Order of Worship
Opening Announcements — Pastor Johan Dodge
Welcome! Thank you for choosing to worship the risen Christ here
tonight! Worship is often the first place that new people come into
contact with this growing community of faith. And so if you are joining
us for the first time, I say to you what I saw every Sunday. You are
welcome here. Here is a place where all are welcome. For such is
the love of God for God’s Very Good Creation. If this is not yet your
church home, we invite you to join us on Christmas Sunday morning
at 9:50 am.
Please ensure that you received a candle when you entered the
Sanctuary and be prepared to turn it on row by row when instructed.
Taylor White & Virginia Olejnik
Let us pray:
O Lord and giver of life, who gave to all the hope of everlasting life,
grant that in truth we may seek your divine goodness; to the end that,
ever guarded by your power, and conducted by the light of truth, we may offer to you glory and thanksgiving, now and forever, through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
It was dark, and Jesus had not come to them in the twilight, in the
evening, in the black and dark night.
The darkness was on the face of the earth; it filled the eyes and
nostrils and hearts of humanity until all cried for light lest the world be
swallowed in death...
But the darkness grew beyond the cries, beyond the winds of the
world, for the darkness was the chaos of souls lost in the landscape
of confusion until light could illumine human hearts.
LIGHT CANDLE
The darkness was long, and ignorance struggles in layers of
darkness at the edge of existence until GOD TOOK LIGHT FROM
LIGHT and with it opened the eyes of his children.
And God saw that this light was good, for this was the new light of the
world.
With this light you shall perceive all that is in my world. This light is
truth, and it shall make you free.
In this light will your souls, your minds, your spirits, your hearts be
illumined.
With this light you will not fear the terror by night or the arrow that
flies by day, or the pestilence that walks in darkness or the
destruction that wastes at noon.
From the beginning the new light, because it was good, dispelled
layers of darkness, and those given it carried the light as it grew in
living intensity in the long portals of their minds. The light found what
was dark and showed the way that had been lost in the shadow of
Babel. Yet, humanity did not embrace the light, for despite its misery
it had grown fond of the darkness and fought against those who
carried the light of truth. But the brave keep coming. Not the prisons, the tortures of tyrants,
not death could stop the search for that which is, for what the light
reveals. The world was divided between those who sought life and
light and those who would extinguish the light.
Thus the light was sent from God as a living being, and he came
saying:
How blest are those who know their need of God; The kingdom of
heaven is theirs. How blest are the sorrowful; They shall find
consolation. How blest are the meek:
They are the strength of the world, because they are the tabernacles
of God in the world. They are the little ones. They do not know
themselves. The whole earth depends upon them. These are the
ones for whom it was all created in the first place. They shall inherit
the earth!
They are the only ones who will ever be able to enjoy life altogether.
They alone appreciate the world and the things that are in it. They are
the only ones capable of understanding God’s joy. All else are too
weak for that joy.
They are the clean of heart. They see God. Their luster and freedom
is without limit. They reach out for us to comprehend our misery and
drown it in the tremendous expansion of their own innocence, that
washes the world with its light.
Come, let us go into the body of that light. Let us live in the
cleanliness of that song. Let us throw off the darkness of the world.
For this is what all hearts pray for when they cry out: “Thy will be
done.”
We long for the time when this light, this liberty, this truth, this
unspeakable joy, this indefatigable love will catch us all and never let
us go, when we shall never fall back from the Paradise of the meek
and pure of heart into the forums of prudence where the wise of this
world go up and down in sorrow and set their traps for a happiness
that cannot exist. Then, I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and
the first earth had vanished. I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride
adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice proclaiming from the
throne: Now at last God is among the people. God will dwell among
them, and they shall be God’s people, and God shall be with them.
God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be an end
to death, and to mourning, crying, pain; for the old order has passed
away.
Behold, I am making all things new. I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the beginning and the end, and I will be their God and they shall be
my people. It will be my gift to the thirsty.
The glory of God gave to the city its light, and its lamp was the lamb.
By its light shall the nations walk, and the kings of the earth shall
bring into it all their splendor. The gates of city shall never be shut by
day — and there will be no night.
Then he showed me the river of the water of life, sparkling like
crystal, flowing from the throne of God to a manger in a broken world,
a tiny room filled with a new light that warmed a world bitter with cold.
This is my son, whose light is truth and will never fade.
