Christmas Eve: In the Beginning

Lisa Frenz 1996

In the Beginning

A Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service

Prelude or optional anthem or solo

P: The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you.

P: Know that the Lord your God is with you, always,

C: From the time before time,

P: To the end of all time.

C: God is here.

P: Listen all you peoples, and rejoice! The Lord will give you a sign:

A: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

C: God with us! Amen.

Hymn: "Of the Father's Love Begotten" (tune: Divinum Mysterium)

Of the Father=s love begotten,

Ere the worlds began to be,

He is Alpha and Omega,

He the source, the ending he,

Of the things that are, that have been,

and that future years shall see,

Evermore and evermore.

Reading: Matthew 1:1-6a

An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Aminadab, and Aminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.

A: From the beginning God was with us.

C: Christ Emanuel!

A: Creation knew The Creator.

C: Christ Emanuel!

A: Now we know The Creator.

C: Christ Emanuel! God with us!

Hymn: "Of the Father=s Love Begotten" (tune: Divinum Mysterium)

Oh, that birth forever blessed,

When the virgin, full of grace,

By the Holy Ghost conceiving,

Bore the Savior of our race,

And the babe, the world=s redeemer,

First revealed his sacred face,

Evermore and evermore.

Reading: Matthew 1:6b-11

And Jesse the father of King David. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

A: From the beginning the Word was with us.

C: Christ Emanuel!: Creation knew the Daystar.

C: Christ Emanuel!

A: Now we receive the Daystar.

C: Christ Emanuel! God with us!

Hymn: "Of the Father=s Love Begotten" (tune: Divinum Mysterium)

This is he whom seers in old time

Chanted of with one accord,

Whom the voices of the prophets

Promised in their faithful word;

Now he shines, the long-expected,

Let creation praise the Lord.

Evermore and evermore.

Reading: Matthew 1:12-16

And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.

A: From the beginning the Light was with us.

C: Christ Emanuel!

A: Creation knew the Promise.

C: Christ Emanuel!

A: Now we know the Promise.

C: Christ Emanuel! God with us!

Hymn: "Of the Father=s Love Begotten" (tune: Divinum Mysterium)

Let the heights of heav=n adore him;

Angel hosts, his praises sing;

Pow=rs dominions, bow before him

And extol our God and King;

Let no tongue on earth be silent,

Ev=ry voice in concert ring

Evermore and evermore.

Reading: Jeremiah 23:5-6

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

Hymn: "The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came" (tune: Gabriel=s Message)

The angel Gabriel from heaven came,

with wings as drifted snow, with eyes as flame:

"All hail to thee, O lowly maiden Mary,

most highly favored lady." Gloria!

"For know a blessed mother thou shalt be,

all generations laude and honor thee;

thy son shall be Emanuel, by seers foretold,

most highly favored lady." Gloria!

The gentle Mary meekly bowed her head;

"To me be as it pleaseth God," she said.

"My soul shall laud and magnify God's holy name."

Most highly favored lady, Gloria!

Of her, Emanuel, the Christ was born

in Bethlehem all on a Christmas morn,

and Christian folk through-out the world will ever say:

"Most highly favored lady," Gloria!

Reading: Luke 2:1-7

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.

Optional Anthem or Solo

Reading: Luke 2:8-14

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!”

Hymn: "Joy to the World" (tune: Antioch)

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.

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, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sin and sorrow grow

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make his blessings flow

Far as the curse is found,

Far as, far as the curse is found.

Homily

Hymn: "Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful" (tune: Adeste Fideles)

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:

Refrain: Oh, come, let us adore him,

Oh, come, let us adore him,

Christ the Lord!

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: Oh, come, let us adore him,

Oh, come, let us adore him,

Christ the Lord!

Sing choirs of angels,

Sing in exultation,

Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!

Glory to the God

In the highest:

Refrain: Oh, come, let us adore him,

Oh, come, let us adore him,

Christ the Lord!

A: Honor the God of your being.

C: All the world echos our gratitude!

A: Declare to all the people:

C; Jesus is born!

A: Acclaim the God of your salvation!

C: All creation resounds with our praise!

A: Declare to all the people:

C: Jesus is born!

A: Praise the God of your liberation.

C: All the cosmos rings with our songs of joy!

A: Declare to all the people:

C; Jesus is born!

P: The peace of the Lord be with you all.

C: And also with you.

(All share the Peace.)

Offering

Optional Anthem or Solo

Responsive Reading:

(Based on Isaiah 9:2-7 with Psalm 96)

A: 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.

C: O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.

Sing to the Lord, bless his name;

tell of his salvation from day to day.

Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous works among all the peoples.A:

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.

C: For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;

he is to be revered above all gods.

For all the gods of the peoples are idols,

but the Lord made the heavens.

6 Honor and majesty are before him;

strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

A: 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.

C: Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

bring an offering, and come into his courts.

Worship the Lord in holy splendor;

tremble before him, all the earth.

A: 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.

C: Say among the nations, “The Lord is king!

The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.

He will judge the peoples with equity.”

A: 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.

C: Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

let the field exult, and everything in it.

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy

before the Lord; for he is coming,

for he is coming to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness,

and the peoples with his truth.

Hymn: "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" (tune: Mendelssohn)

Hark! The herald angels sing,

AGlory to the new-born 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 new-born 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 God-head see!

Hail, incarnate deity!

Pleased as man with us to dwell,

Jesus, our Emanuel!

Refrain: Hark! the herald angels sing,

"Glory to the new-born king!"

Hail the heav=n-born Prince of Peace!

Hail the sun of righteousness!

Light of 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: Hark! the herald angels sing,

"Glory to the new-born king!"

P: In all the generations of creation, in all the trials of this world, God is with us. Now and always, evermore. God is with us, unto life, and even unto death, Emanuel!

In the night in which he was betrayed, Jesus took bread, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take and eat, this is my body." Then he took the cup, and after giving thanks said, "Drink this all of you, this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

A: From the start God is with us.

C: Christ Emanuel!

A: To the end God is with us.

C: Christ Emanuel!

A: From life through death to eternity, God is with us.

C: Christ Emanuel! God with us!

C: The Lord=s Prayer

P: We have all seen the darkness, now behold the Light! Come share in the salvation set for you from the first.

Distribution of Communion

(After all have been served, the Pastor takes a lighted candle and comes up to the congregation, lighting their candles, saying:)

P: May the body and blood of Jesus Christ, keep you always in the light no darkness can overcome.

Reading: John 1:1-5, 10-14

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.

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.

Hymn: "Silent Night, Holy Night!" (tune: Stille Nacht)

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,

Heav=nly 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 your holy face,

With the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus, Lord, at your birth,

Jesus, Lord, at your birth.

P: Go now, knowing that the Light of the world has come. God is with us!

C: Amen! Thanks be to God!

Postlude