Dear Parents of Grace Lutheran School,
The Grace early evening worship services on Christmas Eve are led by the children of Grace Church and School. All children in grades 1–8 are involved in this annual highlight of our school year. The candle-lit cross (actually flashlights for safety purposes) formed by the 5th – 8th grade students will begin the service for the 70th consecutive year.
Students prepare carefully for the responsibility of leading worship and look forward to sharing the joy of Christ’s birth on Christmas Eve. The tradition lives on in the hearts of students even after they graduate from Grace and brings alumni back year after year. If your child has not been part of this service in the past, we strongly encourage you to participate this year.
After reading the following information, let us know about your child(ren)’s participation in the Christmas Eve service using the online form. Click on the button below. Please reply even if your child is not participating.
Use a separate form for each child and reply by November 9.
There are two services on December 24, 4:15 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Children in Grades 1-4
- Children with last names from A-L will sing at the 4:15pm service. Children with last names from M–Z will sing at the 6pm service. Children in grades 1–4 may participate in both services if they wish.
- Assigning children to a service time based on their last names helps us to keep the number of lower-grade children in each service approximately equal. However if the assigned service time does not work for your family, your child may participate in the other service. Most years we are in need of more participants in the 6pm service, so please consider this option for your child.
Children in Grades 5–8
- Children in Grades 5–8 have the option to participate in the Choir or in the costumed pageant.
- Members of the Choir and the School Handbell Choir (Strike Team) must be present for both services.
- Students in the School Handbell Choir will ring during the service, but will also participate in Grace’s traditional Christmas Cross.
- Children in the pageant participate in one or both services.
- 8th grade students may also be readers at one or both services, as assigned. They rehearse with Ellie Schnack, times to be arranged.
Each child receives a copy of the words for Christmas Eve music. The word sheets for all grades will be available for download from the Grace website by November 12, as will recordings of the songs.
Cover design (all grades)
All children are invited to submit a design for the bulletin cover for Christmas Eve. Forms for this are available from Ms. Holm in the Learning Center and at the Grace reception desk. Or
download the form here. The deadline for submitting a cover design is Wednesday, December 12.
If you have questions about the services or your child’s participation please email your child’s classroom teacher or Janel Dennen at jdennen@graceriverforest.org.
Your help and support make it possible for this tradition of leading Christmas Eve worship to continue at Grace. We pray that your child’s participation in these services helps him or her grow in faith and knowledge of God’s love, shown to us in Christ’s birth.
In Christ,
Bill Koehne, Principal
Pastor Michael D. Costello, Cantor
Janel Dennen, Music Teacher
