Wednesday, December 25, 2019 | 10:00 a.m.

The Feast of the Nativity

Today we celebrate the most important birthday in history. Jesus, born to Mary and heralded by angels and shepherds, is the Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace foretold by Isaiah (9:6). But he is more than another important human leader. As we hear this morning, he is

the eternal Word, who was with God in the beginning, and in whom all things

in heaven and on earth came into being (John 1:1-3). Which is why his birth

is more than sweet sentiment; it is the Incarnation, when God became human to rescue us from sin and death and show us the way to eternal life. So join the angels

and repeat the sounding joy, for the hopes and fears of all the years are met

in the one laid in a manger in Bethlehem, who is the greatest gift that has ever been

given: Emmanuel, God with us.

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The Holy EucharistRite II with Expansive Language

Christmas Day

Opening Voluntaries Carol Settings for Trumpet & Organ Joel Martinson

Welcome

Entrance Hymn O Come, All Ye Faithful The Hymnal 83Stanzas 1, 2, 3 & 6

Opening Acclamation Presider Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.People And blessed be God’s reign, now and for ever. Amen.

Collect for Purity Book of Common Prayer, p. 355

Song of Praise Gloria in excelsis (Dallas Mass) Joel MartinsonThe Gloria is printed inside the front cover of The Hymnal 1982.

Collect of the Day

Presider The Lord be with you.People And also with you.Presider Let us pray.

Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born this day of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

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First Lesson Be seated. Isaiah 52:7-10

How beautiful upon the mountains, are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’ Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the Lord to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes 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.

Gradual The Gradual Psalm 96:1-3, 11-13 Richard Proulx & Joseph Gelineau

Please sing the following refrain after the cantor’s intonation and after each verse:

O sing a new song to the Lord,sing to the Lord all the earth.O sing to the Lord, bless his name. Refrain

Proclaim his help day by day,tell among the nations his gloryand his wonders among all the peoples. Refrain

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad,let the sea and all within it thunder praise,let the land and all it bears rejoice,all the trees of the wood shout for joy. Refrain

& bb b 43 ‰ jœTo -

œ .œ Jœday is

œ œ œ œ œborn our Sav - ior,

œ œ œ œ œUChrist the Lord.

© 1986, GIA Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-709126.

´

´ ´

´

´ ´ ´ ´ ´ ´

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At the presence of the Lord for he comes,he comes to rule the earth.With justice he will rule the world,he will judge the peoples with his truth. Refrain

Psalm translation © 1963, The Grail, England. GIA Publications, Inc., agent. All rights reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-709126.

Second Lesson Hebrews 1:1-4

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Stand.

Gospel Acclamation Alleluia Chant, Mode VIPlease sing this refrain after the choir’s intonation and following the verse:

Verse: Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy; to you is born a Savior, Christ the Lord.

Gospel John 1:1-14

The Holy Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ according to John.People Glory to you, Lord Christ.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.

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The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

The Gospel of our Savior.Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Be seated.

Sermon The Rev. R. Casey Shobe, D.Min.

Stand.

The Nicene Creed Spoken BCP 358

We believe in one God,the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and

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apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead , and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayers of the People Sung

The Intercessor invites the prayers of the congregation and offers

on the altar, the prayers printed in the Parish Intercession Book.

Each petition concludes:

& b œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙To you, O Lord, we pray,

Intercessor

œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙Ev er more and ev er more.

People

-- - -

The Presider prays a concluding collect:O God, who wonderfully created and yet more wonderfully restored the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The PeacePresider The peace of Christ be always with you.People And also with you.

The Offertory SentenceThe congregation is seated after the Offertory Sentence.

The Offertory Anthem O magnum mysterium Howard Helvey

Sung in Latin by the Christmas Choir

O great mystery, and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the newborn Lord, lying in a manger!Blessed is the virgin whose womb was worthy to bear the Lord, Jesus Christ.Alleluia!

Hymn Good Christian Friends, Rejoice The Hymnal 107

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The Great Thanksgiving Eucharistic Prayer D, BCP 372

The Lord be with you.And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Sanctus A Community Mass Richard Proulx

& b c œ œ œ œIntroduction

œ œ œ œHo-ly, ho- ly,

.œ jœ ˙ho - ly Lord,

.œ jœ œ œ œGod of pow-er and

.˙ Œmight,

& b œ œ œ œheaven and

.œ jœ œ œearth are

.œ jœ œ œfull of your

œ ˙ œglo - ry. Ho -

,

& b .œ Jœ œ œnsan - na in the

œ ˙ œhigh - est. Ho -

œ œ œ œsan - na in the

œ ˙ Œhigh - est.

