December 24, 2017 PM Candlelight Worship

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,