Covenant Presbyterian Church
Christmas Eve
December 24, 2022 – 5:00 PM
Covenant is an accepting, welcoming community sharing the glory of
God’s love with all.
PRELUDE Sylvie Lederer
“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” arr. Sears & Willis
“Greensleeves” (What Child is This?) Traditional English Carol arr. N. & R. Faber
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE
*CAROL #133 “O Come, All Ye Faithful” (verses 1, 3, 4)
1 O come, all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphant;
O come ye; O come ye to Bethlehem!
Come, and behold him, born the King of angels!
Refrain:
O come, let us adore him;
O come, let us adore him;
O come, let us adore him,
Christ, the Lord!
3 Sing, choirs of angels;
sing in exultation;
sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest! [Refrain]
4 Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be all glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing! [Refrain]
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION Alex Mizer
THE CHRISTMAS STORY I Lincoln LuPiba
CAROL #121 “O Little Town of Bethlehem” (verses 1, 4)
1 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.
4 O holy child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast 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!
THE CHRISTMAS STORY II Charlie Higgins
SPECIAL MUSIC Youth Instrumental Ensemble
“Angels We Have Heard on High” Traditional arr. Putnam
THE CHRISTMAS STORY III Thomas Demaree
*CAROL #119 “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” (verses 1-2) Mendelssohn
1 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!”
2 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!”
THE CHRISTMAS STORY IV Liam McCune
ANTHEM “Go Tell it on the Mountain” Joyful Noise
Please join in singing with the children on the verses.
(Chorus)
- While shepherds kept their watching
O'er silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a Holy light
(Chorus)
- The shepherds feared and trembled
When, lo! Above the Earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed our Savior's birth
(Chorus)
- Down in a lowly manger
Our humble Christ was born
And brought us all salvation
That blessed Christmas morn
THE CHRISTMAS STORY V Abby Battistone, George Miller, Teddy Milks
SPECIAL MUSIC “May My Light Shine” by Bailey & Mayo Joyful Noise
THE CHRISTMAS STORY VI Cora LuPiba, Sam & Owen Sparks
*CAROL #134 “Joy to the World” (verses 1-4)
1. 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 heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
2. Joy to the world, 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
POETRY PRAYER “Every Year” Adrienne Wise
A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE Rev. Joel Esala
CHRISTMAS PRAYER & THE LORD’S PRAYER Erin Wise
Our Father who art in heaven… (Hymnal p. 35. We say “debts & debtors.”)
PRESENTATION OF GIFTS FOR THE DEACONS’ OFFERING Maddie McCune
OFFERTORY Youth Strings Duet
“O Holy Night” arr. Adolphe Adam
“O Little Town of Bethlehem” arr. Lewis H. Redner
*DOXOLOGY #606
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise God, all creatures here below;
praise God above, ye heavenly host;
Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
*Prayer of Dedication Sally LuPiba
THE CHRISTMAS STORY VII Sally LuPiba
LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES
In the silence, please take the candle you were given when you entered. As a light is brought to your row, turn your unlit candle on its side to receive the flame. When your candle is lit, hold it upright to pass on the light to your neighbor. Battery operated candles are available for all children. Once all candles have been lit, we will sing “Silent Night.” When the lights are turned on, carefully extinguish your candle. After the Benediction, take your candles to the boxes at the door.
*CAROL #122 “Silent Night, Holy Night” (versus 1-4)
1 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.
2 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!”
3 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.
4 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.
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE “Joy to the World” arr. Bish
Prayers & poem by Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed | A Sanctified Art LLC | sanctifiedart.org.
Participants in Worship
Leaders: The Children of Covenant
Musicians: Joyful Noise Children's Choir
Youth Instrumental Ensemble: Ethan Chung (clarinet) Belle Demaree (clarinet)
Asher Esala (percussion) Sylvie Lederer (trumpet & piano)
Youth Strings Duet: Matthew Lederer (cello) Taylor Speas (viola)
Joyful Noise Children’s Choir Director: Allie Garner
Advent Candle Lighters: The Mizer Family
Cherie Brooks: Director of Music & Technology
Katie Wynkoop: Organist/Pianist & Assistant Director of Music
Erin Wise: Director of Children’s & Youth Ministries
Brian Biller: Media Production Specialist
Rev. Joel A. Esala: Pastor
“How God Shows Up”
by Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity
Inspired by Luke 2:1-20 | Silk painting with digital drawing and collage
