The Eve of the Nativity of the Lord
December 24, 2017
An empty wooden manger waits at the front of the Sanctuary.
Prelude:
Gathering Song: “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” 309/108
Words of Welcome
Lighting the Christ Candle
Call to Worship
People will come from east and west
and from north and south,
and will eat in the Kingdom of God.
Indeed, some who are last will be first,
and some who are first will be last. Luke 13:29-30
We are celebrating the feast of the Eternal Birth
which God has borne
and never ceases to bear in all eternity...
But if it does not also happen in us, what good is it?
Everything depends on this,
that it should take place in each of us.
As we listen again to the story of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem,
may he be born as well in our own hearts.
May the Light of God’s life shine in our darkness!
*Processional: “Once in Royal David’s City” 49/140
The choir processes into the Sanctuary.
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.
Luke 2:1-3
This story begins with an imperial edict.
The strong man in Rome thought he was in charge.
He gave orders to soldiers and bureaucrats,
who carried out his will.
Little did he know.
The future emerges not from the wealthy and powerful,
not from the armed and affluent,
not from the bullies and the buyers.
not from the connected and the confident.
But from the rest of us:
the homeless, the refugees, the victims,
the poor, the broken, the outcast, and the lost.
Little did he know.
“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
May the Light of God shine this night
into the controlled and restricted darkness of our world.
May the Light of God shine this night.
Song: “In the Bleak Midwinter” 36/144
Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea,
to the city of David called Bethlehem,
because he was descended from the house and family of David.
Luke 2:4
Bethlehem. The name means, “house of bread,” in Hebrew.
“I am the Bread of Life.
Whoever comes to me will never be hungry,
and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven.
Whoever eats of this bread will live forever;
the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” John 6:51
“And the Word became flesh and lived among us.” John 1:14
Song: “O Little Town of Bethlehem” 44/121
He went to be registered with Mary,
to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.
Luke 2:5
Mary is the young woman to whom God’s Messenger comes, saying:
“Greetings, favored one!
The Lord is with you!” Luke 1:28
When the messenger shares with her the good,
but very disturbing, news,
that she will bring the Son of God into the world, she says:
“Here am I, the servant of the Lord;
let it be with me according to your word.” Luke 1:38
May it be with all of us
according to the saving, liberating, healing Word of the Lord.
May God’s saving presence be born in us.
May we not fear the reactions of those who do not see what God is doing.
May God’s saving presence be born in us.
May we live in joyful expectation, as goodness grows within us.
May God’s saving presence be born in us.
*Song: “See Amid the Winter’s Snow” 51/——
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 manger,
because there was no place for them in the inn.
Luke 2:6-7
Song:
During the song, a girl/young woman carries a loaf of bread wrapped in white cloth and places it in the manger.
To add insult to injury,
he is born in a barn,
laid in a feed-trough for animals.
He is unnoticed and unwelcomed by humans, at first.
He feels our vulnerability,
the cold air, the hunger, the utter dependence.
He breathes the aromas of life in a barn.
He tastes the milk of human nourishment.
He hears the sounds of animals and wind,
and his parents’ tired, hopeful, relieved words,
soft and low.
He feels the texture of cloth and straw, and cold air on new skin.
He sees in the dim light the glistening face of his mother.
All this he takes on,
draping over himself to inhabit like a tent,
from which to know the world…
Even though it is he through whom God creates the world,
breathing it into being at the beginning,
saying, “Let there be!”
and, “It is very good!” From Genesis 1:1-31
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onwards and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Isaiah 9:6-7
Song: “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” 32/119
During the song, a child processes with the Christ Candle, placing it on the Communion Table.
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields,
keeping watch over their flock by night.
Luke 2:8
Shepherds on the night shift,
workers in the field,
shivering in the star-light,
imagining a better life,
wanting to go home.
Forgotten, invisible, taken-for-granted;
doing a job no one else wanted.
