Christmas Eve, 6PM. The Whole Story. O Holy Night.

Lodi United Methodist Church
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
6:00pm, December 24, 2021

GATHERING
PRELUDE Rhea Lind & Mitch Richards
SOLO Noel Laura Nelson
WELCOME Pastor Peace Kim
SONG OF ADORATION O Come, All Ye Faithful United Methodist Hymn #234, stanzas 1 & 3
1. 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;
Refrain: O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
3. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest; [Refrain]
OPENING PRAYER
Eternal God,
we are here tonight looking for you, as ready as we’ll ever be for the story of faith to unfold.
We come to cradle the holy in our arms. We’re here to consider the mysterious,
to sense angels, and to catch a glimpse of the Star of all stars.
We have need of such things, God—all that is brilliant and bright, all that merges mystery with the manger.
But we have more need of your presence that is with us always.
Dwell among us, Emmanuel God. Bring us your grace and truth. Amen.

THE STORY
Readers: the Richards family
Note that light turns off and on in the beginning part.
How Great Thou Art (United Methodist Hymn #77, stanza 1) Please stand as able, for singing.
O Lord, my God! When I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee how great thou art, how great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee. How great thou art, how great thou art!
Isaiah 9:2, 6-7
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. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, 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 onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel
SPECIAL MUSIC O Come, O Come Emmanuel Nick Miskimen, saxophone.
ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING The Clary family
Isaiah 11:1-4
A shot will grow up from the stump of Jesse; a branch will sprout[a] from his roots. The Lord’s spirit will rest upon him, a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of planning and strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord. He will delight in fearing the Lord. He won’t judge by appearances, nor decide by hearsay. He will judge the needy with righteousness, and decide with equity for those who suffer in the land. He will strike the violent with the rod of his mouth; by the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.
Galatians 4:4-5
When the fulfillment of the time came, God sent his Son, born through a woman, and born under the Law. This was so he could redeem those under the Law so that we could be adopted.
Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Luke 2:1-7
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. 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. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 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.
SOLO O Holy Night Laura Nelson
CHRISTMAS PRAYER Pastor Peace
Luke 2:8-16
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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!”
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.

CANDLE LIGHTING
CHILDREN’S TIME
LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE W/ CHILDREN
LIGHTING OUR CANDLES
CAROL Silent Night Holy Night (United Methodist Hymn #239)
1. 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.
2. 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!
3. 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.
4. 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!
* CLOSING LITANY
Pastor: In the quiet of the night Voice 1: We have heard God’s truth;
All: A personal word of life – given for our redemption.
Pastor: In the quiet of the night— Voice 1: In the quiet of this night—
All: We are called to act. We are called to care.
We are called to share the story of Christmas, the story of salvation, that is OUR story.
Pastor: In the quiet of this night
All: God sends us to be living faith: A voice of hope, A hand of service,
In our day-to-day acts, in our day-to-day relationships.
May God grant that it be so. Amen.
* RESPONSE Angels We Have Heard on High (United Methodist Hymn #238, refrain)
Glo – ria, in excelsis Deo! Glo – ria, in excelsis Deo!
* POSTLUDE Nick Miskimen, saxophone. Rhea Lind, piano