Sing and shout for joy, the Lord is coming!

Opening hymn – The Gift

Over two thousand years ago, Under a starlit sky, Many events were taking place As the ancients had prophesied. And a gift was given from heaven to earth, The everlasting light. So let us adore the Saviour born, Immanuel, here tonight.

Heavenly hosts of angels, Praising God on high, Sang of the promised child to come, The Saviour Jesus Christ. And a gift was given from heaven to earth, The everlasting light. So let us adore the Saviour born, Immanuel, here tonight.

Darkness was over Bethlehem, Brightly the star did shine, Showing the way to where He lay In a manger for all to find. And a gift was given from heaven to earth, The everlasting light. So let us adore the Saviour born, Immanuel, here tonight.

Never before in history, Had there been such a sign, For God was born in human form For the sake of all mankind. And a gift was given from heaven to earth, The everlasting light. So let us adore the Saviour born, Immanuel, here tonight. So let us adore Him, Christ the Lord, Immanuel, here tonight!

Opening greeting

I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I asked blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

The first reading is taken from Isaiah

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

The Responsorial Psalm. If we stay close to God our Father, we will be safe and secure.

I won’t fly away when people attack me. I trust in the Lord and I will be safe. If we stay close to God our Father, we will be safe and secure.

I know he can see me – he can see everybody. He loves to see goodness in us all. If we stay close to God our Father, we will be safe and secure.

We can be sure that if we do what is right we can live close beside him, safe and secure. If we stay close to God our Father, we will be safe and secure.

The second reading is taken from St Pauls letter to the Ephesians

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Share the word of Jesus. Share the word that shows the way. Share the word of Jesus. Share God’s Spirit today. Share God’s Spirit today.

The Lord be with you. And with your spirit. A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke. Glory to you, O Lord.

Luke 3:10-11, The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

The Homily

Prayers of the faithful

God our Father, we come to you today with all our needs and the needs of all our friends. Bless our Holy Father, Pope Francis, our bishops and our priests. Help them to follow your way. Lord hear us. Lord graciously hear us.

Bless all our friends. Help them to follow your way. Lord hear us. Lord graciously hear us.

Bless our teachers and all who work for us. Help them to follow your way. Lord hear us. Lord graciously hear us.

Bless all of us your children. Help us to follow your way. Lord hears us. Lord graciously hear us.

Let us ask our Mother Mary to help us in our prayers as we say.. Hail Mary…

Presentation of the Gifts

Offertory hymn – Take our bread

Take our bread, we ask you, Take our hearts, we love you, Take our lives, oh Father, We are yours, we are yours.

Yours as we stand at the table you set, Yours as we eat the bread our hearts can't forget. We are the signs of your life with us yet; We are yours, we are yours.

Take our bread, we ask you, Take our hearts, we love you, Take our lives, oh Father, We are yours, we are yours.

Your holy people stand washed in your blood, Spirit-filled, yet hungry, we await your food. Poor though we are, we have brought Ourselves to you: We are yours, we are yours.

Take our bread, we ask you, Take our hearts, we love you, Take our lives, oh Father, We are yours, we are yours.

Pray brethren, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father. May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands. For the praise and the glory of his name. For our good and the good of all his church.

The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right and just.

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Let us proclaim the mystery of faith. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.

Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all glory and honour is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

Our Father...

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil graciously grant us peace in our days. That, by the help of your mercy, we may always be free from sin, and safe from all distress as we await the blesses hope and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever.

Father John: The peace of the Lord be with you always. Everyone: And with your spirit. Father John: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take way the sins of the world, grant us peace.

Behold the lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb. Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

Communion hymn The choir will be singing ‘There is a longing in my heart’

Final blessing

Final hymn – It was on a starry night

It was on a starry night, when the hills were bright Earth lay sleeping, sleeping calm and still. Then in a cattle shed, in a manger bed a boy was born, king of all the world. And all the angels sang for him, the bells of heaven rang for him for a boy was born, king of all the world.

And all the angels sang for him, the bells of heaven rang for him for a boy was born, king of all the world. Soon the shepherds came that way where the baby lay and were kneeling, kneeling by his side. And their hearts believed again for the peace of men, for a boy was born, king of all the world.

And all the angels sang for him, the bells of heaven rang for him for a boy was born, king of all the world.

Sing and shout for joy, the Lord is coming!