December
24, 2013
Christmas
Eve Candlelight Worship Service
PRE-SERVICE MUSIC
LIGHTING
OF THE ADVENT CANDLES
WELCOME
OPENING CAROL:
O Come all ye Faithful LW#41
O Come all ye Faithful LW#41
Oh, come ye, oh, come ye to
Bethlehem;
Come and behold him Born the king of angels:
CHORUS: Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him,
Oh,
come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
The highest, most holy, Light
of light eternal,
Born of a virgin, a mortal he
comes;
Son of the Father Now in
flesh appearing! Chorus
Sing choirs of angels, Sing
in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of
heaven above!
Glory to God In the highest: Chorus
Yea, Lord, we greet thee, Born
this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory
giv'n!
Word of the Father, Now in
flesh appearing: Chorus
Text: attr. John F. Wade Tune:
attr. John F. Wade
INVOCATION and OPENING
PRAYER
Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Pastor: Heavenly Father, with joy we enter into the
contemplation of the holy mystery of your Son’s incarnation for us and our
salvation. Open our minds to understand, our hearts to believe, and our mouths
to proclaim the glory of Him who took our human flesh and blood through the
blessed virgin in order to suffer and die in our place. Prepare our hearts to
be fitting mangers to cradle Your Son that He may dwell in us and we in Him
today and throughout all eternity; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives
and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
CONFESSION and ABSOLUTION
Pastor: Let us confess our sins to God our Father.
People: Merciful Father, we admit and confess our
sinfulness. We have done the evil You forbid and have not done the good You
desire. We do repent and are truly sorry for these our sins. Have mercy on us
for the sake of Jesus Christ, who paid for our sin with His own life on the
cross. Forgive us for our past and grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may serve
You in holiness and righteousness from this moment on. Set our feet upon the
way of Christ that we do not depart from it but be found faithful when He comes
again in His glory.
Pastor: Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my
office as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God
unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of our Lord Jesus Christ I
forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the
Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Pastor: If, when you bring your gift to the altar you
remember that your brother has a grievance against you, leave your gift before
the altar and go and make peace with your brother. Then come back and offer
your gift. Peace be with you. Matthew 5:24, adapted
People: And also with you.
PEACE
Pastor: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
People: And
also with you.
INTROIT PSALM
Psalm 96 congregation responds with the words in bold print
Psalm 96 congregation responds with the words in bold print
Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Sing to the Lord, bless His name; tell of His
salvation from day to day.
Declare
His glory among the nations, His marvellous works among all the peoples!
For great is the Lord, and
greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of
the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord
made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are
before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
Ascribe to the Lord, O
families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord
glory and strength!
Ascribe
to the Lord the glory due His
name; bring an offering, and come into His courts!
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble
before Him, all the earth.
Say among the nations, “The
Lord reigns! Yes, the world is
established; it shall never be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity.”
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar,
and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then
shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for He comes, for He comes to judge
the earth.
He will judge
the world in righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness.
Glory be to the
Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the
beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen.
FESTIVE GLORIA
Once in Royal David's City LW#58
Once in Royal David's City LW#58
Once in royal David’s city Stood a lowly
cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her baby In a manger for his bed;
Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.
He
came down to earth from heaven Who is God and Lord of all,
And his shelter was a stable, And his cradle was a stall;
With the poor and mean and low Lived our Savior long ago.
But
our eyes in truth should see him Through his own redeeming love,
For that child so dear and gentle Is our
Lord in heaven above,
As he leads his children on To the place where he is gone.
Not
in that poor lowly stable With the oxen
standing by
Shall we see him, but in heaven, Set at God’s right hand on high.
Then like stars his children, crowned, All in white, his praise will sound!
Text:Cecil
Frances Alexander;Tune:Henry J. Gauntlett;CCLI License#133976
SALUTATION and COLLECT
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Let us pray.
O God, because You once caused this holy night to shine with the
brightness of the true Light, grant that we who have known the mystery of that
Light on earth may come to the full measure of its joys in heaven; through
Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one
God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT Isaiah 7:10-14
Again
the Lord spoke
to Ahaz,
“Ask the Lord your God
for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”
But Ahaz
said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the
test.”
Then
Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the
patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore
the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth
to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
RESPONSE HYMN
It Came upon the Midnight Clear LW#62
It Came upon the Midnight Clear LW#62
It came upon the midnight clear, That
glorious song of old,
From angels
bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on
the earth, goodwill to all, From heaven’s all gracious king."
The world in
solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing.
Still through
the cloven skies they come With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still
their heavenly music floats O’er all the weary world.
Above its sad and lowly
plains They bend on hovering wing,
And ever over
its babel sounds The blessed angels sing.
All you,
beneath your heavy load, By care and guilt bent low,
Who toil along
a dreary way With painful steps and slow:
Look up, for
golden is the hour, Come swiftly on the wing,
The Prince was
born to bring you peace;
Of him the
angels sing.
For lo, the
days have come to pass By prophets seen of old,
When down into
the circling years Came Christ as was foretold.
