CELEBRATING THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS EVE DAY
PRELUDE: Christmas Intrada by David Conte
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH: Light One Candle to Watch for Messiah
PRAYER
RESPONSE: Light One Candle to Watch for Messiah
PRAYER OF PRAISE
HYMN: O Come, All Ye Faithful [Adeste Fideles]
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
INTROIT: Shout for Joy to the World! by Christopher Aspaas
Shout for joy to the Lord, shout for joy all the earth, make a joyful noise, rejoice and sing praise! Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the harp and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and the ram’s horn make a joyful noise to the Lord, the King. For unto us a Child is born, for us a Son is given. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Joy to the world the Lord is come, let earth receive her King. And heaven and nature sing. Sing for joy! Shout for joy! Joy to the world! Shout for joy! [Extracted from: Psalm 98, Isaiah 9 and Isaac Watts]
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
SCRIPTURE LESSON: Matthew 1:18-25
ANTHEM: We Sing with Choirs of Angels by Tom Trenney
Be not afraid. Joy to the world! Hark! The angels sing. For unto us a child is born, behold the newborn king. We sing with choirs of angels, “Glory to the Lord above whom angels greet with anthems sweet.” We sing the wonders of Christ’s love. Yet with the woes of sin and strife the world has suffered long; beneath the angel strain have rolled two thousand years of wrong; and we, entrenched at war, hear not the love song that they bring; O hush the noise and end the strife, and with the 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!” Alleluia! [Tom Trenney, incorporating text from “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” by Edmund Hamilton Sears and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” by Charles Wesley]
SERMON: “The Goodness behind the Good Gift”
HYMN: Once in Royal David’s City [Irby]
PRAYER
HYMN: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing [Mendelssohn]
BENEDICTION
BENEDICTION RESPONSE: Christ is Born by Darrell Orwig
Christ is born. Christ is born today. Alleluia Christ is born today. Alleluia Christ is born.
POSTLUDE: Flourish on Joy to the World! by Robert A. Hobby
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