THE WORSHIP OF GODCandlelight Christmas Eve

December 24, 20199:00 p.m.v Sanctuary

THE WORSHIP OF GODCandlelight Christmas Eve

December 24, 2019 v 9:00 p.m. Sanctuary

+ Indicates an invitation to rise in body or in spirit.

THE PRELUDES Selections for String Quartet Of the Father’s Love Begotten Wilbur Held Lake Minnetonka String Quartet & Kraig Windshitl, organ THE CHIMING OF THE HOUR

THE INTROIT Jesus Christ the Apple Tree Elizabeth Poston Chancel Choir

THE CALL TO WORSHIP Lindy Purdy

+ THE PROCESSIONAL CAROL O Come, All Ye Faithful Blue #132

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant!O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels.O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;Jesus, to Thee be glory giv’n!Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing!O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,Sing, all ye citizens of Heaven above!Glory to God, glory in the highest.O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

+ THE CHRISTMAS LITANY Rustin Comer Leader: God of glory, God of light, on this holy night of wonder, open us to receive the deep mystery of Your love; born in us, born among us, through Your son Jesus.

All: Open our ears to hear the triumphant songs of angels. Leader: Open our eyes to follow the brilliance of Your guiding star.

All: Open our hearts to behold the awe and reverence of the shepherds. Leader: Open our spirits to find the determination of the traveling magi.

All: Open us once again, O God, to receive the deep mystery of Your love born in Jesus, the Christ Child.

Leader: Alleluia! All: Amen!

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+ THE PRAISE CAROL Joy to the World Blue #130Joy 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. Joy to the world! The Savior reigns; Let earth her songs employ; Let fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains. Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat the sounding joy. Christ 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.

GREETING John Ross

ANTHEM Gloria, from Christmas Oratorio Camille Saint-Saens Chancel Choir, Lake Minnetonka String Quartet

THE FIRST LESSON Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 Belle Davenport

CAROL Angels We Have Heard on High Blue #116

Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plains,And the mountains in reply, echo back their joyous strains.Glo……..ria in excelsis Deo! Glo……..ria in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong?Say what may glad tidings be, which inspire your heavenly song?Glo……..ria in excelsis Deo! Glo……..ria in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see, Him whose birth the angels sing;Come adore on bended knee, Christ, the Lord, the newborn King.

Glo……..ria in excelsis Deo! Glo……..ria in excelsis Deo THE SECOND LESSON Micah 5:2-4 John DePaolis

CHRISTMAS PRAYER AND THE LORD’S PRAYER Lindy Purdy 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

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OFFERTORY ANTHEM When Christmas Morn is Dawning Kyle Pederson Commissioned by Wayzata Community Church Chancel Choir, 2019 Chancel Choir

Our Christmas offering will go to the newly established Caring Community Fund to honor Rev. Lindy Purdy’s amazing legacy of care. This fund will advance and expand our pastoral care

ministries within the life of the church, and the community beyond. A generous gift honoring Lindy will match the first $50,000 of donations. If paying by check, include CCF in the memo.

THE THIRD LESSON Luke 1:26-35, 38 Lou Ferril

+ CAROL It Came Upon a Midnight Clear Red #149

It came upon a midnight clear, that glorious song of old,From angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold!Peace on the earth, good will to all, from heaven’s all gracious King!The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing.

And ye, beneath life’s crushing load, whose forms are bending low,Who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow.Look now! For glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing.O rest beside the weary road, and hear the angels sing!

For lo! The days are hastening on, by prophet bards foretold,When, with the ever-circling years, shall come the Age of Gold;When peace shall over all the earth, its ancient splendors fling,And all the world give back the song, which now the angels sing.

THE FOURTH LESSON Luke 2:1-7 Jim Cada ANTHEM Tollite Hostias, from Christmas Oratorio Camille Saint-Saens Chancel Choir Praise ye the Lord of Hosts, come and adore him.

THE FIFTH LESSON Luke 2:8-14 Emily Abood

MEDITATION Breaking the Silence John Ross

ANTHEM O Holy Night Adolphe Adam Chancel Choir, Adam Fieldson, tenor

THE SIXTH LESSON Luke 2:15-20 Reid Shaw

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CAROL RESPONSE In the Bleak Midwinter Blue #128

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snowIn the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there, Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air; But his mother only, in her maiden bliss, Worshipped the beloved with a kiss. 

What can I give Him, poor as I am?If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;If I were a wise man, I would do my part;Yet what I can I give Him, give my heart.

THE SEVENTH LESSON John 1:1-5 John Ross

LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE Ann & Reid Shaw

After the Christ Candle has been lit, the light will be passed throughout the congregation.Please assist with care the passing of the light.

CAROL Silent Night, Holy Night Red #142

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.

Silent night, holy night, shepherds quake at the sight;Glories stream from heaven afar, heavenly hosts sing alleluia;Christ, the Savior is born! Christ, the Savior is born!

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!

BENEDICTION John Ross

POSTLUDE Fantasia on Good Christian Friends Rejoice BWV 124 J.S. Bach Kraig Windschitl, Organ

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Thank you for returning your candles to the baskets provided at the doors. 5

Join us this Sunday, December 29, at 8 a.m., 9 a.m., or 10:45 a.m. for “One Word”--a meaningful way to prepare for the New Year.

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WORSHIP LEADERS Preacher Rev. Dr. John F. Ross, Senior Minister Clergy Rev. Rustin Comer, Rev. S. Lindy PurdyLay Readers Belle Davenport, John DePaolis, Lou Ferril Jim Cada, Emily Abood, Reid Shaw Deacon Kara O’Brien Music Chancel Choir; Adam Reinwald, Director Kraig Windschitl, Principal Organist Lake Minnetonka String Quartet     Maisie Block, violin; David Block, violin Alastair Brown, viola; Darin Anderson, cello Head Usher Laura Babcock

“The Work of Christmas”When the song of the angels is stilled,

when the star in the sky is gone,when the kings and princes are home,

when the shepherds are back with their flocks,the work of Christmas begins:

to find the lost,to heal the broken,to feed the hungry,

to release the prisoner,to rebuild the nations,

to bring peace among the people,to make music in the heart.

-- Howard Thurman