Prelude
Introit
3 PM "News! News!" - Celebration Ringers
7 PM "In the Bleak Midwinter" - Ring of Faith
Welcome (Pastor)
Opening Carol – O Come, All Ye Faithful (UMH #234 v. 1,3,6)
v.1
O come all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
born the King of angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
v.3
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.
v.6
Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
born this happy morning,
Jesus, to thee be
All glory given.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
* * * * * *
Call to Worship:
Pastor: The Prophet Isaiah said: the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness, on them a light has shined.
People: O come, O come Emmanuel!
Pastor: The Priest Zechariah said before John’s birth: by the tender mercy of our God the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
People: O come, O come Emmanuel!
Pastor: The Evangelist John said: What has come into being in Him was life, and the life is the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
People: O come, O come Emmanuel!
Pastor: God is with us. God is coming into our lives in a new way. The birth of the Christ-child is the renewal of hope; a reminder that Christ will come again. Keep watch for the light, it is drawing near.
People: O come, O come Emmanuel!
A Prayer for Christmas Eve (Unison)
O God our Father, you have brought us again to the glad season when we celebrate the birth of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant that his Spirit may be born anew in our hearts this night and that we may joyfully welcome him to reign over us. Open our ears, that we may hear again the angelic chorus of old. Open our lips, that we may proclaim with uplifted hearts: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill toward all; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessing of the Manger Scene
Pastor: God of every nation and people, from the beginning of creation you have made manifest your love. When our need of a Savior was great, you sent your Son to be born of the virgin Mary. To our lives, he brings joy and peace; justice, mercy and love.
People: Lord, bless all who look upon this manger. May it remind us of the humble birth of Jesus, and raise up our thoughts to him, who is God-with-us and Savior of all, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Carol – Hark, the Herald Angel Sing (UMH #240) 3 PM: v.1,3 7 PM: v1,2,3
v.1
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, & mercy mild,
God & sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King.”
v.2 - (7PM)
Christ, by highest heav’n adored;
Christ, the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the God head see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King.”
v. 3
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
risen with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that we no more may die,
Born to raise us from the earth,
Born to give us second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King.”
* * * * * *
Message in Music
3 PM "Star of Christmas Medley" - Celebration Ringers
7 PM "The Herald Angels Sing" - Ring of Faith
Carol – Away in a Manger (UMH #217) 3 PM: v.1 7PM: 1, 3
v.1
Away in a manger,
no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus
laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the sky
looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.
v.3 (7 PM)
Be near me, Lord Jesus,
I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever,
and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children
in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven
to live with thee there.
* * * * * *
Message in Music
3 PM - "O Holy Night," "Somewhere In My Memory" - Kaitlin Reichert
7 PM - "O Holy Night" - Amy Cons
Carol – What Child is This (UMH #219, v.1)
What child is this who, laid to rest,
on Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
while shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard
and angels sing;
Haste, haste to bring him laud,
the babe, the son of Mary.
* * * * * *
The Peace
The Christmas Offering
Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord's Prayer
Carol – O Little Town of Bethlehem (UMH #230) 3PM: v.1,4 7PM: v.1,3,4
v.1
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.
v.3 (7 PM)
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.
v.4
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!
* * * * * *
Christmas Sermon – Met In Thee Tonight, Pastor Brad
The Lighting of the Christ Candle
Pastor: Tonight is the moment for which we have been longing. Advent darkness is broken by the light of the Christ: God incarnate entering this world. For unto us, a Child IS given; unto us a Savior IS born and the order of the world will be upon His shoulders. In the birth of Christ our lives are illuminated and warmed by the amazing love of God. We light this candle to shine the light of Christ to a dark and weary world.
Light Candle
Prayer (Unison) Dear God, on this night that we celebrate the birth of your son Jesus, shine anew the power and light of Christ into our lives. May all people receive your good news with great joy and experience the peace of his reign. Amen.
The Celebration of Light (candlelight)
Carol - Silent Night (UMH #239 v.1,3,4)
v.1
Silent Night, Holy Night,
All is calm, all is bright;
Round yon virgin mother and child,
Holy infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
v.3
Silent Night, Holy Night,
Son of God, love’s pure light;
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus Lord, at thy birth,
Jesus Lord, at thy birth.
v.4
Silent Night, holy night,
wondrous star, lend thy light;
With the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King,
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!
* * * * * *
Prayer for Christmas (Pastor)
Light of the world, we celebrate your birth and the hope it brings to all people. We have heard the herald’s trumpet and seen the glory of our salvation. Your birth overwhelms us, filling our lives with promise and joy. Your Light brings judgement on the earth, illuminating our temptation to hide in the shadows. Help us love your Light more than darkness, that we may be known as children of God. Amen.
Hymn – Joy to the World (UMH #246 v.1,2,4)
v.1
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room.
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven,
and nature sing.
v.2
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let all their songs employ;
While fields and floods,
rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
v.4
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness,
And wonders of his love,
And wonders of his love,
And wonders, wonders of his love.
* * * * * *
Benediction
Postlude/Dismissal
