Christmas Flowers & Decorations

The flowers in church this Christmas are given by -

Jessica & Alton Ballantyne with thanksgiving for blessings

received.

Angela Whyte & Carmen Hibbert in memory of Iris Bernard,

Levaughn Garrison, Kenneth & Sharon Gordon and

Francella Hews.

Ruth & Phillip Allder

Kameel Budhwa in honour of blessings received.

Monica Herman

Lorna Powell

Thanks to all who have contributed towards the flowers as well

the decorations in the church.

Special thanks to Norman & Lucille DaCosta and Foster &

Maraval Odlum for decorating the church.

Thought for Christmas

December 25th, 2016December 25th, 2016

10:0010:00AMAM

TTHEHE NNATIVITYATIVITY OFOF JJESUSESUS CCHRISTHRIST

Reflection

Emmanuel is here! God is with Us! The waiting of “Advent is over. The Christmas season has arrived. Emmanuel, God with us. God made flesh in Mary’s boy child is here with us and among us. Let us rejoice.

At Advent we prayerfully wait for the Messiah”, Emmanuel, God with Us. The Advent season lasts for four Sundays and each Sunday we light a candle to help focus our waiting with hope, love, joy and peace leading up to Christmas. Christmas Day begin 12 days of celebration, ending on January 6 with the feast of the Epiphany. Epiphany means “manifestation” or “showing forth”. It recalls the first two occasions on which Jesus’ divinity was manifested and revealed, when wise men visited baby Jesus in Bethlehem, and when John the Baptist baptized him in the River Jordan.

Now that Christmas is here and our waiting is over, let us be anxious for nothing for Emmanuel, the Wonderful Comforter and our Prince of Peace is among us. God is inviting us to cast all our cares and concerns on him so that his glory might be manifested in us and through us. Emmanuel is inviting you and me, like Mary, to be pregnant with his hope, love, joy and peace as revealed in the following scriptures:

Hope – “the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love”. (Ps. 147:11) Love – Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. (1 Cor 13:4) Joy – “in his presence there is fullness of joy and pleasures evermore” (Ps. 16:11) Peace – “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. (Col. 3:15)

Rejoice, Emmanuel is here!

Church of St. Stephen

2259 Jane Str., Toronto, On., M3M 1A6

Tel: (416) 241-4639 Fax: (416) 248-5415

Website: www.saintstephensdownsview.com

Mon. Dec. 26th - Saints Café Closed

Tue. Dec. 27th @ 10:00am - Youth Ice Skating at Roding Comm. Cen.

Wed. Dec. 28th @ 9am-1pm - Saints Café

Thu. Dec. 29th @ 7:30pm - Choir Rehearsal

Sat. Dec. 31st @ 10:00pm - New Year’s Eve Service

Sun. Jan. 01st - New Year’s Day – The Epiphany

@ 10:00am - Sung Eucharist

This Week At St. Stephen’s

Interim Priest-in-Charge: The Rev. Jacqueline Daley will be away

Jan 2-14. Rev. Margaret Rodriguez will fill in as supply clergy on Jan

8th and Rev. Samantha Caravan will be available for any emergency

pastoral care. Both priests can be reached at Tel: 416-763-2393.

Parish Office Holiday Hours: The parish office will be closed from

Dec. 21st, 2016 to Jan. 04th, 2017. Regular hours resume on

Thursday, Jan. 05th, 2017.

Envelopes for 2017: Please pick up your envelopes for 2017 which

are now available at the back of the church. If there are any changes

necessary to your name and/or address please contact the office right

away as your tax receipts will be issued to the same.

Parish Selection Committee: Please continue to pray for the parish

selection committee and the congregation. We seek God's presence

and guidance through this time of self-study, discernment and

transition as we continue the search for a faithful pastor to lead

our congregation.

Consecration of Bishops: The ordination of the Rev. Riscylla Walsh

Shaw, the Rev. Canon Kevin Robertson and the Rev. Canon Jenny

Andison as Bishops will be on Saturday, January 7th, 2017, at

10:30am at St Paul, Bloor Street. All are welcome! The congregation

is asked to be seated by 10:15am.

Vestry Reports: are due by January 25th, 2017. Please ensure you

email an electronic version of your report to the office by this dead-

line. Email address is office@saintstephensdownsview.com

Annual Vestry Meeting: will be held on February 19th, 2017 at

10:00am. Please note there will only be ONE service on this Sunday.

Let’s Communicate, Connect and Collaborate

The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

All: And also with you.

