Christmas Eve Worship 2024 † 3:00 PM
Nativity of Our Lord
Holy Communion
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
The Rev. Jeffrey Goodrich
The Rev. Cassandra Hartnett
Whether this is your first time with us or your one thousand and first, we are glad that the Spirit has drawn you here today! Visitors are invited to sign the Guest Book near the front doors of the church and take home a welcome brochure to learn more about us.
PRELUDE O Come, Little Children arr. Shinichi Suzuki
The Infant King arr. Robert S. Frost
Liam Grant, Cello; Julie Hamilton Grant, Violin; & Randy Gomez, Piano
WELCOME & CALL TO WORSHIP Amelia Ziton
People of Good Shepherd, come and see what is happening
as the stars are shining over Bethlehem.
To you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
How should we know him? What will be the sign?
You will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.
How should we find him? Where should we go?
Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place,
which the Lord has made known to us.
Let us praise and worship with the angels saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom God favors!”
GATHERING SONG Away in a Manger Phil Wickham
CCLI# 7138828
Verse 1:
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed. The little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head
The stars in the sky look down where He lay. The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay
Verse 2:
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes. The dawn of salvation beginning to break
I love Thee Lord Jesus oh gift from above. The King of the heavens forever with us
SPECIAL MUSIC People, Look East arr. Barry Rose
Joyful Noise
CANDLE LIGHTING Nolan Grant
On this long, dark night of the birth of Jesus, we have watched and waited for a sign of the joy to come. We have lit the candles of hope, peace, joy, and love in anticipation of the birth of Jesus.
The good news is here. The child has come.
A child has been born for us,
a son given to us; he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
We light the final candle because the light of the world has come to dwell among us.
Behold, Christ is born.
Light the Christ candle.
PRAYER OF THE DAY Liam Grant
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
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.
HYMN OF PRAISE Angels We Have Heard on High ELW 289 Sing Verses 1 & 2
GOSPEL Luke 2:1-20 Pastor Cassie & Tinsley Moran
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.
1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 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 David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 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.
8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 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: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
15 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.” 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 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.
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FOR ALL AGES Pastor Cassie
HYMN OF THE DAY Go Tell It On the Mountain ELW 290
Chorus:
Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere
Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born
Verse 1:
While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens there shone a holy light
(chorus)
Verse 2:
The shepherds feared and trembled when lo above the earth
Rang out the angel chorus that hailed the Savior’s birth
(chorus)
Verse 3:
Down in a lowly manger the humble Christ was born
And God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn
(chorus)
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Adlyn & Avelyn Augustus
Let us pray. Dear God, you love us—all of us.
You love us so much that you couldn’t stay away from us.
You came to us as Jesus to be with us and to show us that you would stay with us forever.
You made the stars and the planets, the earth and the animals, and each one of us.
Help us to take loving care of all that you made.
You made the Church so that everybody could be part of your family.
Help us to tell everybody how much you love us.
You were laid in a manger because others had no room for you.
Help us to make more room so that everyone feels welcome.
You came to bring happiness, peace, and joy.
Help us to care for the sick, the sad, and the worried.
You came to show us that it will be okay, that it will always be okay.
Help us to remember that you will always be with us.
We are the ones you have come to:
Help us to trust your love!
We are the ones who have heard your good news:
Help us to speak your gospel!
We are the ones who have seen your star:
Help us to see your light in others!
We are the ones who hear your promise:
God With Us! Emmanuel!
Come Lord Jesus and be our light,
And be light for the world through us! Amen.
PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you.
OFFERING INVITATION (Gifts may be made online via debit or credit card using the QR code on the back of the bulletin)
OFFERING ANTHEM He Shall Reign Forevermore Chris Tomlin
CCLI #7050416
PRESENTATION ‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime ELW 284
OF GIFTS Sing Verse 1
OFFERING PRAYER Aelisha Uttangi
Let us pray. Gracious God, on this holy day, you gave us the greatest gift of all time.
You sent us Jesus, to live among us and show us the way of love and justice.
We are filled with joy and we respond with generosity, giving what we have so that this community can continue the work of love and justice in the world.
Bless our offering and help us to use it wisely. Amen.
DIALOGUE
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.
