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St
Alban’s (Grand Cayman) & St Mary’s (Cayman Brac) |
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25th December 2007 Today's Scripture : Isaiah 9:2-7 Titus 2: 11-14 S. Luke 2:1-20 Today: 8.35a.m. BCP Matins; 9a.m. Christmas Communion; Wed-Fri 12.30 p.m. Holy Communion On Sunday the 30th Dec: 8.35 a.m. BCP Matins; 9 a.m. Holy Communion; 6 p.m. Evening Prayer Christmas Day Almighty God, who hast given us thy only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and as at this time to be born of a pure Virgin; Grant that we being regenerate, and made thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit, ever one God, world without end.
TODAY’S INTERCESSIONS Almighty God, we pray thee to inspire continually Christ’s holy catholic Church, that is, the whole congregation of faithful people dispersed throughout the whole earth, and especially for the Church of England;
Bestow thy gracious gift O Lord upon our sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth, and all the royal family; upon the ministers of God’s holy Word and sacraments; upon the Parliaments and all the Magistrates of this realm: that all and every one of them, in their several callings, may serve truly to thy glory, and the edifying and well governing of thy people.
Direct, O Lord, all the people of this realm, that they may live in thy true faith and fear, and in brotherly charity one to another.
And, that there may never be wanting a succession of persons duly qualified for thy service, guide and prosper all schools, colleges and universities; that therein true religion and sound learning may for ever flourish.
Grant, O Lord, that by the ministering of the gospel, the poor, the humble and the forgotten may know that they are at home with thee, that sickness may be turned into health, and sorrow into joy.
Here we give thee unfeigned praises for mercies already received; for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
We praise thee for all those who have departed this life in the faith of Christ, and pray that we may have grace to direct our lives after their good example; that this life ended, we may be made partakers with them of the glorious resurrection in the life everlasting.
All these our prayers and praises we humbly offer to Thee our heavenly father through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen
CELEBRATION Christmas is a time for celebration. How do you celebrate? Perhaps you’re one of those who feel that their Christmas is incomplete if you haven’t spent some time in church, listening to the readings about the birth of Christ and responding with well-loved carols and hymns? Our ways of celebrating either anaesthetise us to reality or heighten our perception of it. So how did the characters in the gospels celebrate the very first Christmas? The shepherds celebrated by spreading the gossip of the Good News everywhere they went. The angels and the wise men celebrated the birth by being amazed. Mary celebrated by storing up all these wonderful things and treasuring them in her heart. So this year why not listen to the good news of God identifying with our human condition on that first Christmas, then allow yourself to be utterly amazed by it, and finally, when you have stored it all up, ponder it seriously? If you do these three things then you really will have celebrated Christmas. THIS WEEK’S BIBLE READINGS: CHRISTMAS DAY: Isa 9: 2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Lk 2: 1-20 Wed-S.STEPHEN: 2Chr 24:20-22, Acts 7:51-60, Mt 10:17-22 Thu-S.JOHN: Exod 33:7-11a, 1 John 1, John 21:19b-end Fri-H. INNOCENTS: Jer 31:15-17, 1Cor 1:26-29, Mt 2:13-18 Sat : Jonah 1, Coloss 1: 1-14, John 1:1-18 NEXT SUNDAY (SUN AFTER CHRISTMAS DAY): Isaiah 63:7-9, Hebrews 2:10-end, S. Matthew 2: 13-end
NB. New Year’s Day: Holy Communion 12.30 p.m.
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