Christmas Eve 2021
Bart Tarman delivers the Christmas message, with music from the Summerland Music Team.
Sermon
References and Resources
Follow Along with the Service
Prelude Songs by our Music Team
The Ringing of the Bell
Welcome and Announcements
A Time of Silence
A Song of Contemplation: “O Little Town of Bethlehem”
All: O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie.
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in the dark streets shineth the everlasting light;
The hopes and fear of all the years are met in thee tonight. (2x)
Call to Worship and Lighting of the Advent Candles
Leader: The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
People: And also with you!
Leader: God of grace, ever faithful to your promises, the earth rejoices in hope of our Savior’s coming and looks forward with longing to His return at the end of time. Advent means coming. In lighting the first candle, we do so to symbolize the hope that the Messiah will bring to the world. The second candle is a symbol of God’s love for all. The third candle—often called the rose candle—expresses the joy that is coming our way. The fourth candle heralds the peace that will be upon all people. And finally, we light the white candle--the Christ candle-- to signify the light that is coming into the world.
People: Let us walk in the light of the Lord!
Leader: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.
People: Those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.
Leader: For to us a child has been born, to us a Son is given.
All: Authority rests upon this one, whose name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Amen! Amen!
Opening Hymn: “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 Christmas Story in Word and Song
SCRIPTURE Luke 1:26-38 (Read by Peter Bie)
Our story opens with God sending the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very confused by his words and wondered what sort of greeting this might be.
The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you’ll conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will call him Jesus. He’ll be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He’ll reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there’ll be no end.”
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I’m a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; the child to be born will be Holy; he’ll be called Son of God.”
Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed, leaving Mary to ponder all that she had heard.
Hymn: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
All: O Come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. (2x)
SCRIPTURE Luke 2:1-7
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be counted. This was the first census and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their towns to be registered.
Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.
And, so it was that while they were there the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Hymn: “Joy to the World”
All: 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, and heaven and nature sing.
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, wonders of his love.
SCRIPTURE Luke 2:8-14
Now in that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid; for I am bringing you good news of great joy for all people; to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you; you will find a child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom He favors!”
Hymn: “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”
All: 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! (2x)
SCRIPTURE Luke 2:15-20
When the angels had left and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So, they ran as fast as they could and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they revealed what had been told to them about this child; and everyone who heard was amazed by the shepherd’s story.
Hymn: “The First Noel”
All: The first Noel the angels 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.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, born is the King of Israel. (2x)
SCRIPTURE Matthew 2:2-12
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
When King Herod heard this he was frightened and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied.
Then Herod secretly called the Magi together and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem saying, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
They went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Hymn: “O Holy Night” | Music Team
The Christmas Message | Bart Tarman
Closing Hymn: “Silent Night” (Lighting of the Congregational candles)
All: 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.
A Christmas Blessing: Bart Tarman