We are so glad you have joined us this evening as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, "God-With-Us."

Transcription

1 December 24, :00 p.m. Welcome! We are so glad you have joined us this evening as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, "God-With-Us." Children are always welcome in our worship services. If you need a place to calm your infant, please feel free to use the choir room by exiting through either door at the front of the Sanctuary. Audio of the service is broadcast for you to continue sharing in worship there. Communion will be served as part of this worship service. Our communion table is open to everyone baptized or not, sure or not. All, including children, are welcome at the table. Hearing Assistance Receivers are available. Please ask an usher if you would like one. At the conclusion of the service, please extinguish candles and place them in the containers provided by each door.

2 A Service of Lessons & Carols The Music for Gathering Michael Jolkovski, flute & Ed Roberts, piano The Welcome The Prelude The Call to Worship Dale Dwyer The Opening Hymn (standing) O Come All Ye Faithful Adeste Fidelis 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. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation, sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Glory to God, all glory in the Highest; Refrain Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger, we would embrace thee, with awe and love; who would not love thee, loving us so dearly? Refrain Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born for our salvation, Jesus, to thee be all glory given; Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; Refrain The Invocation Janice Langholz One: Light looked down and saw darkness. All: "I will go there," said Light. Peace looked down and saw war. "I will go there," said Peace. Love looked down and saw hatred. "I will go there," said Love. So the Lord of Light the Prince of Peace the King of Love came down and crept in beside us.

3 The First Lesson Isaiah 9:2-7 Paige & Garrett Rinker Christ s birth and kingdom are foretold by Isaiah Carol (seated) O Little Town of Bethlehem St. Louis 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! Your voices raise to God in praise; and peace to all on earth. How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given! So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven. 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 Emmanuel! The Second Lesson Luke 1:26-33, 38 Wayne Limberg The birth of Jesus is announced to Mary The Music for Christmas In Dulci Jubilo J.S. Bach Ed Roberts, organ The Third Lesson Matthew 1:18-25 Max Lindsay The name of Jesus is given to Joseph Carol (seated) O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Veni Emmanuel O come, O come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear. Refrain: Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by thine Advent here; disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death s deep shadows put to flight. Refrain O come, thou Wisdom from on high, and order all things, far and nigh; to us the path of knowledge show, and cause us in her ways to go. Refrain O come, Desire of nations, bind all peoples in one heart and mind; bid envy, strife and quarrels cease; fill the whole world with heaven s peace. Refrain

4 The Fourth Lesson Luke 2:1-7 Celia Martyn Luke tells of the birth of Jesus Carol (seated) What Child Is This Greensleeves What Child is this who, laid to rest, on Mary s lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping? Refrain: This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing; Haste, haste to bring him laud, the Babe, the Son of Mary. Why lies he in such mean estate where ox and ass are feeding? Good Christian, fear, for sinners here the silent Word is pleading. Refrain So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh, come, rich and poor, to own him, The King of kings salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone him. Refrain The Fifth Lesson Luke 2:8-20 Kathleen Kline Moore The Angels announce Jesus birth to the Shepherds Carol (standing) Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Mendelssohn 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 the angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem! Refrain: Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King! Christ, by highest heaven adored; Christ, the everlasting Lord! Late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin s womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail the incarnate Deity, pleased in flesh with us to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel. Refrain Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Son 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 The Invitation to the Table The Communion Prayer The Words of Institution The Sharing of the Bread and Cup Each person will be invited to come forward to receive the bread and cup. Grape juice is served and a gluten-free option is available. You will receive the bread from one server, and then dip it in the chalice held by the other server. An appropriate response to the server s words is Amen. After receiving communion, return to your seat via the side aisle. If you are unable to come forward, please indicate this to an usher and communion will be brought to you.

