December 24, 2016 at 8:00 PM

Candlelight Christmas

Eve Service

The First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

1187 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA 94109415-776-4580 / www.uusf.org / info@uusf.org

Facebook @FUUSF / #FUUSF

Carol – O Come, All Ye Faithful – Adeste Fideles

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphantO come, ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;

Come and behold him, born the King of angels;

O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord!

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord!

Yea, Lord we greet thee, born this happy morning,Jesus, to thee be all glory given;

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;

O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord!

Christmas Beatitudes – David Rhys Williams

For this blessed season let us worship at the altar of joy, for to miss the joy of Christmas is to miss its holiest secret. Let us enter into the spiritual delights which are the natural heritage of childlike hearts.Let us withdraw from the cold and barren world of prosaic fact, if only for a season: That we may warm ourselves by the fireside of fancy, and take counsel in the wisdom of poetry and legend.Blessed are they who have vision enough to behold a guiding star in the dark mysterywhich girdles the earth; Blessed are they who have imagination enough to detect the music of celestial voices in the midnight hours of life;Blessed are they who have faith enough to contemplate a world of peace and justice in the midst of present wrong and strife; Blessed are they who have greatness enough to become as little children;Blessed are they who have zest enough to take delight in simple things; Blessed are they who have wisdom enough to know that the kingdom of heaven is very close at hand, and that all may enter in who have eyes to see and ears to hear and hearts to understand.

Reverend JD Benson

1

Prelude Salve Regina, Opus 47 - Franz Schubert Laurel Sprigg, soprano

Dr. Mark Sumner, piano Ave Maria - Charles Gounod

A brief communion service will follow the benediction and postlude.All are welcome

May the spirit that was in Jesus be in us also,enabling us to know the truth, to do the will of God,

and to abide in peace. Amen

Tom Dambly, trumpetReiko Oda Lane, organ

Suite in D Major - Jeremiah Clarke

Opening Words Reverend John Buehrens

2

Welcome and Announcements Reverend JD Benson *Reciting Our Congregational Covenant

Carol – In the Bleak Midwinter – Cranham

In the bleak midwinter frosty wind made moan,Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;

Snow had fallen snow on snow, snow on snow,In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Christ a homeless stranger, so the gospels say,Cradled in a manger and a bed of hay;

In the bleak midwinter stable place sufficedMary and her baby, Jesus Christ.

Once more child and mother weave their magic spell,Touching hearts with wonder words can never tell;

In the bleak midwinter, in this world of pain,Where our hearts are open, love is born again.

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Love is the spirit of this church, and service is its prayer. This is our great covenant: to dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in freedom, and to help one another.

*Doxology Tallis’ Canon

Reflection Kat Liu, worship associate

Music I wonder as I wander - John Jacob Niles Kate Offer, soprano

Mark Sumner, piano

Ancient Reading Luke 2:1-14 Reverend JD Benson

Music O Holy Night – Adolphe Adam Kate Offer, soprano

Mark Sumner, piano

Carol – It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

It came upon a midnight clear, that glorious song of old,from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold.

“Peace on the earth, goodwill to you 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 heavenly music floats o’er all the weary world.Above its sad and lowly plains they bend on hovering wing,

and ever o’er its Babel sounds the blessed angels sing.

For lo the days are hastening on, by prophet bards foretold,when with the ever circling years comes round the age of gold.When peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling,

and the whole world sends back the song, which now the angels sing.

Sermon Reverend John Buehrens

Reading The Imperishable Flame – Max Kapp Reverend JD Benson Candle Lighting Ceremony

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!”Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night, child of God, love’s pure light.Radiant beams from thy holy face,

with the dawn of redeeming grace.Sleep in heavenly peace

Carol – Silent Night

3

Modern Reading Kat Liu The Turning of the Year - Kenneth Leo Patton

Offertory Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring - The First Noel J. S. Bach arr. Christina Harmon Tom Dambly, trumpet

Reiko Oda Lane, organ

Offertory Sentence Reverend JD Benson (Offering goes to the Ministers Discretionary Fund to help congregants and neighbors in urgent need)

4

Closing Words Reverend John Buehrens

Carol – 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.

Joy to the earth! The savior reigns. Let all their tongues employ;While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains, repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace and makes the nations provethe glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love,

And wonders of his love, and wonders, and wonders of his love.

*Benediction words of Howard Thurman Reverend John Buehrens Postlude

* Please rise if you are able.

Communion Service Reverend John Buehrens Blessing and Dismissal

Divinium Mysterium - 13th Century Plainsong / Wilbur Held Reiko Oda Lane, organ

MusiciansDr. Mark Sumner, pianoReiko Oda Lane, organTom Dambly, trumpet

Kate Offer, sopranoLaurel Sprigg, soprano

Tonight’s Worship LeadersReverend John Buehrens, Senior Minister Reverend JD Benson, Assistant Minister

Kat Liu, Worship Associate

Service NotesUshers led by Linda Messner

Listening Aid devices handed out by Tom BrookshireFlowers by Betsy Darr, Helen Hilton Raiser, Amy Kelly, Judy Payne and Carrie Steere-Salazar

Sound & Recording / Order of Service Jonathan Adam Silk

5

Sonn

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illis

6

Poinsettia DedicationsIn loving memory of Grampa Duane Raeburn, from Josh, Nikki, & Mary Raeburn

In honor of our wonderful family from Louise and Don Heyneman

In memory of my parents, Theron L. and Margaret Johnson from Vera Lee

In honor of Reiko Oda Lane and Dr. Mark Sumner for the beauty they bring us each week from the Nichols Berg family

In memory of Grandma Mick, Dad and Wendy from the Nichols Berg family

In loving memory of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Stein

In memory of Marie Pesch with much love from Liz Pesch and Josh Raeburn

In memory of Doris and Paul McGuire

In memory of Barbara Workman

In memory of Gloria Kulik

In memory of Bernice Biggs and Kathie Darby, and in honor of Sam Darby, for the endless love and lessons

Dedication from Pam and Rio Shepherd

In memory of his parents, Joan and Cliff Buehrens from John Buehrens.

In memory of his grandparents, Mary and John Pikna from John Buehrens.

In loving memory of my daughter, Diana Castiglia from Mary Castiglia

In memory of Mark Smith from Sharon Smith

Dedication from Barbara Kovac

In loving memory of Earl Cartmill from Denise and Trevor

In loving memory of my parents, Fannie and Arthur from Marguerite Johnson Blumenthal

Linda Enger, in honor of the upcoming wedding of Chris Griffin and Katherine McGinty

In loving memory of Mike Thomas

“OPENING GIFTS”Rev. Dr. John Buehrens, preaching

It’s not just on Christmas morning that we open gifts. It’s every morning that we receive and open the gift of a new day. As we gather on Christmas morning, Worship Associate Dennis Adams (a.k.a. Poindexter the Clown) will help us greet one another with surprise and wonder. Our guest musicians will be Ted Rust and Viva Knight on oboe and piano. And we will sing some beloved carols. Please feel

free to bring visiting family and friends to enrich the day.

CHRISTMAS DAY, 11AM SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE