Worship Service
Sunday, December 25, 2022, at 10 a.m.
WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS
INVOCATION
Lay Minister: In the name of the Father and of the † Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Lay Minister: Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
People: Amen.
Lay Minister: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(Silence for reflection and self-examination)
Lay Minister: Most merciful God,
People: We confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
Lay Minister: Almighty God, in his mercy, has given his Son to die for us and, for his sake, forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the Church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
GREETING
LayMinister : The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
People: And also with you.
OPENING SONG “Joy to the World” vs 1,2,4
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 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.
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.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Lay Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Lay Leader: Let us pray. . .All-powerful and unseen God, the coming of your light into our world has brightened weary hearts with peace. Call us out of darkness, and empower us to proclaim the birth of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
SONG “O, Come, All Ye Faithful”
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:
Refrain
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord!
Verse 2
The highest, most holy, light of light eternal,
born of a virgin, a mortal he comes;
Son of the Father now in flesh appearing! (Refrain)
Verse 3
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God in the highest (Refrain)
READING Lay Leader: A reading from Isaiah 9:6-7
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
Lay Leader: The word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God.
SONG “What Child is This?”
Verse 1
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!
Verse 2
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!
Verse 3
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!
READING Lay Leader: A reading from Luke 2:16-20
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told
Lay Leader: The word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
SONG “Angels We Have Heard on High” vs 1,3
Verse 1
Angels we have heard on high,
sweetly singing o’er the plains,
and the mountains in reply,
echoing their joyous strains.
Refrain
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. (Refrain)
READING Lay Leader: A reading from John 1:9-14
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Lay Leader: The word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
SONG “Go Tell It on the Mountain”
Refrain
Go tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and ev’rywhere;
go tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born!
Verse 1
While shepherds kept their watching
o’er silent flocks by night,
behold, throughout the heavens
there shone a holy light. (Refrain)
Verse 2
The shepherds feared and trembled
when, lo, above the earth
rang out the angel chorus
that hailed our Savior’s birth. (Refrain)
Verse 3
Down in a lonely manger
the humble Christ was born;
and God sent us salvation
that blessed Christmas morn. (Refrain)
READING Lay Leader: A reading from Galatians 4:3-6
3So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces[a] of the world. 4But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
Lay Leader: The word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
SONG “O Holy Night”
Verse 1
O holy night the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
‘Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Chorus 1
Fall on your knees
O hear the angel voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
Verse 2
Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains He shall break
For the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy Name
Chorus 2
Christ is the Lord
O praise His Name forever
His power and glory
Evermore proclaim
His power and glory
Evermore proclaim
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Each prayer petition will end with –
Lay Reader: Lord in your mercy
People: Hear our prayer.
PEACE
Lay Leader: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
People: And also with you.
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Lay Leader: Let us pray. Merciful Father,
People: We offer with joy and thanksgiving what you have first given us—ourselves, our time, and our possessions, signs of your gracious love. Receive them for the sake of him who offered himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
DIALOGUE
Lay Minister: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Lay Minister: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the Lord.
Lay Minister: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.
THANKSGIVING
Lay Minister: Holy God, Creator of all and Source of life, at the birth of time your Word brought light into the world. In the fullness of time, you sent your Word, born of Mary, to shine in our darkness and to make us your daughters and sons.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
Lay Minister: In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Lay Minister: Lord, remember us in your kingdom, and teach us to pray:
People: 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; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
COMMUNION DISTRIBUTION:
At All Saints, we practice open communion. If you believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and have been baptized, you are invited to commune. Those not receiving the bread and wine are invited to come forward for a blessing. Grape juice is also available.
COMMUNION SONG “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear”
Verse 1
It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, good will to all, from heav’n’s all-gracious king.”
The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing.
Verse 2
Still through the cloven skies they come with peaceful wings unfurled,
and still their heav’nly music floats o’er all the weary world.
Above its sad and lowly plains they bend on hov’ring wing,
and ever o’er its babel sounds the blessed angels sing.
Verse 3
And you, beneath life’s crushing load, whose forms are bending low,
who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow:
look now, for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing;
oh, rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing!
Verse 4
For lo! The days are hast’ning on, by prophets seen of old,
when with the ever-circling years shall come the time foretold,
when peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling,
and all the world give back the song which now the angels sing.
POST-COMMUNION BLESSING
Lay Minister: The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
People: Amen.
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER
Lay Leader: We give you thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us through the healing power of this gift of life; and we pray that in your mercy you would strengthen us, through this gift, in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
People: Amen.
BLESSING
Lay Minister: Almighty God, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.
People: Amen.
CLOSING SONG “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing”
Verse 1
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn king;
peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.”
Joyful, all you nations, rise; join the triumph of the skies;
with angelic hosts proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Refrain
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 a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see! Hail, incarnate deity!
Pleased as man with us to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel! (Refrain)
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 we no more may die,
born to raise each child of earth, born to give us second birth
SENDING
Lay Minister: Go in peace. Serve the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God.