Bulletins for December 24, 2011. Click below to read more.

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WORSHIP DECEMBER 24, 2011, 4:00 p.m.
CHRISTMAS EVE

CHIMING OF THE HOUR James Klotz

PRELUDE Silent Night
Derek Matthews, pianist

INTROIT O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Elizabeth Jern
Kate Jern

LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH The Spears Family
* Unison Prayer:
Eternal God, source of all light and life, we give you
thanks for the coming of Christ, the light that shines in the darkness,
the life of all people. Let us walk in the light of the
Lord. Amen.

* HYMN 44 O Little Town of Bethlehem (verse 1)
accompanied by Children’s Chimes

PRAYER OF CONFESSION Lindsey Howell
Dear God, it is not always easy to be good. It is not always
easy to share. It is not always easy to be kind. For when we
haven’t, we ask forgiveness. Help us to remember Jesus and try
to be like him each day. We pray all these things in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

* PEACE OF CHRIST
Leader: The Peace of Christ be with you.
People: And also with you.

GREETINGS

SCRIPTURE READING Luke 2:1-7 Charlotte Spears
(page 54 in the pew Bible)

HYMN 41 O Come, All Ye Faithful (verse 1)
accompanied by Children’s Chimes
(we invite you to stay seated for this hymn)

SCRIPTURE READING Luke 2:8-20 Lauren Fairleigh
(page 54 in the pew Bible)

CHRISTMAS STORY Baron Mullis

* HYMN 31 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (verses 1-3)
accompanied by Children’s Chimes

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Taylor Morton

AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy
kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive
our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory,
forever. Amen.

OFFERING The Joy of Christmas arr. L. Larson
Handbell Choir (James Klotz, director)

PRAYER OF DEDICATION Joseph Cochran

* HYMN 40 Joy to the World (verses 1, 2, and 4)
accompanied by Handbell Choir

* BENEDICTION

* POSTLUDE Go, Tell It on the Mountain
Derek Matthews

* GIFT OF STARS
All children are invited to come forward during the postlude to receive their MPC
ornament for Christmas 2011.

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WORSHIP DECEMBER 24, 2011, 8:00 p.m.
CHRISTMAS EVE

PRELUDE Ave Maria Franz Biebl
Men’s Ensemble

INTROIT The First Noel/Mary, Mary arr. McLachlan/Huff

* CALL TO WORSHIP Baron Mullis
Leader: Unto us a child is born; unto us a Son is given.
People: His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Leader: Let us worship God!

* PROCESSIONAL CAROL O Come, All Ye Faithful
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!
Chorus: O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!
God of God, Light of Light,
Lo! He abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
Very God, begotten, not created. Chorus
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation!
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all Glory in the highest! Chorus
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning,
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing! Chorus

BIDDING PRAYER

WELCOME

FIRST LESSON The Messiah is foretold by Isaiah Isaiah 9:2-7

ANTHEM A Virgin Most Pure Traditional English
A virgin most pure, as the prophets do tell, hath brought forth a baby, as it hath befell, to be
our Redeemer from death, hell, and sin, which Adam’s transgression hath wrapped us in: and
therefore be merry, set sorrows aside; Christ Jesus our Savior was born on this tide. The King of
all kings to this world being brought, small store of fine linen to wrap him was sought; and when
she had swaddled her young son so sweet, within an ox-manger she laid him to sleep. Then God
sent an angel from heaven so high, to certain poor shepherds in fields where they lie, and bade
them no longer in sorrow to stay, because that our Savior was born on this day.

SECOND LESSON The peace that the Messiah will bring is foretold Isaiah 11:1-9

ANTHEM Love Came Down at Christmas Traditional Irish melody
Love came down at Christmas, love all lovely, love divine; love was born at Christmas; star
and angels gave the sign. Worship we the Godhead, love incarnate, love divine; worship we our
Jesus, but wherewith for sacred sign? Love shall be our token; love be yours and love be mine,
love to God and all men, love for plea and gift and sign.

