"Midnight" Campfire Communion

Welcome! Here are some helpful things to know beforehand

What you need to bring

Suitable clothing for the weather - wrap up warm!
[Optional] A mobile phone with this page open for the words - we will also have print outs available

Where, when, and how

Please arrive for a prompt 11.40pm start, ensuring we share communion not long after Christmas Eve has tipped into Christmas Day
Our service will last between 30 and 45 minutes
We will gather out the FRONT of The Pathfinder CofE Primary School (unless extreme weather moves us into the school hall)
Please let us know in advance if you need gluten free bread, or need a chair provided.

Today’s liturgy is from the Church of England, but this Table is shared by those from many traditions. As an ecumenical partnership in Northstowe we seek to honour the range of practices held precious by our partners. Many traditions share communion among those who have been baptised. Some may save eating the bread and wine until after they’ve made a public faith commitment (“believers baptism” or perhaps “confirmation”), others have been receiving since they were children. Some traditions have an ‘open table’ Tonight, we offer hot mulled wine. If you would rather not receive wine, be assured that the Church has always taught that we receive the fullness of God’s Grace even if we only take one element. If you would rather simply receive a blessing – let us know. PARENTS – we will follow your lead on whether your children are in the habit of receive: talk to us if you need guidance: we are happy to help prepare anyone (of all ages) for their first communion..

Holy Communion as Christmas Eve tips into Christmas Day

Gathering and preparing to Worship God

Welcome

Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you
All and also with you.

After some opening words, we take a few seconds of silence to notice how we are feeling: to name this before the God who tangibly understands our humanity

SING: O come O come Immanuel

O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

Words of confession and forgiveness

Christ the light of the world comes to dispel the darkness of our hearts.
Let us turn to the light and [in silence] confess our sins

silence

You were born for our salvation: Lord, have mercy.
All:   Lord, have mercy.
You came as Saviour to bring wholeness and peace: Christ, have mercy.
All:   Christ, have mercy.
You come to bring light into the darkness of our lives: Lord, have mercy.
All:   Lord, have mercy.

The minister prays for absolution

Listening and responding to the word of God

Setting the scene

An Ancient Prophecy: Micah 5:2-7

But you, Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
  of the clans of Judah, are no poor relation—
From your people will come a Ruler
  who will be the shepherd of My people, Israel,
Whose origins date back to the distant past,
  to the ancient days.
So God will abandon Israel
only until the now-laboring mother gives birth,
And then those of His people who survive
will be gathered back together with the rest of Israel.
And he will stand and feed his flock in the power of the Eternal One,
with the majesty of the name of the Eternal, his True God.
And they will live in safety, for his greatness will extend to the farthest parts of the earth.
He will be our peace.
When the Assyrians invade us, set foot inside our strong palaces,
We will raise up more than enough to conquer them—
seven shepherds and eight rulers of men.

Shared Reflection

Those who want to read a line, then pass to the left. Simply look left if you do not want to read.

A tiny, tiny place in the vast empire.
So insignificant.
Hidden in a remote corner.
It started with a whisper.
Tiny, tiny light in the vast blackness.
So pure and divine.
Beyond the veil of darkness.
It started with a glimmer.
A whisper of love.
A glimmer of hope.
A whisper of peace.
A glimmer of joy.
The calmness.
the stillness.
One tiny place,
One tiny light.

The Gospel Bible reading – John’s account of God with us

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John
All Glory to you, O Lord.

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

At the end:
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All Praise to you, O Christ.

Responding: “We believe in Christmas.”

“To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God…”

We believe that the words of the prophet,
spoken into uncertain times,
that name a small place and promise a shepherd,
are God’s Word –
spoken for the overlooked
and offered as peace for the world.
Love came down at Christmas:
ALL: We believe in Christmas.

We believe that the light of the world
that crushes all darkness and exposes all lies
is God's light that shines through every darkness.
Love came down at Christmas:
ALL: We believe in Christmas.

We believe that the song of the angels
that celebrates peace on earth and to all people on the earth
is God's peace, that the world cannot find,
but Jesus can offer.
Love came down at Christmas:
ALL: We believe in Christmas.

We believe that Mary's poem Magnificat,
where God turns everything upside down,
where the poor are lifted up and the powerful are brought down,
is God's poem, that changes the balance of the world.
Love came down at Christmas:
ALL: We believe in Christmas.