PREFACE
It is indeed right to give thanks and praise to God, especially on this night when God is born into our world, proclaiming that there is no place, person, or story where God cannot dwell. On this night, a girl in Bethlehem became the mother of God. On this night, angels told of the arrival of a Savior. We tell this story because we need to be reminded that God has drawn close to this hurting world. We need to be reminded that God will never be separated from us. And with all the choirs of angels, with the shepherds in the fields and the animals in the stable, we join a never-ending hymn of thanksgiving for Jesus’ birth:
SANCTUS Holy, Holy, Holy
Holy, holy, holy Lord. Lord God of power and might
Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord
Hosanna in the highest!
GREAT THANKSGIVING
Holy God, Mother and Father of all life, from the beginning of time your Spirit breathed light over darkness. You scattered stars in the heavens and raised up the mountains. You poured out great rivers and blessed the earth with life. You made humankind in your image, and loved us in our weakness, promising to stay with us wherever we go. In the winter of our longing, you came to the prophet Mary, offering your Spirit to make creation whole. You gave her a child, Jesus, your beloved son to turn the broken world upside down.
Jesus stayed with us, healing the sick and feeding the hungry,
unbinding prisoners and raising the dead.
He ate with strangers, showed mercy to sinners, and taught us to follow him in love without fear.
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 all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Show us your presence in this bread and this cup, and make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, as we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
By the power of your Holy Spirit, unite us with Christ and all who share this feast.
Give us courage to be your people, to show forth your justice, grace, mercy, peace, and love. Inspire us to be a part of your transformation of our world until the day when the baby whose birth we celebrate tonight comes again.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Let us pray as Jesus taught us, each in the words or language of our choice.
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.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
COMMUNION INVITATION
Jesus is born for you! Come now to this table and celebrate his birth!
COMMUNION
At this table, Christ is both host and meal, and offers himself to all who hunger and thirst for his presence.
We believe that he is truly present in this sacrament.
Come to the front, where bread is placed in your hand (you can request a gluten-free wafer), and where you receive wine by taking a cup from the tray (the cups in the center contain white grape juice).
If you do not wish to commune, you are welcome to come forward and receive a blessing.
If you need to receive communion in your seat, simply notify an usher.
No one is too young to receive this sacrament, though some families wish to give their children some instruction before they take their first communion. If a young child accompanies you to the rail, please indicate to the pastor whether they should receive bread or a blessing.
Communion SONGS O Come, O Come, Emmanuel arr. Margaret R. Tucker
Allegro Chimes & Nolan Grant, Oboe
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day Casting Crowns
CCLI#5466490
COMMUNION BLESSING
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in God’s grace. Amen.
HYMN Silent Night
Blessing
Almighty God,
who sent the Holy Spirit to Mary,
proclaimed joy through the angels,
sent the shepherds with good news,
and led the magi by a star,
bless you this day ☩ through the Word made flesh. Amen.
SENDING SONG Joy to the World The Planetshakers
CCLI#7100235
Verse 1:
Joy to the world, the Lord has come. Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room.
And heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing
And heaven, heaven and nature sing
Verse 2:
Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns. Let men their songs employ
While fields, and floods, rocks, hill, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repat the sounding joy
Verse 3:
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
Christ the Savior is born!
Go in peace. Proclaim this good news!
Thanks be to God!
We are grateful for all who participate in leading our 3 pm Worship.
Ushering Dave Kaiser & Paul Bigwood
Readers Adlyn & Avelyn Augustus, Liam & Nolan Grant, Tinsley Moran, Aelisha Uttangi, & Amelia Ziton
Communion Presenters Mark & Sharon Proia
Music Director Kirby Stalley
New Direction Praise Team Randy Gomez, Sam Augustus, Linda Frederico, Lawrence & Michelle Kati, Matt & Mary Overholt
Joyful Noise Director Julie Hamilton Grant
Joyful Noise & Allegro Chimes Adlyn Augustus, Avelyn Augustus, Tinsley Moran, Emma Proia, Grady Zitzmann, & Hattie Zitzmann
Announcements – Christmas Eve Edition
Star Stories Needed! Do you remember Epiphany Sunday from the last few years? In service, we each took a star with a word printed on it and were tasked with putting it up in our homes and letting that word guide our year. We plan to do the same thing on the coming Epiphany Sunday, January 5th but would like to have people share stories of what their word for 2024 has meant to them, and how it has impacted them. If you would be willing to share a story in a worship service on January 5th, please speak with one of the pastors.
Help us plan ahead for Lent 2025!
