The Midnight Mass
of Christmas
NAME OF CHURCH
ABOUT THIS SERVICE
Welcome to NAME OF CHURCH and to this Eucharist. In it we recall the last meal of Christ with his friends in the Upper Room, and we recognise him in the breaking of the bread. Although our faith is grounded in history, this service is not a nostalgic looking back to the events of the past: it is a celebration that in the Eucharist Christ is truly present to us now, and a promise of the glory that will be ours when the whole universe is made complete in him.
The season of Christmas is a time of great joy, as we hear again the message of the angels, and go in heart and mind to Bethlehem to see the babe lying in a manger. The mood is one of wonder that God has sent his Son into the world to share our life, and that he comes to us in this service in bread and wine.
The service falls within the alternatives permitted in ‘Holy Communion Order One’ from Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England. Copies of the full text are available for the inspection of the congregation.
All baptized Christians from any Christian tradition are warmly invited to receive communion at this service. If you would prefer to receive a blessing, please bow your head as a signal to the minister.
All of us at NAME OF CHURCH wish you a joyful and peaceful Christmas, and pray that you will know the presence of the incarnate Christ in your hearts and lives.
THE MIDNIGHT MASS OF CHRISTMAS
The Gathering
The congregation stands to sing the Opening Hymn.
During the hymn the choir and the ministers enter, the president carrying the figure of the Christ child.
O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him,
Born the King of angels;
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
God of God,
Light of Light,
Lo! he abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
Very God,
Begotten, not created:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
See how the shepherds
Summoned to his cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear;
We too will thither
Bend our joyful footsteps:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
As the procession reaches the Crib, the president places the figure of the Christ child in the manger and then says
Dear friends, as we meet to celebrate the birth of Christ,
let us pray that God will fill our hearts with love,
so that we and all who worship his Son, born of the Virgin Mary,
may come to share his life in glory.
We pray you, Lord, to purify our hearts,
that they may be worthy to become your dwelling place.
Let us never fail to find room for you,
but come and abide in us,
that we also may abide in you,
for as at this time you were born into the world for us,
and live and reign, King of kings and Lord of lords,
now and for ever.
All Amen.
The president censes the Christ child and the Crib while the following verse is sung
Child, for us sinners
Poor and in the manger,
Fain we embrace thee with love and awe;
Who would not love thee,
Loving us so dearly?
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
Prayers of Penitence
The deacon invites the people to confess their sins using these words
Christ the Light of the World
has come to dispel the darkness of our hearts.
Let us turn to the light and confess our sins.
Silence is kept.
God our Father,
you sent your Son full of grace and truth:
forgive our failure to receive him.
Lord, have mercy.
All Lord, have mercy.
Jesus our Saviour,
you were born in poverty and laid in a manger:
forgive our greed and rejection of your ways.
Christ, have mercy.
All Christ, have mercy.
Spirit of love,
your servant Mary responded joyfully to your call:
forgive the hardness of our hearts.
Lord, have mercy.
All Lord, have mercy.
The president says
May the God of all healing and forgiveness
draw you to himself,
that you may behold the glory of his Son,
the Word made flesh,
and be cleansed from all your sins,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All Amen.
The procession continues to the Sanctuary where the altar is censed while all sing the following verses
Lo, star-led chieftains,
Magi, Christ adoring,
Offer him incense, gold, and myrrh;
We to the Christ-child
Bring our hearts’ oblations:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above:
“Glory to God
In the highest:”
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
Born this happy morning;
Jesu, to thee be glory given:
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
The president says
In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
All Amen.
The Greeting
The president greets the people
Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you
All and also with you.
Welcome all wonders in one sight!
Eternity shut in a span.
Summer in winter, day in night,
heaven in earth and God in man.
Great little one whose all-embracing birth
brings earth to heaven, stoops heaven to earth.
All Glory to God for ever.
The Gloria in excelsis is said or sung
Glory to God in the highest,
All and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
The Collect
The president says or sings
Let us pray
and all remain standing for a period of silent prayer.
The president says or sings the Collect.
Eternal God,
who made this most holy night
to shine with the brightness of your one true light:
bring us, who have known the revelation of that light on earth,
to see the radiance of your heavenly glory;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
All Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
Sit
First Reading
Isaiah 9.2-7
At the end the reader says
This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
Remain seated
Psalm or Canticle
Second Reading
Titus 2.11-14
At the end the reader says
This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
Stand
The Gradual Hymn is sung.
Gospel Reading
Luke 2.1-14
All turn to face the Book of the Gospels.
The following or another suitable acclamation heralds the Gospel reading.
Alleluia, alleluia.
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us
and we have seen his glory
All Alleluia.
The deacon says
The Lord be with you
All and also with you.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
All Glory to you, O Lord.
At the end the deacon says
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All Praise to you, O Christ.
The preacher says an opening invocation or prayer, and then all sit.
Sermon
At the end of the sermon all remain seated, standing when the president stands.
The Creed
We believe in one God,
All 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 from the Holy Spirit and 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 Intercession
The president introduces the prayers of intercession with these or other suitable words
Let us pray to the Father
through Christ who is our Light and Life.
Kneel
The deacon leads the intercessions.
Father, in this holy night your Son our Saviour
was born in human flesh.
Renew your Church as the body of Christ.
In this holy night 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
All hear our prayer.
In this holy night Mary, in the pain of labour,
brought your Son to birth.
Hold in your hand […and] all who are in pain or distress.
In this holy night your Christ came as a light shining in the darkness. Bring comfort to […and] all who suffer in the sadness of our world.
Holy God
All hear our prayer.
In this holy night the angels sang 'Peace to God's people on earth'. Strengthen those who work for peace and justice
in […and in] all the world.
In this holy night shepherds in the field heard good tidings of joy. Give us grace to preach the gospel of Christ's redemption.
Holy God
All hear our prayer.
In this holy night strangers found the Holy Family,
and saw the baby lying in the manger.
Bless our homes and all whom we love.
In this holy night heaven is come down to earth,
and earth is raised to heaven.
Hold in your hand [… and] all those who have passed through death
in the hope of your coming kingdom.
Holy God
All hear our prayer.
In this holy night Christians the world over celebrate Christ’s birth.
Open our hearts that he may be born in us today.
In this holy night angels and shepherds worshipped
at the manger throne.
Receive the worship we offer
in fellowship with Mary, Joseph and the saints.
Holy God
All hear our prayer.
Mary offered herself in obedience to God’s will.
Let us ask her to join her prayers with ours
that God’s will may be fulfilled in us.
All Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
At the end of the prayers silence is kept and then the president says the following collect
Heavenly Father,
you have promised through your Son Jesus Christ,
that when we meet in his name,
and pray according to his mind,
he will be among us and hear our prayer:
in your love and mercy fulfil our desires,
and give us your greatest gift,
which is to know you, the only true God,
and your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
All Amen.
The Liturgy of the Sacrament
Stand
The Peace
The president introduces the Peace with this sentence
This holy night the angels sang,
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to all in whom he delights.’
The peace of the Lord be always with you
All and also with you.
The deacon says
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
All exchange a sign of peace.