WE’RE GLAD YOU’VE JOINED US TODAY.

WHO WE ARE.

• We are a community of city-centred, gospel-focused people striving to serve and renew Toronto through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

WHO WE WELCOME.

• We welcome people of all races, ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds and faiths – both religious and irreligious.

WHO WE BELIEVE IN.

• We believe Christ is relevant to every person in every situation, and we want to help you discover him.

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GOD CALLS

CALL TO WORSHIP

—Psalm 96:1-2, NIV

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LEADER:

Sing to the LORD a new song;

ALL:

Sing to the LORD, all the earth.

LEADER:

Sing to the LORD, praise his name;

ALL:

Proclaim his salvation day after day.

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SONG - COME PEOPLE OF THE RISEN KING

(© 2007 Thankyou Music. CCLI # 5232617)

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Come people of the Risen King

Who delight to bring Him praise

Come all and tune your hearts to sing

To the Morning Star of grace

From the shifting shadows of the earth

We will lift our eyes to Him

Where steady arms of mercy reach

To gather children in

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Rejoice rejoice let ev'ry tongue rejoice

One heart one voice

O Church of Christ rejoice

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Come those whose joy is morning sun

And those weeping through the night

Come those who tell of battles won

And those struggling in the fight

For His perfect love will never change

And His mercies never cease

But follow us through all our days

With the certain hope of peace

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Come young and old from ev'ry land

Men and women of the faith

Come those with full or empty hands

Find the riches of His grace

Over all the world His people sing

Shore to shore we hear them call

The truth that cries through ev'ry age

Our God is all in all

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SONG - ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH

(© Public Domain. CCLI # 27721.)

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Angels we have heard on high

Sweetly singing o'er the plains

And the mountains in reply

Echoing their joyous strains

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Gloria in excelsis Deo

Gloria in excelsis Deo

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Shepherds why this jubilee

Why your joyous strains prolong

What the gladsome tidings be

Which inspire your heavenly song

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Come to Bethlehem and see

Christ whose birth the angels sing

Come adore on bended knee

Christ the Lord the newborn King

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SONG - O HOLY NIGHT

(© Words: Public Domain; Music: Public Domain. CCLI Song # 32015)

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O holy night the stars are brightly shining

It is the night of the dear Savior's birth

Long lay the world in sin and error pining

Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn

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Fall on your knees

O hear the angel voices

O night divine

O night when Christ was born

O night divine

O night, O night divine

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Truly He taught us to love one another

His law is love and His gospel is peace

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother

And in His name all oppression shall cease

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we

Let all within us praise His holy name

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Christ is the Lord

O praise His name forever

His power and glory

Evermore proclaim

His power and glory

Evermore proclaim

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GOD CLEANSES

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PRAYER OF CONFESSION

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ALL:

Merciful God,

always with us, always coming:

We confess that we do not know

how to prepare for your Advent.

We have forgotten how to hope in miracles;

we have ignored the promise of your kingdom;

we get distracted by all the busyness of this season.

Forgive us, God.

Grant us the simple wonder of the shepherds,

the intelligent courage of the Magi,

and the patient faith of Mary and Joseph,

that we may journey with them to Bethlehem

and find the good news of a child born for us.

Now, in the quiet of our hearts,

we ask you to make us ready for his coming.

Amen.

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SILENT CONFESSION

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WORDS OF ASSURANCE

—based on Jeremiah 33:14-16, NRSV

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LEADER:

The days are surely coming, says the Lord,

when I will fulfill the promise I made

to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

In those days and at that time I will cause

a righteous Branch to spring up for David;

and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety.

And this is the name by which it will be called:

“The Lord is our righteousness.”

People of God: Jesus Christ, our Lord,

whose coming we announce in this season, is our righteousness.

In Christ, we are made right with God.

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ALL:

Thanks be to God

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SONG OF ASSURANCE - JESUS PAID IT ALL

(Alex Nifong, Elvina M. Hall, John Thomas Grape/©2006 worshiptogether.com songs) CCLI #2821054

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I hear the Saviour say,

“Thy strength indeed is small;

Child of weakness, watch and pray,

Find in Me thine all in all.”

Jesus paid it all,

All to Him I owe;

Sin had left a crimson stain,

He washed it white as snow.

