Herndon United Methodist Church
Merry Christmas! This service is specifically designed for kids and includes a pick-up Christmas pageant where all of the kids are invited to play a role in the Christmas Story.
Welcome
Thank you so much for sharing in Christmas Eve worship at Herndon UMC. This night is filled with wonder, hope, light, and love. Your presence here amplifies the joy of this time and is a blessing to all in this community. We're praying together for the love of Christ, whether it comes in loud carols, quiet coos, or somewhere in between, to fill your heart this Christmas Eve.
It would be great to see you again for a stand-alone worship service happening this Sunday, December 29 at 10am. The only worship service this weekend, this will be a time to sing the carols of the season and share the stories behind the songs.
If you find yourself looking for a community of love and acceptance, for the light of God's love in your life, or for a place to know and be known, please know Herndon UMC would love to share in that with you. We're all on a path in this life, but we find the best journeys tend to be ones that are taken together.
May you and yours be blessed this Christmas.
*Call to Worship
(*please stand as able)
Leader: Animals came to prepare your bed.
People: Come, Lord Jesus, come!
Leader: Shepherds stood guard, marveled and said:
People: Come, Lord Jesus, come!
Leader: Angels sang to calm your cry.
People: Come, Lord Jesus, come!
Leader: And all the world gave one great sigh:
People: Ah, Lord Jesus, you have come!
*Opening Carol Joy to the World (UMH #246)
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
let every heart prepare him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let all their songs employ;
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground;
he comes to make his blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.
He 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, and wonders of his love.
*Opening Prayer
Dear God, we pray that this Christmas is celebrated with hearts filled with peace and love. Please take away all the bad feelings and emotions in people, and show us all what Christmas is all about. We pray for the people who are having a hard time this Christmas. Please hug them and let them feel your peace and love. We love you, God. Thank you so much for the gift of Christmas. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Lighting of the Christ Candle
Tonight we light the four candles of Advent waiting. We light one for the people who waited for hundreds of years for God's Messiah. We light one for Mary and Joseph waiting for Jesus to be born. We light one for all the waiting we have done getting ready for this night. We light one for
all the people who are still waiting tonight for God's love and justice and peace. But tonight, we can finally light the Christ Candle. Jesus is born! The Messiah has come! So let us all say, "Merry Christmas!"
Merry Christmas!
Luke 2:1-20 CEB
Special Music
Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella
arr. Martha Lynn Thompson
Gloria Bells
Invitation
*Candlelight Carol Silent Night (UMH #239)
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.
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