
    and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
    to spring up before all the nations.

God who set the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars in their courses we pray for all those who are mourning losses of any kind, Heal their griefs by the softening of time and space.

God who set the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars in their courses we remember especially_____ and those who travel especially on the icy and weather worn roads. and All of our family members who may need our love now more than ever.

God who set the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars in their courses, we pray for all who are going through depression , Seasonal Affective Disorder(Sad), and mental illness that they may receive help in a timely manner. We pray for their caregivers and mental health professionals.

God who set the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars in their courses, we pray for all who are caregivers especially those who are hospice workers at holiday time.

God who set the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars in their courses we pray for all who are dying that they may when it is time they may know your comfort and joy as they enter the Thin Places. We pray for all who have died during this holy season of love, hope, peace, and joy.

God who set the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars in their courses may we as we enter this new year sing and dance for joy with love in our heart homes because of  Your Son Jesus the Christ's coming in the world to love us, heal us, teach us and to redeem us.

God who set the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars in their courses we offer our prayers and those who have asked us to pray at this time remembering especially_________________

God we pray these our prayers in the Holy Name of  Jesus. Amen.

21 You are God Te Deum laudamus
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not shun the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come and be our judge.
 Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
The Collect for Holy Name.
Eternal Father, you gave to your incarnate Son the holy name of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart, we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.


A Prayer attributed to St. Francis
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where
there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where
there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is
in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we
are born to eternal life. Amen.


May Christ, who by his Incarnation gathered into one things
earthly and heavenly, fill us  with his joy and peace; and the
blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit, be among us and remain with us always. Amen.

Let us bless God our Creator, Jesus our Reedemer, and The Holy Spirit the Sanctifier.
Thanks Be To God.
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Dear Family of Love!
Happy New Year! Here is a wish and a prayer from me to you!
A Wish for the New Year
I wish for you love filled to the brim to overflowing.
I wish for you Joy that will warm your heart so much that the person next to you will will be able to feel it.
I wish for you peace so that you can be an example of how to be a peacemaker.
I wish for you hope that you never lose faith and have a spirit of optimism and resilience.
I wish for you a big family like ours to enfold you with love, shoulders to cry and lean on and backs to shelter you from the storms of life.
I wish for you a time of daily unplugging and exercise.
I wish for you time with God in God's Cathedral of life.
I wish for you that every time you see a family member, remember a family member is anyone! I hope you remember this phrase "The Light of Christ in Me Recognizes the Light of Christ in You!"
I wish for you time to begin your walking program:
Here are the first steps and prayers:
We prepare ourselves by hydrating with the image of Living Water coursing through our veins, tying our laces securely, wrapping our bodies with God's Warm prayer coat.
We invite God on our walk using these words or your own. God we invite you as you invite us to walk with you on our journey. Enliven our spirits, quicken our steps and open our hearts as we pray and walk.Amen.
*****
A Prayer for the New Year!
Dear God, as we look towards the new year that is upon us help us to remember that you are walking with us on our journey and that we are never alone. Give us nudges from time to time to recognize this and that you have knit us together as family by prayers and that this circle is ever widening and that is because of your love for us and each other. Help us to remember tonight those who are lonely and those who are in new life situations that love is the key. We thank you for the many blessings of the year past and as we look to the year ahead may we remember we walk with you and you walk with us on our journey. Amen.
******
Knit a prayer circle around us Lord
Knit a prayer circle made of love.
Knit a prayer circle around us that is peaceful
Knit a prayer circle that is made of healing balm
Knit a prayer circle of life and hope and joy.
Knit a prayer circle around all the broken world that they may feel the pieces being put back together and made strong with your loving and gentle hands.
Knit us together as your family of love, peace, joy, hope, and those who show your light to the world by their words, deeds and love.
All this we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
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I give thanks for arriving
Safely in a new dawn,
For the gift of eyes
To see the world,
The gift of mind
To feel at home
In my life,
The waves of possibility
Breaking on the shore of dawn,
The harvest of the past
That awaits my hunger,
And all the furtherings
This new day will bring.
John O'Donohue

To make a creative contribution to this world
O God, we thank you for the lives of great saints and prophets in the past, who have revealed to us that we can stand up amid the problems and difficulties and trials of life and not give in. We thank you for our foreparents, who've given us something in the midst of the darkness of exploitation and oppression to keep going. Grant that we will go on with the proper faith and the proper determination of will, so that we will be able to make a creative contribution to this world. In the name and spirit of Jesus we pray.  - Martin Luther King Jr.

The Wisdom of God
the Love of God
and the Grace of God
strengthen you
to be Christ’s hands and heart in this world,
in the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen.(Source Celtic)


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Good Night Dear Ones and when you wake have a blessed and wonderful New Year. I love you and Give thanks to God for you this night and always. 
Here is a bonus blog if you would like to join me at 10:00 a.m. PST or whenever you like tomorrow for the Feast of the Holy Name - A service of Morning Prayer.

