CHRISTMAS EVEThursday, December 24, 2020

7 PM

TRINITY CHURCH

IN THE CITY OF BOSTON

Merry Christmas to you! What a joy it is to be together as we celebrate our Savior’s birth. In this year shadowed by so many troubles, the coming of the Christ Child reminds us that God’s light and love can never be extinguished. By becoming one with us in Christ, God pushes back all that shadows our lives, and graces us with a joy that cannot be defeated. Alleluia! The God we meet in this Holy Child companions us not just on Christmas, but on every day, and invites us to grow with him into the Love that renews the face of the whole earth.

You are welcome here not only at this season but throughout the year. If you are new to Trinity, or visiting our Episcopal Church for the f irst time, we encourage you to return and join us in our year-round sharing of Christian faith. Nothing could delight us more than to help you make a home for your faith here at Trinity. Fill out the form at this link so we can get to know you better. We look forward to sharing with you the joy and hope that come from journeying together along Christ’s way of love. May you know the blessings of Christmas through the coming year. The People of Trinity Church in the City of Boston

WELCOME TO TRINITY CHURCH

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Trinity’s “Christmas Peek” continues through Wed., Jan. 6!

From 4:30-7:30 pm on most evenings (weather permitting, excluding only Dec. 25, Dec. 31, and Jan. 1) , the church’s West Porch will be lit, with its Copley Square doors open for visitors to step into a glassed alcove for a glimpse of a festive tableau. Featuring a grove of Christmas trees decorated with lights, stars, and parishioners’ ornaments, and Trinity’s worship space decked with greenery, poinsettias, and crèche, the experience will be joyfully accented with the sights and sounds of Candlelight Carols playing on large screens and airing through speakers facing the Square. With safety and wellness a presiding concern, the program will abide the state’s COVID-19 protocols Come and share a glimpse of Christmas joy!

Epiphany Evensong on Wed., Jan. 6, will conclude our “Christmas Peek”

Even in this year of “From Home” worship, our Choristers – our choir of children and youth, ages 8-18 – have continued to pray a weekly Evensong on Wednesday evenings. Combining live and pre-recorded elements that the Choristers lead, these Zoom-based services have allowed family and friends distant from Boston to join our parish and share in these treasured liturgies.

As we now ready to turn our calendars from Christmas to Epiphany and conclude our well-received “Peek,” we invite you to join us via Zoom for a special Wednesday Evensong at 5:30 pm on Wed., Jan. 6. Marking the Feast, that evening’s service will launch from our Copley Square chancel, and, as we sing “We three kings” to close, the many twinkling lights of this season will resolve into the single star of the Epiphany.

We hope you will join these prayers on Jan. 6 and on the Wednesdays that follow in the New Year.

Dial-in info: 1-646-558-8656 and enter Meeting ID 854 5177 3311.

Photos: Cynthia Staples

TrinityEvents

Trinity Church in the City of Boston

206 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116617-536-0944 + trinitychurchboston.org

CHRISTMASTIDE

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Photo: Cynthia Staples

NEW TO TRINITY?

Whether you’re new among us or you’ve been worshiping here for years, we look forward to helping you make a home for faith here at Trinity.

Fill out the form at this link so we can get to know you better.

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Weekly Worship, Formation and Fellowship Beginning the week of Sun., Jan. 10

Children’s Ministries meets each Sunday morning on Zoom at 9:30 am. Children from preschool through grade f ive gather for a brief children’s homily, followed by age appropriate church school lessons, including Godly Play. For more information or to receive the Zoom link, please email Cathy Portlock Pacitto, Director of Children’s Ministries, at cportlock@trinitychurchboston.org.

Youth Ministries meets each Sunday morning on Zoom at 11:30 am. Middle schoolers (grades 6-8) and high schoolers (grades 9-12) gather with their adult mentors to check in with each other, explore big topics, and talk about how our Christian faith intersects with our everyday lives. For more information or to receive the Zoom link, please email Sarah Neumann, Minister for Youth and Young Adults, at sneumann@trinitychurchboston.org.

Adult Christian Formation gathers each Sunday at 4 pm this winter on Zoom for learning and conversation. Our f irst three sessions in January, “Ancient Wisdom, New Beginnings” take an “inauguration season” focus on scriptural teaching and its intersection with issues that are presenting us with opportunities for new commitments and fresh starts: environmentalism (on January 10) , racial justice ( January 17) and responses to COVID-19 (on January 24) .

Dial-in info: 1-646-558-8656, and enter Meeting ID 827 2525 5709

Wednesday Winter’s Tales offers mid-week fellowship and provocative short f iction (ripe for theological ref lection!) read aloud by a fellow parishioner. Make yourself a mug of tea and join us on Zoom at 4 pm for an hour. See weekly emails for each Wednesday’s story selection.

