Kenilworth Union Church
The Eve of Christ’s Nativity
December 24, 2015
PRELUDE
Christmas Selections
Carillon de Westminster
Kenilworth Brass
Louis Vierne
CALL TO WORSHIP
*PROCESSIONAL HYMN O Come, All Ye Faithful ADESTE FIDELES #41
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,…
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning,
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given; Word of the Father,
Word of the Father, Now in flesh appearing! Refrain
Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation!
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all Glory in the highest! Refrain
*PRAYER FOR CHRISTMAS EVE
Lector:
People:
Lector:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among all whom
God favors. Let us pray together:
Almighty God, stars and angels call us away from the daily round
to celebrate the entrance of love into the realm of space and time,
so with shepherds and Magi we journey to Bethlehem to see this
thing which the Lord hath made known to us. Silence for a little
while the other Christmas distractions, that we might with
wondering eyes glimpse the great gift of all the ages. As subjects
of the King born at Bethlehem, we pledge ourselves this night to
bear Christ the Light against every sort of darkness in our world.
In the name of the Christ whose birth we celebrate, Amen.
LIGHTING THE ADVENT & CHRIST CANDLES
The Christ Candle
Advent Litany
Lector: A child has been born for us, a son given to us;
People: He is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Lector: Glory to God in the highest!
People: Alleluia! Amen!
All Sing: O Come, O Come, Immanuel
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
The Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Lord’s Prayer
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, Amen.
Ministry of Music
We Three Kings
We three kings of Orient are,
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.
Arr. Matthew Culloton
Frankincense to offer have I:
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising we are raising,
Worship Him, God Most High. Refrain
Refrain
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright;
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light!
Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes of life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb. Refrain
Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain,
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign. Refrain
Glorious now behold Him arise,
King and God and Sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia
Earth to heav’n replies. Refrain
PROCLAMATION OF THE NATIVITY
A Lesson from the Evangelist
A Christmas Carol
O Little Town of Bethlehem
O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.
Luke 2:1–7
#44
For Christ is born of Mary;
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth!
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to all on earth.
A Lesson from the Evangelist
A Christmas Carol
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 the angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Luke 2:8–14
#31
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of the virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the God-head see;
Hail the incarnate Deity,
Pleased in flesh with us to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
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!”
A Lesson from the Evangelist
A Christmas Anthem
Gesú Bambino (3, 9, 11 p.m.)
Luke 2:15–20
“Christmastide” Jessye’s Carol (6 p.m.)
When blossoms flowered ‘mid the snows Green and silver, red and gold
Upon a winter night,
And a story born of old.
Was born the Child, the Christmas Rose,
The King of Love and Light.
Refrain
Truth and love and hope abide,
The angels sang, the shepherds sang,
This Christmastide, this Christmastide.
The grateful earth rejoiced;
And at His blessed birth the stars
Holly, ivy, mistletoe
Their exultation voiced.
And the gently falling snow. Refrain
O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.
Again the heart with rapture glows
To greet the holy night,
That gave the world its Christmas Rose,
Its King of Love and Light.
From a simple ox’s stall
Came the greatest gift of all. Refrain
Children sing of peace and joy
At the birth of one small boy. Refrain
Let the bells ring loud and clear,
Ring out now for all to hear. Refrain
Trumpets sound and voices raise
In an endless stream of praise. Refrain
Let ev’ry voice acclaim His name,
The grateful chorus swell.
From paradise to earth He came
That we with Him might dwell.
Green and silver, red and gold
And a story born of old.
O come let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.
Truth and love and hope abide,
This Christmastide, this Christmastide.
A Meditation
A Medley of Christmas Carols
Away in a Manger
At the Heart of the Earth, A Star
Away in a manger, no crib for His bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, a sleep on the hay.
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, good will to all,
From Heaven’s all gracious King”:
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.
Joy to the World
Joy to the world! the lord is come:
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
The First Noel
The first Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay a keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
THE BRINGING OF GIFTS TO CHRIST THE KING
The Offering of Tithes
Offertory
Sussex Carol
Arr. Luther Henderson
A Christmas Duet
O Holy Night
Adam (1803–1856)
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh hear the angel voices!
O night divine! O night when Christ was born
Truly he taught us to love one another;
His law is love and his gospel is peace.
Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother,
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise his holy name.
Christ is the Lord, then ever, ever praise we.
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
THE BRINGING OF CHRIST THE LIGHT INTO THE WORLD
A Lesson from the Christian Evangelist
John 1:3–5
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.
A Christmas Carol
Silent Night, Holy Night
STILLE NACHT
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.
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.”
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.
Congregation & Choir will hum the fourth verse
A CHRISTMAS BLESSING
*THE ORGAN POSTLUDE God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
John Rutter
The Christmas Eve special music is a gift from the Zabel and Noyes Families.
*Please stand as you are able*
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PARTICIPANTS
Alumni Choir (6 p.m.)
Alyssa Bennett, Assistant Director of Choirs, Soprano
Lisa R. Bond, Director of Music
Chancel Choir (3, 6, 9, and 11 p.m.)
William Evertsberg, Senior Minister, Preacher
Jo Forrest, Associate Minister, Liturgist (3 and 6 p.m.)
Kenilworth Brass
Mike Brozick, Trumpet
Catie Hickey, Trombone
Noah Lambert, Trumpet
Lisa Taylor, Horn
Sean Whitaker, Tuba
Susan Klotzbach, Organist
Katie Snipes Lancaster, Associate Minister, Liturgist (9 and 11 p.m.)
Soloists
Kelli Harrington, David Honoré, Keven Kell, Amanda Koopman,
Quinn Middleman, Jonathan Wilson
Wreath Lighters:
Tim, Debbie, Lauren, and Mark Van Solkema (3 p.m.)
Kevin, Melanie, Katie, and Genevieve Flynn; Chris, Tim,
and Katie Stahl (6 p.m.)
Richard, Cynthia Ann, Rich, Will, and Lily Nicolaides (9 p.m.)
Jeb, Suzy, Henry, Greta, Clayton, Cole, and Piper Scherb (11 p.m.)
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USHERS
3 p.m.
Bob Cannon
Hyde Perce
Diane Bruce
Jeremy Diamond
Rob Faurot
Julianna Harris
Ken Harris
Holly Mayfield
John Mayfield
Bonnie McColl
Jim McColl
Laura McColl
Michael McColl
Scott Narup
Bob Paddock
Marcie Paddock
USHERS
USHERS
6 p.m.
9 p.m.
Stuart Schuldt
Paul Sortal
John Wettersten
Adam Tierney
John Beam
Jim Tierney
Charlotte Meyer
Nancy Tierney
Ann Perce
Samantha Tierney
Hyde Perce
Laurie Walker
Robert Schuldt
Scott Walker
Doug Shehan
Meredith Shi
Rich Thompson
Mark Toledo
USHERS
11 p.m.
Hyde Perce
Rob Collins
Mac Fuller
Mark Fuller
Scott Fuller
Stewart Fuller
John Hales
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A Child of the Snows
There is heard a hymn when the panes are dim,
And never before or again,
When the nights are strong with a darkness long,
And the dark is alive with rain.
Never we know but in sleet and in snow
The place where the great fires are.
That the midst of the earth is a raging mirth
And the heart of the earth a star.
And at night we win to the ancient inn
Where the child in the frost is furled,
We follow the feet where all souls meet
At the inn at the end of the world.
The gods lie dead where the leaves lie red,
For the flame of the sun is flown,
The gods lie cold where the leaves lie gold,
And a child comes forth alone.
–Gilbert Keith Chesterton