Sunday Dec. 15, 2024
Noel
Love incarnate, love divine
Star and angels gave the sign
Bow to babe on bended knee
The Savior of humanity
Unto us a Child is born
He shall reign forevermore
Noel, Noel
Come and see what God has done
Noel, Noel
The story of amazing love!
The light of the world, given for us
Noel
Son of God and Son of man
There before the world began
Born to suffer, born to save
Born to raise us from the grave
Christ the everlasting Lord
He shall reign forevermore
Noel, Noel
Come and see what God has done
Noel, Noel
The story of amazing love!
The light of the world, given for us
Noel
Noel, Noel
Come and see what God has done
Noel, Noel
The story of amazing love!
The light of the world, given for us
Noel, Noel
Advent Candle Lighting: Love
“Love”
Lord Jesus,
Give me to love thee, to embrace thee
though I once took lust and sin in my arms.
Thou didst love me before I loved thee,
an enemy, a sinner, a loathsome worm.
Thou didst own me when I disclaimed myself;
Thou dost love me as a son,
and week over me as over Jerusalem.
Love brought thee from heave to earth,
from earth to the cross,
from the cross to the grave.
Love caused thee to be weary, hungry, tempted
scorned, scourged, buffeted,
spat upon, crucified, and pierced.
Love led thee to bow thy head in death.
My salvation is the point where perfect created love
and the most perfect uncreated love meet together;
for thou dost welcome me,
not like Joseph and his brothers, loving and sorrowing,
but loving and rejoicing.
This love is not intermittent, cold, changeable;
it does not cease or abate for all my enmity.
Holiness is a spark from thy love
kindled to a flame in my heart by thy spirit,
and so it ever turns to the place from which it comes.
Let me see thy love everywhere, not only in the cross,
but in the fellowship of believers and in the world around me.
When I feel the warmth of the sun
may I praise thee who art the sun of righteousness with healing power.
When I feel the tender rain
may I think of the gospel showers that water my soul.
When I walk by the river side
may I praise thee for that stream that makes the eternal city glad,
and washes white my robes that I may have the right to the tree of life.
Thy infinite love is a mystery of mysteries,
and my eternal rest lies in the eternal enjoyment of it.
Songs
Hark the Herald/O Come Let us Adore
Hark! the herald angels sing
Glory to the new-born King
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful, all ye nations, rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark! the herald angels sing
Glory to the new-born King
Hark! the herald angels sing
Glory to the new-born King
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful, all ye nations, rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark! the herald angels sing
Glory to the new-born King
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
Liturgical Reading
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending us the greatest gift of love.
May we accept the love you have given to us and become known for your love lived out in our ordinary days.
Help us learn from Jesus’ example during his time on earth as we seek to live a life of love.
Give us listening ears,
Noticing eyes,
Compassionate hearts,
Open hands,
So that we might know your love and carry that love to others in our ordinary days.
May we know the true love that comes from you and share that love with the world.
Amen
Oh Light
Oh light
Come to reconcile
Come in like a child
Holy night
Oh light
Our hopes and all our fears
Met within your sight
Holy night
Hallelujah
God is with us
Hallelujah
A light has come
Oh light
God and man entwine
Of earth and of divine
Holy night
Oh light
Mending fractured earth
The soul now felt its worth
Holy night
Hallelujah
God is with us
Hallelujah
A light has come
Hallelujah
Holy God is with us
Love is always born within
Hallelujah
Light will chase and find us
Love is facing us again
Hallelujah
Holy God is with us
Love is always born within
Hallelujah
Light will chase and find us
Love is facing us again
Hallelujah
God is with us
Hallelujah
A light has come
A light has come
Oh a light has come
Communion:
Head up to the front to take communion.
Return to your seat and reflect on the following questions:
Benediction:
Move among us, Spirit,
and gather us together with you.
Take our many selves—
our lives, our loves, our ideas,
our questions, our speech, our silence—
and unite us as your people.
Give us the gifts of presence, transformation and guidance,
so that even as we dream your dreams and see your visions,
we may be able to witness to your presence
in our common life.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.—(2 Corinthians 13:14)
Amen.