Welcome & Announcements
Lighting of the Advent Candle
And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD.
And they shall dwell secure,
For now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.
And he shall be their peace.
—Micah 5:4-5
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Come, thou long expected Jesus
Born to set thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in thee
Israel’s strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth thou art
Dear Desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart
Joy to those who long to see thee
Dayspring from on high appear
Come, thou promised Rod of Jesse
Of thy birth we long to hear
O’er the hill the angels singing
News, glad tidings of a birth
Go to him your praises bringing
Christ the Lord has come to earth
Born thy people to deliver
Born a Child and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever
Now thy gracious kingdom bring
By thy own eternal spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone
By thine all sufficient merit
Raise us to thy glorious throne
Charles Wesley, Tune HYFRYDOL, Rowland H. Prichard; arr. Robert Harkness, CCLI 241710
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 the dark streets shineth
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight
For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wond’ring love
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And peace to men on earth
How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is giv’n
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heav’n.
No ear may hear his coming
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still
The dear Christ enters in
O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin, and enter in
Be born in us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel
Phillips Brooks, Tune St. Louis. Lewis H. Redner, CCLI 241710
Prayer for the People, the City, and the Nations
Gifts
Receiving New Members
Baptisms {10:30 a.m.}
Cheryl Hsiao and Ung Yorl Chun will be baptized this morning upon their Professions of Faith.
O Holy Night
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
‘Til 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, O hear the angel voices
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night divine, O night, O night divine
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, O praise his name forever
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim
John S. Dwight, CANTIQUE DE NOEL, Adolphe Adam CCLi 241710
Children Dismissed for Children’s Church
Sermon
“And Heaven and Nature Sing”
Luke 2:8-21
Prayer of Confession
Almighty God and Incarnate King,
be merciful to us and forgive our sin.
As you have loved us, make us a loving people.
As you have forgiven us, grant us forgiving grace.
As you have healed us, make us a healing presence.
Open our eyes to the world’s suffering.
Give us a vision of a restored creation,
for enduring peace and justice,
and for a healed world you created to be good.
Fill our hearts with anticipation for the day
when you will make all things new.
Through Jesus. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
“Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”
—Romans 8:33-34
The Lord’s Supper
In Christ Alone
In Christ alone, my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My comforter, my all in all
Here in the love of Christ I stand
In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground his body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave he rose again
And as he stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am his and he is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from his hand
‘Til he returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
Keith Getty, Stuart Townend. © 2001 Thankyou Music. CCLI 241710
O Come Let Us Adore Him
O come, let us adore him
O come, let us adore him
O come, let us adore him
Christ, the Lord
C. Frederick Oakeley, John Francis Wade © Public Domain CCLI 241710
Benediction
chapelgate worship 