christmas eve service

ChristmasEve

“O Come, All Ye Faithful”UMH 234

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.

True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal, lo, he shuns not the Virgin's womb; Son of the Father, begotten not created;

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

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.

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.

L: We have gathered tonight to join the Greatest Story ever told in heaven and earth.

All: for unto us a Child is born.

Call To Worship

L: The angel’s assurance calmed a bridegroom’s doubts & despair.

All: for unto us a Son is given!

L: A young girl with the heart of a lion faces an unknown future when she gives her life to God.

All: And he shall be called wonderful Counselor and Mighty God, Prince of Peace

L: A baby is born in a stable, wrapped in simple cloth and cradled in a manger.

All: And yet his origins are from of old, from ancient time.

L: These words speak of a different kind of a Divine plan to change the world.

All: For God so loved the world, He gave his only Son. He has come!

L: Let us join this great story and that God is good…

Opening Prayer

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,Forever. Amen.

Lighting of the

Christ Candle

Sanctuary Choir“Rose of Bethlehem”

The ProphecyLuke 2:1-7

O Come, O Come ImmanuelUMH 211, V1,2 

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,That mourns in lonely exile

hereUntil the Son of God

appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice!Emmanuel shall come to

thee,O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,

and order all things far and nigh;

To us the path of knowledge show,

And teach us in her ways to go.

Rejoice! Rejoice!Emmanuel shall come to thee,

O Israel.

The ProclamationLuke 2:8-20

Angels We Have Heard on High

UMH 238

Angels we have heard on high

sweetly singing o'er the plains,

and the mountains in replyechoing their joyous strains.

Gloria, gloria, gloria, gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Gloria, gloria, gloria, gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, shy this jubilee?Why your joyous strains

prolong?What the gladsome tidings

be which inspire your heavenly

song?

Gloria, gloria, gloria, gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Gloria, gloria, gloria, gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see Christ whose birth the angels

sing, come, adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn

King.

Gloria, gloria, gloria, gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Gloria, gloria, gloria, gloria, in excelsis Deo!

See him in a manger laid, whom the choirs of angels

praise, Mary, Joseph, lend your aid, while our hearts in love we

raise.

Gloria, gloria, gloria, gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Gloria, gloria, gloria, gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Gifts of Gratitude“You have already given so

much to me, yet one thing more I ask – a grateful

heart!”

The PromiseLuke 1:26-38

“Mary Did You Know”

Heather Skidmore, soloist

Christmas Message

Sacrament of Holy

Communion

Sharing theLight of Christ

L: Tonight we celebrate the coming of the Light of the World. We light each individual candle to proclaim that by accepting Christ, we have also become the bearer of His light and grace in a world consumed with darkness.

All: Those who bring light to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves. The light we share is the Light of Christ.

Silent NightUMH 239, V 1-4

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!

Pastor: The emptiness of a people who live in darkness has been filled with a brilliant light whose warmth and radiance captivates the heart and moves the soul; those living in darkness and despair have the hope of Immanuel, God with us.

All: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. The spread of his influence and of his peace will never end. By our witness all will know of Christ’s arrival.

Pastor: Therefore, go out into the world with great joy and share the Light you have been given. And the grace of Bethlehem’s Child, the love of the God who never ceases to make all things new, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit who never wearies, will be with you always.

All: Thanks be to God!Come Lord Jesus, Come! Amen

Merry Christm

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