Christmas Eve worship @ St. Paul's UMC

Pastor Charles' Christmas painting

Scott Glancy lights the Christ Candle

We are ready for worship!

Chris Wahl offers the gift of music

Silent Night

Christmas Eve recording link.

Prelude... Christopher Wahl

Welcome... Pastor Charles

Gathering

Hymn... “Once in Royal David’s City” (UMH #250)

The Bidding Prayer

Blessing

Lighting of the Christ Candle... The Glancy Family

We have waited for weeks. We have waited all our lives for this time, this blessing. This is when we pray our yes, like Mary, when we are finally ready to have God enter into our lives, filling us with life that is ours. Light candles. 

Like a new mother, we nurture this new life with hopeful belief, peaceful living, loving care, and joyful acceptance. The Advent candles blaze, symbolizing the light of these gifts in our lives. As we light the Christ candle tonight for the first time, may it remind us that Christ is the true center of our lives. 

Prayer: Most gracious God, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, may our lives become centered on living in Your hope, peace, joy, and love. Amen.

*Offering/Doxology (To the tune of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Praise God all creatures here below.

Praise God above ye heavenly hosts.

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

The Lord’s Prayer... Pastor Charles

The Christmas Story

First Lesson: Isaiah 9:2, 6-7—Christ’s birth and kingdom are foretold by the prophet Isaiah

Carol... “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” (UMH #196)

Second Lesson: Isaiah 50:1-5—The glory of Christ is foreshown by the prophet Isaiah

Carol... “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” (UMH #211)

Third Lesson: Micah 5:2-4—The prophet Micah foretells the glory of Bethlehem

Carol... “O Little Town of Bethlehem” (UMH #230)

Fourth Lesson: Luke 1:26-35, 38—The Archangel Gabriel visits the Blessed Virgin Mary

Carol... “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” (UMH #216)

Fifth Lesson: Matthew 1:18-23—The Archangel Gabriel appears to Joseph in a dream 

Carol... “The First Noel” (UMH #245)

Sixth Lesson: Luke 2:1-7—Luke tells of the birth of Jesus

Carol... “Away in a Manger” (UMH #217)

Seventh Lesson: Luke 2:8-16—The shepherds go to the manger

Carol... “Go, Tell It on the Mountain” (UMH #251)

Eighth Lesson: Matthew 2:1-11—The wise men are led by the star to Jesus

Carol... “What Child Is This” (UMH #219)

Ninth Lesson: John 1:1-14—John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation.

Carol... “O Come, All Ye Faithful” (UMH #234)

Reflection... Pastor Charles / “Wow!”

Sharing the Light of Christ

Carol... “Silent Night, Holy Night” (UMH #239)

Dismissal with blessing... Pastor Charles

Carol... “Joy to the World” (UMH #246)

Thanks to Belinda Alkula (video/Zoom host), Austin Cooper (usher), Angela Baker (flowers), the Glancy family (Advent wreath), Terri Himes (Usher), Bob Muckle (liturgist), and Greg Wahl (piano).

Prayer for Christmas Eve

Come, come, Jesus, I await You…

I am a poor shepherd; I have only a wretched stable, a small manger, some wisps of straw. I offer all these to You, be pleased to come into my poor hovel. I offer You my heart; my soul is poor and bare of virtues, the straws of so many imperfections will prick You and make You weep—but oh, my Lord, what can You expect? This little is all I have…I have nothing better to offer You, Jesus, honour my soul with Your presence, adorn it with Your graces. Burn this straw and change it into a soft couch for Your most holy body.

Jesus, I am here waiting for Your coming. Wicked men have driven You out, and the wind is like ice. I am poor, but I will warm You as well as I can. At least be pleased that I wish to welcome You warmly, to love You and sacrifice myself for You. Amen.

(Written by a young Italian seminarian named Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli in 1902 who would later become Pope John XXIII; slightly revised).

Devotional for Christmas Eve

Ben and Mawce Glancy, Lily Berlin, and Alecs Donaho worship the Christ Child—as do we all this night!

 —photo by Scott Glancy

Christmas Eve & Christmas Day @ St. Paul's UMC

Christmas Eve at St. Paul's will take place on Saturday at 4:00 PM. Please join us in-person or via Zoom at this link.  

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Christmas Day at St. Paul's UMC will take place on Sunday at our regular 10:15 AM time only on Zoom at this link.

Devotional for December 23

My mom’s prized nativity set is pure white and opalescent. My dad had it fired for her many years ago when they didn’t have a lot of money. My mom erects a special table to display it during Advent; she lays a piece of foam over the table and covers that with a piece of red felt that hangs to the ground. As a kid, I thought it was strange that the figures weren’t painted to be more colorful or life-like. My standard was the Fontanini nativity set that so many of our neighbors had. (I own one of these now, too.) Now I appreciate that my mom’s nativity set is unique. I also like the way it reflects the light from its pearly surfaces. After all, that’s what the scene on Christmas morning was intended to do: Reflect the light of God’s love. 

—Rebecca Glancy

 

Last minute gift idea

You are invited to include the gift of life in your Christmas gift-giving this year. Vitalant will hold a blood donation drive at St. Paul’s UMC (Franz Hall) on December 27, 11:00 AM–3:00 PM.

As of this morning, there have been only FIVE appointments made.

To schedule a donation appointment, please visit www.vitalant.org or call 303-363-2300. Use donor code 10397.

Devotional for December 22

The Magi, The Three Kings, or, for me, The Three Wise Guys—traditionally, there are only three kings represented in the Nativity, but in the reality of that day, there is no way the men would have travelled without an entourage. Perhaps it is because of the three gifts they brought that “three wise men” became our creche tradition. These men were wealthy and well-educated. They did not live near Bethlehem. They studied the stars and perhaps magic, hence Magi. When they observed a phenomenon in the skies, they had to investigate. So off they went. 

The star appeared at Jesus’s birth, but the journey was long. It seems that our other tradition of the Magi at Jesus’s birth is just that, tradition. Jesus was probably about two years old when they arrived. But arrive they did in grand fashion, bearing costly gifts, including gold that would ultimately finance the family’s escape to Egypt. Frankincense was used to make a special oil used only in the Temple for worship. And lastly, myrrh was used for anointing the dead. Who brings stuff for the dead to a baby shower?!? But God had directed their steps and their gifts. He knew what Jesus and his family would need, from start to finish.

The wise guys went in search of something they did not know, yet they knew it was important. They travelled a long distance for a long time. As their reward, they met the Savior of the World as an infant. I wonder how it changed their lives. I searched for something for a long time, 40 years, until I also found the Savior of the World. The difference it has made in my life is astronomical!

—Amy Abshire