God’s BlessingNow Sing We, Now Rejoice

CW #34

Verses 1-4

Text: Latin hymn, 14th cent.Setting: IN DULCI JUBILO

Tune: German melody, 14th cent., alt.

All Sing Verse 1:Now sing we now rejoiceNow raise to heav'n our voice;He from whom joy streamethPoor in a manger lies;Not so brightly beamethThe sun in yonder skies.Thou my Savior art!Thou my Savior art!

All Sing Verse 2:Come from on high to me;I cannot rise to thee.Cheer my wearied spirit,O pure and holy child;Through thy grace and merit,Blest Jesus, Lord most mild,Draw me unto thee!Draw me unto thee!

All Sing Verse 3:Now through his Son doth shineThe Father's grace divine.Death o'er us had reignedThrough sin and vanity;He for us obtainedEternal joy on high.May we praise him there!May we praise him there!

God’s BlessingAll Sing Verse 4:Oh, where shall joy be found?Where but on heav'nly ground?Where the angels singingWith all his saints unite.Sweetest praises bringingIn heav'nly joy and light.Oh, that we were there!Oh, that we were there!

Invocation

Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.  

Prayer

Pastor: (Pastor says the prayer)

All: Amen.  

Psalm #96(Spoken)

All: A Savoir has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

P: Sing to the LORD, praise his name;

C: Proclaim his salvation day after day.

P: Declare his glory among the nations,

C: His marvelous deeds among all peoples.

P: Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;

C: Tremble before him, all the earth.

All: A Savoir has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

P: Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;

C: Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;

P: Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.

C: Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy,

P: For he comes to judge the world in righteousness

C: And the peoples in his truth.

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.

A Savoir has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

Introduction

Your Little Ones, Dear Lord, Are We

CW #46

Verses 1-4

Text: Hans A. Brorson, 1694-1764

Setting: HER KOMMER DINE, ARME SMAA

Tune: Johann A. P. Schultz, 1747-1800

Children Sing Verse 1:

Your little ones dear Lord, are we

And come your lowly bed to see;

Enlighten ev'ry soul and mind

That we the way to you may find.

Choir Sings Verse 2:

With songs we hasten you to greet

And humbly fall before your feet.

Oh, blessed hour, oh, sweetest night

That gave you birth, our souls' delight.

Choir Sings Verse 3:

Oh, draw us wholly to you, Lord,

And to us all your grace accord;

True faith and love to us impart

That we may hold you in our heart,

Children & Choir Sing Verse 4:

Until at last we, too, proclaim,

With all your saints, your glorious name;

In paradise our songs renew

And praise you as the angels do.

Part 1: Jesus Is Born Luke 2:1-7

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

Part 1: Jesus Is Born Luke 2:1-7

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

Part 1: Jesus Is Born Luke 2:1-7

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

In a manger on the hay, Jesus lay on Christmas Day.Born as our Immanuel, He is God with us to dwell.Sing glory, glory! Sing glory, glory!Sing glory, glory!God’s Son has come to us.

Part 1: Jesus Is Born

Away in a Manger CW #68

Verses 1-3

Text: Little Children's Book, Philadelphia, 1885 (st. 1-2),

Vineyard Songs, 1892 (st. 3)Setting: MUELLER; CRADLE SONG

Tune: James Ramsey Murray, 1841-1905;William J. Kirkpatrick, 1838-1921

Children Sing Verse 1:Away in a manger, no crib for a

bed,The little Lord Jesus laid down

his sweet head.The stars in the bright sky

looked down where he lay,The little Lord Jesus asleep on

the hay.

Children Sing Verse 2:The cattle are lowing, the baby

awakes,But little Lord Jesus no crying he

makes.I love you, Lord Jesus; look

down from the sky,And stay by my side until

morning is nigh.

Children Sing Verse 3:Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask

you to stayClose by me forever and love

me, I pray.Bless all the dear children in

your tender care,And take us to heaven to live

with you there.

Part 2: His Birth Is Announced To The Shepherds

Luke 2:8-12

There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

Part 2: His Birth Is Announced To The Shepherds

Luke 2:8-12

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

Part 2: His Birth Is Announced To The Shepherds

Luke 2:8-12

This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Shepherds with their flocks that nightSaw an angel’s glory bright.“Do not fear,” he said to them.“A Savior’s born in Bethlehem.”Sing glory, glory! Sing glory, glory!Sing glory, glory!God’s Son has come to us.

