Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship Service 7 P.M. December 24, 2017
REV. RUDY VISSER, PASTOR
“To Know Christ, and to Make Him Known”
PRELUDE
Noël, Grand Jeu et duo Louis-Claude Daquin
“How brightly shines the morning star” op. 67 Max Reger
“Lo! How a Rose” op. 122 Johannes Brahms
The Congregation Carols the Story of Christ’s Birth
CAROL #136 (vs 1 & 2) On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry
CAROL #174 (vs 1 & 2) Angels from the Realms of Glory
CAROL #150 (vs 1 & 3) What Child Is This?
CAROL #173 (vs 1 & 4) O Come, All Ye Faithful
CAROL #146 (vs 1 & 4) Joy to the World! The Lord Is Come
The Gift of the Light of the World
WELCOME and GOD’S GREETING
CALL TO WORSHIP (Responsive)
Unto us the Christ is born:
Oh, come, let us worship him.
Open our lips, O Lord, and our mouths shall declare his praise.
Let us worship with the angels, and sing praise to the Lord
who came to save us:
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men
on whom his favor rests.
Let us worship with the shepherds and tell every person about the Child,
our Savior.
Christ the Lord, our Savior, everlasting God and Mary's Son,
we praise you forever.
O gracious Holy Spirit, enrich us as we hear the story of our Savior's birth. Open our hearts to hear and believe the story we know so well.
Move us, O Lord, to share the Good News of the Christmas story with all people everywhere. Hear our prayer, O Lord, for Jesus's sake, who humbled himself to become like us. Amen.
*CAROL #151 Go Tell It on the Mountain
AROUND THE ADVENT WREATH (Responsive) Members of the Baker Family
LEADER: On the eve of our Christmas celebration, Jesus’s birthday, we light all of the candles of the Advent wreath. First we light the candle of HOPE,
PEOPLE: because Jesus is our hope.
LEADER: Second, we light the candle of PEACE
PEOPLE: because Jesus is our hope and peace.
LEADER: Third, we light the candle of JOY
PEOPLE: because Jesus is our greatest joy.
LEADER: Fourth, we light the candle of LOVE
PEOPLE: because Jesus is love.
LEADER: Finally we light the center candle. This is the CHRIST candle. Jesus is born. Jesus has come.
PEOPLE: Jesus is our salvation.
LEADER: Let us pray:
ALL: Great God of love and light, we thank you now for the light of that special star and for the angelic choirs that guided learned wise men and humble shepherds to the holy babe over two thousand years ago. Lead us now, by the light of your love, that we also may follow you to new life in him. In celebration of the birthday of our King and our Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
*CAROL #152 Angels We Have Heard on High
The Purpose and Power of the Light
PRAYER CONFESSION AND DEDICATION (Responsive)
Dearest Jesus, hear our humble prayer on this Christmas Eve. We confess that all the words we speak and sing to your glory this night fall short of the praise we sinners owe to you. For you are our God, who left your throne in heaven to appear here in lowliness as our Savior.
A stable was your first home; a manger your first bed. Yet, for our sakes, you endured far deeper humiliation than this: for you came to bear the cross, the shame, the suffering, and even the death which we sinners deserve for our sins.
We thank you for the joy of hearing again, in word and song, the precious story of your birth, and rejoicing again in the heavenly peace announced by the angels.
We thank you for coming among us and sharing our human nature. You did this that we might share your glory and immortality in heaven. We thank you for the joy of being saved and for the privilege of living our lives for you. Amen.
DUET, Stacey and Nancy Baker Mary, Did You Know? Buddy Greene
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION and SCRIPTURE LESSON Luke 2:1-14, 34-35
MESSAGE “The Manger Is a Game Changer!”
PRAYER OF BLESSINGS
* HYMN The Lord’s Prayer
(Tune: Away in a Manger)
Our Father in heaven, all praise to your name!
Your kingdom among us, your will done the same.
By mortals and angels. Come, Lord, reign alone;
Oh, hear us and bless us from heaven’s high throne.
The bread that we yearn for provide us each day;
As we forgive others, our sins take away;
In times of temptation, to lead us be near;
From evil deliver your children most dear.
For yours is the kingdom; o’er all things you reign.
And yours is the power; all things you maintain.
To you be the glory, resounding again
From all of creation, forever! Amen.
Celebrating, Welcoming, and Sharing the Light
OFFERTORY/OFFERING In dulci jubilo Johann Michael Bach
PRESENTATION OF GIFTS
DUET, Deborah Spaulding and Nancy Baker The First Noel
arr. M. Larsen and R. Mohlman
*SHARING THE LIGHT - CAROL #164 Silent Night! Holy Night!
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE Fantasia in g minor; Toccata in C major Johann Pachelbel
†
Thank You to our Guest Organist
David Smith
Thank You to Our Greeters
Jeannie and Stacey Hurst
Thank You to the Ushers
Greg Clause, Jr., Jerry Flansburg, Phil Hurst, Andrew Welcome,