His word of
peace shall to the earth God’s ancient promise bring,
And all who
take this gift will hear The song the angels sing.
Text:Edmund H. Sears; Tune:Richard S. Willis;
CCLI License #133976
EPISTLE 1 John 4:7-16
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
HYMN OF THE DAY
Angels We Have Heard on High. LW#55
Angels We Have Heard on High. LW#55
Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing over the plains,
And the mountains in reply,
Echoing their joyous strains.
Refrain: Glo…..ria
in excelsis Deo;
Glo…..ria in
excelsis Deo.
Shepherds, why this jubilee?Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song? Refrain
Come to Bethlehem and see Him
whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn king. Refrain
SERMON - The Tree
Luke 2:1-20
RESPONSE
Hark the Herald Angels Sing LW#49
Hark the Herald Angels Sing LW#49
Peace on earth and mercy
mild, God and sinners reconciled.
Joyful, all you nations rise;
Join the triumph of the skies;
With angelic hosts proclaim, Christ
is born in Bethlehem!
CHORUS: Hark!
The herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn king!
Christ, by highest heav'n
adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of a virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead
see! Hail, the incarnate deity!
Pleased as man with us to
dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel! Chorus
Hail the heav'n-born Prince
of Peace! Hail the sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he
brings, Ris'n with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by, born
that we no more may die,
Born to raise each child of
earth, Born to give us second birth. Chorus
Text:
Charles Wesley Tune: Felix Mendelssohn Public Domain
CREED Apostle's
Creed
I believe in God, the Father
almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His
only Son, our Lord
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
Born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again
from the dead,
He ascended into heaven and
sits at the right hand of
God the Father
Almighty.
From thence He will come to
judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the holy
Spirit, the Holy Christian Church,
the communion of
saints, The forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection
of the body, And life everlasting, Amen.
OFFERING
OFFERTORY HYMN
What Child Is This LW#61
What Child Is This LW#61
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.
Text:
William C. Dix;Tune:English ballad
Public Domain; CCLI License #133976
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Pastor: Let us pray for the whole people of God
in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
After
each portion of the prayer:
Pastor: Lord in your mercy
People: hear our prayer.
The
prayers conclude:
Pastor: Into
your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray trusting in your mercy,
through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord
LORD’S
PRAYER
Pastor: Remember us in Your Kingdom, O Lord, and
teach us to pray:
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 and
the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
THE PEACE OF THE LORD
Pastor: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
People: Amen.
THE LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES
Pastor: As the light of these candles illumines our
faces, it symbolizes the Light of Christ, a child in the manger at Bethlehem, a
Savior suffering our death on the cross, and soon to come from His throne on
high as Judge of all. He is our Light here on earth and the eternal Light who
enlightens heaven, where there is no need of candle or sun. Rejoice for the
Light of the World has come, who transforms us with the brightness of His
glory.
This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God
is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.
People: If we say we have fellowship with Him while we
walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
Pastor: But if we walk in the light, as He is in the
light, we have fellowship with one another,
People: And the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us
from all sin.
Pastor: “You are the light of the world. A city set
on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a
basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same
way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)
O God, as You make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth of Your
only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, grant that we, who joyfully receive Him as our
Redeemer, may with sure confidence behold Him when He comes to be our judge;
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
Pastor: The Almighty and merciful God, the Father,
the + Son and the Holy Spirit bless you now and forever.
People: Amen! Glory to God in the Highest! And peace
to His people on earth!
CAROL:
AWAY IN A MANGER LW#64
AWAY IN A MANGER LW#64
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 you, Lord Jesus; look down from the
sky
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask
you to stay
Close by me forever and love
me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children
in your tender care
And fit us for heaven to live
with you there.
Text:
American Tune:American Setting:Lutheran
Book of WorshipCCLI License #133976
READING OF THE CHRISTMAS
GOSPEL - Luke 2:1-20
RECESSIONAL HYMN
Silent Night, Holy Night LW#68
Silent Night, Holy Night LW#68
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,
Heav'nly hosts sing,
Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour, is born!
Christ, the Saviour, is born!
Silent night, holy night! Son
of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from your holy
face
With the dawn of redeeming
grace,
Jesus, Lord, at your birth, Jesus,
Lord, at your birth.
Text: Joseph Mohr
tr. John F. Young Tune: Franz Gruber
Public Domain
BENEDICTION
Pastor: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on
you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with his
favour and + give you peace.
People: Amen
CLOSING
HYMN
Joy to the World LW#53
Joy to the World LW#53
Joy to world, the Lord is come! Let earth
receive its King;
Let ev'ry heart prepare him
room
And heav'n and nature sing,And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n and heav'n and
nature sing.
Joy to the earth, the Saviour 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 sin and sorrow
grow Nor thorns infest the ground;
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.
Text: Issac Watts,
Tune: George F. Handel Public Domain
TOMORROW MORNING:
December 25 – 10:00 am – Christmas Day service with Holy Communion
SUNDAY:
December 29 – 10:00 am – Worship service
January 6, 2014 – 8:30 am – Worship with Communion
9:45 am – Education Hour
11:00 am - Worship
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