Welcome. Information. For The Children. Candles. For more information visit us on the web at georgiafaith.com

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2 Welcome We are glad that you have joined us to celebrate the birth of the Christ child. Our service is printed for you in its entirety in this program. If you need anything, please speak to an usher at the rear of the sanctuary. Information Restrooms: Exit the sanctuary and enter the hallway directly in front of you. The bathrooms are on the right and left. Hearing assistance devices are available. Speak to an usher. Large print service folders are available. Speak to an usher. For The Children Battery operated candles are available for the small children. Please return them after the service in the basket near the door of the church. A Staffed Nursery is available for your use at any time during the service. It is located in Room 2. A Cry-Room is available if your little ones need a moment. It is located near the balcony stairs at the back of the sanctuary. A speaker and window let you see and hear the service. Children s Activity Sheets give activities and lessons pertaining to the Scripture lessons for the day. Ask an usher at the door into the sanctuary. Candles Remember when lighting the candles, tip the unlit candle and leave the lit candle vertical. Parents, carefully watch children and help them to keep their candles vertical. The candles will not drip wax on you or the pews if they are held vertically. For more information visit us on the web at georgiafaith.com 2 P age

3 An Order for Christmas Eve Opening Procession At the ringing of the bell, please stand and face the processional group in the back of the church. As the cross is carried through the assembly, turn and face the front. Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful Accompanied by the brass ensemble 3 P age

4 Call to Worship L In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. C Amen. L The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. C The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. L Those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness, on them light has shined. C We have seen the glory of the Christ, the glory of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. L To us a child is born, to us a Son is given. C In him was life, and that life was the light of men. L O loving God, you once caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light. Turn our thoughts toward Bethlehem and the Christ child. May the words of Scripture we hear tonight remind us again that the old story is ever so new. May the carols we sing tonight reveal to us again the mystery of his birth. May the candles we see tonight symbolize for us your Son as the Light of the world. May all who have known that Light on earth come to the full measure of its joys in heaven. C Help us, O Lord, in our worship this night. Amen. 4 P age

5 What Child Is This Prayer of the Day L Let us pray. The leader says the Prayer of the Day. C Amen. 5 P age

6 Isaiah 9:2-7 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. The Wexford Carol Sung by the choir Good people all this Christmas time consider well and bear in mind What our good God for us has done in sending His beloved Son With Mary holy we should pray to God with love this Christmas day In Bethlehem upon that morn there was a blessed Messiah born Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep To whom God's angel did appear which put the shepherds in great fear "Prepare and go," the angel said "To Bethlehem, be not afraid For there you'll find this happy morn a princely babe, sweet Jesus born" With thankful heart and joyful mind the shepherds went the babe to find And as God's angel hath foretold they did our Savior Christ behold Good people all, good people all this morn 1 John 4:9-14 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. and we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 6 P age

7 Infant Holy, Infant Lowly Sung by the Children s Choir Luke 2:1-20 Infant holy, infant lowly, for his bed a cattle stall. Oxen lowing, little knowing, Chris the child is Lord of all. Swift are winging angels singing, Bells are ringing, tidings bringing: Christ the child is Lord of all! Christ the child is Lord of all! Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping vigil till the morning new. Saw the glory, heard the story, tidings of a gospel true. Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow, Praises voicing, greet the morrow, Christ the child was born for you! Christ the child was born for you! In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 7 P age

8 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 1 Descant sung by Cayla Wamsley. 1 Charles Wesley was the younger brother of Anglican clergyman, John Wesley. Whereas John stuck largely to theology (and is generally credited as being the founder of the Methodist movement), Charles stuck primarily to hymn writing. He penned Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, which was first printed in Hymns and Sacred Poems in It quickly became extremely popular. The tune associated with Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is titled MENDELSSOHN. It comes from the second chorus of Felix Mendelssohn s Festgasang an die Kunstler, written in 1840 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Johannes Gutenberg s invention of movable type. Mendelssohn did not think the tune appropriate for a sacred text. He wrote that it was too soldier-like to convey Scriptural truth. Nevertheless, in 1855 Dr. William H. Cummings adapted the tune MENDELSSOHN to fit Wesley s text. The result is arguably the most popular Christmas hymn of all time. 8 P age

