December 24, 2023 7:00 pm Christmas Eve Service

December 24, 2023
Traditional Candlelight Service
 
Prelude
Stephanie Shorden

Opening Hymn
Good Christian Friends Rejoice
UMH #224
WORDS: 14th cent. Latin; trans. by John Mason Neale, 1855
 
1. Good Christian
friends, rejoice
with heart and
soul and voice;
 
give ye heed
to what we say:
News, news!
Jesus Christ is
born today!
 
Ox and ass
before him bow,
and he is in
the manger now.
Christ is born today,
Christ is born today!
 
2. Good Christian
friends, rejoice
with heart and
soul and voice;
 
now ye hear
of endless bliss:
News, news!
Jesus Christ was
born for this!
 
He hath opened
heaven’s door,
and ye are blest
forevermore.
Christ was born for this,
Christ was born for this!
 
3. Good Christian
friends, rejoice
with heart and
soul and voice;
 
now ye need
not fear the grave:
News, news!
Jesus Christ was
born to save!
 
Calls you one
and calls you all
to gain his
everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save,
Christ was born to save!
 
*Call To Worship
Pastor Donnie Sturgill
Leader: Glory to God in the highest!
People: And on earth peace, good will to all people.
Leader: Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy.
People: Glory be to God on high.
Leader: For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a savior, who is Christ the Lord.
People: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to all people!
 
Lighting of the Advent Candles
Couitt Family
 
Reader 1:
Tonight, we light the candles of Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace.  These candles and the light they shine remind us that our Hope for life eternal came in the form of Love in the Christ Child and our promise for everlasting Joy can bring us peace in the midst of darkness.

All: These gifts of Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace have been a light on our path as we wait for Christ during advent.

Reader 2: But tonight, the wait is over, for Christ has come. Tonight, we light the Christ candle.  Greater than any other light, Christ is God's greatest gift.
Tonight, as we light this candle, let its light shine upon us, may its warmth comfort us, and may we accept God's greatest gift.

All: We give thanks for the birth of Christ and how his life brings life eternal.  This is the best gift of Christmas - the gift of Jesus Christ.
 
Explanation of Service
Rev. David Petty

This service is a time-honored tradition in the Christian faith, and it is a way for us to come together as a community to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and to remember the love and hope that he brings to the world.
During the service, we will hear a series of readings from the Bible, known as "lessons," which tell the story of the birth of Jesus and the events leading up to it. These readings will help us to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and the importance of the birth of Jesus in the history of our faith.
In between the readings, we will have the opportunity to sing Christmas carols, hymns, and other music that celebrates the joy of the holiday season and the love of Jesus.
I invite you to open your hearts and minds as we come together to worship and celebrate the birth of our Savior. May this Service of Lessons and Carols be a time of contemplation and reflection, as we remember the love and hope that Jesus brings to the world. Amen.

Service of Lessons and Carols

Lesson One
Isaiah’s Epiphany
Isaiah 9:2, 6-7

he people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders,
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Great will be his authority,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Music
Manger Medley
Jubilee Bells

Lesson Two
The Servant, a Light to the Nations
Isaiah 42:1-9

Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
 He will not cry out or lift up his voice
or make it heard in the street;
 a bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
 He will not grow faint or be crushed
until he has established justice in the earth,
and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
 Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
 I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
a light to the nations,
  to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
 I am the Lord; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to idols.
 See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
I tell you of them.

Music
Deb DeLaney

Lesson Three
The Annunciation of Mary
Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will 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 reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.  And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”  Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Hymn
Love Came Down
UMH #242
WORDS: Christina G. Rossetti, 1885
 
1. Love came down
at Christmas,
Love all lovely,
Love divine;
 
Love was born
at Christmas;
star and angels
gave the sign.
 
2. Worship we
the Godhead,
Love incarnate,
Love divine;
 
worship we
our Jesus,
but wherewith
for sacred sign?
 
3. Love shall be
our token;
love be yours and
love be mine;
 
love to God
and all men,
love for plea
and gift and sign.
 