We give thanks for the servers and the watchers,
the caregivers and the waiters;
the stockers and the loaders,
the cashiers and the clerks,
the drivers and the cleaners,
the mechanics and the secretaries.
We give thanks for those who prepare the soil,
plant the seeds, watch over the plants as they grow,
then harvest and process the produce.
We give thanks for those who care for animals,
and for the animals, who give us many benefits.
On those same hills a boy named David also watched over sheep.
He was God’s unlikely chosen king.
Now God’s new unlikely chosen king,
a descendant of David by adoption,
is born in the same town:
the Bread of Life emerges from Bethlehem,
which means “House of Bread”.
*Song: “Angels We Have Heard on High” 23/113
We carry the loaf of bread from the manger to the Table.
Then an angel of the Lord stood before them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were terrified.
But the angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid;
for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy
for all the people:
to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,
who is the Messiah, the Lord.
This will be a sign for you:
you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth
and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel
a multitude of the heavenly host,
praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
Luke 2:9-14
Song: “Before the World Began” (Full hymn included below)
When 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.”
So they went with haste
and found Mary and Joseph,
and the child lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known what had been told them about this child;
and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.
But Mary treasured all these words
and pondered them in her heart.
The shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
as it had been told them.
Luke 2:15-20
Song: “Love Has Come” ——/110
God of grace and wonder:
may our leaders be gentler,
and our hospitality far warmer,
than what we offered you
on that night long ago,
coming into our world.
Open our hearts and our homes
to the refugees, the undocumented, and the homeless today.
May we remember that we were aliens too,
whom you welcomed into the household of peace.
By your grace and your Spirit
let us inhabit the good creation,
under your order of peace, justice, and liberation.
Remove our fear
that sours into violence.
Remove our hatred
that closes our hearts to the cries of others.
Remove our resentment
that darkly dwells on what we think we have lost.
Turn our faces to your Light,
shining in the face of Jesus,
revealing to us the truth, goodness, beauty, and grace
you have poured so generously into our hearts.
Let us see him in the face of everyone.
Amen.
Offering
The Earth and everything on it,
the world and all its people,
they all belong to God. Psalm 24:1
Offertory Music:
*Song: “O Come, All Ye Faithful” (verse 1) 41/133
A young disciple processes with the pitcher of juice.
Thanksgiving
On the night when Jesus was born,
in Bethlehem, the House of Bread,
his parents prayed and the angels sang,
and the shepherds came to visit him.
On the night before he gave his life
for the life of the world,
the Lord Jesus took bread.
On the night when he was born,
the Creator became a creature,
the Infinite was placed in a manger,
the Word became flesh,
the Spirit became matter,
Wisdom came into time,
and the Presence became present.
He gave thanks to God,
and broke the bread,
and gave it to his disciples, saying:
“This is my body, given for you;
do this in remembrance of me.”
The celebrant breaks the bread in two pieces.
On the night when he was born,
humanity was raised to heaven,
people were united to God,
the Creator emerged within creation,
sinners were saved,
the lost were found,
the blind were given their sight,
the lame were empowered,
the captives were freed,
debts were remitted,
and the dead received life.
He took the cup, saying:
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Whenever you drink it,
do this in remembrance of me.”
The celebrant fills the cup.
On the night when he was born,
the light began to shine
on those who lived in a land of deep darkness.
“The light shines in the darkness
and the darkness did not overcome it.” John 1:5
Receive the Body of Christ!
Taste the fountain of immortality!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
The logistics of communion distribution will have to be worked out relative to considerations of space and the number of participants.
Communion Music:
Candlelighting Ceremony
We light our candles from the Christ Candles.
Please be careful….
*Song: “Silent Night, Holy Night” 60/122
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came into being through him,
and without him not one thing came into being.
What has come into being in him was life,
and the life was the light of all people.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness did not overcome it.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us,
full of grace and truth.
From John 1:1-14
*Recessional Song: “Go, Tell It on the Mountain!” 29/136
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