,

& b œ œ œ œBless-ed is the

.œ jœ œ œ œone who comes in the

.œ jœ œ œname of the

.˙ œLord. Ho -

,

& b .œ Jœ œ œnsan - na in the

œ ˙ œhigh-est. Ho -

œ œ œ œsan-na in the

œ .˙high-est.

.˙ Œ,

Music: Sanctus from A Community Mass, Richard Proulx, 1937- 2010.Copyright © 1971, 1977, GIA Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-709126.

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Memorial Acclamation

In the midst of the prayer, the Presider says: Offering to you, from the gifts you have given us, this bread and this cup, we praise you and we bless you.

We praise you, we bless you, we give thanks to you, and we pray to you, Lord our God.

The Breaking of the Bread Silence is kept.

Fraction Anthem New Plainsong The Hymnal S 154 David Hurd

Communion of the PeopleAll who are baptized by water and in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, regardless of denomination, are invited to receive Communion. Those who are not baptized, or who choose not to receive for any reason, are invited forward to the altar rail to receive a blessing, indicated by crossing your arms over your chest. To receive by intinction, continue holding the host out and the Eucharistic Minister will dip it into the chalice and place it on your tongue. Indicate your desire to receive a gluten-free host by holding out your hands together palms-down.

Anthem Infant Holy, Infant Lowly Polish Carol Christmas Choir arr. David Willocks

Stand.

PostcommunionHymn Love Came Down at Christmas The Hymnal 84

Prayer Almighty and everliving God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Savior. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

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Blessing May the Father, who has loved the eternal Son from before the foundation of the world, shed that love upon you his children. Amen.

May Christ, who by his Incarnation gathered into one things heavenly and earthly, fill you with joy and peace. Amen.

May the Holy Spirit, by whose overshadowing Mary became the God-bearer, give you grace to carry the good news of Christ. Amen.

And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you for ever. Amen.

Dismissal

Processional Hymn God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen The Hymnal 105

Voluntary Joy to the World Joel Martinson

& # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙Let us go forth in the name of Christ.

œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙Thanks be to God.

Presider or Deacon People

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OFFERING RECIPIENTS

In the spirit of Christmas, in which God freely and generously gives his own Son to the world, this morning we will give away the entirety of the loose-plate offering (all donations not designated toward a 2019 pledge). With the help of the Outreach Committee, the Vestry has designated two recipient agencies whose work reflects the themes of the Nativity: vulnerable children and mothers.

ONE THOUSAND DAYS OF LOVEA campaign of Episcopal Relief and Development, this initiative will expand support for early childhood health and wellness around the world. Through this campaign, ERD will boost programs that provide nutrition, clean water, healthcare, and education for children in communities across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Thanks to a generous grant, all donations to ERD before December 31 will be matched dollar-for-dollar, so our giving this Christmas will be doubled.

PROMISE HOUSEPromise House responds to the lack of community support for homeless and runaway youth by providing a transitional living center, a center for homeless pregnant and parenting teen mothers and their children, and a partnership with Dallas ISD and other community organizations. Programming includes crisis intervention, counseling, education with a focus on life skills, and outreach to neglected and abused at-risk youth.

Please use the special Christmas envelope in the pewback to make your offering, and be sure to mark clearly if it is intended to fulfill a pledge.

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SERVICE PARTICIPANTS

Preacher Casey Shobe

Presider Rebecca Tankersley

Minister of Ceremonies Bill Keslar

Acolytes Macie Nagel, Bob Orndoff

Lector Richard Anderson

Eucharistic Ministers Dana Jean, Christine Johnson

Ushers Nancy Jagmin, Ginger Kline

Sound Technician Paul DesRochers

Intercessor Meghan Mazur

Cantor David Reece

Christmas Choir Sopranos: Meghan Mazur, Delynda

Moravec, Terrie Preskitt-Brown Altos: Melissa Bunzendahl, Katie Renner

Tenors: Brian Mazur, David Reece Basses: Paul Brown, Ted Clarkson,

Michael Whitman

Trumpet Peter Stammer

Director of Music & Organist Joel Martinson

14115 Hillcrest Road, Dallas, Texas 75254972-233-1898

www.transfiguration.net