It may be Advent and Christmas, but the Lent season will arrive quickly in February 2025. Do you feel called to help shape what Lent will look like at Good Shepherd this year? Your input will have a direct influence on how we choose to observe this season of the church year and prepare our hearts for the good news of Easter. In past years, this has included deciding on a theme, making a plan for sharing Lent devotions, planning our Wednesday evening Lent gatherings, and more. Join us for the Lent planning meeting on Tuesday January 14th at 7pm, either in person or by zoom. Everyone is welcome!
Save-The-Dates
December 26th Office Closed
December 29th 1st Sunday of Christmas
10 am Combined Festival Worship – livestreamed
Dec. 31st – Jan. 1st Office Closed
January 4th Council Retreat
9am—Fellowship Hall
January 5th Epiphany with Star Stories
9 am Hymn-based Worship – livestreamed
11am Band-led Worship
Thank you to all those who gave poinsettias to decorate our sanctuary
for the 2024 Christmas Season.
Marilyn & Lou Banderet
In memory of loved ones
The Bianchi Family
In memory of Paul Slimko
and Janice & Victor Bianchi
Paul Bigwood
In memory of my father Ernest Bigwood
and Aunt Pearl & Uncle Louis Regenstreif
Kristen Black
To the glory of God
Larry Browning
In memory of my grandson Connor Lautier
Deb Casey
In memory of Fay Casey
and Harold Thompson
Ellen Cloutier
In memory of Roland,
Michael, Toby, and Joshua
and to the glory of God.
Carie & Stan Corbett
To the glory of God
Kanago Devaprasad,
Emily & Family
In memory our loved ones
David, Kara, Elizabeth & Lillian Fontes
In memory of our loved ones
Linda & Bob Frederico
In memory of Dorothea Frederico and
Roland & Barbara Bousquet
Debra George
In memory of my father Arthur George III
and in honor of my mother Doris Johansson
The Gillin Family
In celebration of God’s gift of Jesus
David & Janet Golden
In memory of Edna & Arthur Froelich
and Ted & Jeanette Golden
Betsy & Bruce Grams
Given in joy for family and friends
Cassie Hartnett
In honor of Alaina & Ben’s engagement
and the resilient Camp Pride community
Deb Henderson
In memory of Sheldon & Carolyn Zaklaw
and in honor of their lives fully lived
H Heusmann
In memory of Carolyn Heusmann
Stephanie Leclair
In honor of my family
John & Elaine Martin
In memory of Alfred Russo
The McCordick Family
In memory of William Kivi
and Bill &Dorothy McCordick
The Merrow Family
To the glory of God.
Rob & Joy Messick
In memory of Joseph Messick and
Frank & Marge Spinner
Beverly Moehling
In memory of Irv Moehling and Ev Gniot
Becky Nanof
In honor of the Nanof family
Pat Olson
In memory of my loving husband Roger
Mary Overholt
To the glory of God
The Pavlak Family
In memory of Ray Pavlak, Sr.
William & Emarine Sharon,
(Holly’s parents)
Trudy Roybal
In memory of Mercedes Roybal
In honor of mothers
Salfeld Wang Family
In memory of loved ones
James Scanlon
In memory of Sylvia L.Scanlon
Kristin Sheehan
In memory of loved ones
Shirley Soderlund
In memory of Martin Soderlund
Jamie & Dawn Sutherland
In memory of
Linda Bistany & Tripp Sutherland
Joe Taxiera
In memory of Phyllis Taxiera
The Veiby Family
In memory of
David & Jackie Herath
Gail Walker
To the Glory of God
Deb & Mark Walz
In memory of Elaine and Bill Rissmiller
William & Susan Whalen
In memory of our fathers
Herbert Baurle & John Whalen
and in honor of the marriage of
Michael Whalen & Rui Aguiar
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| From Sundays and Seasons.com. © 2024 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #27028. Great Thanksgiving adapted from Will Ed Green, 2019. New Revised Standard Version Bible, ©1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Great Thanksgiving adapted from “Great Thanksgiving Prayer for Christmas Eve” by Sara Miles, 2008 http://www.saintgregorys.org/uploads/2/4/2/6/24265184/anaphora_for_christmas_eve__miles.fromberg__-_missal_pages.pdf and “A Communion Prayer for Christmas Eve” by Rev. Andy James https://liturgylink.wordpress.com/2011/12/24/a-communion-prayer-for-christmas-eve/ CCLI#1313879. OneLicense # A-716488 2024 Christmas Eve 3pm.docx |
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