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CONCORDIA’S PURPOSE

“To Make the Love of Jesus R.E.A.L. in the Lives of All People”

+ THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD +

CHRISTMAS DAY

“The Word Remains Flesh”“The Word Remains Flesh”“The Word Remains Flesh”“The Word Remains Flesh”

December 25, 2011

10:00 a.m.

AS WE GATHER

Ah, the joys of Christmas morning! Lights on the tree,

decorated houses (inside and out), presents, laughing

children, smiling parents, Christmas dinner, etc. all

make for a wonderful time. But, are we making the most of

Christmas? Do we have Jesus at the center of it all? We should.

We need to center our thoughts on the Christ Child of Bethlehem.

We must realize that we badly need a savior to free us from the

guilt of sin, cleanse our conscience, and make us right with God.

We need to come to Him just as we are, and plead for forgiveness

and peace. We need the help of the Holy Spirit for us to faithfully

follow Jesus and make Him the center of our Christmas. And we

need to thank God the Father for loving us enough to send His Son

for us, not just today, but every day. (prepared by Jim Gann)

(���� means stand, ���� means be seated)

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PRELUDE

����CALL TO WORSHIP

���� RINGING OF THE BELLS

���� ENTRANCE HYMN #367

“Angels From The Realms of Glory”

���� BAPTISM Aubrey Lee Kimball

���� INVOCATION

P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy

Spirit.

C: Amen.

���� CONFESSION and ABSOLUTION

P: This is the day which the LORD has made.

C: We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24, adapted

P: The Lord has visited and redeemed His people. Luke 1:68, adapted

C: Great is His salvation! Jonah 2:9, adapted

P: I said I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD. Psalm 32:5

C: For with the LORD is plenteous redemption and He

forgives our sins. Psalm 130:7, adapted

P: Let us then confess our sins unto our gracious Lord.

C: Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of

all things, Judge of all people, we admit and confess our

sinfulness and ask Your forgiveness. We have indeed done

the evil You forbid, and have not done the good You

demand. We do repent, and are truly sorry for these our

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sins. Have mercy on us, kind Father, because of the

obedience of our Brother, Jesus Christ, Your Son, whose

birth this day we celebrate. Forgive us all that is past and

with the power of the Holy Spirit move us to serve You

with faithful hearts and lives, through Jesus Christ, our

Lord. Amen.

P: God has promised forgiveness of sins to those who repent and

turn to Him. In His stead and by His command, I forgive you

all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of

the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen.

P: May our God keep you in His grace by the Holy Spirit, lead

you to ever greater faith and obedience, and at last bring you

to eternal joy to live with Him, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C: Amen.

���� INTROIT Psalm 98:1-4

P: For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given;

and the government shall be upon His shoulder,

C: and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

P: Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done marvelous

things!

C: His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation

for Him.

P: The LORD has made known His salvation;

he has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.

C: He has remembered His steadfast love and faithfulness to

the house of Israel.

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All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our

God.

P: Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;

break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

ALL: Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and will be forever. Amen.

P: For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given;

and the government shall be upon His shoulder,

C: and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

���� KYRIE

P: O Lord, have mercy upon us.

C: O Christ, have mercy upon us.

P: O Christ, have mercy upon us.

C: Amen.

���� HYMN OF PRAISE “Angels We Have Heard On High”

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���� COLLECT OF THE DAY

P: The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you

P: Let us pray.

ALL: Almighty God, grant that the birth of Your only-

begotten Son in the flesh may set us free from the bondage

of sin; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who

lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God,

now and forever. Amen.

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���� OLD TESTAMENT READING Isaiah 52:7-10

(The Lord comforts His people.)

R: The Old Testament Reading is from Isaiah, chapter fifty-two.

(After the reading. . .)

R: This is the Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

���� HYMN #365 “Away in a Manger”

���� EPISTLE READING Hebrews 1:1-6

(The Son of God is supreme.)

R: The Epistle Reading is from Hebrews, chapter one.

(After the reading. . .)

R: This is the Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

���� ALLELUIA and VERSE

ALL: Alleluia. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,

and we have seen His glory,

glory as of the only Son from the Father,

full of grace and truth. Alleluia.

����HOLY GOSPEL John 1:1-14

(The Word becomes flesh in the birth of Jesus.)

P: The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the first chapter.

C: Glory to You, O Lord.

(The Gospel is read.)

P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C: Praise to You, O Christ.

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���� CREEDAL HYMN “We All Believe in One True God”

���� CHILDREN”S SERMON

���� SERMON HYMN #387 “Joy To The World”

����SERMON Text: John 1:1-14

Title: “He’ll Leave the Light On For You!!”

