Preview of the Christmas Eve Service

A FESTIVAL

OF NINE LESSONS

AND CAROLS

Christmas Eve

December 24, 2011

5:00 and 7:00 P.M.

As We Gather

The time came for the baby to be born and Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a son. Tonight we celebrate that time so long ago, yet so very present today, as the incarnate Lord dwells with us through Word and Sacrament.

Processional Hymn ~“Once in Royal David’s City”

The Christmas Eve Bidding Prayer

P Beloved in Christ, may it be our care and delight this Christmas Eve to prepare ourselves to hear again the message of the angels; in heart and mind to go unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass, and the Babe lying in a manger.

Let us read and mark in Holy Scripture the story of the loving purposes of God from the first days of our disobedience to the glorious Redemption brought us by this Holy Child; and let us make this holy house of God glad with our carols of praise:

But first let us pray for the needs of His whole world; for peace and goodwill over all the earth; for unity and brotherhood within the Church He came to build, and especially in our nation, our state and our community. And because this of all things would rejoice His heart, let us at this time remember in His name the poor and the helpless, the cold, the hungry and the oppressed; the sick in body and in mind and them that mourn; the lonely and the unloved; the aged and the little children; all who do not know the Lord Jesus, or who love Him not, or who by sin have grieved His heart of love.

Lastly let us remember before God all those who rejoice with us, but upon another shore and in a greater light, that multitude which no man can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom, in this Lord Jesus, we forevermore are one.

P These prayers and praises let us humbly offer up to the throne of heaven, in the words which Christ himself has taught us:

C Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Collect for Christmas Eve

P O God, because you once caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light, grant that we who have known the mystery of that Light here on earth may come to the full measure of its joys in heaven; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

A Carol by the Choir ~

“Before the Marvel of this Night” Carl Schalk

Voluntary ~ “To Jesus Who is King” Richard Hillert

Lesson One Genesis 3:15

God announces in the Garden of Eden that the Seed of the woman (Christ) would destroy Satan and his power.

¹⁵I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and her offspring;

he shall bruise your head,

and you shall bruise his heel.”

Carol by Choir and Congregation ~“The Tree of Life”

Lesson Two Genesis 22:15-18

God promises to faithful Abraham that through his descendants - and eventually the Messiah - all the nations of the earth will be blessed with salvation.

¹⁵And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven ¹⁶and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the

sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, ¹⁸and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”

Lesson Three Isaiah 9:2, 6-7

The birth and kingdom of Christ are foretold by the prophet.

² The people who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,

on them has light shined.

⁶For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

⁷Of the increase of his government and of peace

there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

to establish it and to uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Carol by the Choir ~

“Break Forth, O Beauteous, Heavenly Light”

Lesson Four Micah 5:2-4

The prophet foretells the glory of little Bethlehem, birthplace of Jesus.

² But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,

who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

one who is to be ruler in Israel,

whose origin is from of old,

from ancient days.

³Therefore he shall give them up until the time

when she who is in labor has given birth;

then the rest of his brothers shall return

to the people of Israel.

⁴And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,

in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great

to the ends of the earth.

Carol by Congregation and Choir ~

“O Little Town of Bethlehem”

Lesson Five Luke 1:26-28

The angel Gabriel salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary.

²⁶In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”

Carol By Choir ~

“There is no Rose of such Virtue” Stephen Caracciolo

Soloist: Andrea Frobel

Song by the Soloist ~ “Magnificat”

Soloist: Jennifer Steffens

The Christmas Gospel ~ Lesson Six Luke 2:1-7

St. Luke tells of the birth of Jesus. We read in unison.

¹And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

 ²(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

 ³And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

 ⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

 ⁵To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

 ⁶And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

 ⁷And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Carol by Choir and Congregation ~ “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly”

The Christmas Gospel ~ Lesson Seven Luke 2:8-16

The shepherds go to the manger. We read in unison.

⁸And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

 ⁹And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

 ¹⁰And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

 ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

 ¹²And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

 ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

 ¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

 ¹⁵And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

 ¹⁶And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

Carol by the Choir ~ “Therefore Be Merry” Mark Sedio

Soloist: Jennifer Steffens

Lesson Eight Matthew 2:1-11

The Wise Men are led by the star of Jesus.

¹Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, ²saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” ³When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ⁵They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

⁶“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you shall come a ruler

who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

⁷Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. ⁸And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” ⁹After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. ¹⁰When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. ¹¹And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Carol by Congregation and Choir ~ “Joy to the World”

Lesson Nine John 1:1-15

St. John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation.

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

⁶There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

⁹The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹²But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵(John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”)

Carol by Choir ~ “The Glory of the Father” Egil Hovland

Candlelight Carol by Congregation and Choir

“Silent Night”

Recessional Hymn ~ “O Come All Ye Faithful”