FREELTON STRABANE UNITED CHURCH
To Live Our Discipleship With Integrity And Grace
Horseshoe Falls Regional Council
Christmas Day
December 25 2022
Rev. Will Wheeler BA M. Div. E-mail: [email protected]
Organist : Joan Simpson
Announcements
Please note that there will be no worship on Sunday January 1 2023 We will worship in the Sanctuary for Epiphany January 8th at 10:30 and will be moving to the hall for the balance of the winter.
Surplus items
We are at a point where we are selling surplus items from both Churches. Top of the list right now are two artificial Christmas Trees at a reasonable price. If you would like to know what we have so far for sale please contact Rev Will for details.
Rev Will will be on vacation Dec 30,31st and Jan. 1st and 2nd You will be able to see the Jan 1 service on line.
Studies and Studios presents
One Author’s Perspective " Nine Paths to Wisdom " by David Huggins
Sunday January 8 2023
At 2pm in the Heritage Hall
Freelton Strabane United Church
An open discussion over coffee, tea and cookies
Take note, as we live into the our New Church please take note (and share) That the official name to use when writing cheques to the church is Freelton Strabane United Church. The old church accounts will be closing and we will not be able to accept cheques with the old names on them.
Also as both congregations are now one it does mean that there are over laps of offering envelope numbers. (the number that is associated with your name.) Please note that we will be issuing a new number in the next couple of weeks. Please rest assure that we are keeping track of all of your givings so when tax receipt season comes you will be accredited what you have given. If you have questions please don’t hesitate to contact Rev Will.
Rev Will is always Available for calls. If you find you need to talk or need something please don’t hesitate to call the Manse.
Consider PAR as a means to support the Church
Studies and Studios presents
One Author’s Perspective " Nine Paths to Wisdom " by David Huggins
Sunday January 8 2023
At 2pm in the Heritage Hall
Freelton Strabane United Church
An open discussion over coffee, tea and cookies
Join us at Freelton Strabane United Church for a Studies and Studios event on February 18th at 1p - 4pm in the Church Hall to
Learn the art of needle felting by creating this beautiful Winter scene. Fibre artist and instructor, Cathy Disbrow, will teach you how to needle felt a Winter landscape into a 4” x 6” wool painting, using a special needle to stab sheep wool onto a felt sheet. Students will learn a variety of needle felt painting techniques. Needles, wool, and wool felt sheet to create your painting are included in the cost. Foam felting pads are provided for students to use during class and can be purchased separately.
Cost: $60.00 Register at:
https://woollydoodles.square.site/product/workshop-ticket-needle-felt-a-winter-scene-painting/68
Refreshments are also included.
Bring a torch Jeannette Isabella, bring a torch come swiftly and run
Christ is born, tell the folk in the village,
Jesus is sleeping in his cradle
Ah, Ah, beautiful is the Mother,
Ah, Ah, beautiful is her son
Hasten now, Good folk of the village, Hasten now,
the Christ child to see.
You will find him asleep in the manger, quietly come and whisper softly
Hush, hush peacefully now he slumbers,
Hush, hush, peacefully know he sleeps
Call To worship
One: The angel’s song rings loud and clear
All: Glory to God in the highest
One: For unto our shadowed world
All: A holy light is shining
One: In a stable in Bethlehem
All A child is laid in a manger for us.
One: He brings us the light of hope for our future.
All: and he shall be called Emmanuel, God is with us.
One: Let us worship God who comes among us this morn
Candle lighting
One: The lanterns that lit our way through the advent journey are now dark.
All the new born light of the dawn colour the horizon
One the night stars fade in the brimming light of a new day.
All The light has come back into the world the light of Christ found at Christmas is once more in the is as bright as the morning sun and has drawn us to this time and place to celebrate with joy of Emmanuel God among us. The dawn has come the light of God has come once more into our lives.
Hymn 60 O Come all ye Faithful
Prayer of Approach
All: We gather this Christmas morning God, with thankfulness for your birth once again into our hearts and into our world. We find ourselves both mellow and excited. Weary from all the preparation, yet grateful for the joy this time brings to us. Be with us as we come together now and offer you our praise and thanks . In your Holy Name, we pray
One Come all ye faithful and listen to an ancient Story.
All Tell us this story.
