HIGHLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Pastor: Dr. J. S. Randolph Harris (336) 724-6303 Associate Pastor: Debbie Layman www.highlandpres.org Associate Pastor: Courtney Stevens 2380 Cloverdale Avenue Pastor Emeritus: Steve McCutchan Winston-Sal lem, NC 27103-2012 Director of Christian Education: Darryl Ray December 24, 2018 7:00 p.m. Christmas Eve
December 24, 2018 Christmas Eve Organ Preludes Variations on O Come, All Ye Faithful What Child Is This 7:00 p.m. Raynor Taylor Richard Purvis Processional Of the Father s Love Begotten Plainsong Chancel Choir and Handbells Text at Hymn 108 Call to Worship One: Rejoice! I bring good news for all people. All: Unto us a child is born. Alleluia! One: Tonight, the angels sing on earth: All: Glory to God in the highest! Lighting of the Advent Candles and the Christ Candle Hymn Response 124 Still, Still, Still STILL, STILL, STILL Prayer of Praise *Hymn 133 O Come, All Ye Faithful ADESTE FIDELES A Word of Welcome Anthem Ding Dong! Merrily on High arr. Gerald Near Chancel Choir Ding dong! merrily on high in heaven the bells are ringing. Ding dong! verily the sky is riven with angel singing. Gloria, hosanna in excelsis [glory, praise in the highest]! Even so here below, let steeple bells be swungen, and io [therefore] by priest and people sungen. Pray you dutifully prime your Matin [morning] chime, ye ringers. May you beautifully rime your eve-time song, ye singers. (Words traditional, translated by G. R. Woodward) First Lesson TO US A CHILD IS BORN Isaiah 9:2 7 *Hymn 129 Lo, How a Rose E er Blooming ES IST EIN ROS Second Lesson THE BIRTH OF JESUS Luke 2:1 7 Anthem Star Carol John Rutter Sing this night, for a boy is born in Bethlehem, Christ our Lord in a lowly manger * All who are able please stand. GTG = Glory to God - 2 -
lies; bring your gifts, come and worship at his cradle, hurry to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary. See his star shining bright in the sky this Christmas night! Follow me joyfully; hurry to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary! Angels bright, come from heaven s highest glory, bear the news with its message of good cheer: Sing, rejoice, for a King is come to save us, hurry to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary! See, he lies in his mother s tender keeping; Jesus Christ in her loving arms asleep. Shepherds poor, come to worship and adore him, offer their humble gifts before the son of Mary. Let us all pay our homage at the manger, sing his praise on this joyful Christmas night; Christ is come, bringing promise of salvation; hurry to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary! (Text by John Rutter) Third Lesson THE SHEPHERDS AND THE ANGELS Luke 2:8 16 A Gift for Christ The financial offering will be given to Crisis Control Ministry and the gifts under the tree will be delivered to City with Dwellings who oversee the Overflow Homeless Shelter. Make checks payable to Highland Presbyterian Church marked for Crisis Control Ministry. Anthem Good Christian Friends, Rejoice Walter L. Pelz Good Christian friends rejoice with heart and soul and voice; give ye heed to what we say: Jesus Christ is born today. Ox and ass before him bow, and he is in the manger now. Christ is born today! Good Christian friends rejoice with heart and soul and voice; now ye hear of endless bliss: Jesus Christ was born for this! He has opened heaven s door, and we are blest forever more. Christ was born for this! Good Christian friends rejoice with heart and soul and voice; now ye need not fear the grave; Jesus Christ was born to save! Calls you one and calls you all to gain his everlasting hall. Christ was born to save! (Words from medieval Latin text) Meditation Randy Harris *Hymn 145 What Child Is This GREENSLEEVES The Sacrament of the Lord s Supper Invitation to the Table Great Prayer of Thanksgiving Communion of the People Communion will be shared by intinction Gluten- and nut-free bread is available at the station by the Chrismon Tree During the serving of communion, the congregation may join in singing the following hymns: - 3 -
Hymn 140 Once in Royal David s City Hymn 123 It Came Upon the Midnight Clear Hymn 144 In the Bleak Midwinter Prayer after Communion Fourth Lesson THE WORD BECAME FLESH John 1:1 5, 14 Service of Candlelight Hymn 121 O Little Town of Bethlehem ST. LOUIS At the beginning of the carol, the candle lighters will approach the Chancel, receive their light, and proceed to distribute the light among the congregation. *Carol Silent Night STILLE NACHT 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. *A Moment of Silence *Carol 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, - 4 -
