FIRST
UNITED
Pleasant Valley and
Christmas
Eve 2007
LARGE PRINT BULLETINS ARE AVAILABLE
IN THE NARTHEX
Welcome! We are happy that you have come to worship here this Christmas Eve.
We invite you to open your heart to the message of the birth of Christ,
proclaimed in Word and Music, and to sing with us these songs of joy!
PRELUDE The Bells of
Christmas Jubilation Chimers
WELCOME
UNISON
PRAYER: God of love, open the hearts
and minds of many this Christmas time to the good and saving news of Jesus
Christ; that those whose lives are insecure, or empty, or aimless, may find in
the one born at Bethlehem all that they need today, and much more besides. For his name’s sake. Amen.
OPENING HYMN 240 Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
Hark!
the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn
King;
peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners
reconciled!"
Joyful,
all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies;
with th'angelic host proclaim,
"Christ is born in
Hark!
the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn
King!"
Hail
the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light
and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his
wings.
Mild
he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second
birth.
Hark!
the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn
King!"
THE PROPHET ISAIAH SPEAKS
"...For unto us a Child is born." Isaiah 9: 2 - 7
Isaiah wrote these
words 700 years before the birth of Jesus!
HYMN 196 Come,
Thou Long-Expected Jesus
Come, thou long-expected Jesus, Born thy people to
deliver
born to set
thy people free; born
a child and yet a King,
from our
fears and sins release us, born
to reign in us forever
let us
find our rest in thee. now thy gracious kingdom bring.
hope of all
the earth thou art; Rule
in all our hearts alone;
dear desire
of every nation, by
thine all sufficient merit,
joy of
every longing heart. raise us to thy glorious throne.
THE
NEW COVENANT Jeremiah 31:31-34
Jeremiah describes
what the Messiah will bring...
HYMN 219 What Child is This?
What Child is this who laid to rest, So Bring Him
incense, gold and myrrh,
on
Mary's lap is sleeping? Come, peasant, King to own Him.
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, The King of Kings salvation brings,
While shepherds watch are keeping. Let loving
hearts enthrone Him.
(Chorus) This, this is Christ the King, whom
shepherds guard and angels sing.
Joy, joy, for
Christ is born, the Babe, the son of Mary.
THE BIRTH OF OUR SAVIOR
Luke 2:1-7
"...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."
HYMN Mary's Boy Child
Long time ago in
So the Holy Bible say went
to
Mary's boy child Jesus Christ And found no place to lay
their head
Was born on Christmas day. Not a single room was in sight.
(Chorus)
Hark
now hear the angels sing While
shepherds watched their flocks
a new King born today by night they saw a bright
new shining star
That
folks may live forever more And
from the East there came
Because
of Christmas day. three men, bearing gifts from afar.
ANGELS AND THE SHEPHERD'S VISIT Luke 2: 8 -20
“Let us go now to
which
the Lord has made known to us."
HYMN 238 Angels We Have Heard on High
Angels we have heard on high Come to
sweetly
singing o'er the plains, Christ
whose birth the angels sing;
and
the mountains in reply Come,
adore on bended knee,
echoing
their joyous strains. Christ
the Lord, the newborn King.
Gloria, in excelsis
Deo! Gloria,
in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
PRESENTATION OF OUR CHRISTMAS
OFFERING
MINISTRY IN MUSIC Joy to the World Primary Choir
Amen!
Go Tell It On the Mountain
One Silent Night Bowen Junior and Wesley
Choirs
YOUTH DRAMA TEAM “Welcome to the King”
Kathy Appleton
LITURGICAL DANCE
King
Jesus Is His Name Tom Fettke,
Rebecca J. Peck
LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE
CANDLE LIGHTING AND CAROL SINGING
Children are welcome to hold a candle with a plastic drip
protector. Parents, please take
responsibility for your children, to preserve their safety and the beauty of
our Sanctuary!
See insert for
words....
CHRISTMAS PRAYER
Following prayer, please extinguish all
candles.
CLOSING HYMN 246 Joy to the World
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! He rules the world with truth and grace
Let earth receive her King; and
makes the nations prove
let
every heart prepare him room, the
glories of his righteousness, and
and
heaven and nature sing, wonders
of his love, and
and
heaven and nature sing
wonders of his love, and
and
heaven, and heaven, and nature sing. wonders, wonders of his love.
BENEDICTION AND POSTLUDE
ACOLYTE: Jesse Hamilton
Participants in
Tonight’s Service
Drama Team: Monique Braxton,
Jordan Read
Youth Band: Jeff Cope, Steve Machamer,
Megan Madara, Hank Mason
Singers: Kat Lee, Katie Feerrar,
Michelle Machamer, Kevin Kulp
Dancers: Olivia
Bewley, Samantha Bewley,
Danielle Bixby, Rebekah Bryan, Emily Cope,
Emily Hagmaier, Jessica Hagmaier,
Kelly Hagmaier, Harry Lewis, Marissa Molz,
Shannon Molz, Ceili
O’Donnell, Julie Zolty
* * * * * * * *
Have a blessed and Christ-centered Christmas!
A service of Holy Communion will be
held in our Sanctuary on Dec. 31, at
We would like to encourage you to
make this a part of your evening’s agenda as we welcome in a New Year
remembering our common hope in Christ Jesus.
STAFF OF FIRST UNITED
Steve Donat, Senior Pastor Joan Flamini, Office Administrator
HeyYoung Horton, Associate Pastor Karen Halligan, Membership
Secretary
Glenn Rodgers, Director of Music Sue
Harris, Parish Nurse
Web: www.meetwithGod.com E-mail: church@meetwithGod.com CCLI
License No. 782839
Come
and worship with us at any of our services –
or
Saturday Vespers at 5:30 p.m.