Dial in info: 1 646 558 8656, and enter Meeting ID: 825 2965 7093, and then Passcode: 025449.

Weekly Small-group Bible Study takes place each week, facilitated by parishioners and guided by weekly commentaries and ref lection questions. We “study ahead” in anticipation of the coming Sunday’s readings. To learn more about joining a group or forming one of your own, contact Kristen Filipic using the contact form here.

Weeknight Compline offers the “goodnight” prayer of the daily off ice, Monday through Friday at 8:30 pm. Join us early on Zoom at 8:15 pm if you wish for company and chat. Compline always includes open prayer time and ends each night by 8:45 pm.

Dial-in info: 1-646-558-8656 and entering Meeting ID 206 654 379

OUR COMMON LIFE

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OPENING RITEHymn ‘Once in royal David’s City’ vv. 1-2, 4-6

Welcome & Sentences of Christmas Scripture

Worship at Trinity

When the text of this worship booklet is in bold, it is spoken or sung by all.

Leaders of the service will also lead these bold responses for the benefit of those worshiping from home.

Stanza 1 will be sung from the West Gallery of Trinity Church, by a Trinity chorister.

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Hymn 83 ‘O come, all ye faithful’

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Opening SentencesBlessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever. Amen.The Word has become f lesh and dwells among us.Glory to God in the highest and peace to God’s people on earth!

Gloria in excelsis ‘Angels we have heard on high’

Collect of the DayThe Lord be with you. And also with you.Let us pray.O God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light: Grant that we, who have known the mystery of that Light on earth, may also enjoy him perfectly in heaven; where with you and the Holy Spirit he lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

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THE LESSONSReading Isaiah 9:2-7

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness-- on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Psalm 96: 1-8Sing to the Lord a new song; * sing to the Lord, all the whole earth.Sing to the Lord and bless his Name; * proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.Declare his glory among the nations * and his wonders among all peoples.For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; * he is more to be feared than all gods.As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols; * but it is the Lord who made the heavens.Oh, the majesty and magnificence of his presence! * Oh, the power and the splendor of his sanctuary!Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples; * ascribe to the Lord honor and power.

We will pray the psalm in unison.

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Hymn 87 ‘Hark! the herald angels sing’

Title: Once in royal David’s city, H 102. Words: Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895), alt. Music: Irby, melody Henry Joan Gauntlett (1805-1876); harm. Ar-thur Henry Mann (1850-1929) All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. Reprinted under OneLicense.net # A-711378 • Title: O come, all ye faithful, H 83. Words: John Francis Wade (1711-1786); tr. Frederick Oakeley (1802-1880) and others Music: Adeste fideles, present form of melody att. John Francis Wade (1711-1786); harm. The English Hymnal, 1906 All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. Reprinted under OneLicense.net # A-711378 • Title: Angels we have heard on high H 96. Words: French carol; tr. James Chadwick (1813-1882), alt. Music: Gloria, French carol; arr. Edward Shippen Barnes (1887-1958), alt. All Rights Reserved. Used by permis-sion. Reprinted under OneLicense.net # A-711378 • Title: Hark! the herald an-gels sing, H 87. Words: Charles Wesley (1707-1788), alt. Music: Mendelssohn, Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847); adapt. William H. Cummings (1831-1915) All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. Reprinted under OneLicense.net # A-711378 • Title: O little town of Bethlehem H 79. Words: Phillips Brooks (1835-1893) Music: St. Louis, Lewis H. Redner (1831-1908) All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. Reprinted under OneLicense.net # A-711378 • Title: Silent night, holy night, H 111. Words: Joseph Mohr (1792-1848); tr. John Freeman Young (1820-1885) Music: Stille Nacht, melody Franz Xaver Gruber (1787-1863); harm. Carl H. Reinecke (1824-1910)All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. Reprinted under OneLicense.net # A-711378 • Title: Joy to the world! the Lord is come, H 100. Words: Isaac Watts (1674-1748), alt. Music: Antioch, George Frideric Handel (1685-1759); adapt. and arr. Lowell Mason (1792-1872)All Rights Reserved. Used by permission. Reprinted under OneLicense.net # A-711378

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Gospel Luke 2:1-14-20The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke. Glory to you, Lord Christ.In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see-- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon The Rev. Morgan S. Allen, Rector

Anthem ‘Angelus ad pastores ait’Raphaella Aleotti (c. 1570 - 1646)

Angelus ad pastores ait:annuntio vobis gaudium magnum,quia natus est vobis hodieSalvator mundi. Alleluia.

The angel said to the shepherds:‘I bring you tidings of great joy,for the Saviour of the worldhas been born to you today.’ Alleluia.

