December 24th, 2024 @ 5:00PM

Christmas Eve

Find this service at www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live

Leading us today in Worship: 
     Minister: Rev. Dr. John G. Smith
     Director of Music: Dr. Christopher Burton
     Lay Reader: Sandy Eagles

Leader: regular font ~ All: bold font ~ Sung words: bold italics.
Asterisk * Indicates when the congregation may stand if able.

We Gather

PRELUDE
"Pifa"  from Christmas Oratorio - J.S. Bach

A Stewardship Moment:
Presents given and received with thanks and love. Caring for the people around us near and far. We celebrate the birth of Jesus.

WELCOME

INTRODUCTION to Our SERVICE

CALL to WORSHIP
Tonight we remember the birth of Jesus Christ!
His light lives in us and gives hope to our lives.
O come let us adore him!

The gifts of his light and love fill our hearts with joy.
With Christ in our hearts, we can bear the pain and despair of the world around us.
O come let us adore him!

The light of Christ has always been there within us,
But sometimes it burns low.
Sometimes it feels like it just might go out!
But tonight we remember:
God’s light fills darkness with hope.
God’s light fills emptiness with love.
God’s light fills fear with kindness and grace.
God’s light fills our lives with courage and with joy.

So we come together tonight to celebrate God’s light and love.
We come to remember the birth of Jesus.
O come let us adore him!!

*HYMN    VU #60  vss.1&3
“O Come All Ye Faithful”

1. 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, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

3. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;
glory to God in the highest:
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

*HYMN:   “Carolling, Carolling”
Carolling, carolling now we go; Christmas bells are ringing
Carolling, carolling thru the snow, Christmas bells are ringing!
Joyous voices sweet and clear, Sing the sad of heart to cheer;
Ding dong ding dong!  Christmas bells are ringing!

Carolling, carolling thru the town, Christmas bells are ringing,
Carolling, carolling up and down, Christmas bells are ringing!
Mark ye well the song we sing, Gladsome tidings now we bring,
Ding dong ding dong!  Christmas bells are ringing!

Carolling, carolling, near and far; Christmas bells are ringing,
Following, following yonder star, Christmas bells are ringing!
Sing we all this happy morn, “Lo the King of heaven is born!”
Ding dong ding dong!  Christmas bells are ringing!

We Light the Christ Candle in the Advent Wreath
Over the month of Advent, we have lit the four candles:
Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.
Each one of these helps us remember the deepest gifts of God,
for these already live inside us.
Christmas helps us light the fire in our hearts
So that these four gifts can live in the world again.

Now we light the middle candle, the one for Jesus Christ.
This is to remind us that the light of the world, the spark that lives inside humanity,
Still burns bright.
As we remember this light, may it burn bright in our own hearts,
And give us strength and courage for the coming new year.
AMEN

*HYMN: VU #7
“Hope is a Star”

1. Hope is a star that shines in the night,
leading us on till the morning is bright.
When God is a child there’s joy in our song.
The last shall be first and the weak shall be strong,
and none shall be afraid.

2. Peace is a ribbon that circles the earth,
giving a promise of safety and worth.
When God is a child there’s joy in our song.
The last shall be first and the weak shall be strong,
and none shall be afraid.

3. Joy is a song that welcomes the dawn,
telling the world that the Saviour is born.
When God is a child there’s joy in our song.
The last shall be first and the weak shall be strong,
and none shall be afraid.

4. Love is a flame that burns in our heart,
Jesus has come and will never depart.
When God is a child there’s joy in our song.
The last shall be first and the weak shall be strong,
and none shall be afraid.

