Christmas Day: Blow the Horn!

Blow the Horn in Zion

Order of Worship

Prelude & Lighting of Candles

Blowing of the Horn (a sound like a 'rams' horn if you can)

Call to Worship:

Stand

P: Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have posted sentinels; all day and all night they shall never be silent. You who remind the LORD, take no rest, and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it renowned throughout the earth.

A: The LORD has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: I will not again give your grain to be food for your enemies, and foreigners shall not drink the wine for which you have labored; but those who garner it shall eat it and praise the LORD, and those who gather it shall drink it in my holy courts.

P: Go through, go through the gates, prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway, clear it of stones, lift up an ensign over the peoples.

A: The LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to daughter Zion, "See, your salvation comes; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him."

P: They shall be called, "The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD"; and you shall be called, "Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken."

Isaiah 62:6-12

“Prepare”

W. Michael Aguilar III, Shandy Music Industries, PO Box 10402, Portland, OR 97296.

(see Music)

Refrain: Prepare! Prepare! Now is the time of the Lord. . . .

Cantor Go through the gates! Go and clear it of stones! . . . Refrain

Cantor God has proclaimed to the ends of the earth! . . . Refrain

All They shall be called “Holy People of God!” . . . Refrain

P: The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you.

A: God of all creation,

C: Through the gift of your Son, Jesus, you have restored us and made us whole. May we always recognize that it is only through this incredible birth that we are brought back into a right relationship with you. Open our hearts to the message of prophets and angels: that Christ is the foundation of the world, our alpha and omega. Amen.

Sit

Reading: Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12)

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors . . . But you are the same, and your years will never end."

"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"

Text: Charles Wesley, 1707-1788, alt.

Music: Felix Mendelssohn, 1809-1847; arr. William H. Cummings, 1831-1915

Tune Name: MENDELSSOHN

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!"

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

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. Refrain

A: The LORD is king! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him, and consumes his adversaries on every side.

C: His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.

P: The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold his glory. All worshipers of images are put to shame, those who make their boast in worthless idols; all gods bow down before him.

C: Zion hears and is glad, and the towns of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O God. For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.

A: The LORD loves those who hate evil; he guards the lives of his faithful; he rescues them from the hand of the wicked.

C: Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.

P: Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!

Psalm 97

Stand

"All Creatures, Worship God Most High!"

Vs. 1,3,6

Tune Name: LASST UNS ERFREUEN

Music: Geistliche Kirchengesange, Koln, 1623

Holy Gospel: Luke 2:(1-7), 8-20

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus . . . praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Sit

Anthem: For Unto Us a Child Is Born (Handel arr.Sharp/Landes)

Message

Stand

"Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful"

Tune Name: ADESTE FIDELES

Text Source: Text: attr. John F. Wade, c. 1711-1786; tr. Frederick Oakeley, 1802-1880, sts. 1, 3-4; tr. unknown, st. 2

Music Source: Music: attr. John F. Wade, c. 1711-1786

All

Oh, come, all ye faithful,

joyful and triumphant!

Oh, come ye, oh, come ye to Bethlehem;

come and behold him

born the king of angels:

All Refrain

Oh, come, let us adore him,

oh, come, let us adore him,

Christ the Lord!

Men

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

Women :

Sing, choirs of angels,

sing in exultation,

sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!

Glory to God

in the highest: Refrain

All Yea, Lord, we greet thee,

born this happy morning;

Jesus, to thee be glory giv'n!

Word of the Father,

now in flesh appearing: Refrain

A: Titus 3:4-7

...When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

P: As God has poured out the grace of forgiveness and love and peace through Christ, let us also share that grace with among ourselves. Peace be with you.

C: And also with you.

(All share a greeting of peace.)

Sit

Offering

Duet: How Beautiful Upon The Mountains (Carter)

Stand

Offering Prayer:

A: As God has given to us, let us give thanks and praise,

C: O God of all blessings, we give you our heartfelt thanks for all that you have given us, and ask that you accept the gifts we give back to you: our time, talent, and possessions. We especially remember your extraordinary gift of your self, Christ Jesus, who was born and lived among us so that we might one day live with you. As you have shown mercy and love to us grant that we may show that same unstinting grace to everyone we meet. In Jesus’ Name we ask this. Amen.

"All Is Ready Now"

Tune Name: ALL IS READY NOW

P: 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.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.John 1:1-14

For I received from the Lord

that which I also handed down to you—

that the Lord Jesus

in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;

and after giving thanks, He broke it and said,

“This is My body, which is for you;

do this in remembrance of Me.”

In the same way also He took the cup

after supper, saying,

“This cup is the new covenant which is in My blood;

do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,

you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. I Corinthians 11:23-26

P: Let us pray,

C: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

Sit

Distribution of Holy Communion

Stand

P: May the body and blood of our newborn Savior, Jesus Christ, strengthen and keep you as a child of God.

C: Amen.

"Good Christian Friends, Rejoice"

Tune Name: IN DULCI JUBILO

Text: medieval Latin carol; tr. John M. Neale, 1818-1866, alt.

Music: German carol, 14th cent.

Good Christian friends, rejoice

with heart and soul and voice;

give ye heed to what we say:

Jesus Christ is born today;

ox and ass before him bow,

and he is in the manger now.

Christ is born today!

Good Christian friends, rejoice

with heart and soul and voice;

now ye hear of endless bliss:

Jesus Christ was born for this!

He has opened heaven's door,

and we are blest forevermore.

Christ was born for this!

Good Christian friends, rejoice

with heart and soul and voice;

now ye need not fear the grave;

Jesus Christ was born to save!

Calls you one and calls you all

to gain his everlasting hall.

Christ was born to save!

A: The Word of God that is Christ

C: has come to us today in the fragile form of a baby.

A: This child relinquishes immorality to become human,

C: So that we might have eternal life.

A: This child commands a universe,

C: Yet is servant to us all.

A: This child is God with Us,

C: Emmanuel.

May we accept God’s gift of life, and live to serve as Jesus served. Amen.

Blessing:

P: The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine on you,

And be caring towards you;

The Lord lift up His countenance on you,

And give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26

C: Amen.

"Joy to the World"

Tune Name: ANTIOCH

Text Source: Text: Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

Music Source: Music: George F. Handel, 1685-1759, adapt.; arr. Lowell Mason, 1792-1872

All

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive its King;

let ev'ry heart prepare him room

and heav'n and nature sing,

and heav'n, and heav'n and nature sing.

Women

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!

Let all their songs employ,

while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains

Men

repeat the sounding joy,

repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

Men

No more let sin and sorrow grow

nor thorns infest the ground;

he comes to make his blessings flow

Women

far as the curse is found,

far as, far as the curse is found.

All

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, wonders of his love.

A: Go in peace. Serve the Lord!

C: Thanks be to God.

Postlude