Part 2: His Birth Is Announced To The Shepherds

From Heaven Above to Earth I Come

CW #38Verses 1-5

Text: Martin Luther, 1483-1546

Setting: VOM HIMMEL HOCH

Tune: Martin Luther, 1483-1546

All Sing Verse 1:"From heav'n above to earth I comeTo bear good news to ev'ry home;Glad tidings of great joy I bring,Whereof I now will say and sing:

All Sing Verse 2:"To you this night is born a childOf Mary, chosen virgin mild;This little child of lowly birthShall be the joy of all the earth.

All Sing Verse 3:"This is the Christ, our God most high,Who hears your sad and bitter cry;He will himself your Savior beFrom all your sins to set you free.

All Sing Verse 4:"He will on you the gifts bestowPrepared by God for all below,That in his kingdom, bright and fair,You may with us his glory share.

All Sing Verse 5:"These are the signs which you shall mark:The swaddling clothes and manger dark.There you will find the infant laidBy whom the heav'ns and earth were made."

Part 3: The Angels Sing Of Jesus’ Glory

Luke 2:13-14

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

Then a heav’nly host appearedPraising God for all to hear!With this news the shepherds fledQuickly to the manger bed.Sing glory, glory! Sing glory, glory!Sing glory, glory!God’s Son has come to us.

Part 3: The Angels Sing Of Jesus’ Glory

Angels We Have Heard on High

CW #63

Verses 1-3

Text: Nouveau recueil de cantiques, 1855

Setting: GLORIA

Tune: David Lantz III

Choir Sings Verse 1:Angels we have

heard on high,Sweetly singing o'er

the plains,And the mountains in

reply,Echo back their

joyous strains.Gloria in excelsis Deo;Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Choir Sings Verse 2:Shepherds, why this

jubilee?Why your joyous

strains prolong?Say, what may the

tidings beWhich inspire your

heav'nly song?Gloria in excelsis Deo;Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Choir Sings Verse 3:Come to Bethlehem

and seeHim whose birth the

angels sing;Come, adore on

bended kneeChrist the Lord, the

newborn King.Gloria in excelsis Deo;Gloria in excelsis Deo,

in excelsis Deo!

Part 4: The Shepherds See Jesus

Luke 2:15-20

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

Part 4: The Shepherds See Jesus

Luke 2:15-20

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

Part 4: The Shepherds See Jesus

Luke 2:15-20

When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

Part 4: The Shepherds See Jesus

Luke 2:15-20

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Part 4: The Shepherds See Jesus

Luke 2:15-20

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

There they saw the holy childWrapped in cloths, so meek and mild.Joyfully the shepherds racedTo spread this news in ev’ry place.Sing glory, glory! Sing glory, glory!Sing glory, glory!God’s Son has come to us.

Part 4: The Shepherds See Jesus

Silent Night! Holy Night!

CW #60

Verses 1-3

Text: Franz J. Mohr, 1792-1848

Setting: STILLE NACHT

Tune: Franz X. Gruber, 1787-1863, alt.

All Sing Verse 1:

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.

All Sing Verse 2:

Silent night! Holy night!

Shepherds quake at the sight.

Glories stream from heaven afar;

Heav'nly hosts sing, Alleluia;

Christ, the Savior is born!

Christ, the Savior is born!

All Sing Verse 3:

Silent night! Holy night!

Son 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.

Part 4: The Shepherds See Jesus

Part 4: The Shepherds See Jesus

Part 4: The Shepherds See Jesus

Part 4: The Shepherds See Jesus

Jesus is God’s own dear SonSent from heav’n for ev’ryone.Lived and died for you and meSo from sin we could be free.Sing alleluia! Sing alleluia!Sing alleluia!The Savior has been born.

Offering

Prayer for Peace

Pastor: (Pastor says the prayer)

All: Amen.  

The Lord’s PrayerAll: 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.

The Lord’s PrayerAll: Forgive us our sins, as we

forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from

evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.  

The Blessing

P: May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 

All: Amen.

From Heaven Above to Earth I Come

CW #38Verses 13-15

Text: Martin Luther, 1483-1546

Setting: VOM HIMMEL HOCH

Tune: Martin Luther, 1483-1546

All Sing Verse 13:Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child,Prepare a bed, soft, undefiledWithin my heart, made clean and new,A quiet chamber kept for you.

All Sing Verse 14:My heart for very joy must leap;My lips no more can silence keep.I, too, must sing with joyful tongueThat sweetest ancient cradle song:

All Sing Verse 15:Glory to God in highest heaven,Who unto us his Son has given!While angels sing with pious mirthA glad new year to all the earth.