No offering will be received in this service. If you wish to give a gift to the church, you may place it in one of the offering plates as you leave. May you have a safe and joyous Christmas Day!

Hebron Presbyterian Church 423 Hebron Road

Staunton, VA 24401 Telephone: 540-885-1648

Email: myhebronpc@gmail.com December 24, 2019 ~ Christmas Eve

The church office will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, December 25 and 26; and on Wednesday and Thursday Jan. 1 and 2. Regular office hours will resume on Friday January 3, 2020.

“The Word Became flesh and

dwelt among us,

full of grace and truth”

HEBRON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

December 24, 2019 Christmas Eve 8:00 P.M. PRELUDE Joel VanderZee and Joan Wright

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Rev. Melissa Harmon

CALL TO WORSHIP ~ Psalm 96 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!

Sing to the Lord and bless God’s name; tell the good news of salvation from day to day.

Declare God’s glory among the nations, God’s marvelous works among all the peoples. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice. Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world, and those who live in it.

Let the whole creation sing for joy at the presence of God, who is coming. God is coming indeed, to judge the earth with righteousness, and the peoples with equity and truth. Praise the Lord!

OPENING HYMN O Come, All Ye Faithful #249

LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE

Our waiting is nearly over. Each week we lit one more candle repre-senting the ever-brightening path that leads us closer to the star under which the Christ Child lay. Micah 5:2 and Isaiah 9:2-7

Why do we light these five candles tonight?

“We lit the first candle of Advent, the Candle of Hope, to remind us of the hope that the people of Israel had for the coming of the Messiah.”

“We lit the second candle of Advent, the candle of Peace, to remind us of the peace that enters our lives when we experience the presence of Jesus Christ.”

“We lit the third candle of Advent, the candle of Joy, to remind us of the joy the angels pro-claimed when Jesus was born.”

“We lit the fourth candle of Advent, the candle of Love, to remind us of the love that God shares with the world through the birth of God’s Son.

“We light the fifth candle, the Christ Candle because Jesus Christ, the true light of the world has come. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life!” John 8:12

Luke 2:1-20

CLOSING HYMN ~ “Silent Night! Holy Night” ~ #253

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; Heavenly hosts sing alleluia. Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born! Silent night, holy night, wondrous star, lend thy light. With the angels let us sing Alleluia to our King. 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,. CHARGE AND BLESSING

FOURTH LESSON ~ Isaiah 11:1-4a, 6-9 The Messiah will come from the root of Jesse to restore the peace of creation

CAROL ~ “Lo! How a Rose E’er Blooming” ~ #255, v. 2

Isaiah ’twas foretold it, The Rose I have in mind; With Mary we behold it, The virgin mother kind. To show God’s love aright She bore to men a Savior When half-spent was the night.

FIFTH LESSON ~ Luke 1:26-35,38 An angel appears to Mary and announces that she will bear a holy child.

CAROL ~ “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” ~ #277

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.”

SIXTH LESSON ~ Luke 2:1:1-7

Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem where Mary gives birth to her child.

CAROL ~ “Away in a Manger” ~ #262

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.

SEVENTH LESSON ~ Luke 2:8-16 Angels appear to shepherds in the fields and announce the birth of the Messiah

CAROL ~ “Angels We Have Heard on High” ~ #278, vs. 1, 3

Angels we have heard on high, Sweetly singing o’er the plains And the mountains in reply, Echo back their joyous strains.

Gloria in excelsis Deo,

Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Come to Bethlehem, and see Him

whose birth the angels sing;

Come, adore on bended knee Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Glo-ria in excelsis Deo, Glo-ria in excelsis Deo

EIGHTH LESSON ~ Matthew 2: 1-11 Magi from the East come seeking the Messiah and offer gifts to the baby Jesus

CAROL ~ “We Three Kings” ~ #288, v. 1 “We three kings of Orient are; bearing gifts we traverse afar— Field and fountain, moor and mountain - following yonder star. O — star of wonder, star of night, Star with royal beauty bright, Westward leading, still proceeding, Guide us to thy perfect light.

CAROL “Once in Royal David’s City #286

SERVICE OF LESSONS AND CAROLS

FIRST LESSON ~ Genesis 3:8-15, 17-19 Adam and Eve disobey God’s command and disrupt the order and goodness of creation

CAROL ~ “O Little Town of Bethlehem” ~ #250, v. 4

O holy Child of Bethlehem, Descend on 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. SECOND LESSON ~ Genesis 22:15-18

God promises that, through Abraham, all the peoples of the world will be blessed

CAROL ~ “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” ~ #245

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer Our spirits by Thine advent here; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

And death’s dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

THIRD LESSON ~ ISAIAH 9:2, 6-7 The people who walk in darkness receive the promise of the Messiah

CAROL ~ “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” ~ #251

It came upon the midnight clear, That Glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold: “Peace on the earth, goodwill to men, From heav’n’s all gracious King!” The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing.

NINTH LESSON ~ John 1;1-14 The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth

CAROL ~ “Love Has Come! “ ~ 256, v. 3

Love has come - he never will leave us! Love is life everlasting and free. Love is Jesus within and among us; Love is the peace our hearts are seeking. Love! Love! Love is the gift of Christmas; Love! Love! Praise to you, God on high!

PRAYER OF THE PEOPLE

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE Reverend Melissa Harmon

THE LORD’S PRAYER (...debts and debtors…)

COMMUNION BY INTINCTION

The invitation to the Lord’s Supper is

extended to all who have been bap-

tized.

The congregation shall rise and come down either aisle to che communion stations. Pull off a small piece of bread from one server, and dip in the cup of the other server. Partake im-mediately. Turn toward the outside wall, pick up a candle from the basket on the pew, and file back along walls to form a circle surrounding the Sanctuary. If you are unable to come forward, servers will come to you. After all are served the first servers will light the candles of the first person on either side who will in turn, light the next person’s candle. If your candle is lit, hold it upright . The person with the unlit candle will dip into the flame.