Christmas Eve Service
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE
Any of the following scriptures may be used on Christmas Eve:
Isaiah 9:2-7, Isaiah 62:6-12, Isaiah 52:7-10, Psalm 96, Psalm 97, Psalm 98,
Titus 2:11-14, Titus 3:4-7, Hebrews 1:1-12, Luke 2:1-20, John 1:1-14
Prelude
Litany of Light:
Reader 1:
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Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice! |
Reader 2:
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Listen now to what we say: News! News! Jesus Christ is born
today. |
Reader 3:
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O sing to the Lord a new song; |
Reader 1:
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sing to the Lord, all the earth. |
Reader 2:
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Sing to the Lord, bless God’s name; |
Reader 3:
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tell of God’s salvation from day to day. |
All:
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Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice!
Now you need not fear the grave: Peace! Peace!
Jesus Christ was born to save!
Christ was born to save! Christ was born to save!
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*Hymn: “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice”
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HS 260 |
*Invocation
*Response
Meditation and Candle Lighting
As the thoughts are presented, light the previous Sundays’ candles.
Do you remember as a teenager saying to a parent, “You just
don’t understand me!”? Do you remember a saying from the late 1990s
attributed to God, “What part of ‘thou shalt not’ don’t you
understand?”
Through the ages, the God of the Old Testament spoke through
prophets. But people just didn’t understand. God was present in all of
history. But people still didn’t get it. People viewed God as being apart from
them.
Do you remember as the parent of a teenager saying, “I was
a teenager once, too. I know something about what you are going through”? You
were trying to communicate that you understand some of what the teenage years
are like.
Similarly, God sent Jesus Christ into our world so he could
communicate God’s understanding. It is almost like God is saying, “I
understand what it is like to live on earth. I am there with you.”
Emmanuel: God with us. Jesus showed us, taught us, lived
among us, and loved us. Tonight we celebrate and affirm that God is with
us. Jesus, our Emmanuel.
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Hymn: “Once in Royal David’s City”
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HS 240 |
Scripture: Luke 2:1-14
Cradle Rocking Experience
Our story is a very simple story, the birth of a baby.
There were a loving mother and father and a cradle. Sense the wonder of the
simple scene as we sing.
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Hymn: “Away in a Manger”
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HS 232/233 |
As the hymn is sung, Mary and Joseph come forward with a
cradle and straw to form a nativity. Invite all to come forward and take a turn
gently rocking the baby’s cradle. If the hymn is finished, continue playing
other lullaby carols until everyone has had opportunity to rock the cradle.
Deeds of Love
The cradle has no baby in it. Jesus is not being born in
this cradle tonight. He is being born in us. Jesus is born into our world
every time we do a kind act for others. As we sing the next hymn, come forward
again, take the straw, and prepare the cradle for the baby Jesus.
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Hymn: “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly”
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HS 242 |
Sharing
Let’s spend a few moments informally sharing with others
tonight. Find a person in the congregation who has done something kind for
you. Go to that person and share your thankfulness with them. As a
congregation we will spend about five minutes sharing with each other. OR ask
two people to be prepared to share short testimonies of God’s love with us
through the acts of other people. “I know God is with us because…”
Call the people back to their seats by playing HS 237 “Angels We
Have Heard on High.”
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Hymn: “Angels We Have Heard on High”
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HS 237 |
Scripture: Luke 2: 15-20
At this point, dim the lights of the sanctuary, if
possible, spotlighting the nativity scene. You may want to add other persons
from the Christmas story to the scene (shepherds, angels, etc.). Light the
Christ candle during the singing of this next song.
Solo: “O Holy Night”
Pastoral Prayer
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*Hymn: “Silent Night! Holy Night!”
*Sending Forth
Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
God is with us.
Christ is born tonight!
*Postlude
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HS 244 |
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