CALL TO WORSHIP
Psalm 96:1 - 2
Sing to the LORD a new song,
sing to the LORD all the earth;
bless the name of the LORD,
tell of God's saving acts day after day!

SING: Hymn 227: Hark! the herald angels

Psalm 96:3 - 6
Proclaim the greatness of the LORD around the world;
recount God?s marvellous works to all the peoples.
The LORD is great and greatly to be praised;
to be held in holy awe above all other gods.
For all the gods we make are good for nothing;
it is the LORD who made the heavens.
Honour and majesty are before our God;
strength and beauty are in God?s holy place.

SING: Hymn 224: Joy to the world.

Psalm 96:7 - 9
Honour and majesty are before our God;
strength and beauty are in God?s holy place.
Say of the LORD, all you families of the peoples;
say of the LORD, "Glory and strength".
give to the LORD the glory due God?s name,
bring an offering and come into the courts of the LORD.
Bow down before the LORD in holy splendour
tremble before the LORD, all the earth.

SING: Hymn  241 Child in the manger

Psalm 96:10 - 13
Say among the nations: The LORD is king!
The world is set firm, immovable;
God will judge the peoples justly.
Let the cosmos be glad, let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that is in it.
Let pasture, stock and crop shout;
then all the trees of the scrubland will sing for joy before the LORD, 
for the LORD is coming, coming to judge the earth.
The LORD God will rule the earth with justice,
and all the peoples with faithfulness.

PRAYER OF ADORATION (in which images from Isaiah 9:2-7 are used to reflect on our less than perfect world.)
Father, Redeemer and Spirit of grace, we adore you.
You give hope to those who are yoked 
to the burden of injustice, oppression, loneliness, and grief:
in lovjngkindness you have shone a great light
into the deep darkness of our world.
You give hope to those who suffer 
under the rod of famine and war:
in your faithfulness you have established
a kingdom of endless peace.
You give hope to those whose shoulders ache 
under the bar of apartheid and religious persecution:
in solidarity with humanity
you establish justice without end.
You give hope to those crushed by the tramping warriors 
of homelessness, unemployment, intolerance:
by grace you reveal to us your action for putting things right.

Therefore we adore you, Holiest Trinity, 
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
one God, for ever and ever.  Amen

Looking for contemporary music and song resources? Try David MacGregor's Together to Celebrate
Or metrical psalms? Try Dale A. Schoening's Sing the Psalms

	HYMNS FOR CHRISTMAS EVE - YEARS A,B,C
	Let earth & heaven combine		TIS 305		AHB 229
	O, how joyfully, O, how hopefully,		TIS 330
	Silent night, holy night		TIS 311		AHB 236
	When God almighty came to be one of us		TIS 281		AHB 214
	ISAIAH 9
	Beauty for brokenness		TIS 690
	King of glory,King of peace		TIS 201		AHB 129
	Light one candle for hope		TIS 286
	O day of God, draw near		TIS 616		AHB 547
	The people that in darkness walked		TIS 274		AHB 202
	To us a child of royal birth		TIS 308		AHB 230
	PSALM 96
	Creation sings a new song to the Lord		TIS 166		AHB 102
	Joy to the world, the Lord is come		TIS 268		AHB 224
	Let all mortal flesh keep silence		TIS 497		AHB 418
	Wake, awake! for night is flying		TIS 266		AHB 195
	Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness		TIS 454		AHB 382
	TITUS 2
	God of all power and truth and grace		TIS 567		AHB 477
	Good Christians all, rejoice		TIS 313		AHB 238
	O come! O come, Emmanuel		TIS 265		AHB 193
	LUKE 2
	Angels from the realms of glory		TIS 309		AHB 235
	Behold, a rose is growing		TIS 294
	Coldly the night winds winging		TIS 321		AHB 245
	Come, your hearts and voices raising		TIS 297
	Funny kind of night, funny kind of day		TIS 329
	Glory, glory, glory, - glory be to God on high		TIS 775
	God is love, let heaven adore him		TIS 153		AHB 93
	Good Christians all, rejoice		TIS 313		AHB 238
	Hark the herald angels sing		TIS 303		AHB 227
	Infant holy, infant lowly		TIS 292		AHB 225
	My soul gives glory to my God		TIS 171
	Never in all human story		TIS 320
	Not the powerful, not the privileged		TIS 288
	O sing a new song to the Lord		TIS 54
	On Christmas night all Christains sing		TIS 300
	Pull back the veil on the dawn of creation		TIS 326
	Silent night, holy night		TIS 311		AHB 236
	The first nowell the angel did say		TIS 301		AHB 221
	While shepherds watched their flocks		TIS 299		AHB 223