O Lord, open our lips
Alland our mouth shall
proclaim your praise.
You laid the foundation of the earth
Alland the heavens are
the work of your hands.
One or more of the following is said or sung:
this or another prayer of thanksgiving
Blessed are you, sovereign God,
creator of heaven and earth,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your living Word, eternal in heaven,
assumed the frailty of our mortal flesh,
may the light of your love be born in us
to fill our hearts with joy as we sing:
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.
a suitable hymn, or A Song of the Bride
1I will greatly rejoice
in the Lord, •
my soul shall exult in my God;
2Who has clothed me with
the garments of salvation, •
and has covered me with the cloak of integrity,
3As a bridegroom decks
himself with a garland, •
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
4For as the earth puts
forth her blossom, •
and as seeds in the garden spring up,
5So shall God make righteousness
and praise •
blossom before all the nations.
6For Zion’s sake
I will not keep silent, •
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest
7Until her deliverance
shines out like the dawn, •
and her salvation as a burning torch.
8The nations shall see
your deliverance, •
and all rulers shall see your glory;
9Then you shall be called
by a new name •
which the mouth of God will give.
10You shall be a crown
of glory in the hand of the Lord, •
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
Isaiah 61.10,11; 62.1-3
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
This opening prayer may be said
The night has passed, and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.
AllAmen.
The appointed psalmody is said.
Each psalm or group of psalms may end with
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the canticle.
A Song of the Messiah, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 21 or number 26, may be said
Refrain:
AllTo us a child is born,
to us a son is given.
1The people who walked
in darkness have seen a great light; •
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
upon them the light has dawned.
2You have increased their
joy and given them great gladness; •
they rejoiced before you as with joy at the harvest.
3For you have shattered
the yoke that burdened them; •
the collar that lay heavy on their shoulders.
4For to us a child is
born and to us a son is given, •
and the government will be upon his shoulder.
5And his name will be
called: Wonderful Counsellor;
the Mighty God; •
the Everlasting Father; the Prince of Peace.
6Of the increase of his
government and of peace •
there will be no end,
7Upon the throne of David
and over his kingdom, •
to establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness.
8From this time forth
and for evermore; •
the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Isaiah 9.2, 3b, 4a, 6, 7
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllTo us a child is born,
to us a son is given.
One or more readings appointed for the day are read.
The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.
A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow
The Word of life which was from the beginning
Allwe proclaim to you.
The darkness is passing away
and the true light is already shining;
Allthe Word of life which
was from the beginning.
That which we heard, which we saw with our eyes,
and touched with our hands,
Allwe proclaim to you.
For our fellowship is with the Father,
and with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
AllThe Word of life which
was from the beginning
we proclaim to you.
from 1 John 1
The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said, or Gloria in Excelsis (A Song of God’s Glory) may be said
Refrain:
AllTo us is born a Saviour,
who is Christ the Lord,
and all the heavenly hosts now sing,
Glory to God in the highest.
1Blessed be the Lord
the God of Israel, •
who has come to his people and set them free.
2He has raised up for
us a mighty Saviour, •
born of the house of his servant David.
3Through his holy prophets
God promised of old •
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us,
4To show mercy to our
ancestors, •
and to remember his holy covenant.
5This was the oath God
swore to our father Abraham: •
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
6Free to worship him
without fear, •
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
7And you, child, shall
be called the prophet of the Most High, •
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
8To give his people knowledge
of salvation •
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
9In the tender compassion
of our God •
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
10To shine on those who
dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, •
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Luke 1.68-79
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllTo us is born a Saviour,
who is Christ the Lord,
and all the heavenly hosts now sing,
Glory to God in the highest.
Intercessions are offered
¶ for the day and its tasks
¶ for the world and its needs
¶ for the Church and her life
This cycle and this prayer may be used.
These responses may be used
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer
(or)
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Silence may be kept.
The Collect of the day or the following is said
Almighty God,
who wonderfully created us in your own image
and yet more wonderfully restored us
through your Son Jesus Christ:
grant that, as he came to share our humanity,
so we may share the life of his divinity;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
AllAmen.
The Lord’s Prayer is said
Rejoicing in the presence of God here among us,
as our Saviour taught us, so we pray
AllOur Father 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 sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
(or)
Rejoicing in the presence of God here among us,
let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
AllOur Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
May God, who has called us out of darkness
into his marvellous light,
bless us and fill us with peace.
AllAmen.
Let us bless the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.