Prelude | “Noel”
Jamie Turnage, soloist
Love incarnate, love divine,
Star and angels gave the sign.
Bow to babe, on bended knee,
The Savior of humanity.
Unto us a Child is born;
He shall reign forevermore.
Noel, Noel!
Come and see what God has done!
Noel, Noel,
The story of amazing love!
The Light of the World, given for us,
Noel.
Son of God, and Son of Man,
There before the world began.
Born to suffer, born to save,
Born to raise us from the grave.
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
He shall reign forevermore.
Invocation
Jesus, You are the light of the World.
As we listen to the familiar story of Your birth, penetrate the darkness of our minds; warm our hard hearts.
Show us, in the manger--and on the cross--the love of God.
By Your Holy Spirit, may we be born again as an incarnation of Your love for the world.
In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
Song | “O Come, All Ye Faithful”
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;
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above—
Glory to God, all glory in the highest!
(after the recording ends, sing this final verse with great joy!)
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given –
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.
Lighting the Advent Candles | Christmas Eve
Light all candles….
The first candle represents the hope that Jesus brings.
The second candle reminds us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
The third candle reminds us to rejoice at the birth of Christ.
The fourth candle represents the incarnation of Christ, the Lord of Love.
The center candle is the Christ candle. Jesus Christ is Lord!
Scripture reading | Philippians 2:5-11
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Prayer: Good and gracious God, on this holy night you gave us your Son, the Lord of the universe, wrapped in swaddling clothes, the Savior of all, lying in a manger. On this holy night draw us into the mystery of your love. Join our voices with the heavenly host that we may sing your glory on high. Give us a place among the shepherds that we may find the one for whom we have waited, Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Scripture Reading | Luke 2:1-7
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Song | “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly”
Infant holy, infant lowly, for his bed a cattle stall;
oxen lowing, little knowing Christ the babe is Lord of all.
Swift are winging angels singing, noels ringing, tidings bringing:
Christ the babe is Lord of all.
Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping vigil till the morning new
saw the glory, heard the story, tidings of a gospel true.
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow, praises voicing, greet the morrow:
Christ the babe was born for you.
Scripture Reading | Luke 2:8-14
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Carol | The First Noel
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.
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.
Then let us all with one accord sing
praises to our heavenly Lord,
Who hath made heaven and earth of naught,
and with his blood our life hath bought.
Scripture Reading | Luke 2:15-20
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Carol | What Child is This
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.
Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you;
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The babe, the Son of Mary.
So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come, peasant, king, to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise the song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby;
Joy, joy, for Christ is born,
The babe, the Son of Mary.
Proclamation of the Word | Pastor Allan Poole
Carol | O Little Town of Bethlehem
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 street shineth the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
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.
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!
Prayer
Christ, you have come to the world, as it is--not the world as we want it to be. What you found, you deemed worthy of saving.
Our flesh fails us, and we see everywhere what is broken and seemingly beyond repair. But your birth gives us hope that God is with us in this broken world, and our faltering steps are lighted by the promise of life everlasting.
This year, we are aware more than ever that death is all around us, even as we celebrate the birth of Christ. Comfort, comfort your people, Lord. By the comfort you give us, make us a comfort to others. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.
Spreading candle light while singing 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
Joy to the World
Joy to the world! the Lord is come:
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing...
Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns:
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
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...
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness,
And wonders of his love...