*Benediction Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat the sounding joy. No more let sins and sorrows 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. *Postlude God Rest Ye Merry Wilbur Held Worship Notes We extend a warm welcome to all who come to this sanctuary on this holy night. May you find in this place and among the people gathered here grace and peace from the living Christ who has promised to be present when we gather in his name. We welcome you to this worship celebration! Please include your address, telephone number and email on the Friendship Pad that is passed during the service. Lighting the Advent and Christ candles for this service are Brian, Mary, Mary Douglas and Caroline Mendenhall. We welcome to our worship leadership today guest organist and choir director Henry Tysinger. A Loop Assisted Hearing System is now in place in Highland s Sanctuary. You can access this service by switching your hearing aid s T-coil to On and adjusting the volume control if needed; you may also request a headset from an usher. Large-print Bibles, bulletins, and hearing aids are available. Please ask an usher for assistance. - 5 -
The financial offering tonight will be given to Crisis Control Ministry, a Winston-Salem agency that provides financial assistance for rent, utilities, fuel, food, and clothing for families and individuals in crisis. The ministry is funded by churches, foundations, and other organizations. Text-Giving. To give via smart phone, text the word highland to 73256 and follow the instructions. We are thankful for your generous sharing! You are invited to place unwrapped gifts under the Chrismon tree. They will be delivered to the residents of the Overflow Homeless Shelter. A word of caution about candles in tonight s service: Please remember to keep the lighted candle upright. The unlighted candle should be turned to reach the flame of the lighted one. This method will minimize wax spilling and wax burns on skin. After you extinguish your candle, please hold it upright until the wax solidifies in the plastic candle cup. The crèche scenes on the window sills are a gift from Joan and David Dutcher. Information sheets describing the origin of each scene are available in the window ledges at the front of the Sanctuary. It is our hope that these scenes will broaden your Christmas worship experience. Join us for worship next Sunday, December 30 at 10:00 a.m. Our regular worship schedule, with services at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. and church school at 9:30 a.m., will resume on Sunday, January 6. Sanctuary Poinsettias - 6 -
The poinsettias are given to the glory of God and in memory or in honor of Highland friends, family and loved ones. Given in Memory of ~ His father, L. Gray Boles, by Bobby Boles Their friends, Ginny and Charlie Gunn, by the Mike Brown Family Her parents, Betty Lou and Arthur Steere, by Susan and Ralph Burroughs Their family members, Bill and Ileene Ligon, Martha Jean Ligon, John and Louise Clemmer, Brady, Stanley, and Richard Clemmer His mother, Mary Susan Upchurch Alexander, by Ray Collins and family Their parents, Martha and Ben Griffin and Lestha and John Doyle, Sr., by Ellen and John Doyle His parents, Troy and Sue Grogan, by Rick and June Grogan Their son, Benjamin Hale, by Toby and Sue Hale Her mother, Helen Schwartz, and brother, Thom Schwartz, by Susan Janke Her husband Mack Loftis, by Jean Loftis Her friend, Anita Cox, by Janice McBride Her father, Harold E. Stinson, by Patricia and Richard Murphy Their loved ones, by Katie and John Paterson Their friend, Betty Grigg, by Elaine and Curtis Patterson Her mother, Polly Scott, and his daughter, Jade Penick, by Jan and John Penick His sisters and brother, Dr. Diane J. Reeves, Sandra Reeves Parsons, and Bruce R. Reeves, by Kent Reeves His parents, Gordon A. and Joan A. Reeves, and stepmother, Phyllis M. Reeves, by Kent Reeves Their friend, Dr. Charlie Gunn, by Kent Reeves and Curtis and Elaine Patterson Her mother, Peggy Rogers, and his father, Max Reynolds, by Becky and Jeff Reynolds and family Her mother and their granddaughter, Dottie Zeh and Kinsey Sink, by Betty and Buddy Sink Their parents, Joe and Madge Smyth and Joe and Evelyn Guffy, by Mac and Mary Ellen Smyth Their parents, Fred and Gladys Swing and Bob and Jody Connell, by Jim and Carrie Swing - 7 -
Church members, Betty Grigg, Charlie Guinn, Ed Adams, Lib Myers, and Dick Donnan, by Ann Walker Their parents, Peter and Polly Wilkie and David and Ruby Aitken, by Peter and Rev. Caryle Wilkie Her mother, Jean S. Wilmoth, and friend, Shannon L. Honeycutt, by Sharon Wilmoth Given in Honor of ~ His wife, Elaine Mansfield Patterson, by Curtis Patterson Her mother, Grace Staley, by Margaret Sehon Their teacher, Darryl Ray, by the Women s Bible Study Christmas Wreaths The Christmas wreaths on the outside doors have been given to the glory of God in memory or honor of Highland friends, family and loved ones. Given in Memory of ~ Their parents, Sara and Jimmy Glenn and Wilma and Dave Blanco, by Sally and David Blanco Her husband, Dr. Paul Forrester Williams, and his wife, Susanne Hall Blanco, by Sally and David Blanco Her friends, LeeAnn Baker and Andrew Cook, by Erin Doyle His friends, John Kelleher, Frank Murphy, and Dick Opdyke, by John Doyle Their loved ones, by Katie and John Paterson Her mother, Polly Scott, by Jan and John Penick Her husband, Ed Rankin, by Fran Rankin Their friends, Flo and Wally Winfree, by Terry and Richard Sink Their parents, Peter and Polly Wilkie and David and Ruby Aitken, by Peter and Rev. Caryle Wilkie Given in Honor of ~ Their daughters, Carol Mohn and Laurie Smith, by Kay and Ken Chalk Proceeds from sale of the wreaths help support the programs of Boy Scout Troop #722. - 8 -