{"id":1144,"date":"2020-12-23T22:58:27","date_gmt":"2020-12-23T22:58:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oneking.ca\/wp\/?p=1144"},"modified":"2020-12-23T22:58:27","modified_gmt":"2020-12-23T22:58:27","slug":"christmas-eve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/michaelkooiman.com\/index.php\/2020\/12\/23\/christmas-eve\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas Eve"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img src=\"https:\/\/oneking.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/image-26.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1163\"\/><figcaption>Filippo Lippi, detail of <em>Madonna with child and two Angels<\/em>, circa 1460, Uffizi Gallery, Florence<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>Merry Christmas! Gathered through the power of the Holy Spirit, we worship God with gladness. We encourage you to pray over the words that follow, and follow the links within the liturgy. Prayers in this service are adapted from Celebrate God\u2019s Presence (UCPH). Thanks tonight to Bunny, Beth, Amanda, Cor, Jenny, Taye, Dave, and Heather!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p>PRELUDE: &#8220;Coventry Carol&#8221; (English Traditional)<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/oneking.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/14-Coventry-Carol.m4a\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE<\/p>\n\n\n<p>The light shines in the darkness, <br \/> and the darkness shall never overcome it. <br \/> <strong>Perfect light escapes the stable,<br \/> surrounding us with love\u2019s pure light.<\/strong><br \/> Source of ALL THAT IS, shine on us tonight,<br \/> that we may worship the Light of the World.<br \/> <strong>Amen.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/oneking.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/ocomeocome1verse.m4a\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n<p><em>O come, Desire of nations, bind <br \/>      all peoples in one heart and mind;<br \/>      O bid our sad divisions cease,<br \/>      and be for us the Prince of Peace. <br \/>     Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel <br \/>          shall come to thee, O Israel.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p>OPENING PRAYER<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Come, all of you who wander weary in this world\u2014     <br \/>\njoin your hearts and minds,<br \/>\nand listen to an ancient story.<br \/>\nCome, all of you who search for meaning,<br \/>\nall of you who yearn for love.<br \/>\nCome, all of you who search for hope,<br \/>\nall of you who seek shelter from the storm.<br \/>\nCome, all of you, rejoice,<br \/>\nfor in our midst has come the Promised One of old.<br \/>\nFor on this night is born in hope<br \/>\nthe festive dream come true,<br \/>\nthe one who breaks the chains<br \/>\nof our sorrows and our fears.<br \/>\nThe breath of God, the smile of joy,<br \/>\nthe face of one we only dreamed we\u2019d see.<br \/>\nIn Bethlehem is born the one who is for all.<br \/>\nAmen.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>HYMN OF PRAISE: \u201cJoy to the world!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/oneking.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/VU-59-Joy-to-the-World.m4a\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n<p><em>Joy to the world! the Lord is come:<br \/> let earth receive her King!<br \/> Let every heart prepare him room,<br \/> and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing,<br \/> and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>Joy to the earth! the Saviour reigns:<br \/> let all their songs employ,<br \/> while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains<br \/> repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,<br \/> repeat, repeat the sounding joy.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>No more let sins and sorrows grow,<br \/> nor thorns infest the ground:<br \/> he comes to make his blessings flow<br \/> far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found,<br \/> far as, far as the curse is found.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>He rules the earth with truth and grace,<br \/> and makes the nations prove<br \/> the glories of his righteousness<br \/> and wonders of his love, and wonders of his love,<br \/> and wonders, wonders of his love.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p>PRAYER OF CONFESSION<\/p>\n\n\n<p>God of sultry stable air, <br \/> God of frosty wind and snow,<br \/> we come to you this wintry day,<br \/> yearning to be swaddled<br \/> against the raw chill of separation,<br \/> loneliness, lovelessness.<br \/> Thaw within us whatever keeps us<br \/> from echoing the angels\u2019 praise.<br \/> Warm our moaning <br \/> with the shine of your glory,<br \/> as you fill the empty stable in our hearts<br \/> with your outpouring of home and love.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>ASSURANCE OF PARDON<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Light of nations, veiled in history,<br \/> born of woman&#8217;s flesh and blood,<br \/> calling to the depths of mystery<br \/> restless hearts that seek the good.<br \/> Healing every human story,<br \/> Word made flesh reveals his glory.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>FIRST READING: Galatians 4.4-7<\/p>\n\n\n<p>4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, \u201cAbba, Father.\u201d 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God\u2019s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>SPECIAL MUSIC: \u201cWhat Child Is This\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/oneking.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/12-What-Child-is-This.m4a\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>SECOND READING: Psalm 96<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/oneking.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/psalm96-twins.m4a\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>Sing to God a new song;<br \/>     <strong>sing your praise, all the earth.<\/strong><br \/> Sing and bless God&#8217;s holy name,<br \/> tell the glad news of salvation from day to day.<br \/>     <strong>Declare God&#8217;s glory among the nations,<br \/>     among all the peoples God&#8217;s wonderful works.<\/strong><br \/> For great is God and greatly to be praised,<br \/> to be revered above all the gods.<br \/>     <strong>For all the gods of the peoples are idols,<br \/>     but you, O God, made the heavens.<\/strong><br \/> Honour and majesty attend you,<br \/>     <strong>strength and beauty are in your sanctuary.<\/strong>  <\/p>\n\n\n<p>Ascribe to God, you families of peoples,<br \/> ascribe to God glory and strength.<br \/>     <strong>Ascribe glory to God&#8217;s name,<br \/>     bring an offering and enter God&#8217;s courts.<\/strong><br \/> Worship God in the beauty of holiness,<br \/> and let the whole earth stand in awe.<br \/>     <strong>Say among the nations: It is God who reigns!<\/strong><br \/> The world is made firm and cannot be shaken.<br \/>     <strong>God judges the peoples in equity.  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<p>Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be glad;<br \/>     <strong>let the sea roar, and all that fills it;<br \/>     let the fields exult, and all that is in them.<\/strong><br \/> Then let all the trees of the forest sing for joy,<br \/> for you come, O God, to judge the earth.<br \/>     <strong>You shall judge the earth in righteousness,<br \/>     its peoples with your truth. <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n<p>THIRD READING: Matthew 1.18-25<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/oneking.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/matthew1reading-bunny.m4a\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>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. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, \u201cJoseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.\u201d 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:<\/p>\n\n\n<p>23 \u201cLook, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,<br \/>\n    and they shall name him Emmanuel,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<p>which means, \u201cGod is with us.\u201d 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img src=\"https:\/\/oneking.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/image-29.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1168\"\/><figcaption><em>Saint Catherine&#8217;s Monastery<\/em>, Enthroned Virgin and Child with saints and angels, 6th century, Sinai, Egypt<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>HYMN: \u201cTwas in the moon of wintertime\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/oneking.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/VU-71-\u2018Twas-in-the-Moon-of-Wintertime.m4a\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n<p><em>&#8216;Twas in the moon of wintertime,<br \/> when all the birds had fled,<br \/> that mighty Gitchi Manitou<br \/> sent angel choirs instead;<br \/> before their light the stars grew dim,<br \/> and wandering hunters heard the hymn:<br \/>     Jesus your King is born,<br \/>     Jesus is born,<br \/>     in excelsis gloria.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>Within a lodge of broken bark <br \/> the tender babe was found,<br \/> a ragged robe of rabbit skin<br \/> enwrapped his beauty round;<br \/> but as the hunter braves drew nigh,<br \/> the angel song rang loud and high:  R<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>The earliest moon of wintertime<br \/> is not so round and fair<br \/> as was the ring of glory on<br \/> the helpless infant there.<br \/> The chiefs from far before him knelt<br \/> with gifts of fox and beaver pelt.  R<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>O children of the forest free, <br \/> the angel song is true,<br \/> the holy child of earth and heaven<br \/> is born today for you.<br \/> Come, kneel before the radiant boy,<br \/> who brings you beauty, peace, and joy:  R<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p>REFLECTION<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/oneking.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/dec24sermon.m4a\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>Do you wish you could wake up to discover that 2020 was just a bad dream?<\/p>\n\n\n<p>It worked for Pam and Bobby.  An entire season suddenly became moot, the ultimate TV do-over.  If you have no idea what I\u2019m talking about, you need to find someone over 50\u2014quick.  