Offertory Hymn: 265BB - The First Noel

Prayer Over The Gifts: page 275

Eucharistic Prayer:

Sanctus (Schubert)

Acclamation (271BB v1)

Doxology (271BB v2)

The Lord’s Prayer (Fr. Holung)

Communion Hymns:

Choir: “Joy Fills Our Inmost Hearts”

Lo The Heavenly Choirs Are Singing

285BB - O Holy Night

Ablution: 279BB - Infant Holy, Infant Lowly

Prayer after Communion: page 276

Welcome & Announcements

The Blessing:

Priest: God has spoken his most joyful word of grace, mercy and

peace.

All: Mary gave birth to her first-born son, wrapped him in

swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger.

Priest: Go out into this day delighting in your kinship with God’s Son.

All: Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and goodwill.

Priest: Now may the true light shine on you. May the Son sent by God

be your guide and strength. May you go in peace and live in

hope, in Jesus’ name.

All: Amen!

Recessional Hymn: 270BB - Joy To

The World

The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist

Opening Sentence:

Prayer of Approach:

All: On this day, Gracious Lord, you come to us as Word, as light,

as flesh. Teach us to know you so well that our lives may

befriend this world you have made, in the name of the Holy

Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, now and

forever. Amen.

Processional Hymn: 278BB - Angels We Have Heard On High

Call To Worship:

Priest: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ

and the love of God and the

fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be

with you all.

All: And also with you.

Priest: Christ is born! Alleluia!

All: Jesus is among us! Alleluia!

Priest: Shout with joy, give thanks, and sing!

All: Christ is born! Alleluia!

Collect:

Priest: Let us pray.

Almighty God, you wonderfully created and yet more wonderfully

restored our human nature. May we share the divine life of your

Son Jesus Christ, who humbled

himself to share our humanity, and

now lives and reigns with you and

the Holy Spirit, now and forever.

All: Amen.

Praise & Worship: 258BB - Go Tell It

On The Mountain

Gathering Of The Community

First Reading: Isaiah 9: 2 – 7

Psalm: 96 (Metric)

Second Reading: Titus 2: 11 - 14

Gradual Hymn: 249BB - O Come All

Ye Faithful

The Gospel: Luke 2: 1 - 14

Homily

The Apostle’s Creed: page 189

Prayers of the People:

Leader: Let us pray;

Lord Jesus, you were born to share with us in all experiences of

life. We entrust the needs of the world, your church and the

people for whom we pray. Christ, Jesus, light of the world,

All: be born in us today.

Leader: Redeemer of the world, “Prince of Peace”, give guidance and

wisdom to the leaders of the nations, that, as they pursue the

common good, they will do so with integrity. May your kingdom

of peace, justice and righteousness be established on earth Christ,

Jesus, light of the world,

All: be born in us today.

Leader: Emmanuel, “Mighty God”, speak of your holiness to your church

and let your people celebrate your birth with a new commitment.

Let us joyfully proclaim your glory. Christ, Jesus, light of the

world,

All: be born in us today.

Leader: Everlasting Father, speak of your love to your children. Be born

again in our hearts today. Help us to see and serve you in

others. Christ, Jesus, light of the world,

All: be born in us today.

The Ministry of the Word

Response to the Ministry of the Word

Leader: Wonderful Counsellor, speak words of comfort, love and

compassion to those who are suffering bereavement, loneliness

or sickness of body or mind. Christ, Jesus, light of the world,

All: be born in us today.

Leader: Lord Jesus, in your compassionate understanding of what it is to

be human, hear our prayers,

All: Use them, and us, to bring new peace, joy, love and hope

into the lives of those for whom we

have prayed. For you are born to

bring salvation to all through the

grace of God our Father. Christ,

Jesus, light of the world, be born in

us today. Amen.

Confession & Absolution:

Priest: Even on this day of celebration, let us come before the Holy

One of Israel confessing our sins with contrite hearts, so that we

may not deceive ourselves, but instead know the truth of our

forgiveness.

All: Holy Incarnate God, by the light of your goodness and

mercy, our failing to see your true light is clear: we have not

loved you, we have not loved our neighbors, we have not

loved ourselves. Our feet have not brought good news to the

poor nor have our voices defended Earth and its creatures

and plants. Forgive us, blind us with your holy honesty, so

that we may more clearly see your will, and walk with sure

steps into the way of wholeness and peace. Amen.

Priest: People of God, beloved of the Holy One, in Christ Jesus, God

has blessed all creation and called you to truth. I proclaim

to you forgiveness for all your sins. From this day forth, let your

lives be given to the light, so that all the world will know the

power of rebirth through Christ, Our Lord.

All: Amen.

The Peace:

Priest: This day heaven has come down, we are

one with our God; the Word is made flesh

and dwells among us.