December 24 Christmas Eve

Welcome
Rev. Fran Magoni
Prelude
Lighting of the Christ Candle
Opening Prayer (in unison)
Eternal God,
You have made this holy night shine
with the brightness of the true light.
Reveal yourself to us yet again
through the revelation of Christ’s light,
So that we may see the radiance of your glory in heaven,
and may find peace and goodwill among us;
Through Christ the holy light of the world we pray.
Amen.
*Hymn #192
“O Little Town of Bethlehem”
v.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.
v.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, proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the king, and peace to all on earth!
v 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.
v. 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

*Old Testament Reading

Isaiah 9:2, 6-7

Rev. Fran Magoni*Hymn #194 “It Came upon the Midnight Clear”

v. 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.v. 2 Still thro’ 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.v. 4 For lo! the days are hastening on, by prophet seen of old,When with the ever-circling years shall come the time foretoldWhen the new heav’n and earth shall own the Prince of Peace their KingAnd the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing.Christmas Eve Offering “Gesu Bambino”—YonCindy Smith and Ellen Hanson, duetNew Testament Reading Luke 2:1-20 Kellum FamilySpecial Music “O Holy Night” — Adolph Adam Betty Moon, soloChristmas Eve Meditation Rev. Mark Magoni Sacrament of Holy

Communion Invitation Rev. Fran Magoni

Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him,

who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another.Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another.

Confession and Pardon

Merciful God,

we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart.

We have failed to be an obedient church.

We have not done your will,

we have broken your law,

we have rebelled against your love,

we have not loved our neighbors,

and we have not heard the cry of the needy.

Forgive us, we pray.

Free us for joyful obedience,through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

All Pray in Silence

Hear the good news: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God’s love towards us.In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!Glory to God. Amen.The Great ThanksgivingThe Lord be with you.And also with you.We lift up our hearts and give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.You gave us life, and have shown us a love that never fails.In the fullness of time you gave your only Son Jesus Christ to be our Savior,and at his birth the angels sang glory to you in the highest and peace to your people on earth.And so with all the people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.Holy are you, and blessed is your son Jesus Christ.As Mary and Joseph went from Galilee to Bethlehem

and there found no room, so Jesus went from Galilee to Jerusalem and was despised and rejected.As in the poverty of a stable Jesus was born, so by the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.As your Word became flesh, born of woman, on that night long ago,so, on the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Take; eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”And so in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine.Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ,

that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world.Through your Son Jesus Christ, with your Holy Spirit, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father.

Amen.

Celebration of Holy CommunionPrayer of Illumination (in unison) Rev. Mark Magoni O God, who prepared of old our hearts and minds for the coming ofyour Son, and whose Spirit works to illuminate our darkened lives with the light of the Gospel, prepare now our minds and hearts, that we may dwell in Christ and He in us. Amen.Service of Candlelight*Hymn #199 “Silent Night, Holy Night”v. 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.v. 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! v. 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.v. 4 Silent Night! Holy Night! Wondrous star, lend thy light;with the angels let us sing, Al-le-lu-ia to our King;Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born!

Benediction Rev. Mark Magon