CHRISTMAS MESSAGE “The Voices of
SCRIPTURE: Luke 2: 1-11; 17-18
VOICES
CONGREGATIONAL CAROL “Silent Night”
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! 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.
VOICES
CONGREGATIONAL CAROL “What Child is This?”
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 lamb are feeding?
Good Christian, fear, for sinners here, the silent Word is pleading.
This, this is Christ the King whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring Him laud the Babe, the Son of Mary.
VOICES
CONGREGATIONAL “CAROL” (tune of “Farmer In the Dell”)
We’re glad that you were born! We’re glad that you were born!
O Baby Jesus, Son of God, We’re glad that you were born!
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 2: 1-4
VOICES
CONGREGATIONAL CAROL “Angels We Have Heard on High”
Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o'er the plains,
And the mountains in reply, echoing their joyous strains.
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Come to
Come, adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the new-born King.
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!
United |
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Phones: 253-7698 • Phone/Fax: 253-8668 Email: chccucc@myfairpoint.net • Website: www.chccucc.org | ||||
Pastor.................................................................................... Reverend Carol Asher Home Phone: 744-7864 E-mail: clsasher2@aol.com Ministers.............................................................................................. All Members Director of Music.......................................................................... Secretary......................................................................................... Nancy Lemieux Ukama/Partner................. |
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This Week in Our Church Family
Boldface = Church-sponsored events
Sunday (25) BLESSED CHRISTMAS
10:00 am Family Worship
Village Preschool Mon, Wed, Fri School Vacation
Monday (26) NO Boot Camp (Mon.-Fri.)
9:00 am T’ai Chi
Tuesday (27) 5:30-6:30pm
Wed. (28)
Thursday (29) 6:00 pm T’ai Chi
Friday (30)
Saturday (31) 8:00am Al-Anon
Sunday (1) NEW YEAR’S DAY
10:00 am Worship and
11:10 am Fellowship and Refreshments in Gilpatric Hall
Thank You to Today’s Volunteers
December 25, 2011 10:00 a.m.
Morning Worship
Large print bulletins available—please ask an usher.
An asterisk (*) indicates “Please stand if you are able.”
Gathering for Worship
PRELUDE “Greensleeves” Arr. by
WELCOME TO ALL! We pray that the Child of Bethlehem will find a welcome in your heart and in your life, that you may know the wonder of being loved unconditionally, cherished unceasingly, and saved everlastingly.
RELIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE so it will shine in the world as the star shines on “the mountain”.
Entering into Worship
RESPONSIVE CALL TO WORSHIP
L: Come away, come away, come today to
P: Come adore on bended knee, one whose birth the angels sing.
L: Come away, come away, from your noisy celebration, to a place of quietness and peace.
P: Come with wonder, come with awe. Take your place among the sheep and cattle.
All: Sing with joy, praise God, for the time of promise has come.
Sing the good news of Emmanuel: God-with-us! The Christ has come!
L: Come away, come away, come today to
*OPENING CAROL “O Come, All Ye Faithful” Hymn #148
*GATHERING PRAYER (in unison)
Christ is born! Christ IS born!! Because of this birth, life is full of promise for each of us and for our world. We celebrate today the presence of God's promise in our midst. It is the promise of a small child coming into this crowded, hurting world and bringing love and joy. It is the promise of all of us responding and reaching out to make a new presence in our world. It is the promise of God-with-us in our lives. Let us claim the promise and worship the Christ together! We pray as Jesus has taught us, saying: “Our Father...”
*LORD’S PRAYER (using “debts”)
“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.”
A Time of Sharing
PRAYER JOYS AND CONCERNS
CALL TO PRAYER
“Lord, listen to your children praying; Lord, send your Spirit in this place.
Lord, listen to your children praying. Send us love, send us power, send us grace.”
PASTORAL PRAYER
ORGAN RESPONSE
OFFERING
Organ Offertory “Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming” Praetorious
*Offering Response #173 (sung by the people)
As they offered gifts so rare at that manger rude and bare.
So may we with holy joy, pure and free from sin’s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring, Christ to thee from whom they spring.
*Prayer of Dedication
A Christmas Meditation
CAROL “O Little Town of
O little town of
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight.
How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is giv'n
God imparts to human hearts the blessing of His heav'n.
No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 9:6
VOICES
CONGREGATIONAL CAROL “Go, Tell It on the Mountain
Chorus: 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 our humble Christ was born,
And God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn. Repeat Chorus
Sending
*CLOSING HYMN ““Angels From the Realms of Glory” Hymn #149
Angels from the realms of glory, wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story, now proclaim Messiah’s birth:
“Come and worship, come and worship, Worship Christ, the new-born King.”
Shepherds in the fields abiding, watching o’er their flocks by night,
God in man is now residing, yonder shines the infant Light:
“Come and worship, come and worship, Worship Christ, the new-born King.”
*BENEDICTION
ORGAN POSTLUDE “Dulce Jubilo” Arr. by Manz
(in these few minutes during the postlude, sit quietly and soak up the
love and grace of God that will help you through this coming week.)
Blessed Christmas To All!
"I'd Like to Go to the Stable" (Ann Weems in Kneeling in
O Lord, I'd like to go to the stable this night!
I'd run even through the dark and cold
to lay my gifts at your feet!
O Lord, why couldn't I have been there?
I needn't have been a king,
perhaps just a shepherd child
or someone sent from the inn
to check on the progress of the birth...
I'd like to go to the stable
to see the sweet little boy,
to smell the hay,
to hear the sounds of the cattle
accompanying the angels,
to lay my gifts before the king.
“I Had Been to
It happened in a large church in
The journey down that long aisle was an early spiritual pilgrimage for me, yet it felt like a kind of homecoming. When I reached the manger scene, there were a sleepy donkey, real sheep, and Mary and Joseph beneath the angel with outstretched wings. Above all, there was a light in the manger, enfolding us in its glow. Kneeling in front of it, I had a sense of exaltation, of self-offering as real as any I have ever known since. This was real to me, and I was there. Of course, it didn’t last long. I was lifted to my feet by an usher and carried down the aisle, back to my embarrassed family, as the pageant swept on. I was vaguely aware of subtle smiles, and my parents’ whispered scolding didn’t matter. My discovery was my own, and I had something now that no one could ever take from me. I had been to