A CHRISTMAS PRAYER
Gracious God of light and love,
Fill this church tonight with your light and with your love.
Fill our hearts tonight with your light and love.
Fill our world tonight with your light and love.
Give us the courage to hope in humanity once again.
Give us the wisdom to see your love in our world once again.
For many,  this has been a difficult year.
The world is not at peace.
There has been too much violence and hatred.
It makes us feel sad,  and it makes us feel small.
We know that we can make the world a better place;
we know that our words and actions do make a difference.
God fill us with the spark of your love for all beings.
Fill us with the spark of your love for all who live in fear or sadness.
Fill us with the spark of your love for all who wish to live in peace.
God fill us tonight with all that we need
not just for Christmas
but for the rest of our lives.
AMEN

The Peace of Christ
Peace be with you,
and also with you!

We Listen 

Telling the Real Christmas Story

SCRIPTURE READING
Luke 2: 1- 7   (New International version)
The Birth of Jesus
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Mary Remembers

Hymn:   VU # 69   vss. 1&2
“Away in a Manger,”  

1. Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

2. The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.
I love you, Lord Jesus; look down from the sky,
and stay by my side until morning is nigh.

Joseph Remembers

HYMN:  VU # 64   vss. 1&2
“O Little Town of Bethlehem

1. O little town of Bethlehem,
how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by;
yet in thy dark streets shineth
the everlasting light;
the hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee tonight.

2. For Christ is born of Mary;
and gathered all above,
while mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together
proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the King,
and peace to all on earth.

CHOIR: "There's a Star in the East" - Spiritual

SCRIPTURE READING
Luke 2:  8 – 20    (NIV) 
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Mary Remembers

*HYMN:  
“Mary’s Little Boy Child”

1. Long time ago in Bethlehem
So the Holy Bible say
Mary’s Boy Child, Jesus Christ
Was born on Christmas Day!

While shepherds watched their flocks by night
They saw a bright new shining star
And heard a choir from heaven sing
The music came from afar

Chorus: 
Hark! Now hear the angels sing:
“New King’s born today
And we shall live for evermore
Because of Christmas Day!”

2. Now Joseph and his wife Mary
Came to Bethlehem that night.
They found no place to bear her Child,
Not a single room was in sight.

By and by they found a little nook
In a stable all forlorn.
And in a manger cold and dark
Mary’s little Boy Child was born

Chorus:  
Trumpets sound and angels sing,
Listen to what they say!
That we shall live forevermore
Because of Christmas Day!

Joseph Remembers

HYMN
“We Three Kings of Orient Are”

1. We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star
Chorus:
O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light.

2. Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign
Chorus:
O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light.

3. Frankincense to offer have I
Incense owns a Deity nigh
Prayer and praising, all men raising
Worship Him, God most high
Chorus:
O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light.

4. Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes of life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb
Chorus:
O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light!

Minister’s Message

We Respond 

Bringing Your Gift of Light and Love:
Everyone is welcome to participate.
Come to the front and put your ornament on our Christmas tree.
These gifts are the light and love YOU will bring into the world this Christmas,
And these are the gifts we will all carry with us throughout the coming year.

Lighting our Candles

*HYMN:     VU #67
“Silent Night”

1. 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.

2. Silent night! Holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight:
glories stream from heaven afar,
heavenly hosts sing Hallelujah,
Christ the Saviour is born, Christ the Saviour is born.

3. 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

*****

SOURCES: The following are used with permission:

Stewardship Second & Invitation to the Offering & Prayer of dedication of our Offerings from: © 2024 The United Church of Canada/L’Église Unie du Canada. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ca. Any copy must include this notice.
Prayers written by Rev. Dr. John Greg. Smith.

HYMNS and SUNG VERSES:
- “O Come All Ye Faithful:” Words: English Translation Frederick Oakeley 1841, et al, French translation Claude Rozier 1950. Music: attributed to John Francis Wade, ca. 1743 Public domain.
- “Carolling, Carolling:” Words: Wilha Hutson, tune Alfred Burt,  © 1954,  Hollis music Inc,  New York.   Rights reserved, used with permission.    
- “Hope is a Star:” Words: Brian Wren 1985 Music: Joan Collier Fogg 1987. Words, Music: © 1989 . Hope Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Words,  Music: Hope Publishing Company. One License #608577.