December 24, 2024


Prelude: Christmas is Here/Shepherd’s Pipe Carol

French Carol/Wood


Introit: Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy

Grossman/Fraser/Davis/Simeone

Jim Cathey, trumpet; Daniel Cathey, euphonium

Welcome & Call to Worship

[Isaiah 9]

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;

Those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.

For a child has been born for us, a son given to us.

Let the heavens be glad, let all the earth rejoice!

Let us worship the LORD!

O Come, All Ye Faithful (Hymn 41)

Wade

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!

Refrain:
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 all glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing! (refrain)

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation!
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest! (refrain)


Confession

On this Christmas Eve we remember the remarkable way that you joined us in human flesh, living fully with us – and you came as a tiny, vulnerable baby. We are still in awe of the love and risk involved. Tonight, as we celebrate this tender yet profound act, we gather our prayers and we give you thanks, O God, for joining us. May your act of togetherness and compassion teach us how to ever more compassionately understand those near to us and far away who are also made in your image. Amen.

Silence



In the Bleak Midwinter (Hymn 36)

Holst/Rossetti

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

Forgiveness in Jesus Christ

Peace

The peace of Christ be with you.

And also with you.

Joy to the World (Hymn 40)

Watts/Handel

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.

Joy to the world! The Savior reigns: Let us our songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make his blessings flow,
Far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

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.

Prayer for Illumination

Scripture Readings

Shirley Russell

Old Testament: Isaiah 9:2-7

New Testament: Luke 2:1-14


Angels We Have Heard on High (Hymn 23)

French carol

Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply echoing their joyous strains.
Glo-ria in excelsis Deo, Glo-ria in excelsis Deo.

Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be which inspire your heavenly song?
Glo-ria in excelsis Deo, Glo-ria in excelsis Deo.

Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee Christ, the Lord, the newborn King.
Glo-ria in excelsis Deo, Glo-ria in excelsis Deo.

Homily: Suddenly

Focus: Tonight; we remember and anticipate all of the things that can happen in God…suddenly!

Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper

Communion Music: Of the Father’s Love Begotten/What Child Is This?

Arr. Held/Manz

Communion Prayer

Special Music: Mary Did You Know?

Lowry/Greene

Eliana and Katriel Starbuck

Lighting of the Christ Candle

Light looked down and saw darkness.

“I will go there,” said Light.

Peace looked down and saw war.

“I will go there,” said Peace.

Love looked down and saw hatred.

“I will go there,” said Love.

So he, the Lord of Light, the Prince of Peace,

the King of Love, came down and crept in beside us.

Let us all rejoice in the birth of Jesus, the Light of the World.

May the light sent from God shine in the shadows of our lives to show us God’s way.

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen and Amen.

Silent Night (Hymn 60)

Gruber/Mohr

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.

Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight, glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing: “Alleluia; Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born.”

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.

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.

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.

Silence

Blessing

Postlude: On Christmas Night All Christians Sing

English Folk Carol, arr. Mansfield

Tithes and Offerings

OneLicense# A-727502

CCLI# 283345

Previous
Previous

January 5, 2025

Next
Next

December 22, 2024