Lisa Frenz 1997
Prelude
"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
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, bet 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;
San of the Father
Now in flesh appearing! Refrain:
Sing choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to the God
In the highest: Refrain:
P: Welcome to God's house.
C : We give thanks to God, the Creator.
P: May the happiness of God's message be with you.
C : We give thanks to God, the Son.
P: May God's word of life-saving love be yours.
C: We give thanks to God, the Comforter.
P: God's word comes alive tonight
C: in the birth of Jesus, God's Son.
P: God"s love comes to us tonight
C: in the birth of Jesus, God's Son.
P: God's light comes to us tonight
C: in the birth of Jesus, God's Son.
P: Praise Gad above!
C: For God loves us all!
"Infant Holy, Infant Lowly"" (W Zlobie Lezy)
Tune Name: W ZLOBIE LEZY
Text Source: Text: Polish carol; tr. Edith M. G. Reed, 1885-1933, alt.
Music Source: Music: Polish carol
Infant holy, infant lowly,
For his bed a cattle stall:
Oxen towing, little knowing
Christ the child is Lord of all.
Swiftly winging, angels singing,
Bells are rigging, tidings bringing:
Christ the child is Laid of all!
Christ the child is Lard of all!
Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping
vigil till the morning new
Saw the glory, heard the story,
Tidings of a Gospel true,
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow,
Praises voicing, greet the morrow:
Christ the child was born for you!
Christ the child was born for you!
P: Let us pray,
C: God of love we give you thanks for the gift of your Son, Jesus. He is our friend and savior. Your love gives us comfort and joy. Teach us to love our friends and family like you lave us. We ask this in. Jesus' name. Amen.
"Go Tell It an the Mountain" (Go Tell It)
Tune Name: GO TELL IT
Text Source: Text: African American spiritual, refrain; John W. Work Jr., 1872-1925, stanzas, alt.
Music Source: Music: African American spiritual
Refrain: Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and ev'rywhere:
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. Refrain
The shepherds feared and trembled
When, lo, above the earth
rang out the angels` chorus
that hailed our Savior’s birth. Refrain
Down in a lonely manger
The humble Christ was born;
And Gad sent us salvation
That blessed Christmas morn. Refrain
First Lesson: Thus 2 :11-14
[This] is the way we should live, because God's grace has come. That grace can save every person, It teaches us not to live against God and not to do the evil things the world wants to do. That grace teaches us to live on earth now in a wise and right way - a way that shows that we serve God. We should live like that while we are waiting for the coming of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. He is our great hope, and he will came with glory. He game himself for us; he died to free us from all evil. He died to make us pure people who belong only to him – people who are always wanting to do good things. (International Children's Bible)
"All Earth Is Hopeful" (Tauld)
Tune Name: TODA LA TIERRA
Alternate Tune Name: TAULE
Text Source: Text: Alberto Taule, b. 1932; tr. Madeleine Forell Marshall, b. 1946
Music Source: Music: Alberto Taule, b. 1932
All earth is hopeful, . . .and justice set ev'rybody free.
People of Israel, you heard the prophet tell . . .to children of this earth.
Mountains and valleys will have to be prepared;. . . in haste, came out in haste!
We first save Jesus a baby in a crib. . .and ever sets us free.
Second Lesson: Isaiah 9:2-7
Now those people live in darkness . But they will see a. great light They live in a plact that is very dark. But a light will shine on them. God, you will cause the nation to grow. You will make the people happy. And they will show their happiness to you. It will be like the joy of people taking what they have won in war. Like the time you defeated Midian, you will take away their heavy load. You will take away the heavy pole from their backs. You will take way the rod the enemy uses to punish your people. Every boot that marched in battle will be destroyed. Every uniform stained with blood will be destroyed. They will be thrown into the fire. A child will be born to us . God will give a son to us. He will be responsible for leading the people. His name will be Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God, .Father who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace. Power and peace will be in his kingdom. It will continue to grow. He will rule as king on David’s throne and over David's kingdom. He will make it strong, by ruling with goodness and fair judgement. He will rule it forever and ever. The Lord of heaven's armies will do this because of his strong love far his people. (International Children's Bible)
"Silent Night, Holy Night!"
Tune Name: STILLE NACHT
Text Source: Text: Joseph Mohr, 1792-1849; tr. John F. Young, 1820-1885
Music Source: Music: Franz Gruber, 1787-1863
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, loves pure light
Radiant beams from year holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at your birth,
Jesus, Lord, at your birth.
Gospel Lesson: Luke 2.- 1-20
(the children might be invited to come to the front end help tell the story of Jesus' birth, Perhaps they could hold pictures up which illustrate the story, or if a creche is available they might be invited to but the people and animals into it as the story progresses. Another option might be to act our the story in pantomime or even have the children tell the story in their own words.)
"Away in a Manger"
Tune Name: CRADLE SONG
Text Source: Text: North American, anonymous, 19th cent.
Music Source: Music: William J. Kirkpatrick, 1838-1921
Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid dawn his sweet head;
The stars in the sky looked down where; he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing; the poor baby wakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love you, Lord Jesus; look down from the sky
and stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
Be near me Lord Jesus; I ask you to stay
close by me forever and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in your tender care
And fit us for heaven, to live with you there.
A Children's Christmas Story might be read at this time.
P: God has sent us the joy and peace we can know: He has sent us Jesus Christ. Let us share that joy and peace with each other. The peace of God be with you.
C: And also with you.
The sharing of the peace.
Offering
Institution of Communion
"O Come, Little Children"
O come, little children, O come one and all,
To Bethlehem haste, to the manger so small,
God's Son for a gift has been sent you this night
To be your redeemer, your joy and delight.
He's born in a stable for you and for me,
Draw near by the bright gleaming starlight to see,
In swaddling clothes lying so meek and so mild.
And purer than angles the heavenly child.
See Mary and Joseph with love beaming eyes
Are gazing upon the rude bed where He lies,
the shepherds are kneeling, with hearts full of love,
While angels sing loud hallelujahs above.
Kneel down and adore Him with shepherds today,
Lift up little hands now and praise Him as they;
Rejoice that a Savior from sin you can boast,
And join in the song of the heavenly host.
P: We shout and sing our thanks to God
C: Who has given us everything:
P: Our homes and family,
C: Our food and friends.
P: God has made sure we have all that we need.
C: We shout and sing our thanks to God!
P: Best of all God has given us Jesus who is the bread and wine we share.
C: God has given us everything. Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
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.
Fir the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.
P: Come to the table of the Lord and eat what God gives us: peace, joy and love forever through Jesus Christ, the baby of Bethlehem.
C : Amen.
Distribution of Communion
P: May the body and blood of Jesus in the bread and wine we shared keep you a child of God. May God bless you and keep you always in the under and
happiness of God's love and kindness which is greater than we can imagine. May all the joys and promises of Jesus' birth be yours now and forever, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
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
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 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 the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sin and sorrow grow
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He come 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,
Arid wonders of his love,
And wonders, wonders of his love.
P: Go in peace and serve the newborn King, Jesus Christ!
C: Thanks be to God!
Postlude