Coming Home | A MANGER FOR THE WORLD

ABBREVIATIONS
AH = The Africana Hymnal

BOW = United Methodist Book of Worship

CCLI = Christian Copyright Licensing International, SongSelect

TFWS = The Faith We Sing (2000)

UMH = United Methodist Hymnal

W&S = Worship & Song (2011)

ZSS = Zion Still Sings (2007)

ENTRANCE

Congregational Song:

Welcome to Our World W&S 3067
OR
Jesus, the Light of the World AH 4038

WORD AND RESPONSE

Gospel Reading: Luke 2:1-20 Deacon or Lay Reader

Congregational Song ‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime UMH 244

Homily A Manger for the World

Prayers of the People Deacon or Lay Intercessor
Prayers of the People TFWS 2201
Prayers of the People CCLI #3414705
OR
Prayer of the People CCLI #7039048

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

Invitation, Confession, Pardon and Peace UMH 7-8

People exchange the peace of Christ.
[The offering may be collected.

Offertory Music

Choir/Ensemble/Congregational Music during Collection O Holy Night

Great Thanksgiving

Adapted from A Service of Word and Table I by Beth Richardson

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is a right, and a good and joyful thing,
always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth.

You created the world from the waters of creation
and called it good.
You lovingly fashioned the creatures of land, of wind, of water,
and called them good.
You blew into us the breath of life
and gave us the gift of community.

In a world of chaos and war,
you sent your love to us
in the form of a tiny baby.

And so,
with your people on earth
and all the company of heaven
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.
He was born in lowly circumstances.
Yet his birth was heralded by angels who proclaimed,
“Glory to God in the heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom the Almighty favors.”

He grew in wisdom and love and his ministry
proclaimed good news of God’s justice
to the captives, the poor, the oppressed.

By the baptism of Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection
you gave birth to your church,
delivered us from slavery to sin and death,
and made with us a new covenant
by water and the Spirit.

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

When the supper was over, he took the cup,
gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:
"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."

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.

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

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.

By your Spirit make us one with Christ,
one with each other,
and one in ministry to all the world,
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 God,
now and forever.
Amen.