Join UPC Pastoral Associate and guest preacher the Rev. Jeff Kellam as he promises to share a beautiful and powerful reflection on the season we are all immersed in.
You can join us for worship in our beautiful sanctuary, or right here online. Worship is live-streamed; videos are available here or on Youtube following the service. You are invited! You are always welcome !
Christmas 1
Cloth for the Cradle
Luke 2:1-11
Union Presbyterian Church
December 29, 2024
Sharing the Light of Christ, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Liturgist: Cindy Surrena Parish Associate: Rev. Jeff Kellam
Welcome
Announcements Cindy Surrena
Prelude Chris Bartlette
“Look Towards the Manger,” James Mansfield
©2020, Lorenz Publishing Company, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
* Call to Worship Cindy Surrena
Light looked down and saw darkness.
“I will go there,” said Light.
Peace looked down and saw war.
“I will go there,” said Peace.
Love looked down and saw hatred.
“I will go there,” said Love.
So he, the Lord of Light, the Prince of Peace, the King of Love,
came down and crept in beside us.
* Hymn # 28 PH
“Good Christian Friends, Rejoice”
(Public Domain)
Good Christian friends, rejoice
With heart, and soul, and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say:
Jesus Christ is born today;
Ox and ass before Him bow,
And He is in the manger now.
Christ is born today!
Christ is born today!
Good Christian friends, rejoice,
With heart, and soul and voice;
Now ye hear of endless bliss:
Jesus Christ was born for this!
He hath opened heaven's door,
And we are blest forevermore.
Christ was born for this!
Christ was born for this!
Good Christian friends, rejoice,
With heart and soul and voice;
Now ye need not fear the grave:
Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all,
To gain the everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save!
Christ was born to save!
* Call to New Life
The Scriptures teach that when Jesus was born of Mary, he became like us in all things…except sin. May we who have been reborn in him find freedom from our sinful ways. Let us confess before God who we are and who we want to be.
* Prayer for Wholeness and Peace
God, our Savior, we confess that we are not people of peace. You clothe us with your love, but we fail to love one another. You wrap us in your mercy, but we do not forgive one another. Forgive us, God of grace. Teach us how to follow your way, and help us to grow each day in wisdom and favor with you; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
* Words of Assurance
Matthew’s gospel announces these now familiar words: She will give birth to a son, and he was given the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. And Luke called that good news of great joy for all the people. Including us. By God’s grace, we are forgiven.
May the peace of God be with you.
And also with you.
In response to God’s desire for us to work for peace on earth and goodwill to all people, move toward your friends in nearby pews and tell them how you will share God’s peace with others. Take all the time you need.
Scripture Luke 2:1-7 Cindy Surrena
One cloth for the cradle: “The Bethel Inn”
Another cloth for the cradle: A Christmas Reading “And Did It Happen?”
Carol # 30 PH
“Born in the Night, Mary’s Child,” Geoffrey Ainger
©1964, Hope Publishing Company, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
Born in the night, Mary's Child,
A long way from Your home;
Coming in need, Mary's Child,
Born in a borrowed room.
Clear shining light, Mary's Child,
Your face lights up our way;
Light of the world, Mary's Child,
Dawn on our darkened day.
Truth of our life, Mary's Child,
You tell us God is good;
Yes, it is true, Mary's Child,
Shown on your cross of wood.
Hope of the world, Mary's Child,
You're coming soon to reign;
King of the earth, Mary's Child,
Walk in our streets again.
Scripture Luke 2:8-11 Rev. Jeff Kellam
More cloth for the cradle: “The Shepherd”
More cloth: “They Have heard It on the Hills”
Carol # 29 PH
"Go, Tell It on the Mountain,” Melva W. Costen
©1989, Melva Wilson Costen, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
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.
Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.
The shepherds feared and trembled,
When lo! above the earth,
Rang out the angels’ chorus
That hailed our Savior's birth.
Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.
Down in a lowly manger
The humble Christ was born,
And God sent us salvation
That blessed Christmas morn.
Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.
Proclamation of the Word: “The Incarnation”
* Carol # 44 PH
"O Little Town of Bethlehem”
(Public Domain)
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.
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 men on earth!
How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still,
The dear Christ enters in.
O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in,
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!
* Statement of Faith: [Excerpt, adapted from “A Declaration of Faith”]
God sent the promised Deliverer to his people.
Jesus, the long expected Savior,
came into the world as a child,
descended from David,
conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of Mary, a virgin.
He lived as a Jew among Jews.
He announced to his people
the coming of God’s kingdom of justice and peace on earth.
We affirm that Jesus was born of woman
as is every child,
yet born of God’s power
as was no other child.
In the person and work of Jesus,
God himself and a human life
are united but not confused,
distinguished but not separated.
The coming of Jesus was itself
the coming of God’s promised rule.
Through his birth, life, death, and resurrection,
he brings about the relationship between God and humanity
that God always intended.
Prayers of the People
Christmas Intercessions: “When the World Was Dark”
“In the Face of the Gospel”
Prayer Response # 174 W & R
“Prepare the Way of the Lord,” Jacques Berthier
©1984, GIA Publications, Inc., All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
(Sing twice:)
Prepare the way of the Lord,
Prepare the way of the Lord,
And all people will see
The salvation of our God.
Call for Offering
* Doxology # 22 PH [verse 4]
"Angels from the Realms of Glory”
(Public Domain)
All creation, join in praising God the Father, Spirit, Son,
Evermore your voices raising to the eternal Three in One,
Come and worship, come and worship
Worship Christ, the newborn King!
* Prayer of Dedication
* Carol # 31 PH
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”
(Public Domain)
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 the angelic host proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!"
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of the virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail the incarnate Deity,
Pleased in flesh with us to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!"
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that we no more may die.
Born to raise us from the earth,
Born to give us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!"
* Benediction
A child has been born for us;
A child has been given to us.
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Once we were no people;
Now we are God’s people.
Once we walked in darkness;
Now we see a great light!
Postlude Chris Bartlette
“Voluntary on an Old English Carol,” John S. Dixon
©2016, Lorenz Publishing Company, All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.
License #A-728112. All rights reserved.
Where an * is indicated, please rise in body and/or in spirit.
“W & R” ~ the red Worship and Rejoice hymnal
“PH” ~ the blue Presbyterian Hymnal
The “Statement of Faith” is excerpted from “A Declaration of Faith,” a document from the former Presbyterian Church in the U.S. While not adopted into our PCUSA Book of Confessions, the 1976 declaration was commended to the present denomination as worthy of study and use in worship.
The “cloth” readings are from Cloth for the Cradle, copyright © 1997 Wild Goose Group, Iona Community. GIA Publications, Inc., exclusive North American Distributor.
Permission has been granted for non-commercial use by a congregation.