Welcome and Greeting
Choral Introit: Lo How a Rose E’re Blooming
Lo how a rose e'er blooming
From tender stem hath sprung
Of Jesse's lineage coming
By faithful prophets sung
It came a floweret bright
Amid the cold of winter
When half spent was the night
Isaiah twas foretold it
The rose I have in mind
With Mary we behold it
The virgin mother kind
To show God's love aright
She bore for us a Savior
When half spent was the night
Call to Worship - Candle Lighting The Ward Family
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world; the one who follows me will not walk in darkness but have the light of life.”
We light this candle as a sign of the coming light of Christ.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you,
the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
— Isaiah 58:8, NRSV
Come, Lord Jesus, our light and our salvation.
Let us walk in the light of the LORD.
Hymn # 340 O Come, All Ye Faithful (Gray Psalter Hymnal)
Psalter Psalm 2 (ESV) (Read responsively) Bert Chapman
1Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
2The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
3“Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”
4He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.
5Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6“As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
7I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.
8Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.
9You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”
10Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Prayer for Illumination
Epistle Reading Galatians 4:4-6 (NRSV)
4But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. 6And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.
Congregation: Thanks be to God for His Word.
Choral Anthem: Glorious Light
Glorious light see the dawn of salvation
Angels in white fill the skies with their wondrous song
Awakening earth with news of his birth
Join the hymn of the highest heavens
Chorus:
Glory to God in the highest
Peace to men on earth
Come and adore him with wonder
Christ Lord of heaven and earth
Long has the world fought the song of the angels
Heavenly music is drowned by a warring world
Yet hope burns a light that shatters the night
Tune your heart to the call of glory
Angels from the realms of glory
Wing your flight o'er all the earth
Ye who sang creation's story
Now proclaim Messiah's birth
Come and worship
Glory to God on high
Come and worship
Come and adore him
Worship Christ the newborn king
Children’s Sermon
Hymn # 29 What Child Is This? (Christmas Songbook)
Gospel Reading Matthew 1:18-25
18Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19Herhusband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
23“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
which means, “God is with us.” 24When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
Sermon The Story of Joseph Pastor SJ Winter
