Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church Christmas Eve Service December 24, 2014 | 5:00 PM
Prelude Shepherd’s Noel J. Wayne Kerr * Call To Worship * 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! REFRAIN: O come, let us adore him; O come, let us adore him; O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord! Sing, choirs of angels; Sing in exultation; Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest! [Refrain]
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]
The angel Gabriel talks to Mary Luke 1:39-‐45 Lighting of the Advent Candles and the Christ Candle
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing! 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 the angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!" Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King!"
The shepherds hear from an angel Luke 2:8-‐14 [Angels will be called forward] 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.
Anthem Niño Lindo Cherub/Treble Choirs
Translation: Lovely baby boy, I offer myself to you. Lovely baby boy, you are my God.
The shepherds set out for Bethlehem Luke 2:15-‐20
[Shepherds will be called forward] The First Noel
The first Noel the angel did say was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay; in fields where they lay keeping their sheep, on a cold winter's night that was so deep. REFRAIN: 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. [Refrain]
Visitors of the Holy Family Matthew 2:1-‐12 [Magi will be called forward] We Three Kings
We three kings of Orient are; bearing gifts we traverse afar, field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.
REFRAIN: O, star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright; Westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light. Glorious now behold him arise, King and God and Sacrifice: Alleluia! Alleluia! sounds through the earth and skies. [Refrain]
* 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. 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.
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!
Welcome & Offering Offering Music The Little Drummer Boy [Children and Youth, ages 6 and up, are invited, with their family’s permission, to meet in the narthex during the Offering, to hold candles in the sanctuary for Silent Night]
Silent Night, Holy 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! 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 Here at last, healing light From the heavenly kingdom sent, Abundant grace for our intent. Jesus, salvation for all. Jesus, salvation for all.
John unfolds the mystery of the Incarnation John 1:1-‐4,10-‐14
* Joy to the World Joy to the world! the Lord is come: Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven & heaven & nature sing. Joy to the world! the Savior reigns: Let us our songs employ; While fields & floods, rocks, hills, & plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
* Benediction and Passing of the Peace
Children, dressed as angels, shepherds, and kings, will be invited forward by the worship leader at the appropriate time. A special thank you to Will Euler and Elsa Plocica for providing the bulletin artwork. Thank you to our readers this evening: Emily Hamel, Luke Shealy, Kaegan Parks, Owen Gast, Alex Gast, Kate Roe, Martha Plaehn. Thank you to Lindsay Hamel for the lighting of the Advent candles. Thank you to the Cherub and Treble Choirs for their participation, and to their leaders as well: Sandra Dykes, Andrea Rosal, Chris McClure and Aaron Schnurbusch. Thanks also to Luke Shealy, guitar. And thank you to Mark and Eli Clevenger for their music during the Offering. Parents, please return costumes to the baskets in the narthex after the service. The offering tonight will be given to Eblen Charities for its emergency fund, which helps local families with immediate needs that aren't covered by existing supports.