Noon Nativity Service | Dec. 24, 2022

A Celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord

CHRISTMAS EVE

The Gathering

PRELUDE - "God Rest You Merry"......................................arr. Lani Smith

The service of worship begins with the music of the organ.. Through its power and brilliance may you feel the majesty and glory of God; in its quietness, His peace.

*HYMN - "O Come, All Ye Faithful" ADESTE FIDELES

(Children's Choir: Venite Adoremus, Dominum)

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!

Refrain

O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation! Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Glory to God, all Glory in the highest Refrain

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning, Jesus, to Thee be all glory given: Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing! Refrain

................................................................................. Rev. Long

SONG OF GATHERING

"Thank You God for This Fine Day"(All Singing)

CALL TO WORSHIP Rev. Long

Leader: Animals came to prepare your bed.

Response: Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

Leader: Shepherds stood guard, marveled and said: Response: Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

Leader: Angels sang to calm your cries. Response: Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

Leader: And all the world gave one great sigh: Response: Ah, Lord Jesus, you have come!

WELCOME

PRAYER OF ADORATION (unison)

Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus to save us. Thank you for blessing Joseph and Mary with strong faith to carry out your plan to save the world. Please help us to remember what is important this Christmas season and to share your love and the story of Jesus with friends, family, and everyone we meet. Amen.

CHORAL PRAYER RESPONSE "Yes, We Agree" (All Singing)

ANTHEM - "'Round the Glory Manger"

Traditional Spiritual arr. Brad Nix They turn ‘way Mary and a Joseph ‘way from the inn. They laid my pretty little Jesus down in the straw. And all His pretty little fingers played in the straw. And a Halleluiah, Lord! Wasn’t that a bight morning, all ‘round the glory manger!

Messianic Prophecies

THE PROPHECY OF THE GREAT LIGHT (Isaiah 9:2) THE PROPHECY OF THE NAMES (Isaiah 9:6) THE PROPHECY OF THE MOTHER (Isaiah 7:14)

THE PROPHECY OF THE CITY (Micah 5:2) THE PROPHECY OF THE STAR AND SCEPTER (Numbers 24:17) Leader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.

Jesus is Born

CHRISTMAS STORY

The Christmas Promise by Alison Mitchell

ANGEL

Mrs. Goudreau

HYMN - "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" ........................MENDELSSOHN (Please remain seated during the singing of this hymn.)

Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King: Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!" Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies; With angelic hosts proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

Refrain

Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King!"

BETHLEHEM

HYMN - "O Little Town of Bethlehem" ST. LOUIS (Please remain seated during the singing of this hymn.)

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.

ANIMALS

HYMN - "Silent Night"

STILLE NACHT (Please remain seated during the singing of this hymn.)

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.

SHEPHERDS

HYMN - "Go Tell It on the Mountain" ......................................GO TELL IT (Please remain seated during the singing of this hymn.)

Refrain: Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere; go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born!

While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night, behold, throughout the heavens there shone a holy light. (Refrain)

HOLY FAMILY

HYMN - "Away in a Manger" ...................................................... MUELLER (Please remain seated during the singing of this hymn.)

Away in a manger, no crib for his 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.

WISE MEN

HYMN - "We Three Kings of Orient Are" .....................

KINGS OF ORIENT (Please remain seated during the singing of this hymn.)

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

*

LITANY

OF AFFIRMATION .................................................. Rev. Seamon

Leader: Long ago, angels came to Mary and Joseph, and said “Do not be afraid, you are chosen, and will have a baby boy named Jesus, who is Christ, the Lord.”

Response: You came, Lord Jesus. Alleluia!

Leader: Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem where Jesus was born and they laid the Savior of the World in a manger, a crib, for a bed.

Response: You came, Lord Jesus. Alleluia!

Leader: The Shepherds in the field saw a brilliant star and followed it to where Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was sleeping in the animal’s soft hay.

Response: You came, Lord Jesus. Alleluia! Leader: Three wise men came from far away with gifts for the new King.

Response: You came, Lord Jesus. Alleluia!

Leader: We thank you God, for sending us Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. He came to love us and to teach us how to love each other. Jesus Christ is Lord! Alleluia, Alleluia!

Response: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, Peace and Good Will to all.

PRAYERS FOR CHRISTMAS

THE LORD'S PRAYER OUR FATHER , who art in heaven; Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done; On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts; As we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil; For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

EVE AND

The Sending

* HYMN - "Joy to the World!".........................................................ANTIOCH

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 us our songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

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.

BENEDICTION............................................................................Rev. Long

* POSTLUDE - "Praise Ye the Lord of Hosts" Camille Saint-Saëns *Congregation standing

ANNOUNCEMENTS

THE READERS, CRECHE BUILDERS, AND NATIVITY CHOIR for this morning’s service are children from our congregation in grades K-6th.

WE INVITE you to attend the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols this afternoon at 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Please note that the doors will not open until 3:00 p.m. for the 4:00 service. Nursery care is available for all Christmas Eve services.

SPRING CHILDREN’S MUSICAL REHEARSALS start January 11 at 5:30 pm - 7:30pm on the First Floor. This year’s musical “What’s Up, Zak?” is a fun and heartwarming exploration of the Bible story we all know and love. The familiar tale of Zacchaeus is relived as one rich but lonely tax collector casts his ego aside and climbs a tree for just one glimpse of Jesus. Funny, lively songs introduce a town bustling to prepare for a visit from a V.I.P.: Very Important Prophet.

CHILDREN'S NATIVITY CHOIR

Caleb Siegel*

Donnie Wilkerson II

Grace Rediker* AA Murphy John Bannon Thorpe Millie Seamon* Elle Morris Brooks Averitt James Fennell* Adelaide Harding Charles Thorpe Lizzie Nolen Camille Rediker Fields King Evie Cate Murphy

Ty Jones

Margot Winston Naomi Seamon Coleman Morris Eva McRoberts Edward Averitt Holt Sullivan Thomas Fennell Owen Brignac Grey Sasser Hudson Sasser Alex Pledger Rebecca Nolen Vivien Rediker Harrison Carroll

Anderson Thorpe

Evans King Chris James Hannah Phillips Darcie Montgomery* Teddy Miller William Austin* Lucy Austin Hagan Brignac Lily McRoberts Sterling Whitson Pete Quinlan Genevieve Quinlan

* denotes Reader

Participants in Today's Service

Mrs. Catherine Goudreau, Director of Children's Ministries

The Rev. Kevin J. Long, Pastor

The Rev. David J. Seamon, Associate Pastor, Faith Formation Dr. Jeff R. McLelland, Director of Music and Fine Arts

Mrs. Beth Middleton, Assistant Director of Music and Fine Arts Travis Quesenberry, Trumpet

Acolytes: Katherine Evans Austin, Lindsey Ryan Scholl, Stephen Christopher Tribble

Independent Presbyterian Church 3100 Highland Avenue Birmingham, Alabama 35205-1408

Phone: (205)933-1830; Fax: (205)933-1836

Office Hours: 8:30-4:30 except Saturday and Sunday This congregation is affiliated with The Presbyterian Church (USA) www.ipc-usa.org