And not to outdone, the show Newhart ended the series with Bob and Emily discussing the strange dream Bob just had\u2014in this case, he dreamt an entire series.  Again, over 50, you know the drill.  <\/p>\n\n\n<p>Dreams are strange things.  Freud said that dreams constitute \u201cwish fulfillment,\u201d which is a fancy way of saying you wish you could work out the vexing thing that\u2019s troubling you.  I dropped first-year psychology, so I can\u2019t really say if Freud\u2019s right.  If you\u2019re like me, however, and you&#8217;re working out vexing things in the middle of the night, the last thing that\u2019s happening is sleep.  <\/p>\n\n\n<p>The Bible makes pretty strong case for dreams as a means to receive divine messages.  Jacob dreams of a ladder, with angels descending and ascending, and receives an affirmation of the covenant with Israel.  Joseph dreamed of a future, when famine would ravage the land and he would have an opportunity to help his family.  And Joseph also had the power to interpret dreams, something that came in handy in the court of Pharaoh.  Leaping over today\u2019s dream, we learn of Peter\u2019s dream, a blanket from heaven covered in all kinds of creatures.  The Lord blesses them in the dream and commands Peter to eat.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>And then there is the story of Jesus\u2019 birth.  It begins with a vision, where Zacharias learns that Elizabeth will bear a child\u2014the one who will one day baptize Jesus.  And then there is the passage Bunny read, where Joseph is seeking a way to save Mary the hardship of ending their betrothal, when an angel appears in a dream, saying:<\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cJoseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p>At this point, Matthew breaks in and reminds his readers that all this was also the subject of a prophecy, when Isaiah said a young woman would bear a son, and he would be named Emmanuel, God-with-us.  I think you can already see the problem with dreams: Is it Jesus, \u2018for he will save the people from their sins,\u2019 or is it Emmanuel, God-with us?  <\/p>\n\n\n<p>Well, it appears this child will have many names, with Isaiah suggesting Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace\u2014just to name four.  And this list is helpful, because it shows us that (in fact) Jesus has one name, but many titles.  And that\u2019s just on the night of his birth.  <\/p>\n\n\n<p>Why so many titles?  I would argue that when we \u201cput on Christ\u201d (as Paul tells us) we also put on something we need.  Dwelling in shadow?  You need the Light of the World.  Hungry for the food that truly nourishes?  You need the Bread of Heaven.  Feeling lost?  You need the Good Shepherd.  Jesus is ever near, to find us, feed us, illuminate us\u2014and save us.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>The dream is clear: \u201cYou are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.\u201d  There\u2019s more here, though, since Jesus is literally a Joshua, which the translation from Hebrew, to Greek, and to English, gives us Jesus.  Now Joshua was a common name in the time of Jesus, but the reason was clear: it means \u201cGod is salvation,\u201d or \u201cGod will save us.\u201d  Jesus\u2019 name is both a prayer and an answer to prayer.  Add Emmanuel\u2014God-with-us\u2014and it becomes even more fervent.  God will save us and God is with us\u2014Jesus is the hope and the answer.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>And it begins with a dream.  It begins with the dream of a world-made-new, where God enters the world to be our salvation.  From that moment, and for all time, we can trust that God will save us and God-is-with-us.  Whatever peril we face, we are not alone.  Whatever circumstance confounds us, we are not alone.  Whenever we are shadowed, hungry, or lost, we are not alone, for God will save us and God-is-with-us.  Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img src=\"https:\/\/oneking.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/image-27.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1165\"\/><figcaption><em>William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Madonna with Child, 1899<\/em>, private collection<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>SOLO: &#8220;The First Noel&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/oneking.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/10-The-First-Noel.m4a\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Gracious God,<br \/> help us hear the song of the angels,<br \/> and to go in heart and in mind to Bethlehem,<br \/> to see the loving-kindness of our God,<br \/> the babe lying in a manger.<br \/> On this night we are grateful,<br \/> that you love the world as to take human form,<br \/> and that you hear our prayers, and listen <br \/> as we pray for the needs of the whole world.<br \/> We remember especially<br \/> those whose lives are disrupted by the pandemic,<br \/> and by all other forces beyond their control\u2026<br \/> We pray for peace and goodwill among the nations\u2026<br \/> Let us pray for the earth,<br \/> as it longs for the promise of God\u2019s new creation\u2026<br \/> Let us remember before God all who are poor, hungry or cold\u2026<br \/> all who are oppressed by circumstance or by other people\u2026<br \/> all who are sick or dying, all who are lonely or frightened,<br \/> and all for whom Christmas is a time of sadness\u2026<br \/> Lastly we remember, O God,<br \/> those who have gone before us, <br \/> whose company and voices we miss,<br \/> but who, in the grace and goodness of God,<br \/> still share Christmas with us.