Welcome
Confession and Forgiveness:
Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God,
who was in the beginning, who makes a dwelling among us, who covers us with justice and mercy.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Silence is held for reflection.
God of goodness and lovingkindness,
we confess that we have sinned against you and our neighbors. We have turned away from your invitation to new life. We have turned away from the lowly and downtrodden. In your abundant mercy, forgive us our sins, those we know and those known only to you, for the sake of the one who came to live among us, Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
Hear the good news of peace and salvation! God forgives all our sins, not through our own work, but through + Jesus Christ, made known to all people. With all who come to the manger, rejoice in this amazing gift of grace.
Amen.
Opening Hymn: ELW 283 “O Come All Ye Faithful”
Christmas Proclamation:
Many ages after God created the heavens and the earth, when man and woman were formed in God’s own image;
long after the great flood, when God sent the rainbow in the clouds as a sign of the covenant;
twenty-one centuries from the time of Abraham and Sarah; thirteen centuries after Moses led God’s people to freedom; eleven centuries from the time of Ruth and the judges; a thousand years from the anointing of David as king;
in the sixty-fifth week as Daniel’s prophecy takes note;
in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;
the seven hundred and fifty-second year from the founding of the city of Rome;
the forty-second year of the reign of Octavius Augustus;
in the sixth age of the world, all earth being at peace
Jesus Christ, eternal God, Son of the eternal Father, willing to hallow the world by his coming in mercy, was born of the virgin Mary in Bethlehem of Judea.
Today is the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, God made flesh!
Hymn of Praise: ELW 292 “Love Has Come”
Love has come, a light in the darkness!
Love shines forth in the Bethlehem skies.
See, all heaven has come to proclaim it;
Hear how their song of joy arises: Love! Love!
Born unto you, a Savior! Love! Love!
Glory to God on high.
Love is born! Come, share in the wonder.
Love is God now asleep in the hay.
See the glow in the eyes of his mother;
what is the name her heart is saying? Love! Love!
Love is the name she whispers; Love! Love!
Jesus, Immanuel.
Love has come and never will leave us!
Love is life everlasting and free.
Love is Jesus within and among us.
Love is the peace our hearts are seeking. Love! Love!
Love is the gift of Christmas. Love! Love!
Praise to you, God on High!
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.
First Reading: Isaiah 9:2-7
2 The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
3 You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
4 For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
5 For all the boots of the tramping warriors
and all the garments rolled in blood
shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel:
This is the Holy Gospel according to Luke, the 2nd chapter.
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.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Children’s Sermon
Sermon:
Hymn of the Day: ELW 289 “Angels We Have Heard on High”
Apostle’s 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 Intercession:
Prayer Coloring Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l5tf3awV7RDC8cPwkelutXIdzgzOr2Yg/view?usp=sharing
Joining our voices with the song of the angels, let us pray for the church, the world, and all who are in need.
Prayers continue with each petition ending:
Hear us, O God.
Your mercy is great.
God of mercy, come quickly to us with grace upon grace as we lift these and all our prayers to you, in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
Sharing of the Peace
Announcements
Offering
https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/468062
Lord’s Prayer:
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us saying:
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.
Sending Litany:
It has been done! The News has been shared!
A young maiden will bear a child, and she will call him Jesus.
But that is the beginning of the story, a story that has not yet ended.
A story that includes us, a story of which we are a part.
So we go out to live the story,
to tell of the Hope that is being born among us this Christmas,
to share the Love of the season with the world,
to be agents of Peace in times of trouble,
to sing songs of deep and abiding Joy.
As you go, may God go with you,
challenging us to respond to God’s call
in ways that are new, unexpected and a little unsettling.
Candle Lighting: ELW 281 “Silent Night”
Benediction:
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord’s face shine on you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord look upon you with favor and give you + peace.
Amen.
Dismissal:
Go in Peace! Share the good news!
Thanks be to God!
Sending Hymn: Joy to the World
Prayer Requests:
Shirley Hauck-Troxell, Ryan Caris, Frank and Bertie Danowsky, Gretchen Becker, family and friends of Doreen Tucker, Deb Fern, Kay Keister, Annette Baker, Danielle Baker, Kristen Durling, Courtney Price, Cami Zimmerman, Family and friends of Wayne Kratzer Jr., Fred and Pat Blyler, Rachel Peters, Helen Barsh, Kathy Guffey, Rick Guffey, Family and Friends of Joe Moyer, Jamie, Matt Koch, Melody Erb, Thomas Burns, Cindee Long, Paisley Marie, Bob Keifer, Peg Swinehart.
Portions reprinted from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, copyright 2006. Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress, license #SBL09796L. Music reprinted from the ELW, by permission of OneLicense, license #A712349. Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission.