Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service of Lessons & Carols

Transcription

1 Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service of Lessons & Carols 24 December :30 p.m. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11 Prelude Welcome Lighting of the Christ Candle Rev. Dwight Basham Children of the Church Anthem Chancel Choir & Congregation On Christmas Night All Christians Sing (When directed, the Congregation will please rise and sing.) Chancel Choir On Christmas night all Christians sing, to hear the news the angels bring: News of great joy of great mirth, news of our merciful King s birth. When sin departs before His grace, then life and health come in its place; Angels with joy gladly sing, they join to praise the newborn King. Sing Alleluia, Glory to God! Sing praise to Him who reigns above; Sing Alleluia, Glory to God! Sing praise to Him who gives His love. Sing praise around the manger stall, Glory to God and peace to all! Chancel Choir & Congregation 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. O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him! Christ the Lord! Chancel Choir Come, praise the Son of God in song: Glory to God, sing praise, alleluia! (Arr. Patrick M. Liebergen Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.) Invocation Rev. Basham

2 Service of Lessons and Carols The First Lesson The prophet foretells of a coming Savior. Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 Reader: Lydia Basham Solo O Holy Night Mrs. Pepper Basham The Second Lesson Luke 1:26-38 The angel Gabriel announces to the virgin Mary that she will bear the Son of the Most High. Reader: Andrew Carey Anthem Still Is the Night Chancel Choir Still is the night, one lonely candle glowing in a stable so serene. Peaceful is the scene. Angels start to sing, alleluia. Glory to God. Glory to God in the highest. Still the night, quiet the manger; come and see the Savior who redeems. Could this be a dream? Is this child the King? Alleluia. Glory to God. Glory to God in the highest. Still, still, still, come and see the child so still. As Mary gently rocks her baby angels softly sing His praises. Still, still, still, come and see the child so still. Still the night, Jesus is sleeping, Mary is weeping tears of joy. Do you think she knows what the future holds? Alleluia. Glory to God. Glory to God in the highest. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. (J. Paul Williams Joseph M. Martin 2002 Malcolm Music & Harold Flammer Music/ Shawnee Press, Inc.) The Third Lesson Jesus is born in Bethlehem. Luke 2:1-7 Reader: Abby Carey Anthem Sing Noel, Sing Hallelujah Chancel Choir Come, behold this Child in the manger, gift of the Father's great love. Angels look down as His glory surrounds them, starlight from heaven above. Sing Noel, sing hallelujah; God with us now come to dwell. Sing Noel lift, high His praises, Christ our Emmanuel, Christ our Emmanuel. Lift up your heads all who wander in darkness, shine, for your light has come. Down through the ages, though sin's battle rages, Christ, the Messiah has won. Sing Noel, sing hallelujah; come adore on bended knee. Sing Noel lift high praises, Christ, come to set us all free. Christ, come to set us all free.

3 Let ev'ry daughter and son of the Father rise on this Christmas morn. Let ev ry voice sing all praise and rejoicing, Christ, our Redeemer is born. Sing Noel, sing hallelujah, all creation great and small; Sing Noel, lift high His praises, Christ come to save us all. Christ come to save us all! (Michael W. Smith and David Hamilton 2007 Word Music, LLC; arr. Keith Christopher) The Fourth Lesson The shepherds go to the manger. Luke 2:8-16 Reader: Matthew King Anthem The First Noel Chancel Choir The first Noel, the angels did say, was to certain poor shepherds in fields where they lay, In fields where they lay keeping their sheep, on a cold winter s night that was so deep. Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel! Born is the King of Israel. They looked up and saw a star shining in the east, beyond them far. And to the earth it gave great light, and so it continued both day and night. Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel! Born is the King of Israel. Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel! Then let us all with one accord sing praises to our heav nly Lord, That hath made heav n and earth of naught, and with His blood mankind hath bought. Born is the King, Noel! (arr. Dan Forrest 2009 Beckenhorst Press, Inc.) The Fifth Lesson The wise men are led by the star to Jesus. Matthew 2:1-11 Reader: Benjamin Basham Carol What Child Is This GREENSLEEVES 1. 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. The Sixth Lesson John 1:1-14 The apostle John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation. Reader: Gabriel Thomas

4 Carol Joy to the World! The Lord Is Come ANTIOCH 1. Joy to the world! The Lord is come: Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare him room, And heav n and nature sing, And heav n and nature sing, And heav n, and heav n and nature sing. 3. No more let sins and sorrows 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 the curse is found. 2. Joy to the earth! The Savior reigns: Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat the sounding joy. 4. 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 of his love. Christmas Offering Offertory Christmas Meditation Rev. Basham The Sacrament of Holy Communion Jesus Christ himself invites all true believers to his table. If you are a baptized Christian and a faithful member of a church that embraces the gospel, you are welcome to eat this gracious meal with us. By taking the bread and the wine, you are acknowledging that you are a sinner without hope except in God s sovereign mercy, and that you are trusting in Christ alone for your salvation. Prayer of Thanksgiving Words of Institution Distribution of the Bread 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. 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!

5 Distribution of the Cup 1. Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King; peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies; With th angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem! Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King. Hark! the Herald Angels Sing 2. Hail the heav n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, ris n with healing in his wings. Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King. Passing the Light of Christ The Service of Light As the Carol is sung, we light our candles from the flame of the Christ Candle as a sign that Jesus Christ has come to take central place in his Church, and in the lives of all people who accept him as Lord and Savior. Carefully lift your unlit candle to the candle already lit. Please extinguish your candle following the conclusion of the Carol. Please return candles to the receptacles in the Narthex as you leave the Sanctuary. Candlelight Carol Silent Night! Holy Night! STILLE NACHT 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. 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. 2. Silent night! Holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight! Glories stream from heaven afar, Heavenly hosts sing alleluia; 4. Silent night! Holy night! Wondrous star, lend thy light; With the angels let us sing Alleluia to our King; Benediction Please stand as you are able.

6 No Nursery: Christmas Eve is a special family time to worship together and celebrate the birth of our Savior. There will be no Nursery. Christmas Offering: Your gifts this evening will assist PCA retired and disabled pastors, missionaries, church lay workers, pastors without call, their widows and dependent children who may have financial need. Ministry of Worship: Rev. Dwight Basham, Pastor & Interim Choir Director Mrs. Terri Money, Pianist Mrs. Sarah Roberson, Organist CHANCEL CHOIR Soprano: Pepper Basham, Melissa Bowers, Susan Broyles, Polly Little, Ellen Richardson, Sarah Roberson Alto: Earlene Blevins, Jan Blevins, Lillian Boot, Beth Henthorne, Celsete Mattaliano, Nancy Robinson, Rita Schuettler, Laura Thomas, Pam Turpin Tenor: Jesse Bryant, Aaron Basham, Benjamin Basham, Larry Brown, Gabriel Thomas, Jacob Thomas Bass: Al Richardson, Shawn Roberson, Ed Robinson, Ramon Sanchez-Vinas, Dave Turpin (CCLI License #911844)