5 The Prayer of Thanksgiving Carol (seated) It Came Upon the Midnight Clear Carol It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old, from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold; Peace on the earth, good will to all, from heaven s all gracious King The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing. Still through the cloven skies they come, with peaceful wings unfurled, and still their heavenly music floats o er all the weary world; above its sad and lowly plains they bend on hovering wing, and ever o er its Babel sounds the blessed angels sing. And you, beneath life s crushing load whose forms are bending low, who toil along the climbing way, with painful steps and slow, look now, for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing; O rest beside the weary road, and hear the angels sing! For lo, the days are hastening on, by prophet bards foretold, When with the ever-circling years comes round the age of gold; When peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling, And the whole world send back the song, which now the angels sing. The Sixth Lesson John 1:1-14 Tom & Susan Nelson Johnson In the beginning was the Word Carol (standing) Joy to the World Antioch 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 heaven, and nature sing. 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, 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.

6 The Prayer for Christmas Eve and The Lord s Prayer (Unison) Holy One*, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. *May use Creator, Father, Parent, Abba The Gathering of the Offering The Christmas Fund The Christmas Fund helps active and retired clergy and lay UCC employees who are in need of health care, adequate retirement income, and emergency assistance. Tonight, all cash gifts (unless otherwise marked) and all checks with Christmas Fund in the memo line will be directed to the Christmas Fund. Thank you. The Musical Offering O Holy Night Adolph Adam Elizabeth Kluegel Niblock, soprano The Lighting of the Christ Candle The Lindsay Family The Recessional (standing) Silent Night, Holy Night Stille Nacht Candles will be lit at the ends of the rows. Please light your neighbor s candle in turn. 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 thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth. Silent Night, Holy Night, Wondrous Star lend thy light. With the angels let us sing, alleluia to our King. Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born. The Blessing (standing)

7 Worship Participants Communion Servers: Emory Hackman, Tom Johnson, Susan Nelson Johnson This evening s communion bread was lovingly baked by Martha Jolkovski in honor and memory of her parents, Rev. Robert and Kathryn Fell. Service Credits: The cover art is by John Stuart, The Call to Worship and Invocation are from Cloth for the Cradle by the Iona Community. Christmas Flower Dedications Rick Barry & Linda Cox In loving memory of grandson Trevor John Barry Susan & Peter Geiger In memory of Bill Bozman The Gilmour family With loving memories of Paul Wadsworth Pamelia Henriksen & Trinh Phan In memory of Soren and Donn Henriksen Gail & John Howell In thanks for our singers and ringers, present and past Diana & Don Johnson Thank you for the memories, John Entwisle, Kirk Entwisle, and Liam Moore Daena Kluegel In gratitude for family and friends The Lee Family For peace on earth Richard Lee & Susan Peters To the Glory of God Stephanie, Ava, Harrison, and Macy In memory of Benjamin Crawford in this season of hope Andrea Maresca, Todd Kohr, & Family In celebration of family and friends Laura Martin For Bernice Martin and her declarations of love Will Mead & Bethany Good-Mead In memory of our parents Elizabeth Kluegel Niblock, Quinn & Nate In honor of our Dad & Grandfather, who always came to hear us sing Susan Olson In celebration of family and friends Betsy Thomassen In loving memory of Grandma Tom Chip Woodward In memory of my parents, Larry & Nancy, brother Gary and cousin Doug Woodward, and in honor of other family members and friends Lisa Wysocki, Doug Levey, & Family In memory of Dorothy Wysocki Errera Join us for a Hymn Sing worship service for the whole family this Sunday, December 31, at 10:00 a.m. only. Potluck brunch to follow. Join us any Sunday at 9:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. for worship. Nursery care is available all morning. Sunday School is offered at the 11:00 a.m. service. For more information about our worship and programs, visit our website at

8 Kathy Dwyer, Senior Pastor Laura Martin, Associate Pastor Ashley Martinage, Director of Faith Formation Elizabeth Kluegel Niblock, Director of Music Edward Roberts, Assistant Director of Music, Organist Easterlyn Walters, Office Administrator Sarah Lengyel Steel, Bookkeeper and Operations Consultant Fern Lawrence and Blanca Cespedes, Child Care 5010 Little Falls Road, Arlington, Virginia tel: fax: A Just Peace, Open and Affirming Congregation where God is Still Speaking,