THE BRIGHT STAR OF BETHLEHEM IS BORN A Christmas Eve Service Our Savior Lutheran Church Newton, Iowa December 24, 2013
OR SAVIOR LTHERAN CHRCH Missouri Synod www.oursavlutheran.com Email: oursavr@iowatelecom.net Office Phone: 641-792-1084 Reverend John M. Moore, Pastor Email: pastorjmmoore@iowatelecom.net Cell Phone: 521-3000 Rev. Dr. Fungchatou & Kalia Lo, Our Missionaries, Phnom Penh, Cambodia Rev. Carl & Chen Hsi Li Hanson Our Missionaries, Hong Kong, China Christmas Eve December 24, 2013 We have a hearing assistance system. Contact an usher if you would like to use a personal receiver. Welcome to Our Savior Lutheran Church! We thank God you are here and pray that God s Word will speak to you today. Guests, we hope you will join us often as we gather around the Word. We want to know how we may serve you, so please sign the guest book. Also, please introduce yourself to those around you and to the Pastor. Those desiring to receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the Sacrament at the Altar, please review both sides of the Communion Registration Card in the pew before. If you are in agreement you may hand it to our usher as you come for communion. During winter months: If the Elders decide conditions are unsafe for conducting service, a message will be left on the answering machine. We will contact KCOB, WHO & KCCI and attempt to send out an email. Those Serving This Week Celebrant: Elder: Organist: Praise Band Leaders: Choir Director: Media Team Lay Readers: shers: Greeters: Altar Guild: Acolyte: Bulletin Assembler: Pastor John Moore Randy Ervin Joy McGinley Sarah & Emma Glenn Julia Dlouhy Doug Woebbeking Carole Zimmermann Jim Krizman & Steve Shelton Tim & Linda Glenn Mary Ervin Jake VanDalen JoAnn Bringolf Attendance 12/18 25 Elders at Our Savior Chairman Doug Ringger Secretary Rick Hartz Charities Bill Rozendaal shers/music Gary Gerdts Altar Guild Gary Gerdts Lay Readers/Greeters Randy Ervin 2
THE BRIGHT STAR OF BETHLEHEM IS BORN A CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE December 24, 2013 WELCOME AND ANNONCEMENTS OPENING HYMN The First Noel BRIGHT STAR RESPONSORY P In the beginning God made the lights to brighten the sky. He made two bright lights, and he also made the stars. C In the beginning God made the light of the Bright Morning Star shine into a world of darkness. P Even after human beings fell into the darkness of sin, God said to his servant Abraham, Look up at the sky and count the stars if indeed you can count them. Then he promised him, C So shall your offspring be. P And when the time was right, God s one and only Offspring descended to earth to bring light and life to all people. C Come into our hearts, O Bright Morning Star. P God s promises have come true. The light has brightened the night. C The Star of Bethlehem rises in our hearts. LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLES P Darkness cannot overcome the light. Five flames remind us that the light of the Christ child defeats the deepest depths of darkness and brings life and immortality to light. One candle is lit to remind us of hope. C The prophets foretold a Messiah to come. People waited in expectation. Hope was fulfilled. P One candle is lit to remind us of love. C God poured out his heart in the form of his Son. The Child was born of a woman. Love was fulfilled. P One candle is lit to remind us of joy. C Angels sang Gloria. Shepherds ran to tell. Joy was fulfilled. 3
P One candle is lit to remind us of peace. C The Prince of Peace was promised. The Child was peace in human form. Peace was fulfilled. P One white candle is lit to remind us of the Bright Star of Bethlehem sinless, spotless, shining, pure. C The Bright Star of Bethlehem shining this night has made us whiter than snow. CONFESSION AND ABSOLTION P The Psalmist said, When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? The sheer number of stars sometimes makes us feel insignificant. But our sin makes us more than insignificant; it condemns us to darkness and death. Let us take a moment to silently confess our sins to God, our heavenly Father. (Silence for prayer and reflection) P On Christmas Eve the Bright Star of Bethlehem was born to shine the light and love of God to a world filled with darkness and sin. His light has conquered the darkness, and his death and resurrection have given birth to forgiveness and life. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. And all God s people said, C Amen. HYMN Angels from the Realm of Glory PRAYER OF THE DAY P O Bright Star of Bethlehem, on this night the beam of your light shines forth from the manger for all the world to see. As it reaches our eyes enable us to take in the love and peace it contains. Then let the warm glow you have placed in our hearts shine forth so that others see the glory of your light and your love. For your light is always new, never ending, ever shining. Amen. CHILDREN S SERMON OLD TESTAMENT READING Micah 5:2-4 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who 4
is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth EPISTLE READING Galatians 4:4-7 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father! So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. GOSPEL READING Luke 2:1-16 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 5
HYMN O Little Town of Bethlehem SERMON by Pastor John Moore The Bright Star is Born OFFERING GREETING P May Jesus, the Baby of Bethlehem, be with you always. C And also with you. P Sing to the LORD a new song for He has done marvelous things. C His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him. Psalm 98:1 PROPER PREFACE P It is truly good, right, and salutary... evermore praising You and saying: SANCTS Holy God, We Praise Thy Name LSB 940 Stz. 1 & 4 P As we prepare to receive Christ today in the Lord s Supper we join as one in praying our family prayer. LORD S PRAYER WORDS OF INSTITTION AGNS DEI When All the World Was Cursed LSB 346 Stz. 3 DISTRIBTION HYMNS O Come, All Ye Faithful LSB 379 Gentle Mary Laid Her Child LSB 374 Now Sing We, Now Rejoice LSB 386 Joy to the World LSB 387 CANDLELIGHT CEREMONY (Candles are lit from the Christ Candle at the center of the Advent wreath, and the flames are spread throughout the congregation.) + Reading 6
It Came upon a Midnight Clear + Reading What Child Is This + Reading Angels Sang about His Birth + Reading Silent Night (The congregation s candles are extinguished.) BENEDICTION CLOSING HYMN Away in a Manger By Tom Eggebrecht. 2013 by Creative Communications for the Parish, 1564 Fencorp Dr., Fenton, MO 63026. 800-325-9414. www. creativecommunications.com. All rights reserved. Printed in the SA. 7
Lord, Teach us to Pray Remember in your prayers... Gladys Jenkins, hospitalized at niversity of Iowa Hospital. Max Hodges, who now resides at the Veterans Home in Marshalltown. Darlene Seibert, Amanda Hartz s mom, as she has started radiation. Roger Holst, ongoing health concerns. More than 10,000 people who feared dead and thousands more who have lost their homes in the wake of the typhoon in the Philippines. The Ministry of the Hephzibah House. Rod Brouwer of the Ministries of Grace Without Borders. The Ministry of The Pregnancy Center of Central Iowa. Fungchatou & Kalia Lo, Pastor Jesse and Pastor Sarath, Our Missionaries to Cambodia. Carl & Chen Hsi Li Hanson, Our Missionaries to Hong Kong, China. Ed Strohschein, Business Manager for LCMS World Mission - Asian - Pacific. The Malaria Initiative and the end of Malaria deaths in the world. Jon & Julie Muhly, Our Missionaries in Eurasia 8