Prelude Opening Solo
Celebrating the Light of Christ Christmas Eve Service December 24, 2023
Closing Hymn: Silent Night, Holy Night #239
We will light our candles at this time (children will light their flashlights).
Dip the UNLIGHT candle to the flame.
At the conclusion of the service, you may place your candles in the basket in the back of the sanctuary.
Silent night, holy night
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child
All is calm, all is bright
Christ Candle Lighting Liturgy for Lighting the Christ Candle | Spacious Faith Leader: We give thanks for the light of hope \u2014unrelenting and inexplicable. Congregation: Our hope in Christ shines on.
Leader: We give thanks for the light of peace\u2014strong and unafraid. Congregation: The peace of Christ lights our way.
Leader: We give thanks for the light of joy\u2014persistent and unpredictable.
Congregation: The joy of Christ brightens our lives.
Leader: We give thanks for the light of love-pure and holy.
Congregation: TheloveofChristcomfortsandchallenges.
Leader: Now let us light the Christ candle as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Congregation: Thank you, God, for your light in this world through Jesus Christ.
Leader: The light shines in the darkness.
All: And the darkness has not overcome it.
Opening Prayer www.ministrymatters.com
God of Surprising Love and Hope, we come this evening to the manger, gazing lovingly on the Child born to bring hope to the world. Open our hearts tonight as we hear the story anew. Help us to be guided by the Light of Jesus Christ, that we may truly feel the power of your love and bring that love, with joy, to all we meet. In Jesus\u2019 Name, we pray. AMEN.
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Glories stream from heaven afar
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight
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
With the angels let us sing, Alleluia to our King
wondrous star, lend thy light,
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born
Opening Hymn: p. 218
Isaiah 9:2-8
Special Music
Luke 2: 1-14, (15-20)
Message: \u201cBeing Present: The Light\u201d Offering
\u201cIt Came Upon the Midnight Clear\u201d
Benediction Song: We Wish You A Merry Christmas
(Sing X2)
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin
We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year
“Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most.” Ruth Carter Stapleton<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Prelude Opening SoloCelebrating the Light of Christ Christmas Eve Service December 24, 2023Closing Hymn: Silent Night, Holy Night #239We will light our candles at this time (children will light their flashlights).Dip the UNLIGHT candle to the flame.At the conclusion of the service, you may place your candles in the basket in the back of the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9Ymvf-89p","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":30814,"url":"https:\/\/www.gethsemanechurch.org\/index.php\/2020\/12\/24\/christmas-bulletin\/","url_meta":{"origin":31335,"position":0},"title":"Christmas bulletin","date":"December 24, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\u2013 Agnes M. Pahro We extend a very special thank-youto the many people who have participatedin the preparations and implementationof tonight\u2019s service.Their willingness to serve others through their God-given talents is a blessing to all. Christmas Eve 2020The light continues to shine!Worship at home serviceGethsemane United Methodist ChurchDecember 24th, 2020A\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31163,"url":"https:\/\/www.gethsemanechurch.org\/index.php\/2022\/12\/22\/christmas-eve-bulletin\/","url_meta":{"origin":31335,"position":1},"title":"Christmas Eve bulletin","date":"December 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Christmas Eve Service December 24, 2022 7 pm and 11 pm Pastor Julia A. PiperOpening Hymn # 246 \"Joy to the World\" Lighting of the Advent CandleSpecial Music Scripture Reading Special MusicChildren's Time Scripture Reading HymnMessageHoly CommunionCindy EtchisonIsaiah 9:2 -7Matthew Eirich & Joshua MainesLuke 2: 8-20 240 \"Hark! the Herald\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31640,"url":"https:\/\/www.gethsemanechurch.org\/index.php\/2025\/04\/17\/sunrise-service\/","url_meta":{"origin":31335,"position":2},"title":"Sunrise service","date":"April 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"EASTER SUNRISE April 20, 2025 Call to Worship (congregation reads the bold print) God is good! All the time! And all the time! God is good! Give thanks to the Lord, for God is good. Let all the people proclaim, \u201cGod\u2019s steadfast love endures forever!\u201d God\u2019s steadfast love endures forever!\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31333,"url":"https:\/\/www.gethsemanechurch.org\/index.php\/2023\/12\/22\/weekly-bulletin-172\/","url_meta":{"origin":31335,"position":3},"title":"Weekly bulletin","date":"December 22, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Christmas Carol: Christmas Carol: Christmas Carol:\u201cThe First Noel\u201d\u201cSilent Night, Holy Night\u201d\u201c Joy to the World\u201d*SENDING FORTH WITH BLESSINGCLOSING CHORUS \"We Wish You a Merry Christmas\u201d (X2)(words on screen) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Attendance and Financial Information \u2013 December 17, 2023Worship \u2013155 Online engaged and viewed 439 Gethsemane United Methodist ChurchPO Box 185 369 Allport\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31564,"url":"https:\/\/www.gethsemanechurch.org\/index.php\/2024\/12\/20\/weekly-bulletin-223\/","url_meta":{"origin":31335,"position":4},"title":"Weekly bulletin","date":"December 20, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"RESPONSE TO THE WORDOFFERING AND DOXOLOGYOFFERING: (to the tune of \u201cAway in a Manager\u201d) Praise God forthese gifts that we offer today and bless them for good in theworld, this we pray. Praise Jesus, the Christ-Child, our Hope and ourStay, the Spirit, our Keeper, our Guide on the Way.*HYMN #242\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31795,"url":"https:\/\/www.gethsemanechurch.org\/index.php\/2025\/12\/18\/weekly-bulletin-268\/","url_meta":{"origin":31335,"position":5},"title":"Weekly bulletin","date":"December 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Gethsemane United \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Methodist Church PO Box 185\u00a0\u00a0 369\u00a0Allport Cutoff\u00a0\u00a0 Allport, PA 16821 Church Office Telephone: 814-345-6860 Pastor\u2019s church office hours: \u00a0\u00a0Mon., Tues, & Wed. \u00a0 9 - 12 am \u00a0\u00a0 Parsonage Telephone: 814-345-6931 Pastor Julia Cell: \u00a0814-883-8602 Daycare telephone: 814-345-3809 Church Email address: gumc.office@gmail.com Church Website: www.gethsemanechurch.org WiFi\u00a0Password:\u00a0Trustinchrist If\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gethsemanechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31335"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gethsemanechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gethsemanechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gethsemanechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gethsemanechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31335"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gethsemanechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31335\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31336,"href":"https:\/\/www.gethsemanechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31335\/revisions\/31336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gethsemanechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gethsemanechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gethsemanechurch.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}