With love and hope!
Sara

Resources:
Various Occasions NRSV (Texts)
Book of Occasional Services ( A Service for New Year's Eve - Vigil plan outline)
Metis Aboriginal Ministries
In Lak Ech- Luis Valdez
Guideposts - Prayers of Martin Luther King Jr. 
Walk With Me On Our Journey
YouTube
A to Z quotes For quotes.




at No comments:

The Feast of Holy Name a service of Morning Prayer :A time of Worship in Two Places! St. Peter's Santa Maria and Walk With Me On Our Journey Online!






                                
                            The Feast of the Holy Name
                  a
                   Service 
                   of
                       Morning Prayer

10:00 a.m. P.S.T.
A time of Worship in Two Places! St. Peter's Santa Maria
and
Walk With Me On Our Journey Online!

See the source image


Happy New Year Beloved Community! This is an invitation to participate with St. Peter's Church and me at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time for A service of Morning Prayer for the Feast of the Holy Name. For the Morning Prayer office itself please use  The BCPONLINE and click on the link for Daily office and follow along if the item is not listed below. We are using Morning Prayer Rite II A most happy and peaceful New Year to all. Love Sara



Morning Prayer Rite II Pg. 75 BCP

Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy, which will come
to all the people; for unto you is born this day in the city of
David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10, 11

Behold, the dwelling of God is with mankind. He will dwell
with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will
be with them, and be their God. Revelation 21:3


Invitatory and Psalter

Officiant
Lord, open our lips.
People
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise. 

Officiant and People
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as
it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Alleluia.

Antiphon for Christmastide
On the Twelve Days of Christmas

Alleluia. To us a child is born: O come, let us adore him. Alleluia.
Invitatory Psalm: Jubilate
Jubilate Psalm 100

Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; *
serve the Lord with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.
Know this: The Lord himself is God; *
he himself has made us, and we are his;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise; *
give thanks to him and call upon his Name.
For the Lord is good;
his mercy is everlasting; *
and his faithfulness endures from age to age. 

The Psalm or Psalms Appointed
Psalm 103 Benedic, anima mea



1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, *
    and all that is within me, bless his holy Name.

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, *
    and forget not all his benefits.

3 He forgives all your sins *
    and heals all your infirmities;

4 He redeems your life from the grave *
    and crowns you with mercy and loving-kindness;

5 He satisfies you with good things, *
    and your youth is renewed like an eagle's.

6 The LORD executes righteousness *
    and judgment for all who are oppressed.

7 He made his ways known to Moses *
    and his works to the children of Israel.

8 The LORD is full of compassion and mercy, *
    slow to anger and of great kindness.

9 He will not always accuse us, *
    nor will he keep his anger for ever.

 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, *
    nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.

11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, *
    so is his mercy great upon those who fear him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, *
    so far has he removed our sins from us.

13 As a father cares for his children, *
    so does the LORD care for those who fear him.

14 For he himself knows whereof we are made; *
    he remembers that we are but dust.

15 Our days are like the grass; *
    we flourish like a flower of the field;

16 When the wind goes over it, it is gone, *
    and its place shall know it no more.

17 But the merciful goodness of the LORD endures for ever
                             on those who fear him, *
    and his righteousness on children's children;

18 On those who keep his covenant *
    and remember his commandments and do them.

19 The LORD has set his throne in heaven, *
    and his kingship has dominion over all.

20 Bless the LORD, you angels of his,
you mighty ones who do his bidding, *
    and hearken to the voice of his word.

21 Bless the LORD, all you his hosts, *
    you ministers of his who do his will.

22 Bless the LORD, all you works of his,
in all places of his dominion; *
    bless the LORD, O my soul.

At the end of the Psalms is sung or said Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Lessons

Isaiah 62:1-5,10-12
62 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
   and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until her vindication shines out like the dawn,
   and her salvation like a burning torch.
2 The nations shall see your vindication,
   and all the kings your glory;
and you shall be called by a new name
   that the mouth of the Lord will give.
3 You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
   and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 You shall no more be termed Forsaken,*
   and your land shall no more be termed Desolate;*
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,*
   and your land Married;*
for the Lord delights in you,
   and your land shall be married.
5 For as a young man marries a young woman,
   so shall your builder* marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
   so shall your God rejoice over you.
10 Go through, go through the gates,
   prepare the way for the people;
build up, build up the highway,
   clear it of stones,
   lift up an ensign over the peoples.
11 The Lord has proclaimed
   to the end of the earth:
Say to daughter Zion,
   ‘See, your salvation comes;
his reward is with him,
   and his recompense before him.’
12 They shall be called, ‘The Holy People,
   The Redeemed of the Lord’;
and you shall be called, ‘Sought Out,
   A City Not Forsaken.’

