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Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping?
Chorus:
This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste to bring him laud, the babe, the son of Mary.
So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh, come, peasant, king, to own him;
the King of Kings salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone him;
Chorus:
THE OFFERING
The Christmas Eve offering will go to
Doctors Without Borders, in appreciation of their work with the Ebola crisis,
and to our local Family Reading Partnership.
CANDLE LIGHTING
As the congregation stands, the ushers will bring the light from the Christ candle to the congregation.
Keep the lighted candle straight; tip your unlighted candle to the lighted candle of your neighbor.
*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!
We will extinguish our candles, and carry their light into the world within our hearts.
*CAROL
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, 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.
*BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
Detail, Song of the Angels, by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1881
Forest Home Chapel
a reconciling congregation
December 24, 2014, 7:00 p.m.
Christmas Eve Service
Rev. Rebecca Dolch, Pastor
rebadolch@gmail.com, 607-351-7416 cell
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Thank you for coming tonight to celebrate the miracle of Incarnation! Merry Christmas to all!
Everyone is welcome to Sunday morning worship at 10 a.m. each week.
Sunday School for children meets at that time.
Welcome visitors! We invite you to sign the guest book in the front entryway,
We welcome all (and all means ALL) who seek a church
community whose worship and service affirm the spirit of Christ.
We encourage your participation in worship, mission projects,
spiritual growth, service, children’s ministries, choir, and social fellowship.
We value the development of personal friendships
in a caring and welcoming community.
PRELUDEMerilee Nord, Organist
*CHRISTMAS WELCOME
Christmas is a time when we welcome strangers as friends!
Let us greet one another in the Spirit of Christmas. Return to your seats as the music starts.
Many thanks to Jonas Heimbecker, Trumpet and Sara Haefeli, Cello
for sharing their musical gifts with us tonight.
TRUMPET FANFARE
The First Noel
Jonas Heimbecker
*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;
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest; Refrain:
from The Prophet Isaiah
Joseph Haefeli
LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE
Sam Heimbecker
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Sara Haefeli, Cello
RESPONSIVE READING
We have come to hear again the timeless story of Christ’s birth.
In the excitement of today, quiet our hearts
Let us know the peace and fullness of this holy time.
Shine, O Light, in the darkness of our world.
Sing, O angels, in the stillness of our hearts.
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will among all.
CAROL Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (please remain seated)
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!”
SPECIAL MUSIC
In The Bleak Midwinter How silently, how silently, The wondrous gift is given! So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of his heaven. No ear may hear his coming, But in this world of sin, Where meek souls will receive him, still The dear Christ enters in. CAROL
Angels We Have Heard on High (seated)
Angels we have heard on high sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply echoing their joyous strains.
Refrain: Glo - - - - -ria, in excelsis Deo!
Glo - - - - -ria, in excelsis Deo!
Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be which inspire your heavenly song?
Refrain
See him in a manger laid, whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid, while our hearts in love we raise.
Refrain
THE STORY OF THE SHEPHERDS
CAROL While Shepherds Watched (seated)
While Shepherds watched their flocks by night, all seated on the ground
The angel of the Lord came down and glory shone around-and glory shone around.
“Fear not!” said she, for mighty dread had seized their troubled mind.
“Glad tidings of great joy I bring, to all of humankind- to all of humankind.”
THE STORY OF THE WISEMEN
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die,
Born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
CAROL
O Little Town of Bethlehem (seated )
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 to-night. THE STORY OF THE ANGELS
Refrain: O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
READING THE STORY OF BETHLEHEM
CAROL
Rev. Rebecca Dolch
Sarah Haefeli, Cello; Merilee Nord, Organ
We Three Kings of Orient Are
Remain seated as the chimes play and the Wise Men enter. After the chimes, sing together:
We three kings of Orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.
O star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.
THE MANGER SCENE
CAROL
What Child is This?
What child is this who, laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping?