COME LET US ADORE HIM

Join us as we celebrate the meaning and wonder of Jesus’ birth during December.

Christmas Eve

Tuesday, December 24 at 4 & 6 p.m.

Join us for one of our services as we prepare to celebrate Christmas. Each service will feature music, the Christmas story in scripture and a closing candlelight hymn. The 4 p.m. service will have a nursery available for young children, but both services are family-friendly.

Welcome to Christmas Eve at First Pres

We will hold two services in person at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the sanctuary. The 4 p.m. service will also be livestreamed on our YouTube and Facebook channels.

Order of Worship

Prelude: “Go Tell It on the Mountain” – arr. Carter and Behnke Karen Holl, Organist

Gathering Song: CHRISTMAS DAY

Welcome and Prayer

O Emmanuel, O Wisdom from on high, O Lord of might, O Branch of Jesse’s stem, O Key of David, O Bright and Morning Star, O King of nations, We rejoice and are glad this Christmas night, for truly you have come, full of grace and truth.

Even now, come into our hearts again. Show us the path of knowledge. Comfort us in our mourning. Save us from our sin. Open wide our way to heaven. Turn our darkness into light. End our sad divisions and be our King of peace, so that every creature in heaven and on earth will join in a chorus of praise, and shout with joy to you, our Lord. Amen.

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 11:1-9

O COME, O COME EMMANUEL (9)

Prayer of Confession & Assurance of Forgiveness:

One: O God, the Father of heaven,

All: Have mercy upon us.

One: O God, the Son, Redeemer of the world,

All: Have mercy upon us.

One: O God, the Holy Spirit,

All: Have mercy upon us. Be merciful to us and spare us, O Lord. Be merciful to us and deliver us, O Lord.

One: From all sin, from all error, from all evil –

All: Deliver us, O Lord.

One: From the wiles of the devil and from everlasting death –

All: Deliver us, O Lord.

One: Lord Jesus, by the mystery of your holy incarnation, by your holy nativity, by your baptism, fasting,

and temptations,

All: Deliver us, O Lord.

One: By your agony and bloody sweat, by your cross and passions, by your death and burial, by your resurrection and ascension, by the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter –

All: Deliver us, O Lord. Amen.

One: She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

All: When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.

One: To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

All: This saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. In Christ, we are forgiven! Thanks be to God! (based on Matthew 1:21, Galatians 4:4-5, John 1:12, 1 Timothy 1:15)

WHAT CHILD IS THIS?

Scripture Reading: Luke 2: 1-20

Lighting of the Christ Candle

ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH (23) vs. 1,3 / HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING (31)

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9:2-7, John 3:16-21

O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL (41) / ANGELS FROM THE REALMS OF GLORY

Scripture Reading: Matthew 2:1-11

Mission Offering: LIGHT OF THE WORLD (*Going to Local Mission Partners working with women and children.)

Homily: “Come Let Us Adore Him” Scripture: John 1:1-5, 9-14

Closing Response: (from Matthew 22:37-40)

One: The words of our Lord Jesus Christ: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself…”

One: He came as a baby in a manger.