Luke 1:46b-55, Micah 4:1-5, Eph. 2:11-12

Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, Daily Reading
Dec. 22, 2021
Luke 1:46b-55, Micah 4:1-5, Eph. 2:11-12

Opening Prayer
God our Savior,
You have looked upon the lowly state of your servants.  You do great things for each generation that fears you.  Tonight we join in worship and praise of you because of these mighty deeds and let our soul be magnified in our admiration of you, Lord God. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Intercessory Prayer
Christ Jesus, Spirit of the Father, God of this world:
We pray for the unity of mankind tonight.  We pray that by being peace-bringers, we can contribute to the end of suffering.  Empower us as your church to be a hand of help to those who are downtrodden, sick, suffering, anguished, grieving, tired, worn out, and beaten down by the world and people around them who oppose them only because of who they are or who they represent.  We pray Lord that you would bring peace to the world this week in the birth of your Son Jesus Christ that we’ll celebrate in a few short days.  In His holy name and with His holy prayer, we pray: Our Father… Amen.

Communion
Christ our Lord invites all to his table who love him,
  who earnestly repent of their sin
  and seek to live in peace with one another.
Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another.

Let us pray…

Our Lord,
At this time, there is not a peace in the world.  Walls are up that divide people.  At a time when a coming together and a unity amongst us would be helpful to solving many of the issues we face.  But we let political rancor get in the way.  We let selfishness of individuality get in the way.  We do not work together with fellow man and instead our actions contribute more to poor getting poorer, marginalization, hatred and discord.  Forgive us for these sins and the sins we confess in silence….  Amen

Hear the good news:
Jesus Christ was born into this world in a lowly state of infancy and poverty as a refugee
But through His actions of the cross, He forgave the sins of the world, your sins and mine included
He allows that we can return to our homeland, our heavenly home.
In the name of Jesus Christ you are forgiven
Glory to God
Amen

We give you thanks to you, our God because
it is always a good, right, and joyful thing,
  to give thanks to you,
  Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. 

Once we were near to you God, in the Garden that we tended as you walked among us
But our sin took us out of that place and into a world where we were instantly divided,
Brother against brother, man against wife, nation against nation
But the promise came to Mary that God would come as an infant in her womb
She praised God, singing out loud and rejoiced in the Spirit of God that was upon her
That Spirit of God came upon all of mankind who wished to know your presence on Pentecost
After you had lived and died and conquered death
You promised your return and now
We celebrate the season of Advent looking forward to the Day of the Lord
when all the people of earth and the heavenly choir all sing:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ,
Who prayed for the unity of His church
That was built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets
Jesus Christ, himself, being the chief cornerstone, who
Through his baptism of suffering, death, and resurrection
  he delivered us from slavery to sin and death,
  and made for us the new covenant made by water and the Spirit

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread,
gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:
"Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me."

When the supper was over he took the cup,
gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:
"Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant,
poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here,
and on these gifts of bread and wine.
Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ,
that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.
By your Spirit make us one with Christ,
one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world,
until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church,
all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father (God), now and for ever.
Amen.

This is the body of Christ broken for you.  Take and eat. AMEN
This is the blood of Christ shed for you.  Take and drink. AMEN.

Benediction
Let your soul magnify the Lord,
Let your spirit rejoice in God your Savior.
For He has regarded the lowly state of His servants;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call them blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for us,
And holy is His name.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever
Amen