Third Avenue United Church

CANDLE LIGHTING:
The advent season is a time known for candles, coloured lights, and bright stars. This four week-long season points us toward the cradle of Bethlehem and the cross of Calvary. It is important that we light the candles to remind us that we do not live in the shadows of despair and discouragement. Over the past four Sundays we have lit a candle for hope, peace, joy and love.
(light each candle in turn)
On Christmas Eve, the eve of Jesus' birth we light the Christ Candle.

SING: Tune: KREMSER “We praise you, O God” (VU 218)
We're lighting our candle,
our candle of Christ now,
we're lighting our candle
to burn through the night.
Our Savior is here now,
our Savior has come now
O sing this holy Christmas of Jesus the Light
Cindy Randall, Humbervale U.C., Etobicoke, Ont

1. CALL TO WORSHIP:
We seek a Christmas full of love,
love close to home, a love shared with family or among friends.
We seek a Christmas full of love,
love that is faithful, love that embraces us in faith community.
We seek a Christmas full of love,
love that reaches out, love that welcomes everyone.
We seek a Christmas full of love,
love that is compassionate, love that brings healing and hope.
We seek a Christmas full of love,
love that is practical, love that is shared by those who work over the holiday.
We seek a Christmas full of love,
love that is personal, love that floods our hearts and enlivens our spirits.
Because we seek a Christmas full of love, we gather to worship the One who came to be God's love for us.
Used with permission from Gathering: ACE 2025-2026; David Sparks

2. OPENING PRAYER:
We come before you with excitement, Lively God, for the gifts, the turkey, and the family gatherings are just hours ahead of us. We come before you with thankfulness, Gracious God, for we realize how wonderfully you have blessed us as a faith community through Advent. We come before you with a new vision of our neighbourhood and our world, Compassionate God, for there are deep needs that this Christmas season brings home to us. We come before you with awe, Revealing God, for in the stories of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus, we are aware that your love for us and our world goes beyond all limits. Amen.
Used with permission from Gathering ACE 2025/2026; David Sparks

3. HYMN: VU 60 “O Come, All Ye Faithful”
1. O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem:
come and behold him, born the King of angels;
Refrain: O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

2. God of God, light of light,
lo, he abhors not the virgin's womb;
very God, begotten, not created: Refrain:

3. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;
glory to God in the highest: Refrain:

4. See how the shepherds summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear;
we too will thither bend our joyful footsteps; Refrain:

5. Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given;
word of the Father, now in flesh appearing: Refrain:

4. PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION:
Treasured words for us to ponder,
caring words from one well-loved,
good words for us to take to heart,
honest words from a trusted friend,
challenging words that call us to action,
words that challenge us to seek justice for all,
inspired words that touch our deepest being:
the Bible-God's word through prophets, disciples, and Jesus.
We thank you, Loving God, that you give us
patience in listening, joy as we share, and helpful words that you call us to receive. Amen.
Used with permission from Gathering ACE 2025-2026: David Sparks

5. Responsive Reading Psalm 96 VU page 816
REFRAIN: “Sing a new song unto God who has done such marvelous things”

Sing to God a new song;
sing your praise, all the earth.
Sing and bless God's holy name, tell the glad news of salvation from day to day.
Declare God's glory among the nations, among all the peoples God's wonderful works.
For great is God and greatly to be praised, to be revered above all the gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but you, O God, made the heavens.
Honour and majesty attend you,
strength and beauty are in your sanctuary. REFRAIN

Ascribe to God, you families of peoples, ascribe to God glory and strength.
Ascribe glory to God's name, bring an offering and enter God's courts.
Worship God in the beauty of holiness, and let the whole earth stand in awe.
Say among the nations: It is God who reigns!
The world is made firm and cannot be shaken.
God judges the peoples in equity. REFRAIN

Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be glad;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the fields exult, and all that is in them.
Then let all the trees of the forest sing for joy, for you come, O God, to judge the earth.
You shall judge the earth in righteousness, its peoples with your truth. REFRAIN

6. SPECIAL MUSIC: “In the Bleak Mid Winter” - duet by Dante and Lorenzo Bacchetto

8. HYMN: VU 64 “O Little Town of Bethlehem”
1. O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by;
yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light;
the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

2. For Christ is born of Mary; and gathered all above,
while mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the King, and peace to all on earth.

