St. Paul’s United Church30 Main Street South, Brampton, ON L6W 2C4

St. Paul’s - "A caring, Christian community,sharing the love of Jesus through our words and actions."

Worship Theme: "Celebrating God’s Gift"(*Please stand as you are able*)

“As we begin today, we acknowledge the history, spirituality, culture, and stewardship of the land of the Indigenous people of this region,

most recently the Mississaugas of the New Credit who are Anishinaabe Ojibwe people. We seek to live in respect, peace, and right relations

with them as we live, work, and worship upon their traditional territory.

We are also mindful of broken covenants and the need to strive to make right with all our relations.”

The Approach of the People of God

Music as we gather

Welcome and Announcements

Lighting of the Christ Candle

Music

Call to Worship:

Opening Prayer: VU #66 “A Christmas Prayer” (1)

Hymn*: VU #62 1“Once in Royal David’s City” (2)

1 Once in royal David’s Citystood a lowly cattle shed,where a mother laid her babyin a manger for his bed.Mary was that mother mild,Jesus Christ her little child.

2 He came down to earth from heavenwho, with God, is over all,and his shelter was a stable,and his cradle was a stall.There among the poor and lowlylived on earth our Saviour holy.

3 For he is our lifelong pattern;daily, when on earth he grew;he was tempted scorned, rejected,tears and smiles like us he knew.Thus he feels for all our sadness,and he shares in all our gladness.

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4 And our eyes at last shall see him,through his own redeeming love;for that child who seemed so helplessis our Lord in heaven above;and he leads his children onto the place where he is gone.

Listen to the Word of God

Music for Reflection

Time with Children

Hymn* VU #47 “Still, Still, Still” (3)

1 Still, still, still: the night is calm and still.The Christ child in his crib lies sleeping,angels round him watch are keeping.1Still, still, still: the night is calm and still.

2 Sleep, sleep, sleep: sweet Jesus softly sleep,while Mary sings and gently holds you,safely in her arms enfolds you.1Sleep, sleep, sleep: sweet Jesus softly sleep.

3 1Joy, joy, joy; glad tidings of great joy!For through God's holy incarnationChrist is born for our salvation.Joy, joy, joy; glad tidings of great joy!

Passing of the Peace*

Scripture Lessons: Luke 2:22-40

One: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.All: Thanks be to God.

Quote for the Sermon: (4) “Inside everyone is a great shout of joy waiting to be born.”

Congregational Hymn: MV #115 “Behold, Behold, I Make All Things New” (5)

Behold, behold, I make all things new, beginning with you and starting from today. Behold, behold, I make all things new, my promise is true, for I am Christ the way.

Sermon: “Growing in Faith, Faith in Growing”

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Hymn*: VU #50 “He is Born” (6)

1Refrain: He is born, little Child divine;play on the reeds while the lutes are strumming.He is born, little Child divine;join the song to announce the day.

11 Through long ages of the past,prophets have foretold his coming;thru long ages of the past,now the time has come at last! R

2 O how lovely,O how pure is this perfect child of heaven;O how lovely, O how pure,gracious gift to human kind! R

3 Lowly lodged in a stable poor,laid on straw for his infant cradle.Lowly lodged in a stable poor,God come down to our mortal aid. R

4 Jesus, Lord of all the world,coming as a child among us,Jesus, Lord of all the world,grant to us your heavenly peace. R

Responding to God’s Word

The Offering

Greetings from our MP - Brampton SouthThe Honourable Sonia Sidhu

Offering Hymn*: VU #38 “Angels We Have Heard on High” (7)

Refrain: Gloria, in excelsis Deo!Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

1 Angels we have heard on highsweetly singing o'er the plainsand the mountains in reply,echoing their joyous strains. R

2 Shepherds, why this jubilee?Why your joyous strains prolong?What the gladsome tidings bewhich inspire your heavenly song? R

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3 Come to Bethlehem and seeChrist whose birth the angels sing;come, adore on bended kneeChrist, the Lord, the newborn King. R

4 See him in a manger laid,whom the choirs of angels praise;Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,while our hearts in love we raise. R

Offering Prayer*

Prayer for Healing VU #63 “A Christmas Prayer of Confession” (8)

The Prayer of Jesus (sung) VU #959 (9)

1Our Father/Mother/Creator in heaven,hallowed be your name,your kingdom come,your will be done,on earth as in heaven.Give us today our daily bread.Forgive us our sinsas we forgive those who sin against us.Save us from the time of trialand deliver us from evilfor the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,now and forever.

Hymn* VU #54 “Unto Us a Boy Is Born” (10)

1 Unto us a boy is born!King of all creation,came he to a world forlorn,the Lord of every nation,the Lord of every nation.

2 Christ from heaven descending lowcomes on earth a stranger;ox and ass their owner know,be cradled in the manger,be cradled in the manger.

3 Herod then with fear was filled:“A Prince” he said, “in Jewry!”;all the little boys he killed at Bethlem in his fury,at Bethlem in his fury.

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4 Now may Mary’s son, who cameso long ago to love us,lead us all with hearts aflameunto the joys above us,unto the joys above us.

5 Omega and Alpha he!Let the organ thunder,while the choir with peals of gleedoth rend the air asunder,doth rend the air asunder.

Blessing and Sending Forth

Three-fold Amen

Music as we go back to the world

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(1) Robert Stark 1990, alt.(2) Words: Cecil Frances Alexander 1848, alt. Music: Henry John Gauntlett 1849; harm. Arthur Henry Mann; desc. David Willcocks 1970. Harmony © 1957 Novello & Co. Limited. Descant © Oxford University Press 1970.(3) Words © 1994 Hinshaw Music Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Arrangement © 1963, 1980 by Walter Ehret, Walton Music Corporation. Music: Austrian melody; arr. Walter Ehret 1963.(4) David Whyte(5) Words and music © 1995 by WGRG. All rights reserved. Used by permission.(6) Words: trad. 19th century French carol; trans. George Evans 1963. Music: 18th century French carol; harm. Carlton R. Young 1988. Translation © Walton Music Corporation. Harmony © 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House. (7) Words: French trad.; trans. James Chadwick 1860. Music: French carol melody; arr. Edward Shippen Barnes 1937.(8) Gordon Nodwell 1980, alt.(9) David Haas 1986. Music © 1986 G.I.A. Publications, Inc.(10) Words: German carol, 15th century; trans. Vv. 1,3-5, Percy Dearmer 1928; trans. V. 2 George Ratcliff Woodward 1901. Music: German carol melody 1582; harm. Geoffrey Shaw 1928. Harmony © Oxford University Press for A.R. Mowbray Ltd.

Cover photo – “Centre Display” by Rev. Richard Choe, St. Paul’s United Church

PARTICIPANTS IN THIS MORNING’S SERVICE

Minister The Rev. Richard C. ChoeGuest The Honourable Sonia Sidhu,

MP-Brampton SouthDirector of Music Iain MorrisonChair of Council David HymersChurch Officer Jack DrewReader David HymersCo-ordinating Greeter Mary SarginsonGreeters Laurel Del Genio, Erik & Lynda Liscio, Ruth

Manlucu, Kathy McKelvey, Erika Metzler, Wayne Steele

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