Christmas Eve

Order of Worship

Collect

Apostolic 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.

Kyrie

In peace, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord. Amen.

Prayer of the Day

Isaiah 7:10–14

Psalm 110:1–4 (responses are the even-numbered, bold verses)

¹The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand,
  until I make your enemies your footstool.”

²The Lord will send the scepter of your power out of Zion,
  saying, “Rule over your enemies round about you.

³Princely state has been yours from the day of your birth;
  in the beauty of holiness have I begotten you, like dew from the womb of
     the morning.”

⁴The Lord has sworn and he will not recant:
  “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”*

1 John 4:7-16

Matthew 1:18–25

Sermon: “This Love”

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen

Offertory Prayer

Merciful Father, we offer with joy and thanksgiving what you have first given us—our selves, our time, and our possessions, signs of your gracious love. Receive them for the sake of him who offered himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The 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

Silent Night
Text: trans. Joseph Mohr; Tune: Franz Gruber, “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;
heav’nly 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!

Blessing