Worship Resources for
the Center for Faith and Giving
Christmas Eve
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Call to Worship (inspired by Psalm 96)
Leader: Welcome to this wondrous night, as we await the Coming One!
People: We’ve come to worship the Lord, and welcome the Christ child.
Leader: Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice…(pause)
And listen!
People: The fields rejoice! The trees of the forest sing for joy!
Leader: The Lord is coming to judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with full truth!
People: Let’s lift our voices as we praise God. (choir or cong. song like
“People, Look East”, CH #142
or #136, “Christians All, Your Lord is Coming”)
Opening Prayer
Mighty God,
After weeks of active waiting, the time is NOW! Thank you for the gift you give in the coming of your beloved one. We’re full of joy, and eager to praise you. Help us let go of the bustle and busy-ness of packages and performances, so we might focus on the wonder and joy of Christ’s coming.
Open our eyes and our hearts to welcome “God-with-us” once more. AMEN”
Moment for Stewardship
Luke tells, in oh-so-familiar words- the story of the shepherds on the day Jesus was born. Long ago, Bing Crosby sang “Do You Hear What I Hear?”,
including the verse:
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king,
“Do you know what I know?
in your palace warm, mighty king.
Do you know what I know?
A Child, a child, shivers in the cold
Let us bring him silver and gold,
Let us bring him silver and gold.”
Tonight’s the night we remember the shepherds going to see the newborn child.
And it’s the night for us to share our silver and gold. Our offering tonight will go to _________________ (do you have a special focus? Will it go to
bring warmth to children who are unhoused? Will it go to support your
Christmas outreach?)
Your gifts support this mission. With joy, let us bring our offering.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Holy God, thank you for the gift of this Child, born to set us free.
Thank you for this opportunity to remember the Child as we share
our silver and gold. Please receive these gifts, and help each of us
rejoice in knowing they will be used to __________________. AMEN
Invitation to Communion
In the wonder of this night, surrounded by deep darkness, we open our hearts to God’s love, in the words of a prayer:
Living God, you dwell in clouds and thick darkness.
We lift our eyes to the night sky
and sense depth and fullness beyond our grasp.
You freed your children from Egyptian bondage
under the security of nightfall.
When you were born, the star came in the night heavens.
A black man carried your cross.
You made your pure sacrifice of love in the midday darkness.
Rain falls from black clouds.
Babies grow in uterine shadows.
Prophets speak in ebony voices.
Treasures of darkness!
Help us receive them …
and help us receive these gifts of bread and cup
as riches from you. AMEN (taken from CH#332)
All are invited to breathe in the wonder and take in the taste of these emblems, remembering Jesus.
(consider using #333 “Joyful is the Dark” as your communion hymn, or
as a solo during communion)