Christmas Season Liturgy, Songs, and Prayers
January 3, 2026 - 10th day of Christmas
Instrumental prelude -Each week we take a few moments for silent prayer and reflection during the instrumental prelude. We invite you to quiet your conversations as we begin, and to join us in quiet prayer; to pause for a moment without words, and enter this place with quietness and trust before the Lord.
Call to worship: (standing together)
Chorus
Oh come let us adore Him
Oh come let us adore Him
Oh come let us adore Him
Christ, the Lord
THE ACCLAMATION (standing together)
‘Do I not fill heaven and earth?’ says the Lord.
Now the Word is made flesh and laid in a narrow manger.
From eternity to eternity you are God,
and now we see you as a newborn child.
For unto us a child is born,
Unto us a son is given.
Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And with your spirit.
THE COLLECT FOR PURITY
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE PHOS HILARON (standing together)
(an ancient evening prayer)
Hail gladdening Light,
Brightness of the Eternal Father
Hail Jesus Christ,
Holy and bless-ed One.
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light;
We bring you praise
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.
Amen.
SUNG WORSHIP (standing together)
Silent Night
Silent night holy night, all is calm all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace
Verse 2
Silent night holy night shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Halleluia
Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born
Verse 3
Silent night, Holy night, Son of God, Love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming Grace
Jesus Lord at Thy birth, Jesus Lord at Thy birth
Sung Worship (continues)
The First Noel
The first Noel. the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay:
In fields where they lay all keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
Chorus
Noel Noel Noel Noel
Born is the King of Israel.
Verse 2
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far:
And to the earth it gave great light
And so it continued both day and night.
(Chorus)
Verse 3
Then entered in those wise men three,
Fell reverently on bended knee,
And offered there in his presence
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.
Chorus
Noel Noel Noel Noel
Born is the King of Israel.
THE GOSPEL (standing together)
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke. (Luke 1: 26-33, 2:21)
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Message Mother Jen Keifer
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (kneeling or seated as you’re able)
Celebrant: Let us pray to Jesus our Savior.
Intercessor:
Christ, born in a stable,
give courage to all who are homeless.
Jesus, Savior,
hear our prayer.
Christ, for whom the angels sang,
give the song of the kingdom to all who weep.
Jesus, Savior,
hear our prayer.
Christ, worshipped by the shepherds,
give peace on earth to all who are oppressed.
Jesus, Savior,
hear our prayer.
Christ, before whom the wise men knelt,
give humility and wisdom to all who govern.
Jesus, Savior,
hear our prayer.
Christ, whose radiance filled a lowly manger,
give the glory of your resurrection to all who rest in you.
Jesus, Savior,
hear our prayer.
(Intercessor continues)
O God, thank you for calling us into being as Trinity North Shore, to be a garden of your peace, that we and others might connect with you, our communities, and creation to the honor of your name. Move us to live in your Spirit, that the beautiful fruit of your Spirit might be the essence of our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, for from you comes the gift of life and all good gifts that make life worth living.
Amen.
Lord Jesus, friend and Savior,
you know us and love us,
you share our lives
and hear our prayers.
Glory to you for ever.
Amen.
THE CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION OF SIN
(kneeling or seated as you’re able)
Let's confess our sins and those things that prevent our being filled with love for God and our neighbors:
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name.
Amen.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who in his great mercy has promised forgiveness of sins to all those who sincerely repent and with true faith turn to him, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
THE PEACE (standing together)
The Peace of the Lord be always with you.
And with your spirit.
(Let’s greet one another with a sign of peace)
Announcements and Upcoming Events -
more details on our Events Page
“Madonna and Child” by Ivanka Demchuk
The Joseph Fund - ARDF Relief Support for the People of Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Mozambique, Turkey, Syria, Hurricane, Earthquake and Wildfire relief and other relief efforts.
Details on our Missions Page
Joy, Love, and Goodness - A Year End Update
“Who among us will celebrate Christmas correctly? Whoever remains lowly and lets God alone be high; whoever looks at the child in the manger and sees the glory of God precisely in his lowliness…”
-Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Please support Trinity with a special gift this year-end, however large, or small, that gift can be for you. As you have time please have a look at our Year End Letter from Cn Tim. It’s a great time to get involved as we continue the work of Trinity together and go forward into the New Year.
Read the full Year End Update from Cn Tim here
Get more info on upcoming events on our News Page
To Marvel More
Now Available!
Details on our Trinity Books Page
The Nativity, Gustav Dore’
Sung Worship/Offering: we worship together with our hearts in song and in giving
the opportunity to worship through giving is available online here.
There is also a giving area near the welcome table. Look for the box shaped like a church building on the table near the entry.
Joy To The World
Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing
Verse 2
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy
Verse 3
He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love, and wonders of His love
And wonders, and wonders of His love
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen.
THE PRESENTATION OF THE GIFTS
All things come from you, O Lord,
And of your own have we given you.
THE SURSUM CORDA (standing together)
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
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 him thanks and praise.
It is right, our duty and our joy, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Because you gave Jesus Christ, your only Son, to be born for us; who, by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary his mother, was made truly man, yet without the stain of sin, that we might be cleansed from sin and given the right to become your children. Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
THE SANCTUS
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
THE PRAYER OF CONSECRATION
(kneeling as you’re able or sitting)
Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself; and when we had sinned against you and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent your only Son Jesus Christ into the world for our salvation. By the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary he became flesh and dwelt among us. In obedience to your will, he stretched out his arms upon the Cross and offered himself once for all, that by his suffering and death we might be saved. By his resurrection he broke the bonds of death, trampling Hell and Satan under his feet. As our great high priest, he ascended to your right hand in glory, that we might come with confidence before the throne of grace.
