The Star of the Season - Leanne Renzi - 12/24/2024

Amity United Church of Christ Christmas Eve Candlelight / Communion Service December 24, 2024, 9:00 PM The Call to Worship – Psalm 97, NKJV L: The LORD reigns; Let the earth rejoice; Let the multitude of isles be glad! P: Clouds and darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. L: A fire goes before Him, And burns up His enemies round about. P: His lightnings light the world; The earth sees and trembles. L: The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. P: The heavens declare His righteousness, And all the peoples see His glory. L: Let all be put to shame who serve carved images, Who boast of idols. Worship Him, all you gods. P: Zion hears and is glad, And the daughters of Judah rejoice Because of Your judgments, O LORD. L: For You, LORD, are most high above all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods. P: You who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. L: Light is sown for the righteous, And gladness for the upright in heart. P: Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. The Prayer of Confession Heavenly Father, on this Christmas Eve, we seek to be like the shepherds. In our fear of what we might find, we have avoided a holy meeting with You. We have not cowered as they did on the hill that first night of Your incarnation, but we have chosen not to go down to the stable. We have preferred to keep You at arm’s-length, not wanting to know what You truly want from us. Forgive us our distance, Father, and help us in our sin to know that You so deeply want us to be with You that You sent Jesus to teach us how. Help us to not just read the words He spoke, but to live them from here on forward. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Apostles Creed I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and Earth: And in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen