5:30 pm BULLETIN - First Presbyterian Church, Annapolis, Maryland

HYMN 122 - Silent Night, Holy Night!
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.
STILLE NACHT
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.
ORDER OF WORSHIP
Those who are able, please stand; bold print in unison.
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.
PRELUDE - Sing We Now of Christmas
LOVE’S LIVING WORD - John 1:1-6, 8-9, 14a
HYMN 136 - Go, Tell It on the Mountain!
GO TELL IT
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE - Noel
First Presbyterian Church, Annapolis, Maryland
December 24, 2014 – 5:30 pm Worship
Christmas Eve
Louis-Claude Daquin
A SPECIAL THANK YOU to the youth who assisted with the readings, music and prayers this
evening - Readers: Connor Olson, Alana Miller, Emma Miller, Nathan Porath, Ben, Alex, &
Chris Goshorn, Noah & Jake Heimann; Flutist: Kelsey Olson; Ushers: Susanna Price, John
Davids, Bobby Davids; Acolytes: Matthew Heimann, Peter Davids; Candle Lighter: Justin
Porath.
WILLIAM L. HATHAWAY, PASTOR
HEATHER G. SHORTLIDGE, ASSOCIATE PASTOR
ROBERT W. MUCKENFUSS, DIRECTOR OF MUSIC
MELISSA (MISS) GOOD, DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN’S & YOUTH MINISTRY
JAMES G. KIRK AND MARYLA K. MEAGHER, PARISH ASSOCIATES
THE NATIONAL NAVAL MEMORIAL OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)
AN EARTH CARE CONGREGATION OF THE PC (USA)
PARTNER WITH EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF THE CZECH BRETHREN, CZECH REPUBLIC
171 DUKE OF GLOUCESTER STREET, ANNAPOLIS MD 21401
OFFICE@ANNAPOLIS-PRESBYTERIAN.COM / WWW.ANNAPOLIS-PRESBYTERIAN.COM
PHONE: 410-267-8705 / FAX: 410-268-9643
arr. Mark Hayes
SILENT MEDITATION
In God’ story, with whom do you most identify?
a) Mary
“Giving birth in a stable -- not exactly what I had planned for the holidays!”
b) Shepherds
“We were the first to be given the news about the birth of the Messiah.
What an incredible gift from God!”
c) Angels
“We announced the news to the shepherds first.
If I were God, I might have done this differently.”
d) Wise Ones
“Will we ever get to the end of this journey and find the king?
After all we’ve been through, I sure hope he likes our gifts.”
e) Innkeeper
“How did my home get so full and so messy so fast?”
CALL TO WORSHIP
Light looked down and saw darkness.
“I will go there,” said Light.
Peace looked down and saw war.
“I will go there,” said Peace.
Love looked down and saw hatred.
“I will go there,” said Love.
So the Lord of Light, the Prince of Peace, the King of Love,
came down and crept in beside us.
HYMN 133 - O Come, All Ye Faithful
ADESTE FIDELES
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
You came in weakness, Mighty God:
forgive our grasping for power.
You came in humility, Prince of Peace:
forgive us for wanting more than others.
You came in poverty, Everlasting One:
forgive us when we do not see your family members sleeping in our streets.
You came in gentleness, Wonderful Counselor:
forgive us for the pain we cause others.
Child of Bethlehem, be born in us today:
forgive us, heal us, and make us new. (Silence.)
SHEPHERDS GO TO BETHLEHEM - Luke 2:15-20
CAROL 115 - Away in a Manger
THE WISE ONES FOLLOW THE STAR - Matthew 2:1-12
CAROL 151 - We Three Kings of Orient Are
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
RESPONSE OF PRAISE: Hymn 134 - Joy to the World
ANTIOCH
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, wonders of his love.
LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE
LESSONS AND CAROLS
A SERVANT WITH GENTLE STRENGTH - Isaiah 42:1-4
CAROL 88, vs. 1, 2, 6, 7 - O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
MUELLER
VENI EMMANUEL
KINGS OF ORIENT
A CHRISTMAS LITANY
Miraculous God, we know this story so well.
All the characters are familiar. All the words are known by heart.
We have sung the songs so many times.
We love this story and its comfortable, comforting familiarity.
We praise You for the miracles which come to us in the familiar.
At the center of this story is the eternal God stepping into human history.
The All-Powerful One choosing to live in fragile flesh.
The Creator becoming a creature.
We praise You for the miracle of God becoming human.
At the center of this story is the God, revealed to women and men.
A God who works miracles through ordinary people.
A God who enters every willing soul to birth new life.
We praise You for the miracle of Your life within us.
Miraculous God,
may we see You, know You, and be united with You again this Christmas Eve.
May our lives be changed by Your miraculous love,
and may we become part of Your miraculous plan, now and always. Amen.
JOSEPH’S DREAM - Matthew 1:18-24
GIFTS IN CELEBRATION OF THE CHRIST CHILD
ANTHEM - Kelsey Olson, flute
OFFERTORY - What Child is This?
THE JOURNEY AND THE BIRTH - Luke 2:1-7
CHRISTMAS EVE PRAYERS AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
(Concluding with the Lord’s Prayer using “debts” and “debtors,” Hymnal, page 35.)
CAROL 121 - O Little Town of Bethlehem
ST. LOUIS
A NEW WAY OF LIVING - Colossians 2:6; 3:12-15
SHEPHERDS HEAR THE NEWS - Luke 2:8-14
CAROL 113 - Angels We Have Heard on High
LIGHTING OF ALL CANDLES
GLORIA
Richard Purvis