Monday, December 27, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
December 24 (11 p.m.)
Merry Christmas
ENTRANCE AND PRAISE
WELCOME. If this is your first time here, we are honored and blessed to worship with you this Christmas
Eve. We pray that you will feel welcome and receive spiritually from this Worship time.
This is a time of quietness to reflect on what God is doing or may do in our lives. Please prepare
your heart for a mighty work of God as we celebrate the birth of the Son of God.
A THOUGHT TO PONDER: “O how many observe Christ’s Birthday, how few his Precepts. It’s easier
to observe holidays than commandments.” Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanac
PRELUDE: SILENT PRAYER AND REFLECTION Kevin
DARKNESS
The world was in darkness until the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, was born.
(Lighting of the Christ Candle)
SOLO “O Holy Night” (7 pm Susan and 11 pm Pam)
The lighting of the candles Steve and Denise Curtis
* CALL TO WORSHIP
If our greatest need was for information,
God would have sent a teacher.
If our greatest need was for technology,
God would have sent a scientist.
If our greatest need was for money,
God would have sent a banker.
If our greatest need was for entertainment,
God would have sent an entertainer.
But our greatest need was for forgiveness,
So God sent us the Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke 2:11 says, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you, Christ the Lord.”
* HYMN OF PRAISE “O Come, All Ye Faithful” Congregation
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.
True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal, lo, he shuns not the Virgin’s womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created; Refrain
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation; O sing, all ye citizens
of heaven above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest; Refrain
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
OPENING PRAYER
God of Love, you loved us so much you sent your only son to be laid in a manger and to hang from a cross. Your love is so great that you extend it to all because the purpose of life is relationship. Jesus was sent to restore the relationship with us and you and with us and each other. Let this time of celebration remember that love came down at Christmas. Amen.
WE GIVE YOU THANKS WITH OUR GIFTS AND TITHES
OFFERTORY
THE CHRISTMAS STORY IN SCRIPTURE AND SONG
HYMN "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" v.1 Congregation and Choir
Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King, peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!" Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies
with th'angelic host proclaim "Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Refrain Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King!"
SCRIPTURE Luke 1: 26-28
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin
engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And
he came to her and said, “Greeting, favored one! The Lord is with you."
HYMN “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”v.2 Congregation
Christ, by highest heaven adored; Christ, the ever lasting 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. Refrain
SCRIPTURE Luke 1: 29-33
But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel
said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now you will conceive in
your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of
the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over
the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.
HYMN # 238 "Angels We Have Heard on HIgh (v1 & 3)
SCRIPTURE Luke 1: 34-38
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit
will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born
will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also
conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be
impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according
to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
SCRIPTURE Luke 2: 1-3
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This
was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own
towns to be registered.
HYMN “O Little Town of Bethlehem” Congregation
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.
For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,
while mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the King, and peace to all on earth!
SCRIPTURE Luke 2: 4-7
Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem,
because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to
whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to
deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid
him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Hymn # 217 Away in a Manger (v1 - 3)
HYMN "Away in a Manger"
Away in a manger, no crib for His 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.
The Cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes, but little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes.
I love thee Lord Jesus, look down from the sky, and stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
SCRIPTURE Luke 2: 8-9
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then
an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were
terrified.
HYMN "HYMN “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” (v 1 & 2)
SCRIPTURE Luke 2:10-12
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see-I am bringing you good news of great joy
for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”
Hark! The Angels Sing
Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King; peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!" Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies; with th'angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Christ, by highest heaven adored; Christ, the everlasting Lord; late in time behold him come, offspring of a virgin's womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail th'incarnate Deity, pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.
SCRIPTURE Luke 2: 13-15
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “
Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”
HYMN “Angels from the Realms of Glory” Congregation
Angels from the realms of glory, wing your flight o’er all the earth;
ye who sang creation’s story now proclaim Messiah’s birth:
Refrain: Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ the newborn King.
Shepherds, in the field abiding, watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing; yonder shines the infant light: Refrain.
SCRIPTURE Luke 2: 16-20
So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they
saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed
at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it has been told them.
HYMN “The First Noel” Congregation
The first Noel the angel did say was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
in fields where they lay keeping their sheep, on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Refrain: Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, born is the King of Israel
They looked up and saw a star shining in the east, beyond them far;
and to the earth it gave great light, and so it continued both day and night. Refrain.
SCRIPTURE Matthew 2: 1-2
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came
to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his
star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage."
HYMN "What Child Is This” Congregation
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.
SCRIPTURE Matthew 2: 3-6
When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the
chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They
told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the
land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is
to shepherd my people Israel.’ ”
SCRIPTURE Matthew 2:7-11
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had
appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you
have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the
king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped
over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were over-whelmed
with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid
him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
HYMN “We Three Kings” Congregation
We three kings of Orient are; bearing gifts we traverse afar, field and
Fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.
Refrain: O star of wonder, star of light, star with royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.
Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain, gold I bring to crown him again,
King forever, ceasing never, over us all to reign. Refrain.
* A LITANY OF WONDER
Light erupts o’er Bethlehem town; angels sing and trumpets sound
As heaven spills upon the hills and shepherds tremble on the ground.
An aging woman, past her prime, begins to nurse her baby boy
As Zechariah softly chants of God, The King, and Earthly Joy.
Across the desert Magi gaze upon the star so long foretold
And gather up their kingly gift of Myrrh and Frankincense and Gold.
While Joseph, near the stable cave, lifts up his eyes to heaven above
And Mary holds the baby close, pondering on wonders of God’s love.
* HYMN “Joy to the World” Congregation
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 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.
No more let ins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the round; 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.
MESSAGE God in the Manger Pastor Stan
SERVICE OF CANDLE LIGHTING
(As “Silent Night” is sung, the acolytes will walk down the aisle and light the candle
of those nearest the aisles. Tilt the unlit candle towards the lighted candle.
It is imperative that children be closely monitored during the candle lighting service. )
HYMN “Silent Night” Congregation
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!
PRAYER OF DEDICATION (in unison) Congregation
O Christ, we ask, as we hold our candles that you would so dwell within us
that we may go forth with the light of hope in our eyes, the fire of inspiration
on our lips, thy word on our tongues, and thy love in our hearts. Amen.
BENEDICTION Pastor Stan
May the God that came down on Christmas move within your life and open your hearts to
the Spirit of Christmas. Let us depart in the Spirit of “Silent Night”. Amen.
POSTLUDE
(Let us depart in the spirit of “Silent Night")
Thank you to the many hands that have worked long, unsung hours to help make this
evening possible. We are blessed by your presence here. Merry Christmas.