One As all good stories it starts with Once upon a time there was a prophecy
The Story begins
[a]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.
6 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.
7 Great will be his authority,[a]
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.
One: and so In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all Human kind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
In those days Caesar Augustus who was the emperor in Rome issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
Joseph a carpenter who lived in Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, had to journey to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
The midwife tells the story like this:
In that hour everything ceased. There was total silence and awe, for even the winds stopped, there was no breeze, there was no motion of tree leaves; no sound of water was heard. The streams did not flow; there was no motion of the sea.
All things produced in the water and on land in in the air were quiet; there was no human voice sounding there was a great silence. For the pole itself ceased its rapid course from that hour. Time almost stopped its measure. All overwhelmed with great awe, kept silent we were expecting the advent of the most high God.
The child himself came and shone like the sun, shone bright beautiful and was most delightful to see because he alone appeared as peace soothing the whole world. The cave was filled by the bright light together with a most sweet smell like fragrant oils. The light was born just as the dew descends from the heaven to the earth. The light dimed and an infant, the child was totally shining just as the dew of the most high God he was light to carry splendid to see. For a while I was amazed at him because he did not cry as newborn children do. While I held him looking into his face, he laughed at me with a most joyful laugh and opening his eyes he looked intently at me and a great light come from his eyes like a flash of lightning.
Wrapping the child in a blanket Mary and Joseph came into Bethlehem but finding no place at an inn took comfort in a stable where they laid the child in a stone manger.
One. The story goes…
The whole canopy of heaven shone in all of its vast splendor above this humble town Bethlehem.
The shepherds who were tending their sheep in the quiet of the night in the fields around the town when An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying him in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart and smiled knowing what the gift that God had given truly was. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
One This is truly just the beginning of the story, for greater things are yet to come. This marks just the beginning of a journey that will see teachings and wondrous things.
All: It is a story of sorrow and sacrifice but also of Joy and Love.
One: It is our story. So to you my beloved listeners all glory be to God on High and to the earth peace and good will to all, for in this story we come to know that we are not alone Thanks Be to God.
Prayers of the people
Hear our prayer we humbly offer
Grant to us your peace O God
Hear our prayer we humbly offer
Grant to us your peace O God.
Prayers
All: God of Christmas , we are grateful to be here this morning in our excitement to share this time of worship with each other. To see the gifts of love that you have bestowed on each of us. In the midst of all the activity of this day, we gather at your manger and honour you. We thank you for all the people who are a special part of our lives.
We offer thanks for your presence in the world and ask that yours be the guiding hand this coming year.
For Wherever love is there you are found;
Wherever joy if found it is your gift. Wherever there is peace we see your face Wherever there is hope, it is your voice that calls to us.
We remember this morning all the people that we treasure with whom we have shared Christmas over the years.
For happy times, we give you thanks.
For harder times we ask for healing
For those who have left us and are now with you in heaven, we give you thanks and feel their loving spirits present with us now.
Help us to hold in our heart the loving feeling of this day when evening comes once more. Secure in your love, may we live the meaning of Christmas every day, so that all the world will know and be transformed by your presence in it.
In your newborn son’s name we pray together saying. Our Father….
Offering
We give thee but thy own. The work of the Church continues and there are three ways you can continue to support that work. Consider using PAR, use the donate button on our Web Site or drop your gift at the Manse. Let us make our offering and give thanks.
One: Praise God who from all Blessing flow
Prayer Bless these offerings, O God, to our growth and for the intentions you design. May all we give honour the name of Jesus and make us more faithful followers Amen
Sending Forth and Blessing.
One: One: And now may we know ourselves in the care and keeping of God,
All: who descends in a cloud,
One Who Dances on the morning waves Who blesses the night with sleep
All: May we be so filled with God that we will touch God’s world with kindness and Blessing All our days. Amen
Blessings
Song: Benediction tune 460 voices United
From this place of prayer and praising,
Cross and table, well-worn pews,
God, we leave to work and witness,
Living every day for you.
Bless your people as we journey,
Loving Parent, Holy Friend
Spirit, guide your people onward
Till once more we meet again.
Three Fold Amen
Yesterdaywe honour our heritage.
Todaywe know that we are not alone,that we live in God's world.
Tomorrowwith God,we will discoverthe undiscovered country.
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