We believe the Word becomes flesh,
the promise is fulfilled,
the light breaks through,
the oppressed are set free,
the lowly are lifted up and the baby cries.
Love came down at Christmas:
ALL: We believe in Christmas.

Inspired by a poem written by Roddy Hamilton, Spill the Beans, with a new first verse for tonight.

The Creed: Affirming our shared faith

God is with us as God has been with generations before us. So let us proclaim our shared faith this Christmas night, using words drawn from the Athanasian Creed

We proclaim the Church’s faith in Jesus Christ.
All: We believe and declare that our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of God,
is both divine and human.

The Word became flesh and lived among us;
we have seen his glory,
the glory of the only Son from the Father,
full of grace and truth.

Prayer Approaching Midnight

SING:      Wait for the Lord, whose day is here:
Wait for the Lord: be strong, take heart! (x2)
                 Then hum for a verse…

Reader:     The dark of night, cosying around us,
making all seem closer, as heaven touches earth.

SING:      Wait for the Lord, whose day is here:
Wait for the Lord: be strong, take heart! (x2)
                 Then hum for a verse…

Reader:     The stars shimmer, excitedly expectant,
and history awaits a new chapter.

SING:      Wait for the Lord, whose day is here:
Wait for the Lord: be strong, take heart! (x2)
                 Then hum for a verse…

Reader:     A town lies quiet, restfully sleeping,
save one small room, surrounded by animals,
where a mother-to-be clenches her fists, and draws a big breath.

SING:      Wait for the Lord, whose day is here:
Wait for the Lord: keep watch, take heart! (x2)
                 Then hum for a verse…

Reader:     Creation pauses, just for an instant,
as love gathers, ready, for a new day.

SING:      Wait for the Lord, whose day is here:
Wait for the Lord: be strong,take heart! (x2)
        The music stops...

Reader:     A moment, one glorious moment,
and the still quiet is pierced by a life-affirming cry,
and the powers of this earth
shudder
as love is born anew.

Lighting the Christ Candle on the Advent Wreath

The final candle is lit
Come, as God’s love
enlightens our lives,
then and now,
here and everywhere,
to dawn hope and joy.
Christmas is here.
Amen.

Preparing to Encounter God in Bread and Wine

Sharing Peace

The peace of the Lord be always with you
All and also with you.

We exchange Christmas greetings and words of peace

The Great Thanksgiving (“Eucharistic”) Prayer

The Lord is here
All: His Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right to give thanks and praise.

Praise is offered, concluding with…

Therefore with all the angels of heaven
we lift our voices to proclaim
the glory of your name and sing our joyful hymn of praise:

We sing:

O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
Christ The Lord!

The Story is told, and then…
We break the bread of life,
and that life is the light of the world.
All: God here among us,
light in the midst of us,
bring us to light and life.

We pass the bread around the circle, offering it to each other with the words “The body of Christ”, and responding “Amen” before eating
We pass the tray of cups around the circle, offering wine to each other with the words “The blood of Christ”, and responding “Amen” before drinking
Words of celebration are shared, then…

We proclaim the Great Mystery of our faith:
All: Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.

The minister concludes the Eucharistic Prayers with traditional words

WE SING: Come all ye Faithful

O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord!

Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given!
Word of the Father now in flesh appearing.

O come . . .

after J F Wade, F Oakeley and others

Prayers after communion

God our Father, in this night you have made known to us again

the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
confirm our faith and fix our eyes on him until the day dawns
and Christ the Morning Star rises in our hearts.
All To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Rejoicing in the presence of God here among us,
as our Saviour taught us, so we pray

All Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory
for ever and ever.
Amen.

Being sent out to live in such a time of this, confident of God With Us

We have seen. We have heard.
Our hearts are full of the knowledge of the promise fulfilled.

Happy Christmas!
Go in the peace of Christ, and celebrate his birth among us.
All: Glory, thanks and praise to God

______________

Includes material adapted from ‘; ’Cloth for the Cradle’ 1997 ©Wild Goose Worship Publications . Winter © 2016 Ruth Burgess Common Worship: Times and Seasons © 2006, Archbishop’s Council; with Eucharistic Prayer A © Archbishops’ Council 2000. Other poetic reflections and the prayers are adapted from Spill the Beans (2023, 2024, and 2025)

Pathfinder Church, Little Explorers, and the Compline Communion are part of the Northstowe Church Network, an ecumenical partnership of the Baptist Union, Church of England, and United Reformed Church. Read more at www.northstowe.church