Bulletins - Covenant Presbyterian Church UA

Covenant Presbyterian Church

A Service of Lessons and Carols

January 1, 2023 – 10am

Covenant is an accepting, welcoming community sharing the glory of God’s love with all.

PRELUDE “Rejoice! He is Here!” arr. Hayes

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Candle

CALL TO WORSHIP (based on Isaiah 2:2-5)

Leader: Many peoples shall come and say,

People: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

to the house of the God of Jacob;

that he may teach us his ways

and that we may walk in his paths.”

Leader: For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,

and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

People: He shall judge between the nations,

and shall arbitrate for many peoples;

Leader: they shall beat their swords into plowshares,

and their spears into pruning hooks;

People: nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

neither shall they learn war any more.

Leader: O house of Jacob, come,

People: let us walk in the light of the Lord!

*CAROL #132 “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice” (verses 1-3) Ribbon

1 Good Christian friends, rejoice

with heart and soul and voice;

give ye heed to what we say:

Jesus Christ is born today;

ox and ass before him bow,

and he is in the manger now.

Christ is born today!

2 Good Christian friends, rejoice

with heart and soul and voice;

now ye hear of endless bliss:

Jesus Christ was born for this!

He has opened heaven’s door,

and we are blest forevermore.

Christ was born for this!

3 Good Christian friends, rejoice

with heart and soul and voice;

now ye need not fear the grave:

Jesus Christ was born to save!

Calls you one and calls you all

to gain the everlasting hall.

Christ was born to save!

THE FIRST LESSON Isaiah 11:1-10 (NRSVUE) Notepad

CAROL #123 “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” (verses 1, 3, 5) Ribbon

1 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, good will to all,

from heaven’s all-gracious King”:

the world in solemn stillness lay,

to hear the angels sing.

3 Yet with the woes of sin and strife

the world has suffered long;

beneath the heavenly hymn have rolled

two thousand years of wrong;

and we at war on earth hear not

the tidings that they bring;

O, hush the noise and cease the strife

to hear the angels sing!

5 For lo, the days are hastening on,

by prophets seen of old,

when with the ever-circling years

shall come the time foretold,

when peace shall over all the earth

its ancient splendors fling,

and the whole world give back the song

which now the angels sing.

THE SECOND LESSON Luke 1:26-38 (NRSVUE) Notepad

CAROL #144 “In the Bleak Midwinter” (verses 1-4) Ribbon

1 In the bleak midwinter,

frosty wind made moan;

earth stood hard as iron,

water like a stone;

snow had fallen,

snow on snow, snow on snow,

in the bleak midwinter, long ago.

2 Our God, heaven cannot hold him,

nor earth sustain;

heaven and earth shall flee away

when he comes to reign:

in the bleak midwinter

a stable place sufficed

the Lord God incarnate, Jesus Christ.

3 Angels and archangels

may have gathered there;

cherubim and seraphim

thronged the air;

but his mother only,

in her maiden bliss,

worshiped the beloved with a kiss.

4 What can I give him,

poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd,

I would bring a lamb;

if I were a wise man,

I would do my part;

yet what I can I give him: give my heart.

THE THIRD LESSON Matthew 1:18-25 (NRSVUE) Notepad

CAROL #88 “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” (verses 1, 6, 7) Ribbon

1 O come, O come, Emmanuel,

and ransom captive Israel,

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to thee, O Israel.

6 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. [Refrain]

7 O come, Desire of nations, bind

all peoples in one heart and mind;

bid envy, strife, and discord cease;

fill the whole world with heaven’s peace. [Refrain]

THE FOURTH LESSON Luke 2:1-7 (NRSVUE) Notepad

CAROL #114 “Away in a Manger” (verses 1-3) Ribbon

1 Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,

the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.

The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,

the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

2 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 side until morning is nigh.

3 Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay

close by me forever and love me, I pray.

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,

and fit us for heaven to live with thee there.

THE FIFTH LESSON Luke 2:8-20 (NRSVUE) Notepad

CAROL #113 “Angels We Have Heard on High” (verses 1-3) Ribbon

1 Angels we have heard on high,

sweetly singing o’er the plains,

and the mountains in reply

echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

2 Shepherds, why this jubilee?

Why your joyous strains prolong?

What the gladsome tidings be

which inspire your heavenly song?

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

3 Come to Bethlehem and see

him whose birth the angels sing;

come, adore on bended knee

Christ, the Lord, the newborn King.

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

INVITATION TO THE OFFERING

OFFERTORY “O Holy Night” arr. Hayes

*DOXOLOGY #606 Ribbon

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 Cross

THE LORD’S SUPPER–See the back page of the hymnal

At Covenant, we believe the Lord’s Supper is for everyone. From newborns to our most mature, all are welcome at this table. The Presbyterian Church teaches, “The opportunity to eat and drink with Christ is not a right bestowed upon the worthy, but a privilege given to the undeserving who come in faith, repentance, and love. All who come to the table are offered the bread and cup, regardless of their age or understanding” (Book of Order, W-3.049).

MUSIC DURING DISTRIBUTION “Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming” arr. Hayes

CAROL #136 “Go, Tell It on the Mountain” (verses 1-3) Ribbon

Refrain:

Go, tell it on the mountain,

over the hills and everywhere;

go, tell it on the mountain

that Jesus Christ is born!

1 While shepherds kept their watching

o’er silent flocks by night,

behold, throughout the heavens

there shone a holy light. [Refrain]

2 The shepherds feared and trembled

when lo! Above the earth

rang out the angel chorus

that hailed our Savior’s birth. [Refrain]

3 Down in a lowly manger

the humble Christ was born,

and God sent us salvation

that blessed Christmas morn. [Refrain]

*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE “Go Tell It on the Mountain” arr. Hayes

Liturgy by Rev. Anna Strickland | A Sanctified Art LLC | sanctifiedart.org

Assisting in Worship Today:

Don and Janice Hilkerbaumer–Liturgists

Brian Gray–Vocalist

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. Don Hilkerbaumer – Parish Associate

Rev. Janice Hilkerbaumer – Parish Associate

“Ponder”

by Hannah Garrity

Inspired by Luke 2:15-21 | Paper lace with watercolor