share
the
care
christmas day
Christian World Service | 65th Christmas Appeal
share
the
care
Readings
Isaiah 52: 7 – 10
Hebrews 1:1-14
John 1: 1-14
Call to Worship
Hope looked down upon the world
And saw only despair
‘I will go there,’ said Hope
Peace looked down upon the world
And saw only conflict
‘I will go there,’ said Peace
Joy looked down upon the world
And saw only sadness
‘I will go there,’ said Joy
Love looked down upon the world
and saw only hatred
‘I will go there,’ said Love.
So he,
The source of hope
The way of peace
The author of joy
The king of love
Came down, was born among us
And crept in beside us.
We light the
Candle of Christmas
Let us light candles
Let us welcome the Christ child
Let us sing hymns of thanksgiving
Let us embrace God’s presence among us.
For unto us a child is given
Authority rests upon his shoulders
And he is named
Wonderful Counsellor
Everlasting Prince of Peace.
We light the candle for the coming of Christ.
Christmas Day
Litany of the Incarnation
Christmas Day is our sacred day, the day when the
ultimate gift was given to the whole world.
Leader: When the time was right, God sent the Son;
Women; sent him and nourished him,
Men: reared and risked him,
Women: Filled him with laughter and tears and compassion,
Men: filled him with anger and love and devotion.
We light the candle today to remind us of the light that
brightens both our inner and outer worlds. This light of
love that shines at both the start and end of the road of life.
That brightens when we give, and dims when we take.
At Christmas as we worship this greatest gift of all we also
think about how to reflect this light into our world.
The Christ child sums up the divine potential we are all
given as our gift. A baby in all its awe inspiring potential
and presence.
Within Protestant churches Christian World Service has
been the chosen vessel for spreading this light of love,
compassion and healing for 65 years.
This year for this special milestone the theme has
returned to the mystery of a baby. A girl baby in the ruins
of Haiti (“Haytee”) but a baby that is still visibly loved.
Christian World Service has called upon us to “share
the care”, a compact plea that also expands within the
Christian community to become a call to honour our
tradition of active love and compassion.
They, as our chosen servants to spread the light of love
reminds us again that the true Christmas message is that
of gifts and miracles.
The gift of resources, the miracles that can happen when
the poor of the world are shown that people far away can
still see the Christ within them.
The gift of support that meets material needs and at the
same time partners with them to work toward the goals
for their lives.
This sharing of the light can be as direct as the stories in
the CWS Advent themes this year.
Leader: Unwelcomed child, refugee and runaway
Christ is God’s own son.
Feeder and teacher, healer and antagonist
Christ is God’s Son.
Lover of the unlovable
Toucher of the untouchable
Forgiver of the unforgivable
Christ is God’s Son.
Loved by women, feared by men,
Befriended by the weak, despised by the strong,
Deserted by his listeners, betrayed by his friends
Bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh,
Writing heaven’s pardon over earth’s mistakes.
Christ is God’s own Son.
The Word became flesh
He came among us
He was one of us.
(Cloth for the Candle, Wild Goose Resource Centre, 2000: 98)
Blessing
May the blessing of God surround us
May angels and friends share our journey
May we be wise and strong and creative
May we celebrate life and hope,
May God’s image grow within us
May laughter and courage heal us
May the gospel of love sustain us
All the days of our journey home.
Amen.
These have told us of nurture and support for the HIV
and AIDS afflicted of Uganda, and healing souls in Haiti
through play and therapy.
(Praying for the Dawn, Wild Goose Publications, 2000: 188)
Of helping Gaza women get Plunket like care that keeps
them and baby healthy, and of supporting traditional
farming in Tonga to restore health in the villages.
AA 107
WOV241
WOV232
WOV218
WOV220
CH4 284
CH4 336
WOV224
These are only four snapshots out of nearly 30 ways that
Christian World Service lives up to its name.
Service that is global.
Service that was born and developed here to give us
a constant way to salute the Christmas message of
generosity and hope.
Service that calls on us again to celebrate the Christmas
gift by “sharing the care.”
Hymns
O He is Born
Child in the manger
The virgin Mary had a baby Boy
Unto Us a Child is Born
How Brightly Beams the Morning Star
Hope is a candle
Christ is our light
Joy to the world
Christian World Service
www.christmasappeal.org.nz
National Office: PO Box 22652 High St, Christchurch 8142 Ph: 0800 74 73 72 E: [email protected]