Text: Luke 2:10-11

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The Nicene CreedWe 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: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. 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 and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.We believe in one holy catholic and 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 In peace let us pray for the church and the world. Your Christ came as a light shining in the darkness. Bring comfort to all who suffer in our world.Holy God, hear our prayer.There was no room for your son in the inn. Protect with your love those who have no home and all who live in poverty.Holy God, hear our prayer.Herod’s rage brought weeping and lamentation to Bethlehem. Rid our world of violence and comfort those in our city and across the world. Holy God, hear our prayer.The angels sang, ‘Peace to God’s people on earth.’ Strengthen all those who work for justice and peace. Holy God, hear our prayer.Shepherds in the f ield heard glad tidings of great joy. Give each of us grace to preach the gospel of Christ’s love.Holy God, hear our prayer.Strangers found the Holy Family and saw the baby lying in a manger. Bless our homes and all whom we love.Holy God, hear our prayer.In this holy night, heaven is come down to earth, and earth is raised to heaven. Hold in your hand all those who have passed through death in the hope of your coming kingdom. Holy God, hear our prayer.Holy God, angels and shepherds worshiped at your manger. Receive the worship we offer in fellowship with Mary, Joseph, and the saints, through him who is your Word made f lesh, our Savior Jesus Christ.Amen.

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Concluding CollectAlmighty God, by your Holy Spirit you have made us one with your saints in heaven and on earth: Grant that in our earthly pilgrimage we may always be supported by this fellowship of love and prayer, and know ourselves to be surrounded by their witness to your power and mercy. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, in whom all our intercessions are acceptable through the Spirit, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

The PeaceThe peace of the Lord be always with you. And also with you.

Announcements

Offertory Hymn ‘O little town of Bethlehem’ vv. 1-3, 5’

To make a gift online, please click here and you will be taken to the secure form on our website.

All we have and all we are is of God, and everyone has a faithful offering to make. All gifts received today will support Trinity’s ministry, empower our service to the community, and sustain our historic buildings.

Stanza 3 will be sung by the choir to the tune ‘Forest Green’.

https://www.trinitychurchboston.org/pay-your-pledge-or-make-a-gift?utm_source=bulletin+christmas+eve+pageant&utm_medium=pdf+link&utm_campaign=to+give

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Table Prayer The Lord be with you.And also with you.

God of all power, Ruler of the Universe,you are worthy of glory and praise.Glory to you for ever and ever.

At your command all things came to be:the vast expanse of interstellar space,galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses,and this fragile earth, our island home.By your will they were created and have their being.

From the primal elements you brought forth the human race,and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill.You made us the rulers of creation.But we turned against you, and betrayed your trust;and we turned against one another.Have mercy on us, Lord.

Again and again, you called us to return.Through prophets and sages you revealed your righteous Law,until, in the fullness of time, you sent your only Sonto be born among us.Born to Mary and raised in the house of David,this Holy One bore your Good News and fulf illed your Law,opening for us the way of freedom, peace, and love.Therefore, we praise you,joining with the heavenly chorus,with prophets, apostles, and martyrs,and with all those in every generation who have looked to you in hope,to proclaim with them your glory,joining in that hymn we sing when we gather:Holy, holy, holy Lord,God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.Hosanna in the highest!Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.Hosanna in the highest!Almighty God,we who have been redeemed by your Christ,remember the last meal Jesus shared with his disciples,and, as Jesus modeled,we now bring before you the gifts of our tables. Knowing that you gather with us wherever we are,we ask that the meals we share on this Christmas Eve and always would be holy.

God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;God of Sarah, Rebecca, and Rachel;God of Mary and Joseph, the Holy Family;God of our Lord Jesus Christ:Open our eyesto see your hand at work in the world about us.

Amended from Eucharistic Prayer C, in The Book of Common Prayer (pp. 369-372)

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Deliver us from the presumption of coming to our tables for comfort only,and not for strength;to meet our needs only,and not in service of the whole world.And let the gift and grace of this meal and every meal,bind us in your Christ, the infant king.Amen.

The Lord’s PrayerAnd now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say:Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Hymn 111 ‘Silent night’ For the singing of ‘Silent night’, we invite all to dim their setting and light a candle.

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Post-Table PrayerLet us pray. God of life and love: may your birth among us and your presence with us set your Good News on our lips and in our lives, this Christmas and always.Grant us faith.God of grain and vine: may our daily bread and drink, shared in the company of others or with your Holy Spirit alone, declare our eternal communion with you and with one another.Grant us gratitude.God of hope and mercy: may your joyful hope for the creation inspire us to overcome all illness, despair, and injustice.Grant us compassion.Ever mindful of the needs of others, we pray all this in the name of the holy child, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

The Blessing

Hymn 100 ‘Joy to the world!’

The DismissalGo in peace to love and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Postlude ‘In dulci jubilo, BWV 729’Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Trinity Church in the City of Boston

206 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116617-536-0944 + trinitychurchboston.org

For the singing of ‘Joy to the world,’ we invite all to raise the lights in their setting and to sing out.

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