Eternal God, from the tabernacle of heaven to the poverty of a stable, your radiant light shines forth in a tiny baby wrapped in rags; such humble Love astounds us. In Jesus you have become one with us that we might become one with you. Open our hearts to joyfully receive his love that he may be born in us, and we in him, through Christ our Lord. Amen .
Congregational Prayer — Marylee Thomsen
This night, this night is a night to remember. A night when home
broke in on us. A night when we were not forgotten or alone or
abandoned. This night, This night is the night when here and there became one, when past and future combined in a breathless present.
This is a night when we are home, in ourselves, in this family, in the
God who loved us enough to walk beside us.
People:
We gather in the night to proclaim the light. We shrug off despair
and embrace hope. We set aside conflict and choose peace. We
push away despair by claiming joy. We overcome hate by rising
into love. Because this night we know, even in the shadows of
our doubts, we know that we are loved. That’s what it means to
be home.
Light the Christ Candle and all candles of the wreath.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING — Marylee Thomsen
The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all. Jesus
Christ has shown us how to live: loving God and neighbor, sharing
what we have, engaging in acts of mercy and justice. As we celebrate
his birth, and wait in hope for his coming again, let us bring the
offerings of our lives before him.
Isaiah 40:1-2a, 3-5, 10-11a; 49:13 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned. A voice cries in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the dessert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. Behold the Lord will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms, he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people, and will have compassion on the afflicted.
God of every good and perfect gift, we thank you for your greatest gift, your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. In this season when so many gifts are given and received, we pray that you will receive the gifts we offer now. Use them according to your purposes and plans, bringing your good news of great joy to all people; through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
God of glory, by your grace a child has been born for us, a son given
to us; authority rests on his shoulders, and in his name we pray.
Wonderful Counselor,
we pray for wisdom for the world’s leaders, that they may use
their power to lift burdens and break the bonds of oppression.
Mighty God, we pray for the church of Jesus Christ our Lord, that you
will multiply and increase our joy as we share in the harvest you have
gathered. Everlasting Father, we pray for families, friends, and
loved ones, that those who now walk in deep darkness may see
the great light of your saving love.
Prince of Peace, we pray for an end to violence and warfare, that
your authority may continue to grow until there is endless peace
in every land.
Lord of hosts, establish your holy realm with justice and
righteousness, from this time on and forevermore. Amen.
Glorious God, in Jesus your grace appears, bringing salvation to all. Help us to ponder your words of love by the light of your Spirit, that we may proclaim glad tidings of peace and welcome Christ in our world. Amen.
Luke 2:1, 3-7 In those days a decree was issued by the Emperor Augustus for a registration to be made throughout the Roman world...For this purpose everyone made his way to his own town; and so Joseph went up to Judea from the town of Nazareth to Galilee, to register at the city of David, called Bethlehem, because he was of the house of David by descent; and with him went Mary who was betrothed to him. She was expecting a child, and while they were there the time came for her baby to be born, and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them to lodge in the house.
Luke 2:8-13, 15-16 Now in this same district there were shepherds out in the fields, keeping watch through the night over their flock, when suddenly there stood before them an angel of the Lord and the splendor of the Lord shone round them. They were terror-stricken, but the angel said, “Do not be afraid; I have good news for you: there is great joy coming to the whole people. Today in the city of David a deliverer has been born to you—the Messiah, the Lord. And this is your sign; you will find the child wrapped in his swaddling clothes, in a manger.” All at once there was with the angel a great company of the heavenly host praising God and saying... Gloria in excelsis Deo. After the angel had left them and gone into heaven the shepherds said to one another, “Come, we must go straight to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with all speed and found their way to Mary and Joseph; and the baby was lying in the manger.”
Question for Reflection: Pastor Johan Dodge
This is a night for treasuring and pondering the gift and mystery of
Christ’s incarnation. How is it possible, why is it necessary, and what
does it mean for God to be a human infant, and for a human infant to
be God?
BEING THE LIGHT — lighting of the candles of the congregation
while the quartet sings, the congregation’s candles will be lit and then
the congregation will sing a cappella.
Deep peace of the running wave to you Deep peace of the flowing air to you Deep peace of the quiet earth to you Deep peace of the shining stars to you Deep peace of the watching shepherds to you Deep peace of Christ, the Light of the World to you. Blessed Be the Tie that Binds Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. Amen.