Christmas Day Service Live from Bath Abbey - 2015 Christmas Day Eucharist

Welcome to Bath - and a very happy Christmas to you all.

I'm standing in the very centre of Bath.

It's a World Heritage City, and on a winter's morning like this,

we can often see the steam from the hot springs rising up

Christians have worshipped here from the fourth century.

Today it is a thriving church and plays its part in a modern and

energetic place. Our service is beginning,

so let's join with the choirs of the Abbey and sing our first

carol, O Come All Ye Faithful. He is Christ the Lord.

Alleluia. We join our song with

the angels and archangels as they sing, "Glory to God

in the highest heaven". # Et in terra pax hominibus

bonae voluntatis. # Gratias agimus tibi

propter magnam gloriam tuam # Qui sedes ad dexteram

Patris miserere nobis. # Quoniam tu solus

sanctus tu solus Dominus, Let us pray in the peace of this

Christmas celebration that our joy in the birth

of Christ will last forever. Lord Jesus Christ,

Your birth at Bethlehem draws us to kneel in wonder

at heaven touching earth. By Your presence, inspire our faith

and direct our lives. Already this year, we've

hosted many carol services and around 30,000 people have

come to mark Christmas But today it's the real

thing - Christmas Day - it seems that there's hope

for the world. Much of our service today

is about celebrating this hope That's what this lovely

tree is about - fun, laughter, giving and receiving,

family and friends. But we know all our homes

carry some sadness. Terrorism has cast

a deep shadow of fear. Many people around

the world are refugees There are Christians

who are prevented from even lighting a tree - it would cost

them their lives. God knows that we often make

decisions that harm others Hannah's now going to help us

to pray, to turn to God Lord, you came as Saviour to bring

God's peace to the world. We're sorry for the

times we choose war. Lord, you came as Saviour to bring

God's light to the world. We're sorry for the times we choose

to hide in the darkness Lord, you came as a Saviour

to bring God's love We're sorry for the times

we choose to abuse this gift. that he sent his Son

to be our Saviour, forgive you and make you holy

to serve him in the world, We celebrate the hope

and healing Jesus brings us Here at Bath Abbey, we have special

friendship links around One of them is very near Bethlehem,

a place called Beit Sahour. Beit Sahour is where it's

believed the shepherds saw the angels on that

first Christmas night. My colleague Evelyn and I were there

just a few weeks ago, And what did you feel about it when

you were there? I was heartbroken and devastated with what I saw.

Because of what I the impact of what I was in with a confit, separation

and division in the land. What does it look like to you? Particularly

economic issues, where Artisans, who made these beautiful decorations,

can't find work. I know it was indeed a sad time but we met a very

lovely lady, didn't we? We met a woman called Suzan, a Christian

Palestinian and she had used her gifts and talents in business to

bring together the very poor Artisans into a fair trade

collective. Can you tell us what the collective does? As an example, it

has made these baubles and angels. The impact of coming into the

collective is that they are able to stay on the land. Their heritage,

which is so important, so the work that she does in bringing economic,

some degree of prosperity to them even though they are not rich by UK

standards, it just means that they can stay there, and they don't

emigrate. To her, that is an answer to a problem. Thank you.

Would you like to stand up? As they sing our next Carol, we might think

about those people who are in trouble today and places that are a

bit anxious as well. They are going to sing The Little Roadster

# I heard a sheepbell softly calling them