Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service *HYMN …

1 Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion ServiceDecember 24, 20168:00 PRELUDE In the Bleak Midwinter Rasley O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Young There s a Song in the Air Wells While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks Young Sheep May Safely Graze BachTHE GATHERING*WELCOME & RITUAL OF FRIENDSHIP*CHORAL CALL TO WORSHIPC hrist Savior Children s ChoirLIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATHPhil and Ann Allen,Amy and Amanda RitchieBIDDING PRAYERRev. Ellen Campbell Gardner *HYMN O Come, All Ye Faithful ADESTE FIDELESO come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant,O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!Come, and behold Him, Born the King of angels!RefrainO come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!

2 Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning,Jesus, to Thee be all glory given;Word of the Father, Now in flesh appearing! (Refrain)Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation!Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!Glory to God, all Glory in the highest! (Refrain)THE WORDTHE FIRST LESSONG enesis 3:8-15(responsively)Linda VanPeltLeader:The story of God s gift of human redemption, which we celebrate thisChristmas Eve began when Adam and Eve heard the sound of theLord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze. Theman and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord Godamong the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man,and said to him, Where are you?

3 People:He said, I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hidmyself. (continued )Leader:God said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten fromthe tree of which I commanded you not to eat? People:The man said, The woman you gave to be with me,she gave me the fruit from the tree, and I ate. Leader:Then the Lord God said to the woman, What is this you have done? People:The woman said, The serpent tricked me, and I ate. Leader:The Lord God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, cursedare you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon yourbelly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I willput enmity between you and the woman, and your offspring and hers; hewill strike your head, and you will strike his heal.

4 ALL:This is the story of our fall, the beginning of sins bondageand the purpose of Jesus Christ s redemption.*HYMN Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence PICARDYLet all mortal flesh keep silence,And with fear and trembling stand;Ponder nothing earthly minded,For with blessing in His hand,Christ our God to earth descendeth,Our full homage to SECOND LESSONI saiah 9:2a-7Ed Kusper O Holy Night THE THIRD LESSONLuke 1:26-38 Kevin HamiltonANTHEM Mary Did You Know? Mark Lowry and Buddy GreeneTHE FOURTH LESSONLuke 2:1-7(responsively)Marcia GraybealLeader:And a child shall lead them. The words of the prophet linger in ourears. Improbable as they may have seemed, God was faithful to hispromise.

5 Will you join me in the immortal story of our :And it came to pass in those days, that there went out adecree from Caesar Augustus that all the world shouldbe taxed.(And this taxing was first made whenCyrenius was governor or Syria.) And all went to betaxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph alsowent up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, intoJudaea, unto the city of David, which is calledBethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage ofDavid.) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, beinggreat with child. And so it was, that, while they werethere, the days were accomplished that she should bedelivered.

6 And she brought forth her firstborn son, andwrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in amanger; because there was no room for them in theinn. Behold our Savior has come.*HYMN Away in a Manger CRADLE SONGAway in a manger, no crib for His bed,The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay,The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.*HYMN What Child Is This GREENSLEEVESWhat Child is this, who, laid to rest, On Mary s lap is sleeping?Whom angels greet with anthems sweetWhile 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!Why lies He in such mean estate Where ox and ass are feeding?

7 Good Christian, fear; for sinners here The silent Word is , this is Christ the King,Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the Babe, the Son of Mary!*HYMN Still, Still, Still STILL, STILL, STILLS leep, sleep, sleep, He lies in slumber deepWhile angel hosts from heaven come winging,Sweetest songs of joy are , sleep, sleep, He lies in slumber FIFTH LESSONJohn 1:1-5; 9-14 Rev. Campbell GardnerRev. Sergio Schmidt *HYMN Hark! The Herald Angels Sing MENDELSSOHNHark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies;With the angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem!

8 Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King! Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord!Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of the virgin s in flesh the God-head see; Hail the incarnate Deity,Please in flesh with us to dwell, Jesus, our ! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King! Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the sun of righteousness!Light and life to all He brings, Risen with healing in His He lays His glory by, Born that we no more may die,Born to raise us from the earth, Born to give us second ! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King! MEDITATIONANTHEM Once in Royal David s City GauntlettTHELORD S SUPPERINVITATION TO THE LORD S TABLETHE PRAYER OFTHANKSGIVINGOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.

9 Thykingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as weforgive our debtors; and lead us notus from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and theglory, forever. WORDS OF THE INSTITUTIONCOMMUNION OF THE PEOPLE(Please come forward, starting with the back row and movingaisle to receive Communion . Please returnto your seatsPRAYER AFTER COMMUNIONGod and Father of Jesus, you have sent your Son to be ourSavior: our light in the midst of darkness, our hope in the faceof threats, our peace amidturmoil. In your Word andhave seen him and know that your promises are true. Send usforth from this assembly to live in hope and peace, until wegather again to worship at his table.)

10 This we ask in the name ofJesus, the Lord. GOD S TITHES & OUR OFFERINGSO ffertory Away in a Manger*Doxology 592 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise God, all creatures here below;Praise God above, ye heavenly host;Praise Father, Son, and HolyGhost. Amen.*Prayer of DedicationTHE SENDING*BLESSING AND CHARGE*CAROL Silent Night1 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 night, Holy night!Son of God, love s pure lightRadiant beams from Thy holy face,With the dawn of redeeming grace,Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,Jesus, Lord, at Thy quakeGlories stream from heaven afar,Heavenly hosts sing: Alleluia!