���� HYMN #386 “Now Sing We, Now Rejoice”

���� OFFERINGS

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����OFFERTORY “Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart”

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���� PRAYERS

P: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and

for all people according to their needs. For the faithful

proclamation of Christ's saving name, that the Good News of

the birth of our Lord be heard throughout the world in every

land and tongue, let us pray to the Lord:

C: Lord, have mercy.

P: For the holy Christian Church throughout the world and for all

who share in the joy of this day with us, that God would guard

and defend His faithful people in every place, let us pray to the

Lord:

C: Lord, have mercy.

P: For this congregation as it celebrates the feast of the Nativity

of our Lord, that it may stay truly focused on its continuing

life of worship and work in the Lord's name; and for the unity

of the Spirit in the bond of peace, let us pray to the Lord:

C: Lord, have mercy.

P: For those who partake this day of Christ's holy body and blood

at this altar, that in their eating and drinking they may receive

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the benefits of forgiveness of sins and the renewal of life and

have a foretaste of the feast to come in the company of the

saints and angels, let us pray of the Lord:

C: Lord, have mercy.

P: For all of us gathered here in worship on this Christmas Day,

that the blessings of this service may be shown forth in our

lives as we live in harmony with each other, let us pray to the

Lord:

C: Lord, have mercy.

[Additional petitions may be added here.]

P: Lord, we bless You for the faithful witness left to us by the

saints now in glory. Join our prayers together that they may

rise as incense before You. Lord, in Your mercy

C: Hear our prayer and grant us Your peace. Amen.

+ SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT +

���� PREFACE

P: The Lord be with you. 2 Timothy 4:22

C: And also with you.

P: Lift up your hearts. [Colossians 3:1]

C: We lift them to the Lord.

P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. [Psalm 136]

C: It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

���� PROPER PREFACE (for Christmas)

P: It is truly good, right, and salutary…, evermore praising You

and singing: LSB

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���� SANCTUS

���� PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

P: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the universe. You

have poured out upon us Your never-ending love by sending

Your Son Jesus Christ to this earth to be born of a virgin for us

as our Savior, our Lord, and our Brother. Sustain Your people

gathered in His name on this day of joyous celebration

through the Sacrament of His body and blood. Strengthen us

so that we may continue to proclaim Him who gives life to the

world, for He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

C: Amen.

���� THE WORDS OF OUR LORD

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���� PROCLAMATION OF CHRIST

P: As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim

the Lord’s death until He comes.

C: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

P: O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your

body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember

and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death,

Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead,

Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final

judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to

pray:

����THE LORD’S PRAYER

P: O Lord, hear all our prayers in the words you taught us:

All: 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.

���� PEACE OF THE LORD

P: The peace + of the Lord be with you always.

C: Amen.

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���� AGNUS DEI

���� DISTRIBUTION HYMNS

#363 “Silent Night, Holy Night”

#361 “O Little Town of Bethlehem”

#390 “Let Us All with Gladsome Voice”

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���� POST-COMMUNION CANTICLE “Nunc Dimittis”

���� POST-COMMUNION COLLECT

P: O God the Father, the fountain and source of all goodness,

who in loving-kindness sent Your only-begotten Son into the

flesh, we thank You that for His sake You have given us

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pardon and peace in this Sacrament, and we ask you not to

forsake Your children but always to rule our hearts and minds

by Your Holy Spirit that we may be enabled constantly to serve

You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and

reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and

forever.

C: Amen.

����BENEDICTION

P: The grace of Our Lord + Jesus Christ and the love of God

and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

C: Amen.

����CLOSING HYMN #388 “Go Tell It on the Mountain”

POSTLUDE

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IN SERVICE TO THE LORD TODAY:

Officiant Rev. Emil Gretarsson

Organist Mrs. Cindy Golem

Assisting Ministers Mr. Jim Gann, Mr. Fred Tichnell

Acolyte TBD

Lector Roland Foster

Greeters Mr. and Mrs. Bill Garrison

Usher Ron Golem

Altar flowers are given to the glory of God by the Fertitta

family.

Also:

Altar flowers are given to the glory of God by the Davidson

family.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

WE REJOICE TODAY AS GOD WELCOMES

Aubrey Lee Kimball, son of Loree and Branson Kimball,

grandson of Pete and Karen Kreymborg into His family of

faith through the Waters of Holy Baptism.

_________________________________________________

- CCDC Board meeting, Jan 2 at 7:00 p.m.

- Pre-school Open House, Sat. Jan. 14, 2-4 p.m.