December 24th 2022 Christmas Eve Services.

 

First Lutheran Church

 

   Welcome to our 2022 Christmas Eve Worship Service!

 

 

 

4pm Beth & Julie Duet: In the Bleak Midwinter

Unto us a child is born. Unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be on his shoulder; and his name shall be called wonderful, mighty counselor, the Prince of peace. O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he has done marvelous things. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

 

 

HYMN:  “Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful”…………………………………………….Green 45

1.       Oh, come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant! Oh, come ye,

oh, come ye to Bethlehem; Come and behold him – born the king of angels;

Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him

Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

2.      The highest, most holy, Light of light eternal, Born of a virgin,

a mortal he comes;  Son of the Father, Now in flesh appearing! … Refrain

3.      Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning; Jesus,

to thee be glory given; Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; … Refrain

 

 

Blessed are you, O Christ, Son of God, you were before time began, and came into the world to save us.

Blessed are you, Son of Righteousness,

you shine with the Father’s love and illumine the whole universe

Blessed are you, Son of Mary; born a child, you shared our humanity.

Let heaven and earth ring out their praise.

O Mystery of the Word made flesh, with all the voices of heaven, we celebrate your coming as our Savior.

Let men and women and angels sing of your glory.

O Splendor of the Father’s Light, with all the creatures on earth we sing and dance at your birth.

Praise and honor and glory to you, O Incarnate Word.

Today the Christ is born. Today has a Savior appeared? Today on earth Angels are singing.

Today the righteous exult and say, Glory to God in the highest. Alleluia.

 

 

HYMN: “Angels We Have Heard on High”……………………………………...Green 71

1.       Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains. … Refrain

Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

2.      Come to Bethlehem and see Christ Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King.  … Refrain

 

4pm Solo: Luciana “Mary did you Know”

Prayer:  Almighty God, you have made this holy night shine with the brightness of the true Light. Grant that here on earth we may walk in the light of Jesus' presence and in the last day wake to the brightness of his glory; through your only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen

 

 Isaiah 9:2-7  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness-on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy… For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore.

 

 HYMN  “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”   2 verses……………………….……....Green 54  

1. It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold; "Peace on the earth, good will to men From heaven's all-gracious King" The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing.

2. Still through the cloven skies they come With peaceful wings unfurled, And still their heavenly music floats O'er all the weary world; Above its sad and lowly plains They bend on hovering wing, And ever o'er its Babel sounds The blessed angels sing.

 

CHOIR: One Small Child

 

Luke 2:1-7 In those days a decree went out from the Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

 

 HYMN: “Joy to the World”  vss. 1, 3, & 4…………………………………………….Green 39

1. Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive its King; Let every heart prepare him room And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

2. No more let sin and sorrow 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.

3. 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.

 

SERMON

 

HYMN: “O Little Town of Bethlehem”  vss. 1 & 4……………………………….…..Green 41    

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. 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!

I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever.  With my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.  To us you have brought abundant joy.  Before you we rejoice and sing.  The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light.   For those abiding in the land of death, a new splendor has appeared.  God of love, Father of all, the darkness that covered the earth has given way to the bright dawn of your Word made flesh. Make us a people of this light. Make us faithful to your Word, that we may bring your life to the waiting world; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

 

OFFERING:  4p Julie & Beth Duet: Ave Maria

1. Green 40  What Child is this, who laid to rest, On Mary's lap is sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing:

Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the Babe the Son of Mary.

 

2. So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,  Come peasant king to own Him,
The King of kings, salvation brings,  Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise the song on high,  The Virgin sings her lullaby:
Joy, joy, for Christ is born,  The Babe, the Son of Mary!

 

 

PRAYER:  Loving God, like Mary and Joseph, who trusted in your grace despite their fear, their poverty, their lack of certainty, we offer ourselves and our gifts to you.  Bless our offering and hallow our every thought and action, that Christ may be born in us and through us be revealed to those who yet walk in darkness.  Amen.

 

The Lord be with you.  And also with you.       Lift up your hearts.    We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.               It is right to give him thanks and praise.

It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, through Christ our Lord. In the wonder and mystery of the Word made flesh you have opened the eyes of faith to a new and radiant vision of your glory; that, beholding the God made visible, we may be drawn to love the God whom we cannot see.   Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me. Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me. And now as our Savior taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father…

 

 

HYMN: “The First Noel”………………………………………………………...Green 56

1. The first Noel the angel did say Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay; 

In fields where they lay tending their sheep, on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.

 

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel.

 

2. And by the light of that same star Three Wise Men came from country far;
   To seek for a King was their intent, And to follow the star wherever it went. Refrain

 

3. This star drew nigh to the northwest, Over Bethlehem it took its rest;
And there it did both stop and stay, Right over the place where Jesus lay. Refrain

 

 

MUSIC, 4pm Macie and Ellie Duet, accompanied by Diane:  “Lovely Christmas Eve”

HYMN:   “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing”……………………………………..Green 60

1.       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 angelic hosts proclaim, “Christ is born

in Bethlehem!” Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn king!”

 

2.      Hail the heaven born Prince of Peace! Hail the sun 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 each child of earth,

  Born to give us 2nd birth. Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn king!

 

MUSIC

PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH THE FLAME AND WAX

 

John 1:1-14  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. In him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it...  The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth.

 

 

1. 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.

 

2. 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.

 

 3. 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.

 

1. 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.

 

2 The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes, but little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.

I love you, Lord Jesus; look down from the sky, and stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

 

3. Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask you to stay close by me for ever, and love me, I pray.

Bless all the dear children in your tender care, & fit us for heaven, to live with you there.

 

Song of Simeon:  Lord, now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled. My own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to lighten the nations and the glory of your people Israel. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. (Luke 2:29-32)

 

Merry Christmas! Thank you for being here tonight.  God Bless you and yours.

Cassie Lynch

  · 

The year my dad- who was a pastor at the time- was caught in his addiction, the Church leadership asked him and my mom to not attend the Christmas Eve service. The investigation was ongoing and they wanted him to step back while it happened.

What they didn't count on, I don't think, was for me to show up at the service.

I have a deep commitment to tradition so when my parents said we weren't going to the service, I resolved to go by myself.

Under the weight of uncertainty and the fear of what I had suspected might just be a true accusation, I showed up to the candlelight service.

Families were there to celebrate, it was Christmas after all.

I found my usual spot at the front and as the first carols rang out, my tears began to fall. I felt like an imposter. I was a cloud of grief and darkness amidst a cheerful celebration. I felt guilty for dampening the time of rejoicing

As I sat I found myself talking to Jesus. "I'm ruining your party," I told him.

It was his response in that moment that changed Christmas for me forever. He told me, Cassie I came to that manger as a baby not for those in celebration, but for those in mourning.

I came for you. In this moment. Right here.

For the first time in my relatively easy life, I was tasting heartache (and oh if only I knew how much more would come). And it was there that Jesus showed me the heart of Christmas. Jesus stepped down to pursue the broken and the hurting and the lost.

If this year broke you down. Isolated you. Left you grieving or fearful or hurt. I want you to know that you don't have to muster up cheer. You don't have to feel like a downer in the midst of celebration. You can sit at the feet of a savior who came for you where you're at right now. That's how Immanuel works. It's God with us in the dirt giving us hope in the face of despair.

"Those who walk in darkness have seen a great light, on those living in spaces of deepest darkness a light has dawned." - Isaiah 9:2