1

Edgerton UMC – Make Known EVE December 24, 2017 7:00pm Worship (*) Indicates Please Stand as Able Bold Print Indicates All Say In Unison WELCOME

PRELUDE SPECIAL MUSIC READING 1. OF CHRISTMAS (by David Rhys Williams) On this blessed day let us worship at the altar of joy, for to miss the joy of Christmas is to miss its holiest secret. Let us enter into the spiritual delights which are the natural heritage of child-like hearts. Let us withdraw, from the cold and barren world of fact, if only for a season. That we may warm ourselves, by the fireside of fancy, and take counsel, of the wisdom of poetry, and legend.

L: Blessed are they, who have vision enough, to behold a guiding star, in the dark mystery, which girdles the earth;

P: Blessed are they, who have imagination enough, to detect the music of celestial voices, in the midnight hours of life.

L: Blessed are they, who have faith enough, to contemplate a world of peace and justice, in the midst of present wrongs and strife. 2

P: Blessed are they, who have greatness enough, to become at times as a little child.

L: Blessed are they, who have zest enough, to take delight in simple things;

P: Blessed are they, who have wisdom enough, to know that the kingdom of heaven is very close at hand, and that all may enter in, who have eyes to see, and ears to hear, and hearts to understand.

HYMN "O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL" (Vs 1 & 2) UMH No. 234

READING 2. "YOU HAVE TO KNOW YOUR BODY AS THE HOME OF GOD" (Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker) You have to know THAT your body Is the home of God

And that this is the purpose of Christmas.

The rose blossoming in the wilderness is the unfolding of your pleasure as the fingers peel an orange and sweetness buds in the mouth.

The bright star in the night sky is the sudden clarity of your instinct for joy.

3

The birth cry in the night////is your child, falling into the dark,/and your arms holding her.

The terror of Herod's murderous intent is your rage that would prefer death/to change.

The singing angel is your voice at church,/////not sure of the tune but certain, for a moment, that/there is glory.

The animals, breathing their warm breath in the fragile stable are your emotions/ kneeling into the body of earth at ease in the presence of God.

Mary is you /////////WITH God in your body.

Joseph is you//////sheltering God in the world.

----This is the key to the mystery, the Word became flesh.

----We are the dwelling place.

4

LIGHTING THE & CHRIST CANDLES

L: In Advent season each week we have pointed the way to Christmas. Lighting each candle we begin our journey, preparing our hearts for the birth of the Child.

And so we come to Christmas once again,

And We light the candles of peace, joy hope and unconditional love.

We light this candle to proclaim the coming of the light of God into the world. (Light the Christ Candle)

PRAYER O God, who has brought us again to the glad season when we remember the birth of , grant that his spirit may be born anew in us. Open our ears that we may hear the angel songs, open our lips that we may sing with hearts uplifted, Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, goodwill toward all. Amen. (Taken from King's Chapel Book of Common Prayer)

5

FIRST LESSON: :1-7 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called , because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a , because there was no place for them in the inn. HYMN "Away in a Manger” 1&2 UMH No. 217

SECOND LESSON: Luke 2: 8-12 8In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.9Then an angel of stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:11to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.12This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”

6

HYMN "The First Noel" Vs 1 UMH No. 240

Third Lesson: Luke 2: 13-20 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,14“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”16So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.17When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child;18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.19But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

HYMN "ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH" (vs 1&2) UMH No. 238

7

PRAYER OF PEACE AND JUSTICE – "The Work of Christmas" by Howard Thurman Please join me as we pray: When the star in the sky is gone, When the Kings and Princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flocks, The work of Christmas begins. To find the lost, To heal the broken, To feed the hungry To release the prisoner, To teach the nations, To bring Christ to all, To make music in the heart. Amen. HYMN "IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR" It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old From angels bending near the earth/ to touch their harps of Peace on the earth, good-will to all, From heaven's all gracious King. The world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing. But with the woes of sin and strife /the world has suffered long Beneath the angel strain have rolled /Two thousand years of wrong 8

And man, at war with man, hears not, The love song which they bring O hush the noise, ye men of strife, and hear the angels sing.

TITHES AND OFFERINGS

READING 3 What Child is this? I’ve always wondered, if I’d been at the stable that night, Would I have seen a king or just a baby? If I’d stood there with the shepherds Listening to stories about choirs of angels Would I have asked: What child is this? Or would I have known that He would someday be the Shepherd of all? If I’d watched wise men bring valuable gifts And kneel down under the guard of heavenly wonders Would I have understood that He was the One in which I’d find all wisdom And that He was the greatest gift of all? That just as that baby was held by His mother, He would hold me Me with His amazing grace. 9

Would I have known that His adoption by his father Joseph, Would be a picture of my adoption into God’s family.

Would I have understood that this baby, who was defenseless, swaddled and held, Would someday be the One holding me in His hands? Pause - No - I didn’t witness a star moving across the sky Or scores of angels proclaiming his birth But somehow in the middle of my ordinary world This extraordinary baby’s birth Found a place in my worn down, beaten up heart

So like all those people who saw Him – I too know that He’s the One I’ve been waiting for! To repair me To Redeem me To Love me To Forgive me To Comfort me To Help me To Die for me and To Raise me to life 10

So - What Child is this? He’s the One who comes to save me! To – save - me! Yes - He’s the One who comes to save me!

They call him Emmanuel, which is Hebrew for "God with us." The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. Emmanuel – God with us!

So my friends, Like me – you must decide for yourselves what this child means to you. Is he God with you?

Our do you decide to celebrate Christmas because it is so much a part of your memories? your history? Or do you celebrate Christmas Because you believe that the child born on Christmas Day Has come To repair you To Redeem you To Love you 11

To Forgive you To Comfort you To Help you To Die for you To Raise you to life To SAVE YOU! How you answer this question decides what child is this?

SWITCH HYMNS SING WHAT CHILD IS THIS 219 Move HYMN "O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM" (vs 1&3) UMH No. 230 after communion.

A SERVICE OF COMMUNION L: We lift up our hearts in God for the gifts of Life given for all. P: Thanks be to God. Page 14 - on the night Jesus gave himself up for us ….do this in remembrance of me,,,,, Return to insert page 3

12

INVITATION TO THE BREAD OF LIFE, CUP OF HOPE L: All are worthy and all are welcome in this free and open communion. We follow the practice of intinction, or dipping of the bread into the cup before eating. PARTAKING OF THE BREAD AND JUICE Special Music Steven Zych HYMN O Little Town of Bethlehem 230 SHARING CANDLELIGHT FROM THE CHRIST CANDLE HYMN "SILENT NIGHT" UMH No. 239

BENEDICTION Go now in the spirit of the Christ Child bringing light into your life and world. Amen Please be seated until the conclusion of the postlude then join us for refreshments downstairs in Fellowship Hall. POSTLUDE