Koonung Heights Uniting Church
Service of Worship at Home
Christmas Day – 25 December 2023 – 9am or whenever possible
You may like to light a candle during your time of worship.
Feel free to text the Peace to other members of the congregation.
Introit: “Christians, awake” (TiS 306)
Christians, awake, salute the happy morn
whereon the Saviour of the world was born;
rise to adore the mystery of love,
which hosts of angels chanted from above;
with them the joyful tidings first begun
of God incarnate and the Virgin’s son.
Then to the watchful shepherds it was told,
who heard the angelic herald’s voice, ‘Behold,
I bring good tidings of a Saviour’s birth
to you and all the nations on the earth;
this day has God fulfilled his promised word,
this day is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord’
Acknowledgement of Country:
Today I acknowledge the
Wurundjeri WoiWurrung people of the Kulin nations,
the first inhabitants of this place,
part of God’s good creation.
You set humanity at the heart of your creation, O God,
even slipping into skin to live as one of us.
You have called us to be stewards of all you have made,
and we give thanks for those who have heeded your call.
Call to Worship:
There is room for you here.
If you’re weary and worn, or hopeful and patient.
If you’re tired and lost, or wrapped up in hope.
If you’re new to this place, or have been here before.
Come in, come in. There is room for you here.
The angels are singing, “Be not afraid.”
The angels are singing, “Good news and great joy!”
So come in, come in! There is room for us here.
Advent Candle:
How does a weary world hold onto hope,
practice peace, spread joy, or know love?
How does a weary world combat cruelty?
How does a weary world shine a light
into our bleakest days and nights?
We do all these things with God’s help.
For today, a child is born in Bethlehem.
Today, Christ draws near.
Today we light the Christ Candle.
Today, we are not alone.
God is near. Love has drawn close.
Rejoice! For God loves this weary world.
Amen.
We Sing: “O Come, all ye faithful” – (TiS 304)
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
come and behold him
born the king of angels:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
Christ the Lord!
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
sing all ye citizens of heaven above,
‘Glory to God, glory in the highest’:
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning,
Jesus, to thee be glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing:
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
Call to Prayer:
I wonder if you knew that a version of “Be not afraid” is written in scripture
as many as 365 times? That’s once for every day.
God says, “Be not afraid.” The angels say, “Be not afraid.”
Over and over again, we are told to not be afraid.
Friends, let us carry that with us as we move into this moment of prayer.
As we praise God for all that today brings, let us not worry that it is hard to comprehend
all that God has done for us.
As we say sorry to God for the mess of our lives, let us remember God meets us with grace.
God does not meet us with anger.
God does not hold a grudge.
God does not keep score.
Instead, God wraps us in mercy and holds us in love.
So let pray …
Prayer of Praise and Confession:
God of Wonder,
we praise you this Christmas morning,
for your glory shines in the deepest darkness,
and your grace breaks through things that would keep us down.
You are the giver of life and the bringer of hope;
answering the yearnings of our hearts.
You point us to a different way,
to a reality where justice, righteousness and peace blossom,
where sorry is swapped for the sounds of singing,
and where joy abides forever.
As we give and receive gifts today,
we recognise the gift that you have given,
the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ,
wrapped around our lives.
Through Jesus, the light of your love shines
in a multitude of bright colours
that remind us of the diversity
of ways you love us.
Loving Christ,
we read in scripture
that you were placed in a manger,
among livestock and hay,
there was no place in the inn.
There was no room for a woman in need,
no room for an innocent baby.
Forgive us.
We should have learned our lesson by now,
but just as others turned their backs on you,
we continue to turn our backs on one another.
Teach us how to make room for one another.
Teach us how to make room for you.
Carve out space in our hearts to love as you love,
for we do not want to build hostility here,
but live into your promised day.
Guide us forward.
With hope and honesty we pray,
Amen.
Words of Assurance:
Friends, the angels say, “Be not afraid,”
but they also say, “Unto you a child is born.”
Christ is born for you. Christ walked this earth for you. Christ forgives you.
That’s what love does –
it makes room, it offers grace, it learns your name.
So let us say these words of hope together:
Unto us a child is born. Unto us grace is given.
May this good news change the very fabric of our lives.
Christ has made room for all of us.
Amen.
The Peace
May the peace of Jesus, the Prince of peace, be with you,
and also with you.
We Sing: “Once in royal David’s city” – (TiS 312)
Once in royal David’s city
stood a lowly cattle shed
where a mother laid her baby
in a manger for his bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little child.
