THE GATHER OF GOD'S PEOPLE
Greeting and Worship Notes
Prelude
Gathering
Pastor: Emmanuel: God, you are with us.
Congregation: We have heard the promise of the prophets;
Pastor: We have caught the notes of the angel's song;
Congregation: We have seen a star in the heavens, we have believed.
Pastor: Tonight we have come to be with you because you have come to be with us.
Congregation: We seek an innocent, helpless baby in a crude manger;
Pastor: We seek a Messiah who will reign with justice;
Congregation: And you, who are the weakest and the strongest, the most humble and the most mighty have found us.
Pastor: Now we may find ourselves.
Congregation: Now we may love each other, now we may truly worship you. Crying aloud with the heavenly host: "Glory to God in the highest! Peace on earth and goodwill to all people." Amen.
Carol Medley
"O Come, All Ye Faithful"
"Angels We Have Heard on High"
"Go, Tell It on the Mountain"
The Light Revealed
LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE
Tonight is the night for which we have been waiting. The Advent wreath is completed with the Christ candle in the center. "For unto us a child is given, unto us a Savior is born and the order of the world will be upon his shoulders." With the birth of Christ our lives are centered, focused, turned toward God. We light this candle because Christ is the center of our lives. Let us pray.
The Christ Candle Is Lit
Dear God, who comes to us in Jesus, on this night as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, let the power of Christ come into our hears that we might find peace with you forever. Amen.
The Bidding Prayer
The Lord's Prayer
Solo
"Sweet Little Jesus Boy"
THE LIGHT RECEIVED
FIRST LESSON - Luke 1:26-35
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. He went in and said to her,
"Rejoice, you who enjoy God's favor! The Lord is with you." She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, "Mary, do not be afraid, you have won God's favor. Look! You are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must 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 rule over the house of Jacob forever, and his reign will have no end."
Mary said to the angel, "But how can this come about, since I have no knowledge of man?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called the Son of God. And I tell you this too: your cousin Elizabeth, also, in her old age, has conceived a son; and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible with God."
Mary said, "You see before you the Lord's servant, let it happen to me as you have said." And the angel left her.
Carol
"O Little Town of Bethlehem"
SECOND LESSON - Luke 1:46-56
And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
Anthem
"Come, Jesus, Heavenly Light"
THIRD LESSON - Luke 2:1-7
Now it happened that at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be made of the whole inhabited world. This census - the first - took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee for Judea, to David's town called Bethlehem, since he was of David's House and line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. Now it happened that, while they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the living space.
Solo
"What Child is This?
FOURTH LESSON - Luke 2:8-14
In the countryside close by there were shepherds out in the fields keeping guard over their sheep during the watches of the night. An angel of the Lord stood over them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel said,
"Do not be afraid. Look, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ, the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."
And all at once with the angel there was a great throng of the hosts of heaven, praising God with the words:
"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace for those he favours."
Anthem
(Chancel Choir) "The Westminster Carol"
FIFTH LESSON - Luke 2:15-20
Now it happened that when the angels had gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go to Bethlehem and see this event which the Lord has made known to us." So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds said to them. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as they had been told.
Anthem
(Chancel Choir) "Behold the King of Glory"
SIXTH LESSON - John 1:1-5, 9-14
In the beginning was the Word:
The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came into being,
not one thing came into being except through him.
What has come into being in him was life,
life that was the light of all people;
and light shines in the darkness, and darkness
could not over power it.
The Word became flesh, he lived among us,
and we saw his glory, the glory he has from the Father
as only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Solo
"O Holy Night"
Meditation in Darkness
Lighting of Candles
The ministers will light their candles from the Christ Candle. They will, in turn, light the ushers candles. The ushers will move down the two side aisles lighting the candles of the people seated at the side of each pew. Each worshipper will turn and light the candle of the person seated next to them. After all candles are lit, we will stand and sing "Silent Night, Holy Night." The first verse will be sung in place. On the second verse, the ministers and choir will recess out of the Sanctuary. The congregation will follow from front to back, until all have left the Sanctuary. Please take your candle into the night and gather on the front lawn around the nativity scene.
Carol
"Silent Night"
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!
Benediction