Christingle ServiceChristingle – meaning 'Christ Light' |
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Introduction The Christingle – 'Christ Light'
For many years churches all over the world have made Christingles to remind them that Christ is the light who came into the world at Christmas.
The Christingle orange represents the world, John reminds us that ‘Jesus was
in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not
recognise Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not
receive Him’. (Jn 1 v 10 – 11). The red ribbon of the Christingle represents
the blood of Jesus which was shed for us so that our sins may be forgiven.
‘But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with
one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from every sin’.
(1 Jn 1 v 7). The fruits and sweets on the four skewers represent God’s
gifts to us, the fruits of the earth and the four seasons. ‘As long as the
earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day
and night will never cease’. (Gen 8 v 22).
The lighted candle, pushed into
the centre of the orange, represents Christ, the light of the world. ‘He
[Jesus] said, "I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of
life”.’ (John 8 v 12). Christingle originated from the Moravian church in
Germany and was established in 1467. It was used in a service n Marienborn
on Germany in 1747.
A Christingle Service (or download a copy here)
Welcome
Opening Verse of Scripture: Isaiah 60
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon
you. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming
the praise of the LORD.
Opening Words
Minister:
We have come together in the presence of God to rejoice in the gift of Jesus
to us as the light of the world. In this service we hear and receive the
story and message of the coming of Christ, and we offer to God our
thanksgiving in prayer and song.
All:
O holy child of Bethlehem,
descend to us we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in,
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Emmanuel. Amen.
Hymn
The first Nowell the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay:
In fields where they lay a-keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep:
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell,
Born is the King of Israel.
They looked up and saw a star,
Shining in the east, beyond them far,
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night:
And by the light of that same star,
Three wise men came from country far;
To seek for a king was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went:
This star drew nigh to the north-west,
O'er Bethlehem it took its rest,
And there it did both stop and stay
Right over the place where Jesus lay.
Then entered in those wise men three,
Full reverently upon their knee,
And offered there in his presence
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense:
Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord,
That hath made heaven and earth of nought,
And with his blood mankind hath bought:
Confession
Let us confess to God the sins and shortcomings of the
world;
its pride, its selfishness, its greed;
its evil divisions and hatreds.
Let us confess our share in what is wrong,
and our failure to seek and establish that peace
which God wills for his children.
Most merciful God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy
forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly,
love mercy,
and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen.
Minister
May the God of love and power
forgive you and free you from your sins,
heal and strengthen you by his Spirit,
and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Minister: Glory to Christ, Son of Mary; born a child,
you share our humanity:
All: Glory to God in the highest.
Minister: Glory to Christ, Son of David;
born to rule, you receive gifts from the wise;
All: Glory to God in the highest.
Minister: Glory to Christ, Son of Man;
born our Saviour, you are the light of the world:
All: Glory to God in the highest.
Minister: We celebrate the coming of our God
with all the voices of heaven:
All: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
The Offering
Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power,
the glory, the splendour and the majesty;
for everything in heaven and on earth is yours.
All things come from you, and of your own do we give you.
Hymn
He’s got the whole wide world in his hands,
He’s got the whole wide world in his hands,
He’s got the whole wide world in his hands,
He’s got the whole world in his hands.
He’s got the tiny little baby, in his hands, x3
He’s got the whole world in his hands.
He’s got you and me brother, in his hands, x3
He’s got the whole world in his hands.
He’s got you and me sister, in his hands, x3
He’s got the whole world in his hands.
He’s got ev’rybody here, in his hands, x3
He’s got the whole world in his hands.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Minister: Glory to Christ, Son of Mary; born a child, you share our
humanity:
All: Glory to God in the highest.
Minister: Glory to Christ, Son of David; born to rule, you receive gifts
from the wise;
All: Glory to God in the highest.
Minister: Glory to Christ, Son of Man; born our Saviour, you are the light
of the world:
All: Glory to God in the highest.
Minister: We celebrate the coming of our God with all the voices of heaven:
All: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and earth are
full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
The Ministry of the Word
The Collect
Almighty God, your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
May your people shine with the radiance of his glory, that he may be known,
worshipped and obeyed to the ends of the earth; who is alive and reigns with
you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Bible Readings
Hymn
We three kings of Orient are;
bearing gifts we traverse afar
field and fountain,
moor and mountain, following yonder star:
O star of wonder,
star of night,
star with royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding,
guide us to thy perfect light.
Born a king on Bethlehem plain,
gold I bring, to crown him again—
King for ever, ceasing never,
over us all to reign:
Frankincense to offer have I;
incense owns a deity nigh:
prayer and praising, all men raising,
worship him, God most high:
Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
breathes a life of gathering gloom;
sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
sealed in the stone-cold tomb:
Glorious now, behold him arise,
King and God, and sacrifice!
heaven sings alleluia,
alleluia the earth replies:
Sermon
Making and Presentation of Christingles
With the help of the Holy Spirit of God, take this Christingle as a
reminder of the light of Christ in your home. Take the light of Christ
within you, and seek to share that light in the places where you go. Let
your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
All: Father of all, may
we, whom the Spirit lights, give light to the
world. Alleluia, thanks be to God
Hymn
The orange of Christingle
the world reminds us of,
And how our God created us,
And on us sheds his love.
O sing about Christingle,
Your voices loud employ.
Your praises bring to God our King;
For Jesus and his joy.
The candle of Christingle,
With shining flame so bright;
Reminds us of our loving Lord
Who is the world’s true light.
The red band of Christingle
Which plainly we can see;
Reminds us of how Jesus Christ
was killed upon that tree.
The four sticks of Christingle,
With which the orb we spear,
Remind us how God cares for us,
thro’ the seasons of the year.
The whole of the Christingle,
It is a joy to see;
It shines to show how our Father God,
Loves even you and me.
The Prayers
Responses which may be used
Lord have mercy upon us.
Christ have mercy upon us
Lord have mercy upon us.
The Lord’s Prayer is said
Leader
Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray with confidence as
our Saviour has taught us
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
Hymn
O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to all the earth!
For Christ is born of Mary;
And, gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessing of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming;
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still
The dear Christ enters in.
O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in;
Be born in us today!
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tiding tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Immanuel!
The Blessing
All
Go in peace and walk in the light of the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Additional Hymns
Lord of the church
How lovely on the mountains