9 Christmas Message: A Light Shines in the darkness By Pastor Jonathan Schroeder Offering The members of Faith Lutheran Church have joined together to do the Lord's work in this community and around the world. Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our ministry. Please take a moment to sign our friendship registers. Musical Offertory: Away in a Manger Ashley Kangas, Megan Burh, Mary Beth Eckhardt Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head. The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay, The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay. The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes. I love you, Lord Jesus; look down from the sky, And stay by my side until morning is nigh. Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask you to stay Close by me forever and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in your tender care, And take us to heaven to live with you there. 9 P age

10 Lighting of the Candles An usher will come to your pew and light the candle nearest the center aisle. Please light the candle next to you until all the candles are lit in the pew. When all the candles are lit, the lights will be dimmed. Remember to tip the unlit candle and leave the lit candle vertical. Emmanuel Sung by Junior Choir Oh come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, That morns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear. Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel, shall come to thee, O Israel. Oh come thou dayspring, come and cheer, our spirits by thine advent here. Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and all dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice, Rejoice Emmanuel, shall come to thee, O Israel. Prayer of the Church Throughout the prayer, when the leader says, Lord, in your mercy the congregation responds by saying, Hear our prayer! Lord s Prayer C Our Father, 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; and 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 and ever. Amen. The Blessing L The almighty and merciful God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. C Glory to God in the highest. Amen! 10 P age

11 Silent Night 2 Flute by Holly Buth. Violin by Megan Buth. Piano by Mary Beth Eckhardt. Silent prayer as the candles are extinguished. 2 Silent Night is the undoubtedly the most beloved of all the cradle carols, those quieter Christmas hymns which remind one of a song a new mother might sing to her infant. It was written in 1818 by Joseph Mohr, assistant priest in St. Nikolaus Church in Oberndorf, a small village in Upper Austria. It is believed that Mohr began writing the hymn late the evening of December 23rd. He had been summoned to the home of a humble woodcutter to baptize a baby that had recently been born. On his way home, he contrasted that scene with the birth of Christ in a humble stable. The thought inspired him to write the poem Stille Nacht, which he finished about 4:00 am. After a few hours of sleep, Mohr rose and took the poem to the office of Franz Gruber, who was both Mohr s best friend and the organist at St. Nikolaus, and asked him to set the poem to music for use in that evening s Christmas Eve service. Within a few hours, Gruber had sketched in a melody and simple harmony. Since the organ at St. Nikolaus was broken, Gruber s arrangement was for guitar. The tune quickly spread over Germany and Austria. A touring family of singers, the Raniers, sang it for the Emperor of Austria, the Czar of Russia, Queen Victoria of England, Napoleon III, and in 1839 presented it in New York City before the Alexander Hamilton memorial. All this came from a simple poem and guitar tune that were written in about twelve hours on Christmas Eve. 11 P age

12 THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS Thank you for joining us this evening to celebrate our Savior's birth. Make plans to join us again during the Twelve Days of Christmas. We have more opportunities for worship. Tuesday, December 25, at 10:30 am The Festival of the Nativity of Our Lord Join us to celebrate the incarnation of the Son of God. Tomorrow the Church across the world remembers the gift of God the Father when he sent his son to take on flesh and blood. We will marvel at the mystery that is Immanuel, God with us. Sunday, December 30, at 10:30 am First Sunday after Christmas Sunday, January 6, at 8:30 and 10:30 am The Festival of the Epiphany of our Lord The twelve days of Christmas end with the festival of Epiphany. On this day we remember how God guided Gentiles to their savior with a special star. The following items are reprinted under OneLicense.net #A : The Wexford Carol. Words and Music 2005 MorningStar Music Publishers / Birnamwood Publications. All rights reserved. Advent/Christmas Round. Text & Music: Dan R. Edwards 2016 Choristers Guild. All rights reserved. 12 P age