FRC Livestream (12/24/2024) Christmas Eve 8:30PM Service

WELCOME CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: The people who once lived in darkness have been given a great light! People: Praise be to God who has heard our cries. Leader: Our souls sing out God’s praise! People: God has brought us a light of Hope and Peace. Leader: Tonight, in this place, the Light of God’s Love is given to us! People: And we shall see that light and let it shine through our lives. *CAROL Comfort Ye My People #3 Comfort, comfort you my people, Tell of peace thus says our God; Comfort those who sit in darkness Bowed beneath oppression’s hand. Speak you to Jerusalem Of the peace that waits for them; Tell them that their sins I cover, And their warfare now is over. For the herald’s voice is calling, In the desert far and near, Bidding us to make repentance Since the kingdom now is here O that warning cry obey! Now prepare for God a way; let the valley’s rise in meeting And the hills bow down in greeting. Make you straight what long was crooked, Make the rougher places plain; Let your hearts be true and humble, As befits God’s holy reign. For the glory of the Lord, Now o’er earth is shed abroad; And all flesh shall see the token, That God’s word is never broken. *OPENING PRAYER *SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE Zane Salem, Gabriel Salem, and Elaine Thuener ANTHEM Come to Where the Shepherds Kneel David Lantz III FIRST READING Isaiah 9:2-7 *CAROL O Come all Ye Faithful #41 SECOND READING Luke 2:1-20 CAROL Angels We Have Heard on High #23 Angels we have heard on high, Sweetly singing o’er the plains, And the mountains in reply, Echoing their joyous strains. Gloria in excelsis Deo; Gloria in excelsis Deo. Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be, Which inspire your heavenly song? Gloria in excelsis Deo; Gloria in excelsis Deo. Come to Bethlehem and see, Him whose birth the angels sing; Come, adore on bended knee, Christ, the Lord, the newborn King. Gloria in excelsis Deo; Gloria in excelsis Deo. HOMILY Reaching Across Adam Mason READING Job 38:1-13 OFFERING OFFERTORY How Great Our Joy Craig Courtney While by the sheep we watched at night, Glad tidings brought an angel bright, How great our joy, how great our joy. There shall be born in coming days, In Bethlehem a Child they say. How great our joy, how great our joy. There shall a Child lie in a stall, This Child who shall redeem us all. This gift of God we’ll cherish well, That every joy our hearts shall fill. Praise we the Lord in heav’n on high! How great our joy, How great our joy. PRAYER OF DEDICATION *CAROL O Little Town of Bethlehem #44 (verses 1 and 2) 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 thy holy birth And praises sing to God, the King, And peace to all on earth. *CAROL Silent Night #60 Pass the light by holding the lit candle upright and tilting the unlit one towards the lit candle. 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 afar. 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. Silent night, Holy night! Wondrous star, lend thy light; With the angels let us sing, Alleluia to our King; Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born.” *CHARGE AND BENEDICTION *CAROL Joy to the World #40 (verses1, 2, and 4) Joy to the world! The Lord is come: Let earth receive her King: Let every heart prepare Him room, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven, and heaven and nature sing. Joy to the world! The Savior reigns: Let us our songs employ; While fields and floods, Rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat the sounding joy. He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders of His love. POSTLUDE