First Presbyterian Church For Christ in the Heart of Charlotte Founded in 1821 Order of Worship December 24, 2017 Christmas Eve 8 p.m. You are invited to use the time before the service to prepare your heart and mind for worship. In consideration of others, please silence your cell phones.
Large-print hymnals and Bibles are available. Please let an usher know if you would like one. Prelude Variations on Adeste Fideles Marcel Dupré Words of Welcome The Reverend Pen Peery Lighting of the Christ Candle Anna and Chris Katz One: With the birth of Christ, salvation has drawn near. The God who ordered the chaos of the universe has come down into the chaos of our world. The Word which was with God at the beginning came down and lived with us. All: We rejoice that the Light of the World is among us! One: We light this candle for Christ. All: On this night we remember that God has come in the Christ child. *Carol No. 133 O Come, All Ye Faithful adeste fideles Prayer of Adoration The Reverend Erika Funk Scripture Luke 2:1-7 pew Bible pg. 58 Anthem A Babe Is Born William Mathias A babe is born all of a may, to bring salvation unto us. To him we sing both night and day. Veni Creator Spiritus. At Bethlehem, that blessed place, the child of bliss now born he was; And him to serve God give us grace, O lux beata Trinitas. There came three kings out of the East, to worship the King that is so free, with gold and myrrh and frankincense, A solis ortus cardine. The angels came down with one cry, a fair song that night sung they in worship of that child: Gloria tibi Domine. Gloria. The Christmas Eve offering will be collected for the Men s Shelter of Charlotte, which is dedicated to providing safe emergency shelter while working to end homelessness for each man. Scripture Luke 2:8-20 pew Bible pg. 58 *Carol No. 113 Angels We Have Heard on High" gloria Scripture John 1:1-14 pew Bible pg. 91 Sermon Words Make Worlds The Reverend Pen Peery *Carol No. 121 O Little Town of Bethlehem st. louis Prayers of the People The Reverend Katelyn Gordon Cooke
Christmas Offering Offertory Anthem Still, Still, Still arr. Norman Luboff Still, still, still one can hear the falling snow. For all is hushed, the world is sleeping. Holy Star, its vigil keeping. Still, still, still one can hear the falling snow. Sleep, sleep, sleep, tis the eve of our Saviour s birth. The night is peaceful all around you. Close your eyes, let sleep surround you. Sleep, sleep, sleep, tis the eve of our Saviour s birth. Dream, dream, dream of the joyous day to come. While guardian angels without number watch you as you sweetly slumber, dream, dream, dream of the joyous day to come. Prayer of Dedication and The Lord s Prayer 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen. The Light Shines in the Darkness The candle lighters will light their candles from the pastors candles. They will light the candle of the first worshipper in each pew, who in turn will light the candle of his or her neighbor until all the candles in the pew are lit. *Carol No. 122 Silent Night, Holy Night stille nacht During the final stanza, please lift your candle. 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." 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. *Benediction As the lights come on, please extinguish your candle and exit the sanctuary in peace. As you depart the service, please place your used candles in the metal trash cans outside the sanctuary. * Please stand if you are able.