He came down to earth from heaven who is God and Lord of all,
and his shelter was a stable, and his cradle was a stall;
with the poor, despised and lowly lived on earth our Saviour holy.
And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love,
for that child so dear and gentle is our Lord in heaven above;
and he leads his children on to the place where he is gone.
The Story:
The story we are about to hear is a story we have heard before –
it’s the story of a star in the sky and a baby who was laid in a manger,
it’s a story passed down in hopeful whispers through the generations.
So, let us lean our hearts and our ears close,
and make room in our souls to hear this story again.
Let us make room for awe, wonder, heartache and compassion.
Let us make room to hear the truths in this ancient Word
as if it was the first time.
God is still speaking to us.
May we hear again this day.
We are listening.
We are already making room.
Bible Reading: Luke 2:1-7 – The Birth of Jesus
1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 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. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 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.
We Sing: “Infant holy” – (TiS 292)
Infant holy, infant lowly, for his bed a cattle stall;
oxen lowing, little knowing Christ the babe is Lord of all:
swift are winging angels singing, nowells ringing, tidings bringing,
Christ the babe is Lord of all, Christ the babe is Lord of all.
Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping vigil till the morning new
saw the glory, heard the story, tidings of a gospel true;
thus rejoicing, free from sorrow, praises voicing, greet the morrow,
Christ the babe was born for you, Christ the babe was born for you.
Bible Reading: Luke 2:8-14 – The Shepherds and the Angels
8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 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: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!”
“Hark! the herald angels sing” – (TiS 303)
Hark! the herald angels sing glory to the new-born King,
peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.
Joyful, all you nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies;
with the angelic host proclaim, ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem’.
Hark the herald angels sing glory to the new-born King.
Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting lord,
late in time behold him come, offspring of a virgin’s womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail the incarnate Deity,
pleased in human flesh to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing glory to the new-born King.
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings:
mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing glory to the new-born King.
Bible Reading: Luke 2:15-20
15 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.” 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Reflection:
There is a Christmas story told about a little boy who wanted to be Joseph in the Nativity play. He didn’t get the part of Joseph but did land the role of the innkeeper. He was disappointed. On the night of the performance he decided that he would change the story. The story, as told, caused Joseph to inquire about a place for him and for Mary. The crowd anticipated that the innkeeper would say “There is no room at the inn.” However this little boy changed the story that night. He said, “Sure, I’ve got the best room in the inn. You can have mine.” Of course this changed the whole story and caused everyone to laugh. When his parents got him home that night they asked him why he had done what he did. The little boy explained that he thought it was important to not just welcome God, but also to give him the best he could.
Luke’s gospel tells us that when Mary gives birth to her son, Jesus, she lays him in a manger, for there was no place for them. Scholars argue about where, exactly, the birth occurs – and why? Was it in a stable or the living room of a simple peasant home? Was Bethlehem teeming with visitors who were also there to be counted in the census? Was Joseph’s family inhospitable because they disapproved of his marital situation? Regardless of where the birth occurs, we know that Jesus is born in a crowded, unlikely place. And yet, God makes a place here anyway. God draws the circle of welcome even wider as shepherds and unexpected guests arrive, sending a message of good news all across the countryside.
New Testament scholar, Kenneth E Bailey, describes the layout of a traditional peasant home in Palestine and argues against the idea of an innkeeper providing the holy family a barn stable after they had been rejected elsewhere. As he interprets the text, the family was shown traditional Middle Eastern hospitality and welcomed into the main living room of a simple peasant home, signalling to the shepherd that they, too, would be welcome when they arrived to see the child in the manger.
However we understand the story, what is important is the threads of hospitality that weave through the narrative. God makes room for restored relationship when the Divine takes on flesh to live with us. Mary and Joseph make room when they say ‘yes’ to God’s plan. Room is made available for Mary to give birth. The angels tell the shepherds, who make room to go and see the baby.
How does a weary world rejoice? We make room. There is always space, always more room, for God makes room. The question is, can we? How might we make room in the way that we are called to? Is this the task set before us this Christmas season?
It is easy to acknowledge that the world is weary from grief, war, a pandemic, political strive, personal and corporate failings, and we could continue to add to this list. But even though these wearying acts take place, our rejoicing happens when we can encounter life together. When we change the story as it might seem to be, and make collective moments to rejoice.