3. How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts the blessed gift of heaven.
No ear may hear his coming; but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.

4. O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin, and enter in; be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.

10. HYMN: VU 48 “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing” 1. Hark! the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the newborn King,
peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!'
Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies;
with the angelic host proclaim, 'Christ is born in Bethlehem!'
Refrain: Hark! the herald angels sing,
'Glory to the newborn King!'

2. Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come, offspring of a virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail, the incarnate deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel! Refrain

3. Hail, the heaven born Prince of Peace! Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth. Refrain

12. HYMN VU 74 “Angels from the Realms of Glory”
1. Angels, from the realms of glory, wing your flight o'er all the earth;
ye who sang creation's story, now proclaim Messiah's birth:
Refrain: come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the newborn King.

2. Shepherds in the field abiding, watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing, yonder shines the infant Light: Refrain

3. Sages, leave your contemplations; brighter visions beam afar;
seek the great desire of nations; ye have seen his natal star: Refrain

4. Saints before the altar bending, watching long in hope and fear,
suddenly the Lord, descending, in his temple shall appear: Refrain

13. REFLECTION: "The Greatest Gift"
“Jolly old St. Nicholas” by Karen Wharington

15. PRAYER OF CONFESSION:
God, you offer the wonder of Christmas, and we give you thanks for the gift of your son, Jesus Christ. Thank you for this worldwide celebration of our Saviour's birth. Forgive us for the times this past year when we have neglected worship and prayer. Forgive us for times we have missed helping or listening or caring. Use this Christmas to refocus us. Forgive us, O God, and draw us back into right relationship with you, your church, our neighbours, and your creation. Amen.
Used with permission from Gathering ACE 2025/2026; Elaine Bidgood Sveet

16. WORDS OF ASSURANCE:
God's nature is generous: generous in love, generous in forgiveness, generous in meeting our needs. Eagerly, God forgives you and me again and again. Be assured that through Christ, you are forgiven. Live in this peace.
Thanks be to God!
Used with permission from Gathering ACE 2025/2026; Elaine Bidgood Sveet

18. INVITATION TO OFFERING:
As it once appeared in ancient fields, the mystery of God's glory shines around us again this Christmas Eve. Like shepherds of old, let us respond with good news. With the psalmist, let us bring offerings of our lives and resources. And may the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice as we present of evening's offering.
From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2025.
Copyright @2024 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

19. OFFERTORY
(sung to the tune of “Good King Wenceslas”)
Here our gifts we offer, God, thankful for your blessings.
Take them, Spirit, use them to spread the hopeful message
that Christ comes to bring to us life for all creation.
May our gifts help bring to all love and transformation.

20. OFFERING PRAYER:
Loving God, you have given us everything we need. Indeed, you have shown us the way of humble self-giving through the birth of Jesus in a simple stable. Take what we offer as gifts of our hearts for Jesus' mission among us. Weave our giving into your tapestry of hope, beautifying the world. Amen.
Used with permission from Gathering ACE 2025/2026; Gord Dunbar

Please give by contributing online using “E-transfers” or PAR (Pre-Authorized Remittance) or by placing your offering in the plate.

22. SUNG RESPONSE 67 VU “Silent Night, Holy Night”
1. Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

2. Silent night! Holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight:
glories stream from heaven afar,
heavenly hosts sing Hallelujah,
Christ the Saviour is born, Christ the Saviour is born.

3. Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, love's pure light
radiant beams from thy holy face,
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

23. BLESSING:
May the God of love fill you with joy and peace. May the peace of Christ be with you, now and forevermore. And may the Holy Spirit fill your days with hope. Amen.
From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2025.
Copyright @2024 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

Next Sunday: First Sunday after Christmas
        December 28, 2025:
         Isaiah 61: 10 - 62:3;   Psalm 147 or 147: 13 - 21;
         Galatians 3: 23 - 25; 4: 4 - 7;  John 1: 1 - 18.

Note: Don't have a Bible? By Clicking on the button below, you can open a new window in an Online Bible. By entering the BOOK and CHAPTER, you will be able to look up the references in the sermon. Copy and paste will work as long as there is no other words between the book name and chapter number. Try it and Enjoy!