Preparing to Worship

Pre-service Music: Carols for Bells - arr. Raymond Herbek

The First Noel

Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella

Silent Night, Holy Night

Gathering

A World In Darkness

“Darkness Covers the Earth” - Isaiah 8

                                                       A New Day Dawning

                   (The Christ candle is carried to the altar as a sign of the

                                coming of Christ, our light.)

“Our Light Has Come” - Isaiah 60

Entrance Hymn “O Come All Ye Faithful” - 379 LSB

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:

REFRAIN: O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

Highest, most holy, Light of Light eternal,

Born of a virgin, a mortal he comes;

Son of the Father now in flesh appearing! REFRAIN

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,

Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!

Glory to God in the highest: REFRAIN

Prayer of the Day

P Almighty God, you made this holy night shine with the brightness of the true Light.
Grant that here on earth we may walk in the light of Jesus’ presence and in
the last day wake to the brightness of his glory; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

Word Annunciation to Mary - Luke 1

Mary’s Song- “Magnificat” - (sung by the teen choir) - text: Luke 1:46-55

- tune: Rosemary Collingwood

My soul proclaims your greatness, Lord; I sing my Savior’s praise!

You looked upon my lowliness, and I am full of grace.

Now every land and every age this blessing, shall proclaim-

Great wonders you have done for me, and holy is your name.

To all who live in holy fear your mercy ever flows.

With mighty arm you dash the proud, their scheming hearts expose.

The ruthless you have cast aside, the lowly throned instead;

The hungry filled with all good things, the rich sent off unfed.

To Israel, your servant blest, your help is ever sure;

The promise to our parents made their children will secure.

Sing glory to the Holy One, give honor to the Word,

And praise the Pow’r of the Most High, one God, by all adored.

Prayer

                                          Coming of the Messiah - Luke 2

Congregational Hymn “O Little Town of Bethlehem” - 361 LSB

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 streets shineth the everlasting light.

The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary and gathered all above

While mortals sleep the angels keep their watch of wondering love.

O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth,

And praises sing to God the king, and peace to all the earth!

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heav’n.

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;

Oh come to us, abide with us, our Lord Immanuel!

                                        Holy Birth - Luke 2

Prayer

Song “Away in a Manager” traditional

(First three stanzas are sung by the children; the congregation joins in singing stanza four.)

Away in a manager, no crib for a 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 thee Lord Jesus look down from the sky,

And stay by my cradle ‘til morning is nigh.

C 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.

Angels and Shepherds - Luke 2

Congregational hymn “Angels We Have Heard on High” - 368 LSB

Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plains,

And the mountains in reply, Echoing their joyous strains.

REFRAIN Gloria in excelsis Deo, Gloria 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

                                     Shepherds Come and See - Luke 2

Recitation - “Oh come, Little Children”

Song by the children “Go, Tell It on the Mountain”

While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night,

Behold throughout the heavens there shone a holy light.

REFRAIN: Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;

Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.

The shepherds feared and trembled when lo, above the earth

Rang out the angel chorus that hailed our Savior’s birth. REFRAIN

Down in the lonely manger the humble Christ was born;

And God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn. REFRAIN

Prayer

Song by the children “We Three Kings” (Congregation joins in on the refrain.)

We three kings of orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar.

Field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.

REFRAIN: Oh, star of wonder, star of night, Star of royal beauty bright;

Westward leading, still proceeding. Guide us to thy perfect life.

. Born a king on Bethlehem’s plain, gifts we bring to crown him again;

King forever, ceasing never, over us all to reign. REFRAIN

                                             In the Time of King Herod- Matthew 2

Congregational Hymn “The First Noel” - 300 ELW

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. REFRAIN: 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.

REFRAIN

. And by the light of that same star Three wise men came from country far;

To seek for a king was their intent, And to follow the star wherever it went.

REFRAIN

This star drew near to the northwest, O’er Bethlehem it took its rest;

And there it did both stop and stay Right over the place where Jesus lay.

REFRAIN

Then entered in those Wise Men three, Full reverently upon their knee

And offered there in his presence Their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense.

REFRAIN

Gifts of the King - Matthew 2

Recitation - “With the Wise and Faithful”

Love of Christ - Ephesians 3

Recitation “Dear Christ Child”

The Meal

Gathering the Gifts and Setting the Table

Offertory Verse “A Song of Jesus’ Birth” (Sung by the LOGOS Choir in a setting by David Stocker)

High above angels sing the birthday story,

Shepherds rise, from your sleeping now awake!

Let us go to the little King of glory, Born for people’s sake.

Bethlehem is the place where you shall find Him,

Bethlehem, where shines the Christmas star,

Mary His mother, Joseph standing near, cattle all around Him.

Come little children, God Himself is here,

let your hearts surround Him.

High above the angels sing, Jesus Christ is born.

Prayer Over the Gifts

A Let us pray ... Lord of Christmas, we are mindful of the supreme gift that you

gave us in a manger at Bethlehem.

C Humbly we offer these gifts of bread and wine

in joyful thanksgiving for the love you have shown us.

Accept this sacrifice of the fruits of the earth for the sake of your Son

who was born to us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Great Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Dialogue

P The Lord be with you.

C And also with you.

P Lift up your hearts.

C We lift them up to the Lord.

P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Initial Thanksgiving

P God, our loving Father, we are glad to give you thanks and praise because you love us. Because you love us, you gave us this great and beautiful world. Because you love us, you sent Jesus your Son to bring us to you and to gather us around him as children of one family. For such great love we thank you

with the angels and saints and praise your holy name forever.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

P Holy God, you are the Creator of all things.

At the beginning of time your word brought light into the world.

You said, “Let there be light,” and it was so.

At our birth, you breathed into all of us the Breath of Life.

When the world was ready according to your timing,

you sent your Word, whose name is Jesus,

to be born of the Virgin Mary,

to shine in the dark places in our world,

to comfort us, so that we no longer need to be afraid.

You sent him to make us your daughters and sons.

The Words of Institution

P In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread,

and gave thanks; broke it and gave it to his disciples saying:

Take and eat; this is my body given for you.

Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,

and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.

Our Father

A With the confidence of children of God, we are bold to pray:

C Our Father who art in heaven,.....

Invitation

P The bread of God comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

Come, eat, and live.

Distribution

Instructions for proceeding to and returning from the Lord’s Table will be given.

Baptized Christians who have received their first communion are welcome at the Table of the Lord. Both the common cup and individual glasses are offered. Communion trays include grape juice in the center for those unable to drink wine.

Distribution hymn -

Sending by Candlelight

The assisting ministers pass the light to members of the congregation; pass it to the person next to you. DO NOT TIP a lighted candle. While the light is being passed, the Minister of Music will introduce the Candle Carol. When all candles are lighted, the congregation will sing.

Post-Communion Carol - “Silent Night” - 363 LSB

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 your holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus Lord at your birth, Jesus Lord at your birth.

Dismissal

P May the body and blood of our newborn Lord and Savior strengthen and keep you in true faith unto life eternal. Be at peace, Jesus is with your!

C Amen.

Post-Communion Prayer

A Let us pray ..... Great and saving God, you have gathered your scattered people around gifts of grain and wine, the body and blood of our Savior Christ.

C As we, like the shepherds, return on our way, may we proclaim all we have heard and seen, praising you in word and loving deed for the gift of Jesus, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Blessing

P May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy spirit be and abide with us all.

C Amen

A Go in peace. Share the good news.

C Thanks be to God

Recessional Hymn “Joy to the World” - 387 LSB

Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King;

Let every 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 Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ,

While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains Repeal 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.