Sunday Gathering - December 26

Trinity United Church
Sunday, December 26, 2021
Christmas 1
Worship

“Connection not Perfection”

WE GATHER

Gathering

Welcome 

Rev David: May the peace of Christ be with you.

Welcome to Trinity United Church in Port Coquitlam, BC.
We are so grateful that you have chosen to spend some time with us, we are glad you are here. 

If you are joining us on YouTube, please check out our website at ucpoco.ca. We would also appreciate if you would subscribe to our channel, and like and share our service. Those buttons are right below the video, and it does make a difference when you interact with our account.

Acknowledgement of Territory 
Much of what we know as the Northwest Coast of North America was occupied by the Coast Salish Peoples. The territory where Trinity United Church of Port Coquitlam resides is the unceded territory of the Kwikwetlem First Nations. Our acknowledgement of unceded traditional territory is a first step in reconciliation between settler cultures and indigenous peoples and the decolonization of western systems that continue to oppress and exploit indigenous peoples and land. The work of reconciliation is daunting. The work of reconciliation will not be ours to complete, but neither is it ours to abandon. 

Let us prepare our hearts and minds for worship.

Prelude: “Welcome Home Video”

Sung Response: “Open Our Eyes”

Open our eyes 
to the wonder of the morning,
0pen our hearts to your light
God of the universe
we are dust within such vastness
God of the baby,
stars and angels sing your praises.
Open our hearts to your hope, God.
Open our hearts to your peace.
Open our hearts to your joy, God,
and open our hearts to your love.*

*copyright 2021 WorshipCollective

Acknowledging the Candles

The candles are lit throughout the Christmas Season to remind us: “Emmanuel: God is with us!” Thanks be to God!

Sung Response: “Open Our Eyes”

Open our eyes 
to the wonder of the morning,
0pen our hearts to your light
God of the universe
we are dust within such vastness
God of the baby,
stars and angels sing your praises.
Open our hearts to your hope, God.
Open our hearts to your peace.
Open our hearts to your joy, God,
and open our hearts to your love.*

*copyright 2021 WorshipCollective

Opening Prayer:

In this time of worship 
let us express our gratitude 
for a light in the darkness. Amen.

Hymn: “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice” VU 35  CLICK HERE

Reconciliation Meditation

In the weeks during Advent, we have sat in silence with a focus on the gifts of Advent: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. This morning, the day after Christmas Day, let us sit in gratitude for the light that has been brought to the darkness.

I invite you to take a few breaths and imagine a felt sense of gratitude. What does it feel like in your body to be truly grateful? Where in your body does gratitude make itself felt? In your head? In your chest, your back? Maybe deep in you belly? Wherever you feel that gratitude, breathe into it. Let it grow. Breathe intentionally and let the gratitude fill your body.

I will read a line from scripture and then we will sit in gratitude for 90 seconds. If you feel like your mind is getting distracted, just repeat the line from scripture to yourself and return to that feeling of gratitude.

Psalm 148 “Let all things praise God.”

[90 sec silence]

Let all things praise God. Thanks be to God!

WE HEAR THE WORD OF GOD

Lessons and Carols:

Reading: Isaiah 62:6-12

Special Music: “Panis Angelicus” Cesar Frank

Psalm 148 VU 871

Reading: Titus 3:4-7

Special Music: David Rogers

Reading: Luke 2:8-20

Special Music: “O Holy Night” Adam, De Roquemaure

A Story: “Jesus Goes to the Temple” Ralph Milton Lectionary Story Bible.

Hymn: “What Child Is This” VU 74    

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

Offering:

With gratitude, we make our offering.
Let us pray:

Holy one,
We have received the blessed gift of you child, Emmanuel, 
a light in the darkness.
We return to you our gifts, 
of money, time, skill and prayer,
that they might reduce the darkness of others, 
bringing justice to the oppressed, 
joy to the grieving 
and comfort to the estranged.
In the name of the Light of the world, we pray. Amen.

Prayers of the People:
Let us pray for the world in which the Prince of Peace took flesh and form:

We give you thanks, Holy One, 
for the light that has come into the darkness of our world, 
for the truth illuminated, 
for the pathway that has opened, 
for the rejoicing of your people.

We give you thanks for the feet of those 
who bring good news, friendship, comfort, 
food, shelter, and medicine for healing.

We give you thanks for the church of Christ Jesus 
and for all people of faith 
whose attention to the way of peace 
tears down walls that keep us apart.

We give you thanks for this country 
and for every nation where wisdom reigns, 
where leaders work for the well-being of the poor, 
so that no one is hungry or homeless, 
and every child is valued and nourished.

We pray for the knowledge and courage 
to be good stewards of all that you have given us: 
ourselves, our neighbors, the strangers among us, 
the oceans and rivers, the air and soil, 
creatures large and small, 
that we may continue to be blessed with health and life.

We pray for those whose flesh is harmed 
by poverty, sickness, and cruelty of any kind, 
that the Word-made-flesh may so fill your world 
with the power to heal 
that all people would be made strong and whole.

We pray, in silence, for those concerns yet unnamed this day:
[silence]

We commend all these things to you 
and offer our thanksgiving, 
trusting that what we have left unsaid, 
your holy wisdom can unearth; 
in the name of the One who came among us 
in the power of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.*

*Feasting on the Word: Liturgies for Year A, p24 ff

Disciples’ Prayer: “Heavenly Father, Heavenly Mother”    CLICK HERE

WE GO FORTH

Hymn: “Joy to the World” VU 59    CLICK HERE

Sending Forth: 
I invite you to turn on your cameras and go to gallery view as you are able…

Postlude