Christmas Eve Children’s Service

December 24, 2007

4 p.m. 

 

 Opening Prayer

 Loving God, help us remember the birth of Jesus,
That we may share in the song of the angels,
The gladness of the shepherds,
And worship of the wise men.

All:  This is the day God has made.
         Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Solo by Eric Meservey

Christmas Collect

Holly trees with berries red
Children early tucked in bed
Thoughts alive with holiday cheer
For Christmas morning’s almost here

It was so long ago a babe
Changed our lives with what he gave
He shared his love with everyone
This precious gift of God’s own Son.

And so on Christmas day we take
The time to give and share and make
A special place inside our hearts
Where love will live and not depart.

Let’s celebrate our joy and peace
Share our love with all we meet
Remembering that the newborn babe
Lives safely in our hearts this way
Lives safely in our hearts today!”

Hymn:  Joy to the World 

Joy to the world!  The Lord is come;
Let earth receive her king;
Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.

Joy to the earth!  The Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

The Christmas Story

Long ago, it came to pass, that Caesar Augustus, the emperor in Rome, wanted everyone to go to the place where they were born to pay their taxes.   

A man named Joseph went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and family of David.  Joseph was to be taxed with Mary his wife, who was soon to have a child.  There was no room in the inn so they went into the stable out back.

There were in the same country shepherds staying in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night.  And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were much afraid.

“Fear not,” the angel said to them.  “For I bring you good tidings of a great joy that is coming to all people.  For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign to you:  You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace,
 good will toward men.”

When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go into Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”

They went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger in a stable.  And when they had seen it, they let everyone know throughout the land what they had been told about this child.  And all who heard it marveled at the things which were told them by the shepherds.  But Mary pondered all these things in her heart.

Hymn:  Away in a Manger

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head;
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the poor Baby wakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes,
I love Thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
And stay by my cradle, till morning is night.

Prayers of the Children:

God, we ask your blessings this night.

God bless our families.
Keep them safe.
Make them happy.

All:  Hear our prayer.

God bless our brothers and sisters.
Let them grow up strong and healthy.
Keep them safe and out of danger.

All:  Hear our prayer.

God bless the children who are sick.
Make them better.
Take away their pain.

All:  Hear our prayer.

God bless the children who are hungry.
Bless them with your love.
Send them food.

All:  Hear our prayers.

God bless the children who are homeless.
Bless them with your love.
Send them help to find a home.

All:  Hear our prayer.

Bless, O God, all children where there is war.
Keep them safe from harm.
Teach us how to love each other.

All:  Hear our Prayer.

Thank you God for our families who love us,
For friends with whom we play,
For pets who are fun to cuddle,
For the sun and flowers
And all things beautiful,
For each new day, for surprises, laughter, and learning, and for our lives.

All:  Thank you God for everything.

The Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father who art in heaven
Hallowed be Thy name
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
And the glory forever.  Amen

 

Song:  “I Wonder as I Wander”                                  by John Jacob Niles

                               sung by Beth Sperry and Marc Fromm

Offering:  Pennies for Peace

     This offering helps build schools for children in Pakistan and Afghanistan

Hymn:  Hark the Herald Angels Sing

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 th’angelic host proclaim,
Christ is born in Bethlehem!
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

 Story:  Told by Frank Dufresne

 The Lighting of the Candles

 Hymn:  Silent Night

 Silent night, Holy night, All is calm, all is bright,
‘Round yon Virgin Mother and Child, Holy Infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace.
 

Silent night, Holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar, Heav’nly 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 They holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

Closing Prayer

Let us go forth rejoicing in the love of the child, Jesus, who was born so many years ago, and pray that He might be born over and over again in our hearts.  Help us to give to others in every way that we can with our grateful hearts, as He would have us give.