Welcome to our morning worship on-line. Today we celebrate how the great God, creator of the universe, Lord of history, took flesh and became a baby, became one of us. Let’s begin as always by singing God’s praises:

We bring our prayers to God

We sing – “Away in a manger”

In our reading St John meditates on the meaning of Jesus’ birth, his incarnation:

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸ He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

⁹ The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Talk by Glyn: The difference a baby makes.

Here’s an audio version

We bring our prayers for the church and the world. The prayers have a response – when I say “Lord in your mercy” please respond

“Hear our prayer”

Our closing song – “Good Christian men rejoice!”

And now we say the grace for each other: