Order of Worship – December 24, 2021
Prelude and Choir Processional
Welcome and Lovefeast Invitation
Special Music:
4 p.m. Good Christian Men Rejoice (German Carol)
Anne Ettinger, organ, Bob Kahle, piano
“Behold that Star” (Talley), Samantha Zosky, Soprano
7 p.m. Christmas Carol Medley Anne Ettinger, organ, Bob Kahle, piano
Call to Worship
Hymn 297: “Silent Night”
Verse 1, (German) Men’s Choir; Verse 2, Choir; Verse 3, Congregation.
Verse 1 (German) Men’s Choir
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar.
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh! Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
Verse 2 Choir
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!
Verse 3 Congregation
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
Anthem “On this Day Earth Shall Ring” Piae Cantiones (1582)
Hymn 283: “O Come, All Ye Faithful” (verses 1, 3, and 4)
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.
Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing!
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, page 832
Offering
Offertory “O Hearken Ye” Women’s Trio
Susan Engle, Sharon Ettinger, and Mary Venditta
Hymn 292: “Once in Royal David’s City” (verses 1,2 & 3)
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.
For he is our childhood’s pattern;
Day by day like us he grew;
He was little, weak and helpless;
Tears and smiles like us he knew;
and he feels for all our sadness,
and he shares in all our gladness.
Anthem: “Go Tell it on the Mountain” (Spiritual, arr. Emerson)
Message: Rev. Janel Rice
Sharing the Light of the Candles
Hymn 294:
“Joy to the World, the Lord is Come” (vs. 1, 2 and 4)
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 World, the Lord is Come” , continued
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.
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.
Hymn 282: “O Little Town of Bethlehem” (vs. 1, 3, & 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.
How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is giv’n!
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;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Immanuel.
Hymn 281: Morning Star Soloist, Sophie Rice
Solo and Congregation
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
(Please extinguish all candles).
Silent prayer
Postlude