Christmas Eve
2017
ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH
504 N Gilman, Litchfield MN 55355
Pastors Christian Muellerleile, Troy Pflibsen
Christmas Eve ______December 24, 2017
Prelude 8:30 Stephanie VanDerBill
3:00 “Love Has Come” “He Is Born” “Silent Night” “Breath of Heaven”
“Birthday of a King” “All Is Well”
5:00 “Love Has Come” “All Is Well” “Mary, Did You Know?”
“Breath of Heaven” “Birthday of a King” “Silent Night”
**Prelude music is offered at Christmas Eve services by Zion singers, instrumentalists, and accompanists. Listen and enjoy.
Welcome
*Confession and Forgiveness
Blessed be the Holy One of Israel, the Word made flesh, the Power of the Most High, ☩one God, now and forever. Amen.
Gathered in the name of Jesus, let us confess our sin against God and our neighbor.
Gracious God,
in Christ Jesus you come among us as light shining in darkness.
We confess our failure to welcome this light.
Forgive us and renew our hope,
so that we may live in the light of your grace,
and welcome the truth of Christ the Lord. Amen.
I bring you good news of great joy for all the people: To you is born a Savior, Christ the Lord.
Your sins are forgiven in☩Jesus’ name. Amen.
*Gathering Hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” ELW 257
1 O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.
Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
2 O come, O Branch of Jesse, free your own from Satan's tyranny;
from depths of hell your people save, and give them vict'ry o'er the grave. Refrain
3 O come, O Key of David, come, and open wide our heav'nly home;
make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery. Refrain
4 O come, O Dayspring, come and cheer; O Sun of justice, now draw near.
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death's dark shadow put to flight. Refrain
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*Greeting
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
*Prayer of the Day
Let us pray.
Almighty God, you made this holy night shine with the brightness of the true Light. Grant that here on earth we may walk in the light of Jesus’ presence and in the last day wake to the brightness of his glory; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Reading: A Paraphrase from the 9th Chapter of the Prophet Isaiah
Dear Little Flock,
You’re all wandering away from me, like sheep in an open field. You have always been running away from me. And now You’re lost. You can’t find your way back.
But I can’t stop loving you. I will come to find you. So I am sending you a shepherd to look after you and love you. To carry you home to me.
You’ve been stumbling around, like people in a dark room. But into the darkness a bright Light will shine! It will chase away the shadows, like sunshine.
A baby will be born. A Royal Son. His mommy will be a young girl who doesn’t have a husband. His name will be Emmanuel, which means “God has come to live with us.” He is one of King David’s children’s children’s children. The prince of Peace.
Yes, someone is going to come and rescue you! But he won’t be who anyone expects.
from The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd Jones and illustrated by Jago. © 2007 by Sally Lloyd Jones. Used by permission of Zondervan.
Special Music: (8:30 am) “Christmas Must be Tonight” Kylee Kohls & Company
(3:00 pm) “A Little Child Will Lead Us” Z-Choir, Amy Onell - flute
(5:00 pm) “Oh Holy Night” Brian and Keith Johnson
Gospel Luke 2:1-20
God’s greatest gift comes as a baby in a manger. Angels announce the “good news of great joy” and proclaim God’s blessing of peace.
The Holy Gospel according to Luke
Glory to you, O Lord.
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of
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David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And 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.
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Message “Putting it all together” Pastor Christian Muellerleile
*Hymn of the Day “Away in a Manger” ELW 277
1. Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head;
the stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
2. The cattle are lowing; the baby awakes,
but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.
I love you, Lord Jesus; look down from the sky
and stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
3. Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask you to stay
close by me forever and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in your tender care
and fit us for heaven, to live with you there.
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*Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
*Prayers of the Church
This night the eternal Word of God is born in us. We pray for Christ’s light of life to take flesh in the church, the creation, and all people of God. (Pause)We bring to the manger our longing for the unity of the church of Jesus Christ, that undivided it proclaim the one whose birth brings good news of glad tidings to all people. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We bring to the manger a vision of the reign of the Prince of Peace, that the nations, tribes, and peoples of this world will see and cherish in each other the very image of Christ, whose robe is mercy, whose crown is love. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We bring to the manger those who have no place to lay their heads this night and for those who dwell in the shadow of loneliness, despair, illness, or death (especially). Open the doors of our hearts to the needs of our neighbors. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
We bring to the manger all people who, like the holy family, gather with children in the splendor of this most holy night, that the gift of faith be given to the next generation. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Into your outstretched arms, O God, we commend ourselves and all for whom we pray, trusting in Jesus Christ, the light and life of the world.
Amen.
Offering 8:30 “Still, Still, Still” Keith Johnson, Stephanie VanDerBill
3:00 “O Holy Night” Brian and Keith Johnson, Jackie Dennin
5:00 “Still, Still, Still” Adam Stern, Jackie Dennin
*Offering Prayer
God with us:
You came as a baby to a manger.
You slept on straw and greeted shepherds.
You come again in bread and wine.
Remind us how good you are at blessing ordinary things.
And then, through these gifts, help us to bless the lives of others
in the strength of your holy name. Amen.
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*Words of Institution
In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
*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 and ever. Amen.
Following the distribution of the Lord’s Supper candles will be lit for the Hymn of Light
Prayer after Communion
On this night, O God, you gave the light of the world to shine on us.
Send us out with good news for all people; that heaven comes to earth
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
Hymn of Light “Silent Night, Holy Night!” ELW 281
1. 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.
2. Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight;
glories stream from heaven afar,
heav’nly hosts sing, Alleluia!
Christ, the Savior, is born! Christ, the Savior, is born!
3. Silent night, holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light
radiant beams from your holy face,
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at your birth, Jesus, Lord, at your birth.
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*Blessing
May Christ, who by his incarnation has filled us with grace and truth,
give you peace this Christmas and always.
Almighty God, Father,☩Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.
Amen.
Candles are extinguished.
*Sending Hymn “Joy to the World” ELW 267
1. Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive its King;
let ev’ry heart prepare him room and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n and nature sing, and heav’n and heav’n and nature sing.
2. Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains, repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
3. No more let sin and sorrow grow nor thorns infest the ground;
he comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found.
4. He rules the world with truth and grace and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love, and wonders, wonders of his love.
*Dismissal
Glory to God in the highest!
Peace to God’s people on earth!
Go in peace, share the gift of Jesus.
Thanks be to God.
*Please stand as you are comfortable.
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WELCOME TO OUR CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP!
THANK YOU to our accompanist Jackie Dennin; organists: Karen Langmo, Dorothy Stenberg, and Stephanie VanDerBill; singers: Z Choir, Anna Brock, Joe Langemo, Heather Springer, Adam Stern; instrumentalists: Brian and Keith Johnson, Amy Onell; and to Olea Martinson (8:30), Lia Caron (3:00) and Diane Rohrbeck (5:00) for reading scriptures.
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NEXT SUNDAY, Dec. 31, we will have one worship service of lessons and carols at 9:15 a.m.
OUR CHRISTMAS OFFERINGS are designated to: 40% Lutheran Disaster Relief, 30% Meeker Area Ministries, 15% Meeker Co. Food Shelf, and 15% Benevolence.
OUR CHRISTMAS BROADCAST SCHEDULE: