Oh, magnify the LORD with me,and let us exalt his name together!

Psalm 34:3

Call to Worship

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.

Text: Charles Wesley, Mark Hunt

Music: Rowland Hugh Pritchard

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Israel’s strength and consolation,hope of all the earth thou art,

dear Desire of ev’ry nationJoy of ev’ry longing heart.

Joy to those who long to see thee,Day-spring from on high, appear;

come, thou promised Rod of Jesse,of thy birth we long to hear!

O’er the hills the angels singing,news, glad tidings of a birth;

“Go to him, your praises bringing;Christ the Lord has come to earth.”

Come to earth to taste our sadness,he whose glories knew no end;

by his life he brings us gladness,our Redeemer, Shepherd, Friend.Leaving riches without number,

born within a cattle stall;this the everlasting wonder,

Christ was born the Lord of all.

Born thy people to deliver,born a child and yet a King,born to reign in us forever,

now thy gracious kingdom bring.By thine own eternal Spiritrule in all our hearts alone;by thine all-sufficient merit,

raise us to thy glorious throne.

“Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” • Text: Charles Wesley, Mark Hunt

Music: Rowland Hugh Pritchard • Public Domain • CCLI License #11109756

Prayer of Invocation

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted

and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18

Call to Confession of Sin

Gracious God, our sins are too heavy to carry, too real to hide, and too deep to undo. Forgive what our lips tremble to name, what our hearts can no longer bear, and what has become for us a consuming fire of judgment.

Confession of Sin

Set us free from a past that we cannot change; open to us a future in which we can be changed; and grant us grace to grow in your likeness and image, through Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Amen.

(Silent confession)

The LORD redeemsthe life of his servants;

none of those who take refuge in himwill be condemned.

Psalm 34:22

Assurance of Forgiveness

May the peace of Christ be with you.And also with you.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 6:19-21

Offering

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise him, all creatures here below;Praise him above, ye heav’nly host;Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Amen.

Text: Thomas Ken (1674)

Music: “Old 100th” / Genevan Psalter / Louis Bourgeois (1551)

The Doxology

Public Domain • CCLI License #11109756

…

The Word of the Lord.Thanks be to God!

Psalm 89:19-29

Old Testament Reading

The Lord be with you.And also with you.

Let us pray…

Prayers of the People

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we, your unworthy servants, give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made.

We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.

And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,

not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

Joy to the world! the Lord is come!Let earth receive her 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’nand nature sing!

Text: Isaac Watts • Music: George Frideric Handel

Joy To The World

Joy to the world! the Savior reigns!Let men their songs employ,

while fields and floods,rocks, hills and plains

repeat the sounding joy,repeat the sounding joy,

repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,nor thorns infest the ground!

He comes to make his blessings flowfar as the curse is found,far as the curse is found,

far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the worldwith truth and grace,

and makes the nations provethe glories of his righteousness,

and wonders of his love,and wonders of his love,

and wonders, wonders, of his love.

“Joy To The World” • Text: Isaac Watts

Music: George Frideric Handel • Public Domain • CCLI License #11109756

O come, O come, Emmanuel,and ransom captive Israel

that mourns in lonely exile hereuntil the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuelshall come to thee, O Israel.

12th Century Latin Hymn

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, O come, great Lord of might,who to thy tribes on Sinai’s heightin ancient times once gave the law

in cloud and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuelshall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou Rod of Jesse freethine own from Satan’s tyranny;

from depths of hell thy people save,and give them victory over the grave.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuelshall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou Day-spring,come and cheer

our spirits by thine advent here;disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

and death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuelshall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou Key of David, come,and open wide our heavenly home;

make safe the way that leads on high,and close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuelshall come to thee, O Israel.

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” • 12th Century Latin Hymn

Public Domain • CCLI License #11109756

…

The Gospel of Jesus Christ.Praise be to you, O Christ!

Luke 1:26-38

Gospel Reading

What do you believe?

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

The Nicene Creed (381)

Confession of Faith

And I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made;

who, for us and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father;

and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,to which indeed you were called in one body.

And be thankful.

(Greet one another with the words,“The peace of Christ be with you.”)

Colossians 3:15

Passing of the Peace

Institution of the Lord’s Table

Therefore let us proclaim the mystery of faith.Christ has died.Christ is risen.

Christ will come again!

Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.Therefore let us keep the feast.

The gifts of God for the people of God.

(The Mystery of Faith)

Mysterium Fidei

What child is thiswho laid to rest

on Mary’s lap is sleeping?Whom angels greetwith anthems sweet

while shepherds watch are keeping?

Text: English Carol • Music: Greensleeves

What Child Is This?

This, this is Christ the Kingwhom shepherds guard

and angels sing.Haste, haste to bring him laud

the Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies he insuch mean estate,

where ox and ass are feeding?Good Christians, fear,

for sinners herethe silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spear shall pierce him through,the cross be borne for me, for you.

Hail, hail the Word made flesh,the Babe, the Son of Mary.

So bring him incense,gold and myrrh,

come peasant, king to own him;the King of kingssalvation brings,

let loving hearts enthrone him.

Raise, raise a song on high,the virgin sings her lullaby.Joy, joy for Christ is born,

the Babe, the Son of Mary.

“What Child Is This?” • Text: English Carol

Music: Greensleeves • Public Domain • CCLI License #11109756

It came upon the midnight clear,that glorious song of old,

from angels bending near the earthto touch their harps of gold:

Text: Edmund H. Sears • Music: Richard S. Willis

It Came Upon The Midnight Clear

“Peace on the earth,goodwill to men,

from heaven’s all-gracious King.”The world in solemn stillness lay

to hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come,with peaceful wings unfurled,

and still their heav’nly music floatso’er all the weary world.

Above its sad and lowly plainsthey bend on hov’ring wing,

and ever o’er its Babel soundsthe blessed angels sing.

And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,whose forms are bending low,

who toil along the climbing waywith painful steps and slow,

look now! for glad and golden hourscome swiftly on the wing.

O rest beside the weary roadand hear the angels sing.

For lo, the days are hast’ning on,by prophet bards foretold,

when with the ever-circling yearscomes round the age of gold,

when peace shall over all the earthits ancient splendors fling,

and the whole world give back the songwhich now the angels sing.

“It Came Upon The Midnight Clear” • Text: Edmund H. Sears

Music: Richard S. Willis • Public Domain • CCLI License #11109756

Angels from the realms of glory,wing your flight o’er all the earth;

ye who sang creation’s storynow proclaim Messiah’s birth.

Come and worship,come and worship,

worship Christ the newborn King!

Text: James Montgomery • Music: Henry Smart

Angels From The Realms Of Glory

Shepherds, in the fields abiding,watching o’er your flocks by night,

God with man is now residing;yonder shines the infant light.

Come and worship,come and worship,

worship Christ the newborn King!

Sages, leave your contemplations,brighter visions beam afar;

seek the great Desire of nations;you have seen his natal star.

Come and worship,come and worship,

worship Christ the newborn King!

Saints, before the altar bending,watching long in hope and fear;suddenly the Lord, descending,

in his temple shall appear.Come and worship,come and worship,

worship Christ the newborn King!

Sinners, wrung with true repentance,doomed for guilt to endless pains,Justice now revokes the sentence,Mercy calls you; break your chains.

Come and worship,come and worship,

worship Christ the newborn King!

“Angels From The Realms Of Glory” • Text: James Montgomery

Music: Henry Smart • Public Domain • CCLI License #11109756

Philippians 4:23

Benediction