Order of Worship

Welcome & Life in the Body

Call to Worship: from Isaiah 40:1-5 Comfort, comfort my people…prepare the way of the LORD…the glory of the LORD shall be revealed…the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Prayer of Praise

Song #753: Angels We Have Heard on High

Song #769: Infant Holy, Infant Lowly

Song [Christmas text]  Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9:1-7

Prayer of Confession

Assurance of Pardon: Galatians 4:4-5 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Song #759: Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne

Song #751: O Little Town of Bethlehem

Song: Jesus, Name Above all Names

Affirmation of Faith: from Isaiah 61:1-3 [Congregation will read the text in bold.]

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted

to proclaim liberty to the captives, to proclaim the opening of the prison to those who are bound

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor

to proclaim the day of vengeance of our God

to comfort all who mourn

to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes

to give them the oil of gladness instead of mourning

to give them the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit

that they may be called oaks of righteousness

that they may be called the planting of the Lord

that he may be glorified.

Prayer of Petition

Song (alt. text)  The First Noel

Song #727: Sing We the Song of Emmanuel

Sermon

Song #727: Sing We the Song of Emmanuel

Benediction