THE GREAT THANKSGIVNG The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to You, Father Almighty, … … And so, with Your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, holy, holy Lord; God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are You, and blessed is Your Son Jesus Christ, … … And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering to us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Pour out Your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, … … Through Your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in Your holy church, all honor and glory is Yours, Almighty Father, now and forever.
Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD THE GIVING OF THE CUP
THE SHARING IN COMMUNION Do not be afraid. Come forth in courage! Feast upon the good news. Share in the tidings of great joy! A savior has been born to you. Glory to God in the highest heaven!
D E C E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 2 0 WORSHIP RESOURCES C R O S S G A T E S S T A F F USED BY PERMISSION 5 : 0 0 P M THE UNITED METHODIST HYMNAL, copyright © 1989, Sheri Blankenship DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES The United Methodist Publishing House, Nashville, Tennessee Medero Carr PIANIST
Cameron Cloud DIRECTOR OF STUDENT MINISTRIES CELEBRATING GRACE HYMNAL, copyright © 2010, Faith East MINISTRIES COORDINATOR Celebrating Grace, Inc., Macon, Georgia Meryl Franck INTERIM CHURCH SECRETARY NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION BIBLE, copyright © 1989, Robin Jeffcoat DIRECTOR OF FINANCE National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA Paul Griffin Jones, III (Trey) PASTOR THE ABINGDON WORSHIP ANNUAL copyright © 2020, Celia Lymberis ORGANIST|ACCOMPANIST Abingdon Press, Nashville, Tennessee Marisa Prewitt DIRECTOR OF NURSERY MINISTRIES Cover artwork: 18th c. mural, “Nativity, “ by Giovanni Antonio Pelligrini Joseph Wilkinson DIRECTOR OF WORSHIPAND MUSIC located in the Presbytery of Salesianerkirche in Vienna, Austria PRELUDE CHRISTMAS EVE PRAYER Emmanuel, Grace of God, You have brought salvation to all, by the giving of Yourself. In Your CHIMING OF THE HOUR sacrifice of love, You have redeemed us. In days of old You sent Your angels to tell shepherds the good news: "To you is born this day a Savior, the Messiah, the Lord." Help us hear with the shepherds PROCLAMATION CAROL this good news, that we too may glorify and praise You for all that we have seen and heard. May we O Come, All Ye Faithful ADESTE FIDELES live lives that glorify You, as we celebrate Your birth into this world. Amen.
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; Come and adore Him born the King of Angels: THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHET READING O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! Isaiah 9:6-7
True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal, Lo! he abhors not the Virgin’s womb; A CHRISTMAS EVE MYSTERY Son of the Father, begotten, not created. O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! O Holy Night Adolphe Adam SARAH WADE, SOLOIST Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation, sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest: THE CHRISTMAS MESSAGE O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! IT IS TIME TO UNWRAP THE GREATEST GIFT
LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE Advent hope moves us; Advent peace stills us; Advent joy stirs us; Advent love leads us, LITURGY OF HOLY COMMUNION that we might affirm our King Jesus. INVITATION It is time we set flame to this Advent affirmation by lighting the Christ candle. Come now and kneel before the Christ child. God-with-us has come to touch our world, our lives. We believe that Jesus is the Son of God. He was born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem of Judea. He God-with-us has come to bring us out of darkness into a glorious light. God-with-us invites us now to was the long-awaited Messiah whom coming was prophesied. The same Jesus lives today in our come to the table, believing in the promises of God fulfilled tonight. Here love is offered, and love is hearts. In Him our hope is fulfilled; our peace is sealed; our joy is complete; and our love is perfected found, in the sharing of bread and cup. Here we find our journey’s end and beginning.
Rejoice! A Savior is born. Joy to the world! OUR CONFESSION
OUR CAROL OF JOY God of Joy, Joy to the World ANTIOCH we come to celebrate again the arrival of Love Incarnate here in our very midst.
Joy to the world! The Lord is come; let earth receive her King; Your glorious arrival is enough to cause the forests to sing for joy, let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing, yet we still find reasons to complain and sigh. and heaven, and heaven and nature sing. Your light of salvation is bright enough to illuminate every corner of our lives, yet we still find ourselves shrouded in worry and doubt. Joy to the earth! The Savior reigns; let all their songs employ; Your gift of Love is big enough for the whole world, while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy, yet we still find ourselves resentful that your love extends to those whom we deem to be unworthy. repeat, repeat the sounding joy. God, you invite us into the light of the stable where the overlooked and forgotten have gathered to
He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove celebrate the miracle of your love. the glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love, and wonders of His love, Give us the humility and courage to join you at the manger.
and wonders, wonders of His love. Hear us, we pray.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE OUR PRAYER OF PREPARATION Surprising God, Do not be afraid! Open our ears to hear this familiar story as if for the first time. Hear the good news of great joy for all people: Open our eyes to see the diverse cast gathered at the manger. A Savior has been born this night for you! Open our hearts to the power of your love as revealed in this amazing story. Open our lives to the possibility of transformation, as we encounter once again OUR RESPONSE God-With-Us, Emmanuel. BASED UPON ISAIAH 9, TITUS 2, LUKE 2 Amen. A child has been born to us. Glory to God in the highest heaven! A savior has been given to us. Glory to God in the highest heaven! The grace of God has appeared in human form. Glory to God in the highest heaven! THE GOSPEL READING SHARED BY OUR CHILDREN Salvation has come to all the earth. Glory to God in the highest heaven! Luke 2:1-20