Lesson Four
The Angel Appears to Joseph
Matthew 1:18-23

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit.  Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly.  But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
“Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
which means, “God is with us.”

Invitation to Offering
Rev. David Petty

Offertory
Tomorrow Shall be My Dancing Day
John Gardner
Sanctuary Choir

Lesson Five
The Birth of Jesus
Luke 2:1-7

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered.  Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room.

Hymn
Away in a Manger
UMH #217
WORDS: Anon. (Lk. 2:7)

1. Away in a manger,
no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus
laid down his sweet head.
 
The stars in the sky
look down where he lay,
the little Lord Jesus,
asleep on the hay.
 
2. The cattle are lowing,
the baby awakes,
but little Lord Jesus,
no crying he makes;
 
I love thee, Lord Jesus,
look down from the sky
and stay by my cradle
till morning is nigh.
 
3. Be near me, Lord Jesus,
I ask thee to stay
close by me forever,
and love me, I pray;
 
bless all the dear children
in thy tender care,
and fit us for heaven
to live with thee there.
 
Lesson Six
The Shepherds and the Angels
Luke 2:8-20

Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:  to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.

Hymn
Hark, the Herald Angel’s Sing
UMH #240
WORDS: Charles Wesley, 1739; alt. by George Whitefield, 1753,
and others (Lk 2: 8-14)
 
1. Hark! the herald
angels sing,
“Glory to the
newborn King;
 
peace on earth,
and mercy mild,
God and sinners
reconciled!”
 
Joyful, all ye
nations rise,
join the triumph
of the skies;
 
with th’angelic
host proclaim,
“Christ is born
in Bethlehem!”
 
Refrain
Hark! the herald
angels sing,
“Glory to
the newborn King!”
 
2. Christ, by highest
heaven adored;
Christ, the
everlasting Lord;
 
late in time
behold him come,
offspring of
a virgin’s womb.
 
Veiled in flesh
the Godhead see;
hail th’incarnate Deity,
 
pleased with us
in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our
Emmanuel.
 
Refrain
Hark! the herald
angels sing,
“Glory to
the newborn King!”
 
3. Hail the heaven-born
Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun
of Righteousness!
 
Light and life
to all he brings,
risen with healing
in his wings.
 
Mild he lays
his glory by,
born that we
no more may die,
 
born to raise us
from the earth,
born to give
us second birth.
 
Refrain
Hark! the herald
angels sing,
“Glory to
the newborn King!”
 
Lesson Seven
Prologue to John
John 1:1-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

Message
Rev. David Petty

Ceremony of the Candles
Parents, please take special care if children are allowed to hold candles. To light your candle, turn it horizontally and light from another. Once your candle is lit, do not lean it to light another keep it upright.

*Hymn
Silent Night
v. 1 UMH #239
WORDS: Joseph Mohr, 1818, alt.; sts. 1, 2, 3 trans. by John F. Young;
 st. 4  trans, anon. (Lk. 2:6-20)
 
1. 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.
 
*Hymn
Joy to the World
UMH #246
WORDS: Isaac Watts, 1719 (Ps. 98:4-9)
 
1. Joy to the world,
the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
let every heart
prepare him room,
 
and heaven and nature sing,
(and heaven and nature sing,)
and heaven and nature sing,
(and heaven and nature sing,)
and heaven, and heaven,
and nature sing.
 
2. Joy to the world,
the Savior reigns!
Let all their songs employ;
while fields and floods,
rocks, hills and plains
 
repeat the sounding joy,
(repeat the sounding joy,)
repeat the sounding joy,
(repeat the sounding joy,)
repeat, repeat
the sounding joy.
 
3. 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,
(far as the curse is found,)
far as the curse is found,
(far as the curse is found,)
far as, far as
the curse is found.
 
4. 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 of his love,
(and wonders of his love,)
and wonders, wonders
of  his love.
 
*Benediction
Rev. David Petty

Postlude
Stephanie Shorden