1 ST. MARK EV. LUTHERAN CHURCH 502 West 7th Street Mankato, MN www.stmarkmankato.org and RISEN SAVIOR LUTHERAN SCHOOL www.risensaviorlutheranschool.com December 25, 2014 Our Order of Service This Christmas Morning Please stand M: Almighty Triune God, before whom all angels hide their faces, and in whose presence they delight, with all reverence and joy we acknowledge your glory and worship you: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. C: Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! Joyful, all you nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies; With the angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem! Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King! M: Confessing our many sin and our unworthiness, we beg you re your mercy and forgiveness, for the sake of Jesus Christ, who is the Word made flesh to dwell among us, full of grace and truth. C: Christ by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, Late in time behold Him come, offspring of a virgin's womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see. Hail the incarnate Deity! Pleased as man with us to dwell; Jesus, our Immanuel! Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King! M: 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. 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.
2 C: Hail, the heavenly 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. Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King! M: This is the day the Lord has made; C: let us rejoice and be glad in it! M: To us a child is born C: To us a son is given. M: A Savior has been born to you. C: He is Christ the Lord. M: Glory to God in the highest C: And on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests. M: This is how God showed his love among us: C: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. M: This is love, not that we loved God, C: But that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. M: You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, C: Yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. SUNG RESPONSE: CW #67, What Child is This I. THE WORD WAS GOD M: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. C: In him was life, and that life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4) M: Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad. You are not yet fifty years old, the Jews said to him, and you have seen Abraham! C: I tell you the truth, Jesus answered, before Abraham was born, I am! (John 8:56-58)
3 M: "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, C: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. (Revelation 22:12-13) M: We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. C: And we are in him who is true even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20) SUNG RESPONSE: CW #50, Once in Royal David s City II. THE WORD BECAME FLESH M: But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, Abba, Father. C: So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. (Galatians 4:4-7) M: Christ Jesus, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. C: And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8) M: 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. C: 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. (Luke 2:4-7) SUNG RESPONSE: C W #65, O Little Town of Bethlehem III. WE HAVE SEEN HIS GLORY M: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me has
4 surpassed me because he was before me. From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. C: No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. (John 1:14-18) M: Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, C: and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11) M: 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. C: 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. (Luke 2:8-14) SUNG RESPONSE: CW #55, Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful SERMONETTE OFFERING: (Please sign the guest register located in each pew) PRAYER OF THE CHURCH FOR CHRISTMAS DAY M: On this holy day, dear Father, we rejoice to hear the good news of great Joy that a Savior has been born for us. For fulfilling your prophesies and in the fullness of time sending your Son to be our Savior, we give you our heartfelt thanks and praise. C: Unto us a child is born! Unto us a Son is given! M: What a great mystery of our faith this is, that God has become a man to be our Savior! Even though wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger, He is still the all-powerful Lord of all, who willingly and lovingly became fully human.
5 C: Help us always to believe that this precious child was born as our substitute to be our Savior. M: In the midst of our joy, we grieve for the many people in our world who do not know that Jesus has come to bring them forgiveness and healing. As the shepherds spread abroad the good news of the birth of the Savior born for all the world, may we also make use of the unique opportunities this holiday present to tell others of what we have seen and heard concerning the child. C: Grant that the true peace on earth between God and fallen mankind may comfort all people. M: As the angels sang out their praise, move us also to sing out our praise to you, not just today, but every day, as the joy of Christmas remains in our hearts. C: Glory to God in the highest! Amen. THE LORD S PRAYER CW# 65 - O Little Town of Bethlehem CW# 60 Silent Night CW# 36 A Great and Mighty Wonder CLOSING PRAYER: M: Hear the prayer of your people, O Lord, that the lips which have praised you here my glorify you in the world, that the eyes which have seen the coming of your Son may long for his coming again, and that all who have received in his true body and blood the pledge of your forgiveness may be restored to live a new and holy life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen BLESSING M: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace. C: (sung) Amen. Amen. Amen. CLOSING HYMN CW#62 Joy to the World POSTLUDE: Organ/Piano Selections
6 Organ/Piano: Mrs. Michele Wiederich Solo: Jess Ziemer Pastor: Keith Siverly Wishing one and all a blessed Christmas And a Happy New Year