NEC Sunday Worship – 4 PM on 2020-12-20


SPOTLIGHT OF OUR WORSHIP PARTICIPANTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Christmas Eve worship – social time from 3:15 – 3:30; YouTube in Theater Room starting at 3:30
  • Caroling tonight starting around 5:15 in the Dining Room, wandering around to some areas after that

Perhaps a moment of music as we begin?   Violin by Ella S


MARILYN reads   Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26
I will sing of your steadfast love, O LORD, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.

I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David:

‘I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.'” Selah

Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said: “I have set the crown on one who is mighty, I have exalted one chosen from the people.

I have found my servant David; with my holy oil I have anointed him;

my hand shall always remain with him; my arm also shall strengthen him.

The enemy shall not outwit him, the wicked shall not humble him.

I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him.

My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him; and in my name his horn shall be exalted.

I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers.

He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation!’


STEVE – leads us in a Prayer of Adoration


Watchman, Tell Us of the Night – Page AH

Watchman Tell Us of the Night     Words by Henry Alford, 1844; Tune by George Job Elvey, 1859

(NOTE: St. George’s Windsor tune – same as Come, Ye Thankful People, Come)

Watchman, tell us of the night,           what its signs of promise are.

Traveler, what a wondrous sight:      see that glory  –  beaming star.

 Watchman, does its beauteous ray         news of joy or hope foretell?

Traveler, yes; it brings the day,          promised day of Israel.

 

Watchman, tell us of the night;          higher yet that star ascends.

Traveler, blessedness and light,          peace and truth its course portends.

Watchman, will its beams alone         gild the spot that gave them birth?

Traveler, ages are its own;                  see, it bursts o’er all the earth.

 

Watchman, tell us of the night,           for the morning seems to dawn.

Traveler, shadows take their flight;         doubt and terror are withdrawn.

Watchman, you may go your way;         hasten to your quiet home.

Traveler, we rejoice today,                  for Emmanuel has come!


LAURA READS Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,

to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”

But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.

He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.

And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.

For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.


BILL – shares a Prayer of Confession


Joy to the World – Page AE

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

let every heart prepare him room,

and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing,

and heav’n and heav’n and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!

Let all their songs employ;

while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains

repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,

repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

nor thorns infest the ground;

he comes to make his blessings flow

far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found,

far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

and makes the nations prove

the glories of his righteousness,

and wonders of his love,   and wonders of his love,

and wonders, wonders of his love.


STEVE LEADS: WE HAVE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION BY TWO GIRLS FROM MWPC

STEVE – I’m going to record us watching the poem reading and will then record any reactions we would like to share!

What I’d really like to give you for Christmas is a star… by Ann Weems

Read by Sally Kate & Laney from MWPC


STEVE – I’m going to record us watching the poem reading and will then record any reactions we would like to share!

 

Any reflections we want to share based on the poem, scriptures, songs and/or prayers?


MUSIC TO PREPARE OUR HEARTS FOR PRAYER                    Carol of the Bells


STEVE LEADS: Sharing of Joys & Concerns

  • Confluence of pandemics (COVID-19, racial injustice, income inequality, climate);
  • CONCERNS:
    • Sheri having back surgery on 12/21
    • OTHER UPDATES?
    • OTHER CONCERNS?
  • JOYS:
    • Jupiter and Saturn near each other in SW sky at dusk
    • OTHER JOYS?

 

Prayer – concluding with The Lord’s Prayer


Silent Night – Page AF

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 Thy holy face, 

with the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus, Lord at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord at Thy birth.


STEVE – AS WE CLOSE… (in unison:) 

Friends,

Life is short

and there is precious little time

to gladden the hearts of those who travel with us…

So make haste to be kind,

and be swift to love,

because in every act of love and kindness, the God who first formed us,

reforms and transforms us

again and again.

And certainly for these blessings,

all of God’s people say. 

AMEN!