Join us for a festive service celebrating the birth of our Savior! The Rev. Rachel Helgeson will lead us in worship, and we will gather around the table to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
Join us for worship in our beautiful sanctuary, or right here online. Worship videos are available here or on Youtube following the service. You are invited!
Christmas Eve
God’s Gift, Wrapped, Unwrapped
Isaiah 9:2-7; Luke 2:1-14
Union Presbyterian Church
December 24, 2023
Sharing the Light of Christ, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Liturgist: Doug Moore Preacher: Rev. Rachel Helgeson
Preludes Tower Ringers
“While By My Sheep”; “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice and Sing,” J. Wayne Kerr
©1985, Concordia Publishing House, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE,
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
“Away in a Manger”; “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” Patricia Sanders Cota
©1994, Agape, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE,
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
Introit Choir
“He Is Born,” Dan Forrest
©2011, Beckenhorst Press, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE,
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
He is born, the divine Christ Child;
Play the musette and the bagpipe merrily!
He is born, the divine Christ Child;
Sing we all of the Savior mild.
Through long ages of the past,
Prophets long have foretold His coming;
Through long ages of the past,
Now the time has come at last!
He is born, the divine Christ Child;
Play the musette and the bagpipe merrily!
He is born, the divine Christ Child;
Sing we all of the Savior mild.
O, how lovely, O how pure
Is this perfect Child of heaven;
O, how lovely, O how pure,
Gracious gift to humankind!
He is born, the divine Christ Child;
Play the musette and the bagpipe merrily!
He is born, the divine Christ Child;
Sing we all of the Savior mild.
Jesus, Lord of all the world,
Coming as a Child among us,
Jesus, Lord of all the world,
Grant to us Thy heavenly peace.
He is born, the divine Christ Child;
Play the musette and the bagpipe merrily!
He is born, the divine Christ Child;
Sing we all of the Savior mild.
Sing we now, the divine Christ Child!
* Call to Worship (responsive) Doug Moore
Let us go, in heart and mind, to see what has come to pass. Let us go with the shepherds:
Let us go to find the Savior!
Let us go with the wise ones:
Let us go to find God’s promise,
born for us! Let us go with the poor and humble:
Let us go to find our Lord, 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!
* Lighting of the Christ Candle
* Hymn #182 W & R
“O Come, All Ye Faithful”
(Public Domain)
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.
* Call to New Life
* Prayer of Confession
God of love, all year long we pursue power and money, yet you come in weakness. All season long we covet great material gifts, when you alone offer what is lasting. Through the work of this Lord Jesus, who comes among us full of grace and truth, forgive us, heal us, correct us. Then open our lips, that we may sing your praise with the angels and remake our lives, that we may witness to your transforming love. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen. (Moment for silent prayer and confession)
* Words of Assurance
Matthew's gospel includes this assurance: [Mary] will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. It is done. God's grace has saved us, and God's grace alone. In Jesus Christ, we find forgiveness.
Anthem Choir
“Jesus, O What a Wonderful Child,” Mark Hayes
©1999, Alfred Publishing, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE,
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
Jesus, Jesus, oh, what a wonderful Child;
Jesus, Jesus, so lowly, meek and mild;
New life, new hope, new joy He brings.
Won’t you listen to the angels sing,
“Glory, glory, glory to the newborn King.”
Jesus, my Lord Jesus, oh, what a wonderful Child;
Jesus, talkin’ about Jesus, so lowly, meek and mild;
New life, new hope, new joy He brings.
Won’t you listen to the angels sing,
“Glory, glory, glory to the newborn King.”
He was herald by the angels,
Born in a lowly manger.
The virgin Mary was His mother,
And Joseph was His earthly father.
Oh, three wise men came from afar,
They were guided by a shining star,
To see King Jesus where He lay
In a manger filled with hay.
Oh, Jesus, my, my, my Jesus,
Oh, what a wonderful Child;
Jesus, sweet little Jesus,
He’s so lowly, meek and mild;
New life, new hope, new joy He brings.
Won’t you listen to the angels sing,
“Glory, glory, glory to the newborn King.”
Jesus, sweet Baby Jesus,
(I’m a-tellin' you,)
Oh, what a wonderful Child;
Talkin’ about Jesus,
(Do you know my Jesus,)
So lowly, so meek and mild;
New life new hope, new joy He brings.
Won’t you listen to the angels sing,
“Glory, glory, glory to the newborn King.
Glory, glory, glory to the newborn King.”
Oh, what a wonderful Child!
Scripture Reading Isaiah 9:2-7 Doug Moore
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.
You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For all the boots of the tramping warriors
and all the garments rolled in blood
shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
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.
One: Holy Wisdom! Holy Word!
All: Thanks be to God!
Children’s Story "The Animals Speak” Rev. Rachel Helgeson
Gospel Reading Luke 2:1-14
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!”
One: This is the Word of God for the people of God!
All: Thanks be to God!
Message “A Silent Night” Rev. Rachel Helgeson
* Hymn #179 W & R
“Joy to the World!”
(Public Domain)
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 sin 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.
Christmas Prayer
Offering
Offertory Hymn #184 W & R
“What Child Is This”
(Public Domain)
What child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste to bring him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary!
Why lies he in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you;
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
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.
Raise, raise the song on high,
The Virgin sings her lullaby;
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The babe, the son of Mary!
Prayer of Dedication
One: Holy God, we are astounded by your loving mercy. Thank you for the gift of your love that breaks through the most difficult of times. May these gifts be used to show Christ’s light in the world beyond our imagination. We pray and say,
All: Amen.
The Sacrament of Holy Communion
Invitation to the Table
The Great Thanksgiving
…who forever sing to the glory of your name:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
(The prayer concludes with 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 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.
Words of Institution and Communion of the People
Music during Communion Raeleen Bichler, Colin DeLap
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” Steven Nelson, Jon Schmidt, Al Van Der Beek
©2013, Razor & Tie Music Publishing, Inc.
Used by Permission. CCLI License #CSPL068847
Prayer of Thanksgiving
* Hymn #218 W & R
“Go, Tell It On the Mountain”
(Public Domain)
Go, tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
While shepherds kept their watching
O'er silent flocks by night,
Behold, throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light.
Go, tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
The shepherds feared and trembled
When, lo! above the earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed our Savior's birth.
Go, tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
Down in a lowly manger
The humble Christ was born,
And God sent us salvation
That blessed Christmas morn.
Go, tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.
A Reading for Christmas Eve
“When the World Was Dark” (from Cloth for the Cradle)
©2000, WGRG c/o Iona Community, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE,
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
* Anthem Choir
“Peace, Peace,” Rick and Sylvia Powell
©1973, Fred Bock Publishing Group, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE,
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
Peace, peace, peace on earth and goodwill to all.
This is a time for joy, this is a time for love.
Now let us all sing together of
Peace, peace, peace on earth. [2x then key change]
* Hymn #186 W & R
“Silent Night”
(Public Domain)
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.
* Benediction
Postlude
“Hark! the Herald Angels Sing,” Joel Raney Colin DeLap, Chris Bartlette
©2003, Hope Publishing Company, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE,
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
Where an * is indicated, please rise in body and/or in spirit.
“W & R” ~ the red Worship and Rejoice hymnal.
“PH” ~ the blue Presbyterian Hymnal