call:
The Lord be with you.
response:
And also with you.
call:
Today’s symbol is the manger. The Christ child is born!
response:
Thanks be to God!
Scripture reading : Luke 2:1-20
Our waiting is over! Mary and Joseph have traveled to Bethlehem, and Mary’s child has been born. The king of the universe, the One who was there when the stars were hung, is wrapped in a cloth and lying in a manger. Nearby, under the open sky, some shepherds are watching their sheep. But creation itself can’t hold back the news: the glory of the Lord bursts out over the shepherds in the angels’ song. Down in Bethlehem, God’s promised Savior has been born!
This tiny newborn, swaddled tightly and tucked into the animals’ feed box, is the Savior that all the world has been waiting for. Long, long ago, sin entered the world and nothing has been completely right since. But God has never once left this world and its people alone. All along, God has guided, protected, warned and loved his people, even when they wandered far away. And now, in this long-awaited baby, God has come to live right in the middle of his world. Jesus Christ, the light of the world and the Son of God, is born. Alleluia!
pray:
God who is with us, on this night your holy light shines brightly in the darkness. Thank you for coming to live among us, to bring us into your light, and to save us from sin and death. We praise you, Jesus, and we pray in your name. Amen.