We are glad you are with us today! We welcome all to First Presbyterian Church as we worship together, knowing that each of us is a beloved part of the body of Christ. Our Pastors Pendleton B. Peery Senior Pastor ppeery@firstpres-charlotte.org Katelyn Gordon Cooke Associate Pastor for Christian Formation kcooke@firstpres-charlotte.org Erika Funk Associate Pastor for Mission efunk@firstpres-charlotte.org Katherine C. Kerr Senior Associate Pastor for Congregational Care kkerr@firstpres-charlotte.org Charles C. Williamson Parish Associate cwilliamson@firstpres-charlotte.org William P. Young, III Director of Music Ministries wyoung@firstpres-charlotte.org Are you interested in joining our church? Contact Lucy Caldwell Membership Coordinator lcaldwell@firstpres-charlotte.org Pastor on call If you have a pastoral emergency outside of regular church hours, dial 704.927.0256 for the on-call voicemail. Your call will be returned promptly. 200 West Trade Street Charlotte, NC 28202 www.firstpres-charlotte.org 704.332.5123 News and Announcements The Gathering Place on Sunday Mornings is Moving! Beginning Sunday, January 7, the coffee and fellowship space will move to Wood Fellowship Hall. Stop by for a cup of coffee, learn more about different ministries, and visit with others on your way to or from worship or Formation classes. worship We worship in ways that speak of God s majesty, mystery and love. No Wednesday Worship on December 27 We will resume the service on Wednesday, January 3. Seminary Student Sunday on December 31 There will be one service at 11 a.m. Member and seminarian Tommy Holderness will preach; other seminarians participating will be Gail Henderson-Belsito, Natalie Raygor and Selina Malherbe. care We aim to provide support, prayer, love and acts of compassion as we seek to draw closer to one another in community. Motherless Moms Support Group On Tuesday, January 9, join other women who are grieving the loss of their mothers as they are raising children. Noon in Frances Browne Dining Room. For more information, please contact The Reverend Katherine Kerr, kkerr@firstpres-charlotte. org. serve We go into the world to seek and serve and walk alongside our family in faith. Room in the Inn The 2017-18 season for Room in the Inn is underway. During these coldest months of winter, FPC opens its doors to our neighbors in need on Monday and Tuesday nights to offer hospitality, warm beds, and food. Sign up online on the Now@FPC page. Ministry with our partners in Haiti On February 1-6, a team from FPC will visit our brothers and sisters in Bayonnais, Haiti. Come see firsthand what our church is doing through God s grace in Haiti. learn Through study at every age and stage, we aim to become more Christlike and deepen our relationship with our Lord. New Year s Eve There will be no Formation Classes or First Church next Sunday, December 31. Our regular schedule of classes and First Church will resume on January 7. Save the Date: Youth Fundraiser Sunday, February 25, 2018 Mark your calendars now for the Congregational Breakfast to support the Youth Ministry mission fund. Tickets go on sale in January. Still Time to Pledge, Make End-of-Year Contributions The last week of the year is a good time to carry out decisions about your pledge to the 2018 Stewardship Campaign or to make end-of-year contributions. Both pledges and contributions can be made online at the bottom right of any page on the website. In order for your contributions to be deductible on your 2017 taxes, they must be postmarked December 31, 2017, or completed online before midnight on December 31.
*Hymn No. 133 O Come, All Ye Faithful" 1 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! 2 True God from true God, Light from light eternal, born of a virgin, a mortal he comes; very God, begotten, not created! 3 Sing, choirs of angels; sing in exultation; sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest! 4 Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to thee be all glory given; Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing! *Hymn No. 113 Angels We Have Heard on High" 1 Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o er the plains, and the mountains in reply echoing their joyous strains. 2 Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be which inspire your heavenly song? 3 Come to Bethlehem and see him whose birth the angels sing; come, adore on bended knee Christ, the Lord, the newborn King. *Hymn No. 121 O Little Town of Bethlehem" 1 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. 2 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 *Hymn No. 122 proclaim the holy birth, and praises sing to God the king, and peace to all on earth. 3 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. Silent Night, Holy Night" 4 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! 1 Silent night! Holy night! All is dark, save the light Yonder, where they sweet vigils keep, O'er the Babe who in silent sleep Rests in heavenly peace, Rests in heavenly peace. 2 Silent night! Peaceful night! Darkness flies, all is light; Shepherds hear the angels sing, "Alleluia! hail the King! Jesus the Savior is born. 3 Silent night! Holy night! Guiding Star, lend thy light! See the Eastern wise men bring Gifts and homage to our King! Jesus the Savior is born! 4 Silent night! Holiest night! Wondrous Star, lend thy light! With the angels let us sing Alleluia to our King! Jesus the Savior is born!