"When the Lord returned the captives of Zion we were like those who dream" Psalm 126:1
Christmas Eve
Jesus Christ - Fully God, Fully Human
Welcome to our Christmas Eve service. We are a hopeful church of charismatic practice & sacramental worship. Along with Christians throughout the last 2,000 years, in all nations, and in all denominations, we affirm the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed. We endeavor to surrender our whole lives to Jesus as Lord in every dimension of our lives.
Opening Prayer
In anticipation we gather.
With expectation we wait.
We gather to watch for the coming of the good news
into our world and into our lives.
We wait to see the fullness of God’s vision.
O God, open the doors to our hearts,
that this year we may have room for the birth of Jesus.
O God, as we marvel over all that you are doing,
overwhelm us with so much wonder
that words of praise spring forth from our lips!
In this time of waiting, let true worship begin in our hearts.
Let our praises rise up to the heavens!
Let our celebrations spread new hope over a tired world!
Let us gather together all our dreams and lives
to worship our God! Amen.
Advent Candle Lighting
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world; the one who follows me will not walk in darkness but have the light of life.”
We light this candle as a sign of the coming light of Christ.
[lighting of the first purple candle]
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The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
—Isaiah 9:2, NRSV
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[lighting of the second purple candle]
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I will lead the blind
by a road they do not know,
by the paths they have not known
I will guide them.
I will turn the darkness before them into light,
the rough places into level ground.
These are the things I will do
and I will not forsake them.
—Isaiah 42:16, NRSV
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[Light the pink candle as this verse is read]
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The LORD says to his servant,
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
—from Isaiah 49:6, NRSV
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[lighting of the final purple candle]
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you,
the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
—Isaiah 58:8, NRSV
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[lighting of the white candle, known as "the Christ candle"]
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Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
For the darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the LORD will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
—Isaiah 60:1-3, NRSV
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​[Leader:] Come, Lord Jesus, our light and our salvation.
[ALL:] Let us walk in the light of the Lord.
The First Testament // The Law & The Prophets
Isaiah 52:7–10 (NLT)
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How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of the messenger who brings good news,
the good news of peace and salvation,
the news that the God of Israel reigns!
The watchmen shout and sing with joy,
for before their very eyes
they see the LORD returning to Jerusalem.
Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song,
for the LORD has comforted his people.
He has redeemed Jerusalem.
The LORD has demonstrated his holy power
before the eyes of all the nations.
All the ends of the earth will see
the victory of our God.
A Psalm // Sacred Songs
Psalm 98:1–9 (NLT)
Sing a new song to the LORD,
for he has done wonderful deeds.
His right hand has won a mighty victory;
his holy arm has shown his saving power!
The LORD has announced his victory
and has revealed his righteousness to every nation!
He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel.
The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
Shout to the LORD, all the earth;
break out in praise and sing for joy!
Sing your praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song,
with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn.
Make a joyful symphony before the LORD, the King!
Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
Let the earth and all living things join in.
Let the rivers clap their hands in glee!
Let the hills sing out their songs of joy
before the LORD,
for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with justice,
and the nations with fairness.
The Second Testament // The Epistles
Hebrews 1:1-4 (NLT)
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Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names.
The Second Testament // The Gospel
John 1:1–14 (NLT)
In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
Prayer for Illumination
O God, our beginning and end,
by whose command time runs its course:
bless our impatience,
perfect our faith,
and, while we await
the fulfillment of your promises,
grant us hope in your Word. Amen.