You know the story: there is no room at the inn. And yet, somehow, the vagabond family finds a place to welcome the infant Jesus.
Everyone knows where home is: it’s where the heart is. We invite you home to Union Presbyterian Church for a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 8:00 PM. Hear again the old, old story that is ever new, complete with the music that makes your heart sing. You are invited!
Christmas Eve Bulletin
Union Presbyterian Church
December 24, 2021 8:00 PM
Sharing the Light of Christ, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Liturgist: Rev. Jeff Kellam Pastor: Rev. Pat Raube
Preludes
Pastorale on “Of the Father’s Love Begotten,” Albert Zabel Chris Bartlette, organ
©2002, MorningStar Music Publishers
Used by permission. CCLI License #CSPL068847
“O Night Divine,” Lloyd Larson Jerry Natoli, euphonium
©2017, Lorenz Publishing Company, All rights reserved. Colin DeLap, piano
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
Welcome
Handbell Introit Claire Bombard
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
(Public Domain)
Call to Worship Rev. Jeff Kellam
The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all.
Glory to God in the highest!
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.
Glory to God in the highest!
For a child has been born for us, a Son has been given to us.
Glory to God in the highest!
He is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Glory to God in the highest!
To us is born in the city of David a Savior, the Messiah, the Lord.
Glory to God in the highest!
And Word became flesh, and lived among us.
Glory to God in the highest!
Carol #182 W & R
“O Come, All Ye Faithful”
(Public Domain)
[Chris Bartlette @ organ, Colin DeLap @ piano]
[Dana Sullivan @ trombone, Jerry Natoli @ euphonium]
Congregation
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;
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;
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord.
Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning,
Jesus, to thee be all glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord.
Lighting of the Christ Candle The Surrena Family
In God’s house, there is hope—
For God loves us too much to leave us just as we are.
In God’s house, there is peace—
For all that separates us from God falls away.
In God’s house, there is joy—
Because God created music, and honey, and dance floors, and laughter that is contagious, and endless rounds of peek-a-boos with babies; and if those things have God’s fingerprints, then God’s house surely exudes joy.
In God’s house, there is love—
Because God is love, from start to finish, and that love exists for us all.
And in the center of our hope,
In the center of our peace,
In the center of our joy,
In the center of our love, is God—who came to this earth to dwell among us.
So tonight we light the Christ candle, for God’s love just could not stay away.
Welcome home. Amen.
Call to Prayer Rev. Jeff Kellam
On this night, we pray, not to ask God for forgiveness or healing, but to rest joyfully in God’s love and grace. Please join me in our Christmas prayer.
Christmas Prayer
How amazing is your love, great God! You are not distant from us, in some faraway heaven; you have come close to us in a child born of simple parents and cradled in a borrowed bed of straw. Here amid dirt and straw, amid noise of cattle and labor of birth, we perceive your work. We dare to believe that it is you, God, coming to be among us in Jesus, and so we praise you with songs of joy. Glory be to you, O God, now and forever! Amen.
Prayer Response #188 W & R
“Angels We Have Heard on High”
(Public Domain)
[Chris Bartlette @ organ]
Congregation
Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plans,
And the mountains in reply
Echo back their joyous strains.
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Scripture Reading Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 Rev. Jeff Kellam
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Anthem Dana Sullivan, trombone; Colin DeLap, piano
“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” arr. D. Sullivan
Scripture Luke 2:1-20 Rev. Pat Raube
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own 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. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
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, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the 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 bands of cloth 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!”
When the angels had left them 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 went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Response: Holy Wisdom, Holy Word;
Thanks be to God.
Meditation Rev. Pat Raube
Anthem Colin DeLap, baritone; Angel DeLap, piano
“Somewhere In Your Silent Night,” John Mark Hall
©2017, Capital CMG Paragon.
Used by permission, CCLI License #CSPL068847
Prayers of the People
Adapted from the Bidding Prayer of Lessons and Carols, King’s College Cambridge
Beloved in Christ, at this Christmastide it is our care and delight to hear again the message of the angels, and in heart and mind to go to Bethlehem, and to see this thing which has come to pass, and the babe lying in a manger.
We have read and marked in scripture the tale of the loving purposes of God, and the glorious redemption brought us by this Holy Child, as we make this sanctuary glad with our carols of praise.
And now we pray for the needs of this whole world: for peace and health over all the earth; for unity and goodwill within the church he came to build, here and over all the earth.
And because this, of all things, causes God’s heart to rejoice, at this time we remember, in the name of this Holy Child, the poor and the helpless; the cold and the hungry; the abused and the exploited and the oppressed; the sick in body and in mind, and those who mourn; the isolated, the lonely, and the unloved; the elderly and the little children; all who do not know the Lord Jesus, or who do not love him, or who by their brokenness and suffering have caused his heart of love to grieve.
Lastly, let us remember before God all who rejoice with us, but upon another shore and in a greater light, that multitude which no one can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom, in this Lord Jesus, we forevermore are one.
These prayers and praises we humbly offer up to the throne of heaven, in the words which Christ himself has taught us, debtors, trespassers, and sinners together:
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
The Invitation
Jesus is the Light of the World!
Tonight, that light is shining in the darkness.
Come! Let us adore him!
We have heard the Shepherds’ story;
let us go to Bethlehem to see the Holy Child!
God is with you.
God is with us all!
Let’s lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to God, who loves us so much.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
The Great Thanksgiving
The Words of Jesus
Sharing of the Bread and Cup
(Music: “What Child Is This?” Sharon Aaronson
© 2003, Alfred Publishing Co. Inc.
Used by permission, CCLI license #CSPL068847)
Prayer of Thanksgiving (unison)
God of Light and Love, we thank you that you came to be with us in Jesus! We thank you for Christmas, our celebration of his birth. And we thank you that he still shares his life with us around this table. Let this special meal make us strong and joyful. Let us be like the angels, singing “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace to God’s people on earth.” Let us be like the shepherds, telling everyone the Good News of Christ’s birth. And let us be like the Wise Ones, searching far and wide to see Jesus with our own eyes. Amen.
Carol By Candlelight #186 W & R
“Silent Night”
(Public Domain)
[Colin DeLap @ piano]
Congregation
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.
Scripture John 1:1-5; 14 Rev. Jeff Kellam
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.
Carol #179 W & R
“Joy to the World”
(Public Domain)
[Chris Bartlette @ organ, Colin DeLap @ piano]
[Dana Sullivan @ trombone, Jerry Natoli @ euphonium]
Congregation
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.
Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;
Let all their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as the curse is found.
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 (Blessing)
In the name of our Foundation—God, Spirit, and Son—go in peace.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia!
Postlude Colin DeLap and Chris Bartlette, piano
“Hark! the Herald Angels Sing,” Joel Raney
©2003, Hope Publishing Company, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.