"A Special Birth" Children's Christmas Eve 2021

Presider: The Venerable Stephen Muir Organist: David Millard with thanks to altar guild and all participants Parents may follow along and read aloud where audio is low Welcome We are blessed to be able to celebrate this Advent in person, yet to protect our little ones, we celebrate this special time on-line. Tonight is Christmas, and our faith brings us together in new ways. Lighting of the Advent Candles That first Christmas eve, when Joseph travelled with Mary to Bethlehem, there was no room in the inn for the family of Jesus. But God’s love found a place. There is room us all to gather around and hear again the story of Emmanuel, the One whose name means God-with-us. “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” First Reading This night is a time to dream and sing our way to Bethlehem. Our nativity set will help show us the way. Around 2021 years ago, in the country now called Israel, people were expecting a special leader sent by God. A man named Joseph planned to get married to Mary. In those days, the emperor wanted to count everyone in the land, and people had to return to the places they were born. Joseph went from Nazareth, in Galilee, to the town of Bethlehem. He travelled with Mary, who was expecting a child. This little town is in the hill country, about ten miles from Jerusalem. ‘Bethlehem’ means “House of Bread.” In the centre of the village is a small inn. On this night it is over-flowing with people looking for a place to sleep and a place to eat. Behind the inn is a dark stable. A donkey chews his grain while a cow rests. The sheep nearby are almost asleep. All is still and quiet in the little town. “O Little Town of Bethlehem” Second Reading Two tired travelers come slowly up the road. Look, there is a young woman about to be a mother. She is walking with her husband. They are Joseph and Mary from Nazareth! They have walked for days to come to this city where King David was born, so long ago. But it is late, and Mary is very tired. Where will they sleep? There are no more rooms left in the inn. They decide to sleep with the animals. “Once in Royal David’s City” Third Reading Stars brighten in the sky as night falls. All creation holds its breath. As night arrives, the time came for the baby to be born. Suddenly, from the stable, comes the cry of a newborn baby! Mary gently wraps her firstborn son in a blanket and gently lays him in the manger, which is the box where food for the stable animals is put. “Away in a Manger” Fourth Reading In the hills outside Bethlehem, there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks at night. All at once, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and God’s light shines everywhere, and the shepherds were terrified. The fearful shepherds hear music in the sky, and the angel says to them, “Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy, to be shared by all people. Today in the city of David, a Saviour is born! He is the special One of God. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger. Suddenly, a great company of angels appear, a whole heavenly host of them, praising God and singing: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to all, everywhere.” After the angel went to heaven, the shepherds say to one another “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what has happened, as God has told us.” The shepherds run with joy across the fields to Bethlehem to the barn behind the inn. There they find Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. They creep forward, overwhelmed with Love. After seeing him, they spread the word about all they had been told about this child, praising God, and all were amazed at what they said. “While Shepherds Watched” Fifth Reading Awhile later, three camels plod up the road to Bethlehem. They have come from the East, far beyond the Arabian Desert. The camels carry three wise kings, the Magi. They are following the unusual bright star that they had never seen before. They follow it, wherever it goes, to find the King it will show them. “We Three Kings” Sixth Reading The kings’ journey ends as they recognize this new kind of king. Their search is finally over. They fall to their knees and give him precious gold, sweet-smelling frankincense and bitter myrrh, brought from afar with much love. So now we all come, following the star, to find God-with-us. “O Come, All Ye Faithful” In our little nativity set here at St. Martin’s, we have seen the Christmas story. But Jesus isn’t just here in this building. Jesus comes to loving and faithful hearts everywhere. Have you made room for Jesus in your home? At Christmas, perhaps you could take time to find a nativity set and remember this story. Let us now offer our prayers to the Christ Child, “Silent Night” Lord’s Prayer Rejoicing that God is with us, let us pray as Jesus taught us: Blessing “Joy to the World” Dismissal