On the night that he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is my Body, which is given for you: Do this in remembrance of me.”
Likewise, after supper, Jesus took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink this, all of you; for this is my Blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for you, and for many, for the forgiveness of sins: Whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.”
Celebrant: Therefore, we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, and we offer you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Word and Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Sanctify us also, that we may worthily receive this holy Sacrament, and be made one body with him, that he may dwell in us and we in him. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us with all your saints into the joy of your heavenly kingdom, where we shall see our Lord face to face.
All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: by him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever.
Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray:
Our Father in heaven,
your Name be hallowed,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
as in heaven, also on earth.
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 yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
(Matthew 6:9–13)
THE FRACTION
Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
Therefore let us keep the feast, Alleluia!
THE MINISTRATION OF COMMUNION
The gifts of God for the people of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.
*Eucharistic Adoration
Silence is kept, to adore the incarnate Christ.
A PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
(for those with us online)
Lord Jesus, truly present in the Holy Sacrament: come spiritually into my heart and give me yourself, for I love you above all else, and I desire to be united with you within my soul.
Amen.
Reminder Communion Instructions: Prayer and Blessing Opportunities are available from a member of the prayer team as you return to your seat after receiving the bread and wine. Personal and Confidential Prayer is available following the service.
Sung Worship
O Holy Night
Oh holy night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine
THE POST COMMUNION PRAYER (standing together)
Heavenly Father, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal Kingdom. And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever.
Amen.
THE BLESSING
May Christ, who by his incarnation gathered into one things earthly and heavenly, fill you with peace and goodwill and make you partakers of the Divine nature; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.
Amen!
THE DISMISSAL
Alleluia, alleluia: Let us go forth to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God, Alleluia, alleluia.
SUNG WORSHIP
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine
May the Peace of God be with you today
*Personal and Confidential Prayer is available after the service in the back of the chapel, look for the team with the Prayer badges around their shoulders.
Cn Timothy Clayton, lead pastor
Mtr Wendy Dixon, clergy
Mtr Jen Keifer, clergy
Michael Pritzl, sung worship leader
Christian Erickson, keyboards, vocals
Ian Clayton, production, guitar
Jennifer Mahnke, vocals,
Juniper Mahnke, vocals
sung worship during Christmas:
O Come, All Ye Faithful (originally written in Latin as "Adeste Fideles") is a Christmas carol that has been attributed to various authors, including John Francis Wade (1711–1786), John Reading (1645–1692), King John IV of Portugal (1604–1656), and anonymous Cistercian monks.
The First Noel, is a traditional English Christmas carol with Cornish origins, most likely from the early modern period, although possibly earlier
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, includes lyrical contributions from Charles Wesley and George Whitefield, with music adapted from "Vaterland, in deinen Gauen" by Felix Mendelssohn.
Little Drummer Boy, written by American composer Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. It was first published with the title ‘Carol of the Drum’, and described as a ‘Czech carol freely transcribed by C.R.W. Robertson’ ( C.R.W. Robertson being a name Davis published under).
So it’s likely to have been based on a Czech melody, although the US musicologist Claire Fontijn wrote that Kennicott Davis was inspired by the old French Christmas carol, ‘Patapan’.
“When she was trying to take a nap, she was obsessed with this song that came into her head and it was supposed to have been inspired by a French song, ‘Patapan,’” Fontijn said. “And then ‘patapan’ translated in her mind to ‘pa-rum-pum-pum,’ and it took on a rhythm.”
Silent Night, written in 1816 by a young priest in Austria, Joseph Mohr, not long after the Napoleonic wars had taken their toll.
O Holy Night, “Cantique de Noel” as it was known in France. Originally based on a French-language poem by poet Placide Cappeau, The melody was later composed by Adolphe Adams, a Jew. The song was banned for two decades by the Catholic church when it was discovered that the lyrics to this popular Christmas Carol were written by Placide Cappeau, an atheist known for his strong anticlerical views and Adams, a Jew.
O Holy Night is likely popular today because of its revival by American abolitionist John Sullivan Dwight who translated it into English.
Dwight identified with the third verse of the carol: “Truly he taught us to love one another; his law is love and his gospel is peace. Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother; and in his name all oppression shall cease.” which made the song popular during the American Civil War.
Today’s liturgy is based on the Book of Common Prayer, 2019, the Renewed Ancient Eucharistic Rite, and the Church of England’s Times and Seasons liturgical supplement for Advent.
Angels We Have Heard on High, a traditional French Carol paraphrased by Irish Anglo Bishop James Chadwick, The tune as we know it today was adapted and arranged by Edward Shippen Barnes an American organist who studied in Paris, thus connecting him to the original French Carol.
*Eucharist Adoration moment:
This is an adaptation of a spiritual practice known as Eucharistic Adoration, normally practiced in the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and in some Anglican expressions.
”Trinity”, and “Annunciation” artwork by Ukrainian Icon Artist, Ivanka Demchuk
be·gin·ning
/bəˈɡiniNG/
noun: the point in time or space at which something starts.
mer·cy
/ˈmərsē/
noun: compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.
