Service for 25th December 2024 – The Nativity of our Lord Christmas Day

 

St Paul’s Anglican Church Athens

Celebrant: Fr. Benjamin Drury

Welcome to our Liturgy of Holy Communion (Sung Mass)

Entrance: 30 (Adeste Fideles) O come, all ye faithful

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 98 (see 535 in the New English Hymnal) Gradual: 39 (Puer Nobis) Unto us a boy is born (verses 1, 2, 4, 5)

Offertory: Sheet (I Saw Three Ships) I saw three ships

Communion: Sheet (Humility) See amid the winter’s snow

Recessional: 25 (God Rest You Merry) God rest you merry, Gentlemen All are welcome to stay for refreshments after the liturgy.

Please remember that the chaplaincy in Athens neither receives funding from the British Government nor from the Church of

England. All donations are, therefore, very gratefully received

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (52: 7-10)

 

How beautiful on the mountains,

are the feet of one who brings good news, who heralds peace, brings happiness, proclaims salvation,

and tells Zion, ‘Your God is king!’

 

Listen! Your watchmen raise their voices, they shout for joy together,

for they see the Lord face to face, as he returns to Zion.

 

Break into shouts of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem;

for the Lord is consoling his people, redeeming Jerusalem.

 

The Lord bares his holy arm in the sight of all the nations,

and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

 

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

 

Responsorial Psalm: (Ps. 98): All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God (text: 535 in the New English Hymnal)

 

A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (1: 1-6)

 

At various times in the past and in various different ways, God

spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son, the Son that he has appointed to inherit everything and through whom he made

everything there is. He is the radiant light of God’s glory and the

 

perfect copy of his nature, sustaining the universe by his powerful com- mand; and now that he has destroyed the defilement of sin, he has gone to take his place in heaven at the right hand of divine Majesty. So he is now as far above the angels as the title which he has inherited is higher than their own name.

God has never said to any angel: You are my Son, today I have become your father; or: I will be a father to him and he a son to me. Again, when he brings the First-Born into the world, he says: Let all the angels of God worship him.

 

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

 

Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. A hallowed day has dawned upon us,

Come you nations, worship the Lord

for today a great light has shown down upon the earth. Alleluia! The Lord be with you. And also with you.

+ A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John (1: 1-18)

Glory to you, O Lord.

 

A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (1: 1-6)

 

At various times in the past and in various different ways, God

spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son, the Son that he has appointed to inherit everything and through whom he made

everything there is. He is the radiant light of God’s glory and the

 

perfect copy of his nature, sustaining the universe by his powerful com- mand; and now that he has destroyed the defilement of sin, he has gone to take his place in heaven at the right hand of divine Majesty. So he is now as far above the angels as the title which he has inherited is higher than their own name.

God has never said to any angel: You are my Son, today I have become your father; or: I will be a father to him and he a son to me. Again, when he brings the First-Born into the world, he says: Let all the angels of God worship him.

 

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

 

Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. A hallowed day has dawned upon us,

Come you nations, worship the Lord

for today a great light has shown down upon the earth. Alleluia! The Lord be with you. And also with you.

+ A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John (1: 1-18)

Glory to you, O Lord.

 

(after the Gospel reading):

The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

 

 

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. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer Collect)

 

Church Open: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Services: Unless noted, liturgies are followed by refreshments

Thurs. 26th December: 10 a.m. (Low Mass) (St. Stephen)

Fri. 27th December: 10 a.m. (Low Mass) (St. John the Evangelist) Sat. 28th December: 10 a.m. (Low Mass) (The Holy Innocents)

Sun. 29th December: 10 a.m. (Sung Mass) (The Holy Family) Weds. 1st January: 10 a.m. (Low Mass)

 

 

Any person interested in serving during the liturgy this Christmastide

should make themselves known to Father Benjamin or to Oliver Knight.

 

Walking Group and Study Group: details from Fr. Benjamin

 

Donate electronically by scanning the QR code;

the Church does not receive any

funding from the Church of England

or the British Government and is reliant

on the goodwill of congregants and visitors. We thank you for your support.

 

Priest Chaplain: Fr. Benjamin Drury frbenjamindrury@gmail.com;

Home tel.: 210 72 14 906

Deacon Christine Saccali : (Day Off: Friday)           697 737 7655 anglican@otenet.gr (Church e-mail address)

Church of Sweden: Fr. Bjorn Kling  694 6072428

Facebook @AnglicanAthens   www.anglicanchurchathens.gr