First Baptist Church847 Cleveland Street Greenville, South Carolina 29601-4495 (864) 233-2527 www.firstbaptistgreenville.com

A Community of Believers. Each Member A Minister.

December 23-25Church Offices Closed

December 23-26AYMC Closed

December 23No Wednesdays at First Activities

December 244:30pm Extended Prelude -

Charles Tompkins 5:00pm Christmas Eve Service of

CommunionJim Dant, proclaimerKyle Matthews and Phil Snyder,

soloistsTina Bailey, liturgical dancerSpecial Offering for Local Relief

December 27, 9:15amChurch-wide Breakfast (Fellow-

ship Hall)

December 27, 10:30amThe First Sunday after Christmas“Blue” Christmas Service Jim Dant, proclaimer

December 27No Youth Evening Activities

December 30No Wednesdays at First Activities

December 31AYMC closing at 2:00pm

January 1Church Offices and AYMC Closed

January 3, 10:30amEpiphany SundayITP and FBCK RecognitionJim Dant, proclaimer

Mary Carol AndersonYouth and Recreation

Bootie CothranMedia and Technology

Jim DantSenior Minister

Vivian HamiltonMusic and Worship

Priscilla HarrisChildren’s Music

Jenna ManningChurch Operations

Kyle MatthewsWorship Arts

Juli MorrowPreschool

Rosemary NewInfant-Toddler Program

Kendra PlatingPastoral Care

Becky RamseyChildren

Jeanie ReedYouth Music

Matt RollinsSpiritual Formation and Outreach

Frank A. SmithNeighborhood Partnership and

Christian Fellowship

Kathy StewartKindergarten

Laura StoutMissions

Charles TompkinsOrganist

Baxter M. WynnPastoral Care and

Community Relations

Looking AheadThe acolytes are Briley Gray and Hannah James.

Singing the first stanza of “Once in Royal David’s City” is the Junior Choir under the direction of Amy Joye.

Singing the solo in “What Is This Lovely Fragrance?” is Logan Campbell, bass. Logan, a Furman student, is a Herring choral scholar in the Sanctuary Choir.

Playing percussion on “Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day” are church members, Will Harris and Sherwood Mobley. Will is a student at Eastside High School and the Fine Arts Center.

The brass quintet consists of instrumentalists Phil Elkins, trumpet; Mark Frederick, horn; Gary Malvern, trumpet; Michael Taylor, tuba; and Steve Wilson, trombone.

The guest musicians tonight are made possible through a gift to the music ministry made in honor of Dr. Bill and Mary Ruth Lacy from churches they have served in Georgia. Bill and Mary Ruth are members of the M.T. Anderson and Apphia Sunday School Classes.

Music selections today include: “Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day” by John Gardner, Oxford University Press, 1966; “Ding! Dong! Merrily on High” arranged by Mack Wilberg, Oxford University Press, 2008; “Sussex Carol” arranged by David Willcocks, Oxford University Press, 1961; “What Is This Lovely Frangrance?” arranged by Healey Willan, Oxford University Press, 1942; and “Candlelight Carol” by John Rutter, Oxford University Press, 1985.

The luminaries are given in loving memory and in celebration of the life of Dr. Thomas Edward House by Gail House. “Your light will always shine in the hearts of those who love you and in the many lives that you touched.”

The flowers in the Narthex are from the wedding of Lyndsey Lewis and Brett Glymph and are in memory of Lyndsey’s grandparents, Ruth and Henry Little, and in honor of her grandparents, Sharon and Bill Lewis.

December 20, 2015

Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols

Six Thirty in the Evening

Financial Needs as of 12/19$2,211,550

Receipts as of 12/15$2,085,065

Lula Whilden as of 12/15$87,891

Sunday morning worship service broadcasts:

WLFJ-AM 660 and FM 92.9

www.firstbaptistgreenville.com/watchlisten-live/

Links to view or listen to previous services are also available.

© 2015 First Baptist Church, Greenville, SC (all rights reserved)

December 24Christmas Eve Service of Communion

4:30pm Extended Prelude by Charles Tompkins5:00pm Jim Dant, proclaimer

Kyle Matthews and Phil Snyder, soloistsTina Bailey, liturgical dancer

*Please stand as you are able. Please silence all electronic devices.Please contact an usher for a hearing aid receiver or magnifying glass.

Eighth Lesson John 1:1-5 Parker Tollison This is the great mystery of the Incarnation.

Carol “Candlelight Carol” John Rutter

Ninth Lesson John 1:6-14 Christ is the Light of the World.

Lighting of the Christ Candle

Passing of the Light

Carol (remain seated)

“Silent Night” STILLE NACHT

Silent night, holy night, All is calm, all is brightRound yon virgin mother and child, Holy infant so tender and mild,

Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night, Darkness flies, all is light;Shepherds hear the angels sing, “Alleluia! Hail the King!

Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born.”

Silent night, holy night, Song of God, love’s pure light, Radiant beams from thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

Silent night, holy night, Wondrous star, lend thy light;With the angels let us sing, “Alleluia to our King;

Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born.”

Benediction

Carol of Response (Hymn 80, stanza 1) ANTIOCH

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’n and nature sing.

Peal of the Advent BellsOrgan Postlude

“Il est né, le Divin Enfant” setting Dénis Bedard

Place candles in a receptacle in the Narthex as you leave.

PreludeProcessional

Hymn 84 “Once in Royal David’s City” IRBY

Stanza 1: Junior Choir *Stanzas 2-5: Congregation

Welcome to Worshipers Jim Dant

We welcome those who are visiting with us this evening. Please complete a welcome card located in the pew rack and place it in the offering plate. We hope you will consider making First Baptist Greenville your church home.

Offertory PrayerMusical Offering Noël de Saintonge Jean-François Dandrieu

Christmas Offering for Lula Whilden World Missions

Bidding Prayer Mary Carol Anderson

Beloved in Christ, as we gather to celebrate with joyous anticipation the coming of the redeemer of the world, let us prepare ourselves to hear in lessons from the Holy Scripture how the prophets of Israel foretold his coming. Let us rejoice in our carols that God’s promise is even now being fulfilled. And let us offer our prayers and praise to Almighty God through the words which Christ himself taught us:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by 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. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

First Lesson Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 Jim Martin The prophet foretells the coming of the Savior.

Carol*Hymn 82 “O Come, All Ye Faithful” ADESTE FIDELIS

Second Lesson Isaiah 11:1-2, 4a, 6-9 Kristin Schulze The peace the Christ will bring is foreshown.

Carol “Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day” John Gardner

Third Lesson Isaiah 35:1-6 Vance Milford The prophet foretells the coming of the desire of all nations.

Carol*Hymn 75 “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” MENDELSSOHN

Fourth Lesson Isaiah 40:1-8 Kathy Sharp The prophet proclaims good news to a people in exile.

Carol “Ding! Dong! Merrily on High” arr. Mack Wilberg

Fifth Lesson Luke 1:26-35, 38 Carrie Nettles The angel Gabriel visits Mary.

Carol “Sussex Carol” arr. David Willcocks

Sixth Lesson Luke 2:1, 3-7 Kathleen Way Luke tells of the birth of Jesus.

Carol*Hymn 86 “The First Nowell” THE FIRST NOWELL

Seventh Lesson Luke 2:8-20 Maria Swearingen The shepherds go to the manger.

Carol “What Is This Lovely Fragrance?” Healey Willan