Volume 6 | Issue 51.2 | December 24, 2019 | 9 & 11 p.m. Worship Services | Christmas Eve WORSHIP TODAY Welcome to Cathedral of Hope! IMPORTANT INFO Connect Center hat began in 1970 as a circle of 12 friends meeting weekly for worship and If you are joining us for the first time, Wfellowship has grown into Cathedral of Hope, a Vibrant, Inclusive, Progressive (VIP) stop by the Info Bar in the Connect congregation of the United Church of Christ. Center to meet and greet with Founded in and serving beyond the LGBTQ community, our mission is to reclaim Christianity as a faith of extravagant grace, radical inclusion, volunteers and staff, and to pick up and relentless compassion. a special gift from us to you. If you are visiting Cathedral of Hope for the first time, we are blessed by your presence,and hope you will return often! If there is anything Childcare we can do to make your visit more enjoyable, please call on our Ushers to assist you. For more information about the church, please come Our Ministry to Children & Families to the Connect Center located next to Sources of Hope. (birth - 3rd grade) offers some of For those who may not know, Cathedral of Hope provides sign interpretation for our hearing-impaired congregants at the 11 a.m. service the most exciting and imaginative every Sunday. There are also hearing amplifying devices available from Sources of Hope for use during our services. children’s programming around. Your children will insist on a return visit. Childcare is available during Large-print bulletins and assisted listening systems are available in the bookstore. the 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. services in the Children’s Chapel Youth Neil’s NOTE Good Evening, Cathedral of Hope, Youth Group meets Sunday mornings during the 11 a.m. worship United Church of Christ! service. They are located in the East Wing Rm. 182. The last Sunday of O holy night the stars are brightly shining the month, they attend worship It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth together as a group. Long lay the world in sin and error pining Till Christ appeared, and the soul felt its worth Restrooms You’re invited to use the restroom A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices that corresponds with your gender For yonder breaks a new glorious morn identity or the restroom that feels Fall on your knees the safest and most comfortable O hear the angels’ voices to you. Gendered, multiple- O night divine occupancy restrooms are located O night when Christ was born O night divine o night near the double glass doors behind O night divine the Sanctuary. All-gender, single- occupancy restrooms are available This is one of my favorite Christmas carols. It tells the story of the Savior’s birth and calls forth in us a off the hall to the right of the Hall response. of Heroes area. Restroom in IPC available in lower level. Christmas is all about a response. There is the response of God to a world in need. A response of Mary, of Joseph and the response of those who would encounter the Christ-child and the ultimate message of Congregational Care salvation. If you find yourself experiencing illness, hospitalization, death, grief, Our Advent season has invited us to respond to that same message of hope, joy, peace and love, calling forth or other critical challenges, the a response from each of us to “make room”. Make room for the gifts of Christmas that might stay with us Congregational Care Ministry (CCM) throughout the Christmas season and hopefully into the new year. It is the response that makes Christmas all that it is meant to be and tonight, as we gather on this Christ-mas Eve, we gather to welcome the challenge at Cathedral of Hope will connect of Christmas. you with the appropriate resources that best correspond to your needs. We welcome the Christ-child again with a desire to make real on the promise of a God who is with us, and The CCM can be reached by: ultimately who is working through us to create “peace on earth and goodwill to all.” • Phone (214) 351-1901 Ext. 124 Here at Cathedral of Hope, we are committed to demonstrating God’s love through actions, through our • Email at [email protected] response to this message. As we look toward 2020 and the 50th anniversary of our congregation we are • Enter ‘Care’ in red registration saying it this way, “Loving God by Loving People.” book when at church
It is a message of love for the world, of a love that came down at Christmas. Board Meetings CoH Monthly Board Meetings are I sincerely hope that you enjoy worship tonight and plan to usher in the birth of Christ, not just as a day on held on the 4th Monday of the the calendar, but into your heart and life this day and in the year to come. month at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Peace, Hall, and are open to the members of our congregation. Congregants Reverend Dr. Neil G Thomas will be notified in advance if the Senior Pastor meeting is cancelled. Christmas Eve DECEMBER 24, 2019 ● 9 & 11 P.M. LITURGY OF PREPARATION PRELUDE Song for the Child Music by Michael W. Smith; arr. David Hamilton Les Holben, piano Cathedral of Hope Orchestra LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH Climb to the Top of the Highest Mountain Words adapted from Isaiah 40; Music by Carolyn Jennings Sanctuary Choir and Orchestra BIDDING PRAYER FOR CHRISTMAS EVE Rev. Dr. Neil G. Thomas
**PROCESSIONAL HYMN O Come, All Ye Faithful
Words: Latin, 18th century; attributed to John Francis Wade, adapted ADESTE FIDELES Music: English melody, 18th century from John F. Wade’s Cantus Diversi, c. 1743 **The people will rise in body or spirit.
Cathedral of Hope UCC • 5910 Cedar Springs Road • Dallas, TX 75235 • (214) 351-1901 • www.cathedralofhope.com 2 **INVOCATION Re . Dr. ichael Dia
WELCOME Re . Dr. eil . Tho as
**EXCHANGE OF PEACE
LITURGY OF THE WORD HEBREW LESSON saiah 9 2, 7 Re . ndria Da is (9 p. .) Ra i Denise ger (11 p. .) The people who wal ed in dar ness ha e seen a great light those who li ed in a land of deep gloo — on the light has shined. or a child has een orn for s, a son gi en to s a thorit rests pon the sho lder of this one who is na ed onderf l Co nselor, ight od, erlasting So ereign, rince of eace. This do inion – and this peace – will grow without end, on David’s judgment seat and over David’s realm, confirmed and s stained with dg ent and stice, oth now and fore er. The eal of the od of osts will do this
**GRADUAL O Little Town of Bethlehem
Words by Phillips Brooks; adapted ST. LOUIS Music by Lewis H. Redner Public Domain
CHRISTMAS GOSPEL IN WORD AND SONG **LUKE 2: 1-7 n those da s a decree went o t fro peror g st s that all the world sho ld e registered. This was the first registration and was ta en while irini s was go ernor of S ria. ll went to their own towns to e registered. oseph also went fro the town of a areth in alilee to dea, to the cit of Da id called ethlehe , eca se oseph was descended fro the ho se and fa il of Da id. e went to e registered with ar , to who he was engaged and who was e pecting a child. hile the were there, the ti e ca e for her deli er . nd she ga e irth to her first orn son and wrapped hi in ands of cloth, and laid hi in a anger, eca se there was no place for the in the inn.
MINISTRY IN MUSIC Hallelu! ords Traditional sic Stephen a l s Sanct ar Choir Da id oldenha er, organ
3 2 **LUKE 2: 8-14 n that region there were she herds living in the fields, ee ing watch over their floc night hen an angel of od stood efore them, and the glor of od shone around them, and the were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see— am ringing ou good news of great jo for all the eo le to ou is orn this da in the cit of David a avior, who is the essiah his will e a sign for ou ou will find a child wra ed in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” nd suddenl there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenl host, raising od and sa ing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward all!”
**MUSICAL RESPONSE Angels We Have Heard on High
Traditional French Carol; Public Domain GLORIA