NOTE: The entire Advent IV and Christmas Eve and Day Schedules are posted below.
Blessed Christmas.


Advent IV (December 24th in AM):

8:00 AM

Usher: Blake LaMar
Usher: Ann Cooper
First Reading: Ann Cooper
Psalm: Blake LaMar
Second Reading: Evan Cooper
Chalice: Vic Cooper
Chalice: Stephanie Cooper


10:00 AM

Usher: Sandi Nelson
Usher: Bob Nelson
First Reading: Lizz Beitzel
Psalm: Susan Mulledy-DeFrank
Second Reading: Gwen Fleischer
Chalice: Susan Mulledy-DeFrank
Chalice: Dawn Switzer

Christmas Eve at 5:00 PM

Usher: Elizabeth Pringle
Usher: Sandy Pringle
First Reading: Sandi Nelson
Psalm: Lizz Beitzel
Second Reading: Robert Nelson
Chalice: Dar Hoover
Chalice: Sandi Nelson

Christmas Eve at 10:00 PM

Usher: Andy Tomat
Usher: Bob Dennison
First Reading: Susan Mulledy-DeFrank
Psalm: Andy Tomat
Second Reading: Bob Dennison
Chalice: Clergy
Chalice: Susan Mulledy-DeFrank

Christmas Day at 10:00 AM

Usher: Bob Nelson
Usher: Sandi Nelson
First Reading: Janet Murry
Psalm: Gwen Fleischer
Second Reading: Needed
Chalice: Janet Murry
Chalice: Clergy

By popular requests, here are the readings for this wonderful ending of Advent and celebration of our Lord's birth. I hope to see you this Sunday or Monday.

God's Peace in the Evening,

Bob


ADVENT IV

Collect

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Micah 5:2-5a
But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
who are one of the little clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to rule in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient days.
Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labor has brought forth;
then the rest of his kindred shall return
to the people of Israel.
And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD,
in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth;
and he shall be the one of peace.


Psalm 80:1-7 Page 702, BCP
Qui regis Israel

1
Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; *
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.

2
In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *
stir up your strength and come to help us.

3
Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

4
O LORD God of hosts, *
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people?

5
You have fed them with the bread of tears; *
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.

6
You have made us the derision of our neighbors, *
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

7
Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

Hebrews 10:5-10
Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

"Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body you have prepared for me;
in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, 'See, God, I have come to do your will, O God'
(in the scroll of the book it is written of me)."
When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), then he added, "See, I have come to do your will." He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God's will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.


Luke 1:39-55
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."

And Mary said,

"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever."]

CHRISTMAS EVE AND DAY

Collects for Both Celebrations

Christmas Eve

O God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light: Grant that we, who have known the mystery of that Light on earth, may also enjoy him perfectly in heaven; where with you and the Holy Spirit he lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Christmas Day

O God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth of your only Son Jesus Christ: Grant that we, who joyfully receive him as our Redeemer, may with sure confidence behold him when he comes to be our Judge; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Isaiah 9:2-4,6-7

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness--
on them light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.


Psalm 96 Page 725, BCP
Cantate Domino

1
Sing to the LORD a new song; *
sing to the LORD, all the whole earth.

2
Sing to the LORD and bless his Name; *
proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.

3
Declare his glory among the nations *
and his wonders among all peoples.

4
For great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; *
he is more to be feared than all gods.

5
As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols; *
but it is the LORD who made the heavens.

6
Oh, the majesty and magnificence of his presence! *
Oh, the power and the splendor of his sanctuary!

7
Ascribe to the LORD, you families of the peoples; *
ascribe to the LORD honor and power.

8
Ascribe to the LORD the honor due his Name; *
bring offerings and come into his courts.

9
Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness; *
let the whole earth tremble before him.

10
Tell it out among the nations: "The LORD is King! *
he has made the world so firm that it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity."

11
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
let the sea thunder and all that is in it; *
let the field be joyful and all that is therein.

12
Then shall all the trees of the wood shout for joy
before the LORD when he comes, *
when he comes to judge the earth.

13
He will judge the world with righteousness *
and the peoples with his truth.

Titus 2:11-14
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

Luke 2:1-20
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see-- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.