* CAROL Angels We Have Heard on High
Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply echoing their joyous strains.
Gloria in excelsis Deo; Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee Christ, the Lord, the newborn King.
Gloria in excelsis Deo; Gloria in excelsis Deo.

THIRD LESSON The prophet foresees the glory of the coming of the Lord Isaiah 60:1-6

ANTHEM Susanni Richard Rodney Bennett
A little child there is y-born. Eia, eia, susanni. And he sprang out of Jesse’s thorn. Alleluya.
To save all us that were forlorn. Jesus is the childes names, and Mary mild she is his dame; and
so our sorrow’s turned to game. It fell upon the high midnight. The stars they shone both fair
and bright. The angels sang with all their might. Three Kings there came with their presents,
of gold and myrrh and frankincense, as clerkès sing in their sequence. Now sit we down upon
our knee, and pray we to the Trinity, our help and succor for to be. (text-14th century)

FOURTH LESSON The angel Gabriel visits the Virgin Mary Luke 1:26-33

CAROL Gabriel’s Message Basque carol

ANTHEM Canticle of the Turning Traditional Irish, arr. Cooney
(This text is loosely based on Mary’s Magnificat, found in Luke 1:46-55.)

FIFTH LESSON The birth of Jesus is told Luke 2:1-7

ANTHEM The Gift Traditional Shaker, arr. Chilcott
The gift we deliver, the gift we receive is the living spirit Mary did conceive, the royal gift
of love, incandescent flame is given to all mankind in His name. Joy, joy, it is our true delight
to receive on this wondrous night. A boy-child to Mary is born and His light will shine on beyond
the dawn.

TRIO What Child Is This? Traditional, arr. Foster/Huff

SIXTH LESSON The angels proclaim the Messiah’s birth Luke 2:8-14

ANTHEM Gloria in excelsis (from Gloria) Antonio Vivaldi
Glory to God in the highest.

SEVENTH LESSON The shepherds go to the manger Luke 2:15-20

ANTHEM What Strangers Are These? Old Scottish Carol, arr. Purvis
What strangers are these that wander through the town? Hush, ‘tis Joseph and weary Mary.
And what does he seek so hopeless and in vain? He is seeking shelter for Mary, for she is the
blest and chosen of the Lord, who will bear to all a goodly King. And who is this king of
whom ye proudly sing? Know ye not the Christ, Jesus the Saviour? What wee bairn is this,
that in a manger lies? Hush, ‘tis Jesus Christ, son of Mary. Say, what fair maid is this whose
joy is mixed with awe? Oh, ‘tis Mary, holy mother of Jesus. O, these are the shepherds, and
these the Magi Kings who have brought him their gifts of gold and myrrh. But why kneel they
in homage here before a babe? They adore their King, Jesus the Saviour. Who are these that
march from death to life? These are they who love Jesus, the Christ Child. And how do they
triumph o’er the gates of hell? Through the grace of him, Jesus, the Christ Child. He is born
to redeem the sons of God and man, to bring peace, joy, love and brotherhood. Oh, where
shall I find him, where shall I seek? He is here and now, Jesus, your Saviour.

OFFERTORY PRAYER

OFFERTORY This Christmastide Donald Fraser

EIGHTH LESSON The light in the darkness John 1:1-14

SERVICE OF LIGHT
(The light is passed throughout the congregation during the singing of the hymn.)

CAROL Silent Night
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.
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.”
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.
Silent night, holy night! Wondrous star, lend thy light
With the angels let us sing, Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born.

SOLO O Holy Night Adolphe Adam

PRAYER (in unison)
(The congregation is asked to extinguish the candles following the prayer.)
Eternal God: in Jesus Christ your light shines in our darkness,
bringing joy in our sorrow and presence in our loneliness. On this holy
night, draw us in to the mystery of your love. May the blessings of
Christmas fill every heart, and may we fall to our knees in recognition
and joy. In the name of the Christ child we pray. Amen.

* CAROL O Little Town of Bethlehem
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.
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!

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

EPILOGUE Bethlehem Claude-Michel Schönberg/Boublil
Gabriel’s Oboe Ennio Morricone