The Song of Zechariah Benedictus Dominus Deus
Blessed are you, Lord, the God of Israel, *
you have come to your people and set them free.
You have raised up for us a mighty Savior, *
born of the house of your servant David
Through your holy prophets you promised of old
to save us from our enemies, *
from the hands of all who hate us,
To show mercy to our forebears, *
and to remember your holy covenant.
This was the oath you swore to our father Abraham, *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship you without fear, *
holy and righteous before you,
all the days of our life.
And you, child, shall be called the prophet
of the Most High, *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way,
To give God’s 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.

Revelation 19:11-16
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself. 13He is clothed in a robe dipped in* blood, and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule* them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, ‘King of kings and Lord of lords’.

A Song of Our Adoption
Ephesians 1:3-10
Blessed are you, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, *
for you have blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Before the world was made, you chose us to be yours in Christ, *
that we should be holy and blameless before you.
You destined us for adoption as your children through Jesus Christ, *
according to the good pleasure of your will,
To the praise of your glorious grace, *
that you have freely given us in the Beloved.
In you, we have redemption through the blood of Christ,
the forgiveness of our sins,
According to the riches of your grace *
which you have lavished upon us.
You have made known to us, in all wisdom and insight, *
the mystery of your will,
According to your good pleasure which you set forth in Christ, *
as a plan for the fullness of time,
To gather together all things in Christ, *
things in heaven and things on earth.

Matthew 1:18-25
18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah* took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ 22All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
23 ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
   and they shall name him Emmanuel’,
which means, ‘God is with us.’ 24When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son;* and he named him Jesus.

We Praise You, O God Te Deum laudamus

We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
all creation worships you,
the Father everlasting.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
the cherubim and seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you took our flesh to set us free
you humbly chose the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come to be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting

Apostle’s Creed Pg. 96 Meditation The Prayers Versicle’s A

The Holy Name    January 1
Eternal Father, you gave to your incarnate Son the holy name
of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart,
we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our
Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.


Christmas Intercessions
Stations of the Creche Prayers of the People I. Mary receives word that she is to bear the Christ child. "Be it unto me according to your Word" Lord may we say yes to your call and walk with you in love and not fear. II. Mary Tells Joseph her news! "Do not be afraid Joseph to Take Mary as your wife" Help us to not be afraid when God presents us with difficulty. May we seek to have faith and resiliency. III. Joseph receives word about needing to go to Bethlehem to be enrolled Lord help us to remember that we are all written in your Book of life and that we are precious to you and every hair on our heads are counted. IV. Mary and Joseph set out on the road to Bethlehem. Lord God we pray for all who travel and pray for safe passage wherever we go this season. V, Mary and Joseph seek shelter as Mary goes into labor. Lord God we pray for all who seek shelter this night and for all women who are in labor. We pray for safety for all who are the least of these our family members. May we offer our homes and hearts as shelters from any kind of storm. VI. Mary and Joseph take shelter in a manger Lord God it is good to be in this manger as a reminder that all living things are precious to you and that we all must eat the Bread of eternal life in new mangers as we feast with Jesus in the Holy Eucharist at God's Holy Table set with Bread and Wine.


VII Jesus is Born
Come let us adore him and give thanks that Jesus came into God's world to redeem, heal, and teach us how to be brothers and sisters one to another. We give thanks that on that most holy night we were no longer strangers but the Family of Love.

VIII. Angelic Hosts tell the Shepherds "Do not be afraid"! Follow the Star to the Manger and greet with joy the birth of the Messiah.
Lord God may we never be afraid to come and meet and greet our Lord in all persons, places, and situations.

IX. The Magi Visit Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
Lord God, teach us to be giving of our time, talents, treasures, and ourselves. Help us to give and receive the Gift of presence from you and others.

X. Herod sets out to kill the Holy Innocents.
Lord God, we pray for peace in the world and an end to violence against all your children , young and old. We pray for your holy and loving protection  to surround them wherever they may be.

XI  Jesus, Mary, and Joseph take flight into Egypt.
Lord God, we pray for all refugees who are fleeing wars, economic situations, religious persecution, and political uncertainty. We pray that they may return to their homes and livelihoods and if they are to stay where they have taken flight to that they may be welcomed not as strangers but as members of the family of love.

XII. Jesus, Mary and Joseph return home to Nazareth.
Lord God we pray that as we return home from work or travel that our homes may be havens of peace and places of refreshment for all of our family members.


Closing Rite


Resources: 
BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER
Walk With Me On Our Journey
Satucket Lectionary Page
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