For surely the way that we can offer God our best is to be like the little boy who made room, we can make room for others. This Christmas, let us make room for strangers and neighbours alike. Doing this would truly be good news of great joy!
At times the world may feel like one long stretch of night,
like an endless winter, or a hovering rain cloud.
Life may feel like walking into the wind, an uphill climb in every direction,
but we can still open the door.
We can’t calm every storm,
but we can turn on the front light,
we can add chairs to the table,
we can keep clean sheets on the guest bed,
just in case.
We can hold the elevator and learn pronouns,
tell stories of belonging and take turns listening.
We can learn each other’s names,
and care for this planet for our children.
We can advocate for those who have no voice,
and we can insist, every single day,
in a million different ways,
there is room, there is room,
there is room for you here.
We can’t calm every storm,
but we can turn on the front light.
Amen.
Affirmation of Faith:
We believe in a God who makes room for us –
who opens the door, pulls up a seat,
puts the kettle on, and says, “Tell me everything.”
We believe that God not only treats us this way
but also makes room for our neighbours,
for strangers, and for our enemies.
Jesus modelled this kind of room-making love
when he said, “Let the children come to me,”
and, “Let me wash your feet,”
so we try to follow suit.
In a world of closed doors,
we believe in saying,
“There is room for you here.”
We Sing: “Joy to the World” – (TiS 268)
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.
Joy to the earth! The Saviour reigns; let us our songs employ;
while fields and streams, rocks, hills and plains repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
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, wonders of his love.
Prayer for Others (prepared by Harriet Ziegler):
Let us pray
God whose love was made known so vividly at Christmas, we come before you in prayer on this Christmas morning. We sing the hymns and hear the story from the Gospel of Luke – and we find ourselves in them.
We remember the little family, travelling because the Emperor required it. Just like us – 2000 years later – their lives were determined in many ways by their political leaders. We know that feeling. And so we pray for those who govern us – in this state, in this nation, and for leaders around the world. And we pray for all who are uprooted today because of political decisions. May the world’s leaders govern with wisdom and foresight, with justice and fairness. Whether in the Middle East, Ukraine, Congo or here in Australia, may they take steps for peace.
The little family was part of a much larger family, stretching back many generations. Just like us. We too have families, near at hand and far away, and we hold them deeply in our hearts. Just like biblical families, our families are close-knit and loving, fractured and estranged. And we have many families – our kinship families, our friendship families, and our church families, including our minister, Rev. Heather. All these people – whom we love – have challenges and sorrows and joys. Hear us as we lift our families to you in these moments of silence.
The little family received a visit from shepherds, of all people. We know people who are like those shepherds – people who live on the margins of polite society, people who are hungry and cold and ill, perhaps without a roof over their heads. We ask that we would have the grace shown by Joseph and Mary to receive the shepherds in our midst, to hear their stories and to welcome them, knowing that we all are sometimes the shepherds.
The shepherds had an amazing story to tell. They had been visited by angels who said that You wanted peace on earth for all. Peace on earth, not violence, not climate catastrophe, not hatred. We, too, hear loud and clear your Christmas call for peace on earth, dear God. We ask that we may be your servants in your cause.
And, at the end of Christmas Day, may we find much to treasure in our hearts, as Mary did. May we find joy when we are weary, courage when peace seems far away, and warmth for all your children. May joy, courage and warmth be our Christmas gifts to your world, in grateful thanks for the gift you have given us – the gift of your Son, who brings us close to you, and in whose name we pray:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
We Sing: “The North Wind” – (TiS 322)
The north wind is tossing the leaves,
the red dust is over the town,
the sparrows are under the eaves
and the grass in the paddock is brown,
as we lift up our voices and sing
to the Christ-child, the heavenly King.
The tree-ferns in green gullies sway,
the cool stream flows silently by,
the joy-bells are greeting the day,
and the chimes are adrift in the sky,
as we lift up our voices and sing
to the Christ-child, the heavenly King.
Blessing:
As you leave this space,
go in peace, remember that
God has made room for you,
that Christ took on flesh for you.
You are God’s beloved.
Go rejoicing and make room for others –
the world needs it!
And the blessing of God the Father,
God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
the One who Mother’s us all,
be with you always.
Amen … and Merry Christmas!
Thanks to all those who have assisted in preparation for this liturgy with encouragement, prayers and conversation. I have also utilised the following resources: A Sanctified Art (How does a weary world rejoice? and Ministry Matters.