PRELUDE. Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (J. Bach) Anne Ettinger, organ and Bob Kahle, piano
CALL TO WORSHIP
HYMN NO. 297 SILENT NIGHT Gary Gipson, guitar
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 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.
PRAYER
HYMN NO. 283 O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL
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;
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord.
O sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above:
glory to God, glory in the highest;
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord.
SCRIPTURE: Luke 2:1-20
MESSAGE
CHRISTMAS MUSICAL MEDITATION FEATURING:
“The First Noel” (Hymn 290)
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.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, born is the King of Israel.
“Angels We Have Heard on High” (Hymn 288)
Angels we have heard on high,
singing sweetly through the night,
and the mountains in reply
echoing their brave delight.
Glo-ri-a in excelsis De-o, Glo-ri-a in excelsis De-o.
“Away in a Manger” (Hymn 301)
Away in a manger, No crib for His bed
The little Lord Jesus, Lay down His sweet head
The stars in the sky, Look 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 Thee 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 your there
Celebration of Community – Lovefeast
(If you are able, please get your sugarcake or a simple treat and something to fill your mug to share together, as we listen and sing these songs of the season)
HMN NO. 292 ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID’S CITY Anne Ettinger, piano
Verses 1 and 2
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 meek and lowly
lived on earth our Savior holy.
SPECIAL MUSIC: “Apart on Christmas Eve” By Rev. Greg Behrend
(Our Savior’s Moravian Church in Altar, MN, used with permission)
HYMN NO. 294 JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME Verses 1 and 2
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her 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 Savior reigns!
Let us our songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
ENTRANCE OF THE LIGHT
Behold, a great, a heavenly light,
From Bethlehem’s manger shining bright,
Around those who in darkness dwell,
The night of evil to dispel.
Incarnate God, exert thy power!
Arise, Thou glorious Conqueror!
Subdue sin, death and ev’ry foe,
Erect thy Kingdom here below.
HYMN NO. 282 O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM verses 1 and 4
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.
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;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Immanuel.
SPECIAL MUSIC: “Stille, Stille, Stille”, Austrian Carol Anne Ettinger
HYMN NO. 281 MORNING STAR Sophie Rice, child’s voice
Christian Rice, congregation (bold)
Morning Star, O cheering sight!
Ere Thou cam’st, how dark earth’s night!
Morning Star, O cheering sight!
Ere thou cam’st, how dark earth’s night!
Jesus mine, in me shine;
in me shine, Jesus mine;
fill my heart with light divine.
Morning Star, thy glory bright
far excels the sun’s clear light.
Morning Star, thy glory bright
far excels the sun’s clear light.
Jesus be, constantly,
constantly, Jesus be
more than thousand suns to me.
Thy glad beams, thou Morning Star,
cheer the nations near and far.
Thy glad beams, thou Morning Star,
cheer the nations near and far.
Thee we own, Lord alone,
Lord alone, thee we own,
our dear Savior, God’s dear Son.
Morning Star, my soul’s true light,
tarry not, dispel my night.
Morning Star, my soul’s true light,
tarry not, dispel my night.
Jesus mine, in me shine;
in me shine, Jesus mine;
fill my heart with light divine.
HYMN CANDLE GLOWING
Candle glowing, my heart knowing
I should follow Him;
Jesus leading, guiding, pleading,
“Let no light be dim.”
Candle burning, let it shine,
Glowing for a friend divine
to be near me, bless and cheer me,
be forever mine.
Candle gleaming, my face beaming,
let me rise and go
while He leads me, where He needs me,
in His world below.
Candle flaming, Him I call,
Jesus Christ, the Lord of all,
Jesus, Savior, mine forever;
I have heard your call.
Candle glorious – Christ victorious
leads His people on
round the world now, tells the world how
Jesus is God’s Son.
Wondrous love and peace on earth
testify to Jesus’ birth
into glory, forward journey,
till the goal is won!
BENEDICTION/SILENT PRAYER
POSTLUDE
Calvary Moravian Church 