Order of Worship
December 24th 2022 ~ Christmas Eve
5pm Service
Prelude
O Little Town of Bethlehem (Saint Louis)
Verse 1
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
Instrumental interlude
Verse 2
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 men on earth
Instrumental interlude
Verse 5
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
CCLI Song # 27879
Lewis Henry Redner | Phillips Brooks
© Words: Public Domain
Music: Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366
As With Gladness Men of Old
Verse 1
As with gladness men of old
Did the guiding star behold
As with joy they hailed its light
Leading onward beaming bright
So most gracious Lord may we
Evermore be led to Thee.
Instrumental interlude
Verse 2
As with joyful steps they sped
To that lowly manger bed
There to bend the knee before
Him whom heaven and earth adore
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek the mercy seat.
Instrumental interlude
Verse 3
As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare,
So may we with holy joy
Pure and free from sin’s alloy
All our costliest treasures bring
Christ to Thee our heavenly king
CCLI Song # 1037710
William Chatterton Dix
© 1982 The Jubilate Group (Admin. by Hope Publishing Company)
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366
We Three Kings (Kings Of Orient)
Verse 1
We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain moor and mountain
Following yonder star
Chorus
O star of wonder star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light
Instrumental interlude
Verse 2
Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again
King forever ceasing never
Over us all to reign
Instrumental interlude (No Chorus)
Verse 3
Frankincense to offer have I
Incense owns a Deity nigh
Prayer and praising all men raising
Worship Him God on high
Instrumental interlude (No Chorus)
Verse 4
Myrrh is mine its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing sighing bleeding dying
Sealed in the stone cold tomb
(No Chorus)
Verse 5
Glorious now behold Him arise
King and God and sacrifice
Alleluia alleluia
Earth to heaven replies
Chorus
O star of wonder star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light
CCLI Song # 38002
John Henry Hopkins Jr.
© Words: Public Domain
Music: Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366
Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Mendelssohn
Verse 1
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 hosts proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Verse 2
Christ by highest heav’n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of the Virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail th’incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with men to dwell
Jesus our Emmanuel
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Instrumental interlude
Verse 3
Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace
Hail the Sun of Righteousness
Light and life to all He brings
Ris’n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that men no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
CCLI Song # 27738
Charles Wesley | Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
© Words: Public Domain
Music: Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366
Joy To The World
Antioch
Verse 1
Joy to the world the Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room
And heav’n and nature sing
And heav’n and nature sing
And heav’n and heav’n and nature sing
Verse 2
Joy to the earth the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat repeat the sounding joy
Instrumental interlude
Verse 4
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
CCLI Song # 24016
George Frideric Handel | Isaac Watts
© Words: Public Domain
Music: Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366
Welcome
Opening of Worship
Noel
Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash & Matt Redman
Soloist: Micha Schoepe
Opening Prayer
Let us go, in heart and mind, to see what has come to pass.
Let us go with the shepherds to find the Savior!
Let us go with the wise ones to find God’s promise, born for us!
Let us go with the poor and humble to find our King, born in a lowly manger.
Let us go with all the world, with all the peoples of the nations.
Come, let us worship; come, let us adore him: Christ the Lord!
~ from “The Gift of Joy: Isaiah 12”
Opening Hymn
O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)
Verse 1
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
Verse 2
Sing choirs of angels
Sing in exultation
O sing all ye bright
Hosts of heav’n above
Glory to God all
Glory in the highest
Chorus
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
Instrumental interlude
Verse 3
Yea Lord we greet Thee
Born this happy morning
Jesus to Thee be all glory giv’n
Word of the Father
Now in flesh appearing
Chorus
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
CCLI Song # 31054
C. Frederick Oakeley | John Francis Wade
© Words: Public Domain
Music: Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366
Scripture Reading
Paige Strecker, Reader
Luke 2:1-14
NLT
2 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.
6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Congregational Hymn
Angels We Have Heard On High (Gloria)
Verse 1
Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echo back their joyous strains
Chorus
Gloria
In excelsis Deo
Gloria
In excelsis Deo
Verse 2
Shepherds why this jubilee
Why your joyous strains prolong
Say what may the tidings be
Which inspire your heav’nly song
Chorus
Gloria
In excelsis Deo
Gloria
In excelsis Deo
Verse 3
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing
Come adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord the newborn King
Chorus
Gloria
In excelsis Deo
Gloria
In excelsis Deo
Instrumental Interlude
Verse 4
See within a manger laid
Jesus Lord of heav’n and earth!
Mary Joseph lend your aid
With us sing our Savior’s birth.
Chorus
Gloria
In excelsis Deo
Gloria
In excelsis Deo
CCLI Song # 27721
Edward Shippen Barnes | James Chadwick
© Words: Public Domain
Music: Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366
Christmas Eve Message
Senior Pastor, The Rev. Dr. Robert de Wetter
Pastoral Prayer
Beloved in Christ, let us prepare ourselves to hear again the message of the Angels, to go to Bethlehem and see Jesus, the Son of God lying in a manger. Let us hear from Holy Scripture the loving purposes of God and let us make this place of prayer glad with our carols of praise and thanksgiving. Let us give thanks to God for the forgiveness we have received and the eternal life we have been promised through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Let us pray for the needs of this community and the whole world, for peace and justice on earth, for an end to hatred and divisions, for churches everywhere, and for church leaders. Let us pray in Christ’s name for the poor and helpless, the cold, the hungry, the oppressed, the sick, the mentally ill, the addicted, those that mourn, the lonely and unloved, the aged and little children, and all who do not know the love of Jesus Christ. Let us remember and pray for those who rejoice with us this night, but are upon another shore and in a greater light. Now we turn to the words that Jesus taught us as together we pray:
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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Offertory
He Shall Reign Forevermore
Chris Tomlin & Matt Maher
Lighting of the Candles
Please keep the lighted candle upright and tip the unlighted candle. The candles are extinguished after the hymn.
Closing Hymn
Silent Night (Stille Nacht)
Verse 1
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
Verse 2
Silent night holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heav’nly hosts sing alleluia
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born
Verse 3
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
Instrumental Interlude
Verse 4
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
CCLI Song # 27862
Franz Xaver Gruber | John Freeman Young | Joseph Mohr
© Words: Public Domain
Music: Public Domain
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 3154366
Closing Prayer
We rejoice in the steadfast presence of Jesus Christ, born of Mary, growing through childhood into adulthood, in all His life manifesting the peace, love, and justice of God; His voice undimmed by the centuries; His call and His promise as clear to us as it was to His disciples so long ago. Come to us, Lord Jesus, Be born in us this night, in our hearts, our minds, our lives. May the light of Your life be kindled in us, And lead us to the shining truth of God with us, God for us, God in us. Amen.
Christmas Eve Blessing
Postlude
Carol Postlude
Arranged by Hal Hopson
Our love in action now begins…
2022 Christmas Eve Participants
Thank you to all of this evening’s volunteers!