“Joy to the World” Amanda McFarling & Michael Gardiner

Lighting the Advent Candles

Reader: Good Morning! On this Christmas we are gathered as God’s people to celebrate again what Christ’s coming means to the world. God and sinner reconciled, the hope of the world, the love of the world, our Savior. We light these candles: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love, knowing the work of a God who is with us. We also light the Christ Candle in celebration of the Mighty God, the Everlasting One, the Prince of Peace.

Let us pray: Open our hearts, merciful God, to the light of your presence still in this world. Open our eyes, that we might behold your presence in the least likely of places, and among the least likely of people. God with us, kindle your fire within us, that together we may shine forth your light, we might banish the shadows of this world, we might be the continuation of the Christmas miracle: Emmanuel is in this world, God is with us, now and evermore, in Christ we pray. Amen.

Reading: Luke 2: 1-20

Meditation: “A Christmas Wish”

Communion

Benediction

Postlude—Michael Gardiner

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 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 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, wonders of his love.