Holy Communion Service for Christmas Eve

THE INVITATION

Pastor:  God is with you.

All:  And also with you.

Pastor:  Let us open our hearts to the Spirit of Christ, born a long time ago, and born again this night (can be “today” if anytime during Advent or Christmastide), in our lives.

All:  We open our hearts to God, the Christ birthing now in our lives, and to one another—precious embodiments of Your creation.

Pastor:  We give thanks.

All:  We thank God with joy.

THE THANKSGIVING

Pastor:  God of humble births and the stars in the heavens, we thank You for Your persistent love for all creation.  We thank You for those who can see You and make connections that lead toward meaning.  We thank You for those who are wise—who will journey out to strange lands and unknown territories in search for truth or to bring justice.  We thank You for Your way of breathing life into us, and of helping us to take deep breaths when we need them.

All:  God of love, creativity, novelty, joy, meaning, peace and hope, in spite of all the challenges on earth and in our personal lives, we give thanks for Your persistence throughout the universe.

Pastor:  We rejoice in Your Word through Jesus the Christ, who was born humbly, who communed with those others called outcast, who lived a complex life that sought justice, who died unfairly, and whose Spirit lives among us still.

REMEMBRANCE AND OFFERING

Pastor:  Remembering Your boundless love, we offer our praise and proclaim our faith:

All:  Christ was born.  Christ lived and died.  Christ comes again and again into our lives.

Pastor:  God, we know that Your Spirit is poured on us and on these elements of bread and juice, and we pray that Your love, peace and justice in the world may be born through us.

All:  All praise to You, rejoicing in the Spirit of Jesus Christ, who lives among us, and the Holy Spirit, who binds us together in love.  Amen.

BREAKING THE BREAD

GIVING THE BREAD AND CUP

PRAYER