WELLESLEY VILLAGE CHURCH CONGREGATIONAL † UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST Christmas Eve Virtual Candlelight Service December 24, 2020 8:00pm Welcome to Wellesley Village Church! We Are an Open & Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ. Whoever you are, wherever you are on the journey of life and faith, we are delighted you are here! ORDER OF WORSHIP PRELUDE “Gabriel’s Oboe” David Carrier, organ Patrick Kane, oboe INTROIT “Once in David’s Royal City” Will Farrell, Celeste Godin, Patrick Kane, Kevin McDonald, Vera Savage, voice David Carrier, organ WELCOME & LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLES Sarah Sarchet Butter OPENING CAROL “O Come all Ye Faithful” Will Farrell, Celeste Godin, Patrick Kane, Kevin McDonald, Vera Savage, voice David Carrier, organ O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; Come and behold him, born the King of angels; O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord! Sing choirs of angels, sing in exultation, Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest; O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord! Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning, Jesus, to thee be all glory given’ Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord! PRAYER OF CONFESSION Sean Patrick Coady RESPONSE SONG “Earth To God” John Rich Hilary Prus, lead voice David Tolley, guitar, violin, voice Ed Broms, piano, voice ASSURANCE OF GOD’S GRACE Sean Patrick Coady FIRST LESSON Isaiah 9:2-7 Bob Feeny The prophet Isaiah announces the reign of the Prince of Peace. ANTHEM “Es ist ein Ros entsprungen” Congregational Church of Weston Choir Directed by Zen Kuriyama SECOND LESSON Luke 1:26-33 Susan Case, Worship Deacon The angel Gabriel tells Mary she will bear a son. ANTHEM “In Dulci Jubilio” David Carrier, organ THIRD LESSON Luke 2:1-7 Sean Patrick Coady The birth of the babe in Bethlehem. ANTHEM “What Child is This, Who, Laid to Rest” Ed Broms, piano improvisation 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? Refrain: 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 ass are feeding? Good Christian, fear: for sinners here The silent Word is pleading. Refrain So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh, Come peasant, king, to own him; The King of kings salvation brings, Let loving hearts enthrone him. Refrain FOURTH LESSON Luke 2:8-14 Cathy Liddell CCW Worship Deacon An angel tells the shepherds of the birth. CAROL NO. 116 “Angels We Have Heard on High” Will Farrell, Celeste Godin, Kevin McDonald, Vera Savage, voice Patrick Kane, oboe Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o’er the plains, And the mountains in reply Echo back their joyous strains. Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo! Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? Say what may the tidings be, Which inspire your heav’nly song. Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo! FIFTH LESSON Luke 2:15-20 Pam Emslie The shepherds travel to the manger. MEDITATION “God to Earth” Sarah Sarchet Butter ANTHEM “Emmanuel” Youth Choir Directed by Kevin McDonald CHRISTMAS PRAYER & THE LORD’S PRAYER Diane Seaborn 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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen ANTHEM “In the Bleak Midwinter” Sarah Bua, violin Ed Broms, piano In the bleak mid-winter Frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, Snow on snow, In the bleak mid-winter Long ago. Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him Nor earth sustain; Heaven and earth shall flee away When He comes to reign: In the bleak mid-winter A stable-place sufficed The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ. Enough for Him, whom cherubim Worship night and day, A breastful of milk And a mangerful of hay; Enough for Him, whom angels Fall down before, The ox and ass and camel Which adore. Angels and archangels May have gathered there, Cherubim and seraphim Thronged the air, But only His mother In her maiden bliss, Worshipped the Beloved With a kiss. What can I give Him, Poor as I am? If I were a shepherd I would bring a lamb, If I were a wise man I would do my part, Yet what I can I give Him, Give my heart. OFFERING & PRAYER OF DEDICATION Bob Feeny We are grateful for your offerings to God in support of the ministries of Wellesley Village Church. Checks may be made payable to Wellesley Village Church. You may donate here or at www.wellesleyvillagechurch.org; or call our Financial Secretary at ext. 18 for assistance. Tonight, 25% of donations will go to “Neighbors in Need”, a special offering of the United Church of Christ to address hunger, poverty, human rights, peace-making, social justice, environmental concerns and public policy advocacy. Thank you for your generosity. ANTHEM “O Holy Night” Celeste Godin, voice Allen Steere, piano SHARING THE LIGHT OF CHRIST Proclamation John 1:1-5, 9-14 Sarah Sarchet Butter The Light of the world cannot be overcome. Carol Medley Sanctuary Choir “O Little Town of Bethlehem” O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! 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. For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above, While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love. O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth! And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth. “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold; Peace on the earth, good will to men, from heaven’s all gracious King. The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing. For lo, the days are hastening on, by prophet bards foretold, When with the ever-circling years comes round the age of gold; When peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling, And the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing. “Silent Night, Holy 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! Shepherds quake at the sight. Glories stream from heaven a-far, heavenly hosts sing alleluia; Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born! 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. Moment of Dedication Sarah Sarchet Butter CLOSING CAROL “Joy to the World! The Lord Is Come” Choirs of Congregational Church of Weston & Wellesley Village Church, voice Kevin & Connor McDonald, brass Joy to the world! the Lord is come: Let earth its praises bring; Let ev'ry heart prepare Christ room, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven, and heaven and nature sing. Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat the sounding joy. Christ rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of God’s righteousness And wonders of God’s love, And wonders of God’s love, And wonders, wonders of God’s love. BENEDICTION Sarah Sarchet Butter POSTLUDE “Siciliana” David Carrier, organ Patrick Kane, oboe We wish you and yours a blessed Christmas! Please Join Us Again! Sunday, December 27, for 9am worship service on Zoom (no 10am worship), hosted by Congregational Church of Weston with Pastor Bob Feeny. Sunday, January 3, we return to our regular schedule: 9am & 10am worship online. All Family Life Programming: Children’s Church, Youth Music, Middle School Youth Group, Confirmation, and High School Youth Group are currently meeting each week via Zoom. Please check the Family Life Enews or Church website for details and links. Watchnight Service - Charles St. A.M.E. Church Online Tuesday, December 31, 10:30pm-midnight The Watchnight Service at Charles St. A.M.E. Church is a special service that recalls the watch the African Americans kept on New Year’s Eve, as they waited for the Emancipation Proclamation to take effect on Jan. 1, 1863. Please click on this link for the service. FOR UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.wellesleyvillagechurch.org 2 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02482 www.wellesleyvillagechurch.org Office: 781-235-1988 | Urgent Pastoral Care: 781-591-7451 Leif Hille, Moderator Cynthia Sibold, Vice Moderator Lori Bruce, Immediate Past Moderator The Rev.