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Lord, now indeed I find

Thy pow’r, and Thine alone,

Can change the leper’s spots

And melt the heart of stone.

And when before the throne

I stand in Him complete,

“Jesus died my soul to save,”

My lips shall still repeat.

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Oh, praise the One who paid my debt,

And raised this life up from the dead.

Oh, praise the One who paid my debt,

And raised this life up from the dead.

Oh, praise the One who paid my debt,

And raised this life up from the dead.

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Jesus paid it all,

All to Him I owe;

Sin had left a crimson stain,

He washed it white as snow.

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PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH AND THE CITY

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COMMUNITY LIFE ANNOUNCEMENTS

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COMMUNION VOLUNTEERS

• We are seeking 25 volunteers to help prepare Communion elements for the 11:15 AM service, beginning in Janurary. If you are interested in serving, please email communion@gracetoronto.ca for more information.

SLEEPING BAG DRIVE

• Jericho Road Ministry is collecting NEW winter sleeping bags (-10c or lower) for our homeless neighbours in need. Please drop them off by the entrance to the sanctuary.

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE

• Come celebrate the birth of Jesus with us at our Christmas Eve service! We’ll have a one-hour, family-friendly service from 1:30–2:30 PM. GT Kids won’t be running, but kids are welcome to join in worship with everyone.

CHRISTMAS EVE PRE-SERVICE LUNCH

• Join us for a Christmas Eve lunch at noon before our 1:30pm service. Share good food, friendship, and festive joy as we prepare our hearts to celebrate Christ's birth. Invite your friends and neighbours - the more the merrier! RSVP is required. Adults are $10. Children 12 and under are free! Register online at gracetoronto.ca/events.

‍PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

• PEACE (Micah 5:2-5) Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was promised as the ruler who would shepherd His people. Reflect on how His peace reigns in your heart and life. Pray for His peace to extend to relationships, your community, and the world.

SUPPORT

• If you are in any form of need or if you are able to help others, please visit http://www.gracetoronto.ca/help  or visit http://www.gracetoronto.ca/prayer  to submit your prayers.

DIACONATE

• The Diaconate exists to contribute to the flourishing of gospel-centered community by meeting the practical needs of our church community, and extending help and compassion to those experiencing hardship or difficult circumstances.
• Click here for more information.

OFFERING

• To set up your online giving or to learn more about giving options, visitgracetoronto.ca/give.

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GOD COMMUNES

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SCRIPTURE READING

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Luke 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

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SERMON

Dan MacDonald

Q&A

Text your questions to 416-830-0335

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SONG OF RESPONSE - O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM

(© Words: Public Domain; Music: Public Domain. CCLI Song # 27879)

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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

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For Christ is born of Mary

And gathered all above

While mortals sleep

The angels keep their watch of wondering love

O morning stars together

Proclaim the holy birth

And praises sing to God the King

And peace to men on earth

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How silently how silently

The wondrous gift is given

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings 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

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Where children pure and happy

Pray to the blessed Child

Where misery cries out to Thee

Son of the mother mild

Where charity stands watching

And faith holds wide the door

The dark night wakes the glory breaks

And Christmas comes once more

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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

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COMMUNION
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PRAYER FOR THOSE SEARCHING FOR TRUTH

Lord Jesus, you claim to be the way, the truth, and the life.  Grant that I might be undaunted by the cost of following you as I consider the reasons for doing so. If what you claim is true, please guide me, teach me, and open me to the reality of who you are.  Give me an understanding of you that is coherent, convincing and that leads to the life you promise.  Amen.

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PRAYER OF BELIEF

Lord Jesus Christ, I admit that I am weaker and more sinful than I ever dared admit, but through you I am more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope.  I thank you for paying my debt on the cross, taking what I deserved in order to offer me complete forgiveness. Knowing that you have been raised from the dead, I turn from my sins and receive you as my Saviour and Lord.  Amen.

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GOD COMMISSIONS

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BENEDICTION

—based on 2 Corinthians 4:6, NIV

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May almighty God,

who caused light to shine out of darkness,

shine in our hearts, cleansing us from all our sins,

and restoring us to the light of the knowledge of God’s glory, in the face of Jesus Christ, our saviour. Amen.

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PRAYER

Would you like prayer?  Send us an email at prayer@gracetoronto.ca.  We would love to intercede for you!

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