Prayer During the Day
Christmas Season
    Sunday, 31 December 2017
The First Sunday of Christmas
     
     
      Preparation  
     
    O God, make speed to save us.
All
   O Lord, make haste to help us.
     
    I will give thanks to you, Lord, with my whole heart;
All
   I will tell of all your marvellous works.
   
Psalm 9.1
     
   
Praise
  
     
    A hymn, song, canticle, extempore praise or
     
    Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
   
from Gloria in Excelsis
     
   
The Word of God
  
     
     
   
Psalmody
     
    Either, Sunday Psalm 113
     
    (or)
     
    Or, on any day Psalm 8
     
    Alternatively, when Morning and Evening Prayer are also celebrated, one of these cycles may be followed.
     
   

Psalm 113

Refrain: From the rising of the sun to its setting
let the name of the Lord be praised.

1 Alleluia.
      Give praise, you servants of the Lord, ♦
   O praise the name of the Lord.

2 Blessed be the name of the Lord, ♦
   from this time forth and for evermore.

3 From the rising of the sun to its setting ♦
   let the name of the Lord be praised.

4 The Lord is high above all nations ♦
   and his glory above the heavens.

5 Who is like the Lord our God,
      that has his throne so high, ♦
   yet humbles himself to behold
      the things of heaven and earth?

6 He raises the poor from the dust ♦
   and lifts the needy from the ashes,

7 To set them with princes, ♦
   with the princes of his people.

8 He gives the barren woman a place in the house ♦
   and makes her a joyful mother of children.
      Alleluia.

Refrain: From the rising of the sun to its setting
let the name of the Lord be praised.

From the rising of the sun to its setting
we praise your name, O Lord;
may your promise to raise the poor from the dust
and turn the fortunes of the needy upside down
be fulfilled in our time also,
as it was in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
     
    (or)
     
   

Psalm 8

1 O Lord our governor, ♦
   how glorious is your name in all the world!

2 Your majesty above the heavens is praised ♦
   out of the mouths of babes at the breast.

3 You have founded a stronghold against your foes, ♦
   that you might still the enemy and the avenger.

4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, ♦
   the moon and the stars that you have ordained,

5 What is man, that you should be mindful of him; ♦
   the son of man, that you should seek him out?

6 You have made him little lower than the angels ♦
   and crown him with glory and honour.

7 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands ♦
   and put all things under his feet,

8 All sheep and oxen, ♦
   even the wild beasts of the field,

9 The birds of the air, the fish of the sea ♦
   and whatsoever moves in the paths of the sea.

10 O Lord our governor, ♦
   how glorious is your name in all the world!

We bless you, master of the heavens,
for the wonderful order which enfolds this world;
grant that your whole creation
may find fulfilment in the Son of Man,
Jesus Christ our Saviour.
    Each psalm or group of psalms may end with
     
All
   Glory 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.
     
   
Short readings
  
     
    Either, Sunday
    The Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
   
John 1.14,16-18
     
    Or, on any day of Christmas
    In him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
   
John 1.4,5
     
   
Response
  
     
    Silence, study, song, or words from Scripture, such as
     
    Blessed are the pure in heart,
All
   for they will see God.
   
Matthew 5.8
     
   
Prayers
  
     
    Prayers may include these concerns:
     
    The Church, especially in places of conflict
    The Holy Land, for peace with justice, and reconciliation
    Refugees and asylum seekers
    Homeless people
    Families with young children
     
    A form of intercession found here may be used.
     
    Either, the following prayer is said
     
    Almighty and everlasting God,
who stooped to raise fallen humanity
through the child-bearing of blessed Mary;
grant that we, who have seen your glory
      revealed in our human nature
and your love made perfect in our weakness,
may daily be renewed in your image
and conformed to the pattern of your Son
Jesus Christ our Lord.
All
   Amen.
   
Collect of the Blessed Virgin Mary
     
     
    Or, the Collect of the day 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 in 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.
     
    (Either)
     
    As our Saviour taught us, so we pray
     
All
  Our 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)
     
    Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
     
All
  Our 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.
     
   
The Conclusion
  
     
    May the grace of Christ our Saviour be with us all.
All
   Amen.
     
   
© The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000-2005
Official Common Worship apps, books and eBooks are available from Church House Publishing.
 
The Bible readings (other than the psalms) are from The New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Implemented by Simon Kershaw at Crucix.
Implementation copyright © Simon Kershaw, 2002-2017.

 
     
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