<br \/> With them, and with the multitude of angels<br \/> and God\u2019s faithful of every time and place,<br \/> we celebrate the hope and the mystery<br \/> that Jesus Christ is born.<br \/> Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>THE LORD\u2019S PRAYER<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Our Father who art in heaven,<br \/>hallowed be thy name.<br \/>Thy kingdom come,<br \/>Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.<br \/>Give us this day our daily bread;<br \/>and forgive us our trespasses<br \/>as we forgive those who trespass against us;<br \/>and lead us not into temptation<br \/>but deliver us from evil.<br \/>For thine is the kingdom,<br \/>and the power, and the glory,<br \/>for ever and ever. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>HYMN: \u201cSilent night, holy night\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/oneking.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/11-Silent-Night.m4a\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n<p><em>Silent night! Holy night!<br \/> All is calm, all is bright<br \/> round yon virgin mother and child.<br \/> Holy infant so tender and mild,<br \/> sleep in heavenly peace, <br \/> sleep in heavenly peace.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>Silent night! Holy night!<br \/> Shepherds quake at the sight:<br \/> glories stream from heaven afar,<br \/> heavenly hosts sing Hallelujah,<br \/> Christ the Saviour is born, <br \/> Christ the Saviour is born.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>Silent night! Holy night!<br \/> Son of God, love\u2019s pure light<br \/> radiant beams from thy holy face,<br \/> with the dawn of redeeming grace,<br \/> Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, <br \/> Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,<br \/> Alles schl\u00e4ft; einsam wacht<br \/> Nur das traute hochheilige Paar.<br \/> Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,<br \/> Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!<br \/> Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p>BLESSING<\/p>\n\n\n<p>The light that enlivens all the world, <br \/> the light that darkness cannot overcome,<br \/> love\u2019s pure light in Jesus Christ, <br \/> shine on you and in our world this night.  Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/oneking.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/VU-47-Still-Still-Still.m4a\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n<p><em>Still, still, still: the night is calm and still.<br \/>     The Christchild in his crib lies sleeping,<br \/>     angels round him watch are keeping.<br \/> Still, still, still: the night is calm and still.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>Sleep, sleep, sleep: sweet Jesus, softly sleep,<br \/>     while Mary sings and gently holds you,<br \/>     safely in her arms enfolds you.<br \/> Sleep, sleep, sleep: sweet Jesus softly sleep.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>Joy, joy, joy; glad tidings of great joy!<br \/>     For through God&#8217;s holy incarnation<br \/>     Christ is born for our salvation.<br \/> Joy, joy, joy; glad tidings of great joy!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img src=\"https:\/\/oneking.ca\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/image-23.png\" alt=\"This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image-23.png\"\/><figcaption>Friedrich Hudler, Madonna and Child, early 20th century, Germany<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Merry Christmas! Gathered through the power of the Holy Spirit, we worship God with gladness. We encourage you to pray over the words that follow, and follow the links within the liturgy. Prayers in this service are adapted from Celebrate God\u2019s Presence (UCPH). Thanks tonight to Bunny, Beth, Amanda, Cor, Jenny, Taye, Dave, and Heather! &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/michaelkooiman.com\/index.php\/2020\/12\/23\/christmas-eve\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Christmas Eve<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/michaelkooiman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1144"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/michaelkooiman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/michaelkooiman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/michaelkooiman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/michaelkooiman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1144"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/michaelkooiman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1144\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/michaelkooiman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1144"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/michaelkooiman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1144"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/michaelkooiman.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1144"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}