CHRIST CANDLE
Candlelighting service
A Great Light
Candlelighting Services For Advent And Christmas Eve
Prelude
Call To Worship
Leader: Rejoice! The Lord has come!
People: Glory be to God!
Leader: Glory be to God in the highest!
Opening Hymn: "Hark The Herald Angels Sing"
Litany Of Light
Leader: "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light;"
People: "They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."
Leader: We are that people.
People: The light shines upon us.
Leader: It shines to show us our sins;
People: And to burn them away in the fire of repentance.
Leader: It shines to show us God's Holy Word, and his will in our daily lives;
People: And it calls us to obedience.
Leader: The light shines to show us how very much God loves us;
People: And it calls us to love one another as he loves us.
Leader: It shines to shatter our worldly fears;
People: And to give us "joy unspeakable."
Leader: The light shines to tell us that our Lord has come;
People: And that he is "God with us" forever!
Leader: Christ, the Great Light, has come into our lives!
People: Thanks be to God!
First Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9:6
For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Hymn: "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful (verses 1 & 3)
Lighting Of The Advent Wreath
(As the pastor reads, the acolyte lights the candles.)
During the last four Sundays, we have prepared our hearts to receive our Lord. We have opened ourselves to the light of God's love.
We have repented of our sins. (The first candle is lit.) We have pledged to study God's Holy Word, and to be obedient to his will in our lives. (The second candle is lit.) We have received the overwhelming love of God, and learned to see others through his eyes. (The third candle is lit.) We have felt the "joy unspeakable" as the light of God's love has freed us from our worldly doubts and fears. (The fourth candle is lit.)
Now, the time we have waited and prepared for is here. Our Lord, our Savior has come! Tonight, we light the Christ candle to remind us that he is with us always. (The Christ candle in the center of the Advent wreath is lit.)
The Advent wreath is a circle, with no beginning and no end. It reminds us that, like a circle, God's love for us has no end. The Christ candle, burning at its center, reminds us that if we keep Christ at the center of our lives, he will be with us for all eternity! Praise be to God!
Hymn: "Joy To The World" verses 1, 3, & 4
Second Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-7
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Hymn: "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" verses 1 & 3
Third Scripture Reading: Luke 2:8-14
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see -- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people -- to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
Hymn: "Angels We Have Heard On High" verses 1 & 2
Prayer (In Unison)
Gracious and loving Father, as we remember tonight the glorious gift of your son, we are overwhelmed by the magnitude of your love, and by our unworthiness. We know that we have spent too much time in the past few weeks preparing our homes to celebrate your Son's birthday, and too little time preparing our hearts to receive him.Fill our souls with your great light, Father, and make us new creatures through your Grace. We pray in the name of your dear Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Silent Prayer
Pastoral Prayer
Anthem
Offering
Hymn: "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear"
Sermon
The Lighting Of The Candles
Pastor: We are the people who "walked in darkness," and we have indeed "seen a great light!" Jesus Christ, the light of the world, the light of our lives is with us now and always! As a symbol of his light, the acolytes will now draw a flame from the Christ candle, and from it you may all light your individual candles.
(The acolytes will proceed down the aisle, lighting the candles of the first worshiper in each pew. The flame will then be passed from worshiper to worshiper until each candle is lit. The lights should be dimmed for the remainder of the service.)
Hymn: "Silent Night"
Benediction
Pastor: May the light of Christ dwell in you from this night on, and may it light your way to eternity. Glory be to God!
People: Glory be to God in the highest!
Postlude
Call To Worship
Leader: Rejoice! The Lord has come!
People: Glory be to God!
Leader: Glory be to God in the highest!
Opening Hymn: "Hark The Herald Angels Sing"
Litany Of Light
Leader: "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light;"
People: "They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."
Leader: We are that people.
People: The light shines upon us.
Leader: It shines to show us our sins;
People: And to burn them away in the fire of repentance.
Leader: It shines to show us God's Holy Word, and his will in our daily lives;
People: And it calls us to obedience.
Leader: The light shines to show us how very much God loves us;
People: And it calls us to love one another as he loves us.
Leader: It shines to shatter our worldly fears;
People: And to give us "joy unspeakable."
Leader: The light shines to tell us that our Lord has come;
People: And that he is "God with us" forever!
Leader: Christ, the Great Light, has come into our lives!
People: Thanks be to God!
First Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9:6
For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Hymn: "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful (verses 1 & 3)
Lighting Of The Advent Wreath
(As the pastor reads, the acolyte lights the candles.)
During the last four Sundays, we have prepared our hearts to receive our Lord. We have opened ourselves to the light of God's love.
We have repented of our sins. (The first candle is lit.) We have pledged to study God's Holy Word, and to be obedient to his will in our lives. (The second candle is lit.) We have received the overwhelming love of God, and learned to see others through his eyes. (The third candle is lit.) We have felt the "joy unspeakable" as the light of God's love has freed us from our worldly doubts and fears. (The fourth candle is lit.)
Now, the time we have waited and prepared for is here. Our Lord, our Savior has come! Tonight, we light the Christ candle to remind us that he is with us always. (The Christ candle in the center of the Advent wreath is lit.)
The Advent wreath is a circle, with no beginning and no end. It reminds us that, like a circle, God's love for us has no end. The Christ candle, burning at its center, reminds us that if we keep Christ at the center of our lives, he will be with us for all eternity! Praise be to God!
Hymn: "Joy To The World" verses 1, 3, & 4
Second Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-7
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Hymn: "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" verses 1 & 3
Third Scripture Reading: Luke 2:8-14
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see -- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people -- to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
Hymn: "Angels We Have Heard On High" verses 1 & 2
Prayer (In Unison)
Gracious and loving Father, as we remember tonight the glorious gift of your son, we are overwhelmed by the magnitude of your love, and by our unworthiness. We know that we have spent too much time in the past few weeks preparing our homes to celebrate your Son's birthday, and too little time preparing our hearts to receive him.Fill our souls with your great light, Father, and make us new creatures through your Grace. We pray in the name of your dear Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Silent Prayer
Pastoral Prayer
Anthem
Offering
Hymn: "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear"
Sermon
The Lighting Of The Candles
Pastor: We are the people who "walked in darkness," and we have indeed "seen a great light!" Jesus Christ, the light of the world, the light of our lives is with us now and always! As a symbol of his light, the acolytes will now draw a flame from the Christ candle, and from it you may all light your individual candles.
(The acolytes will proceed down the aisle, lighting the candles of the first worshiper in each pew. The flame will then be passed from worshiper to worshiper until each candle is lit. The lights should be dimmed for the remainder of the service.)
Hymn: "Silent Night"
Benediction
Pastor: May the light of Christ dwell in you from this night on, and may it light your way to eternity. Glory be to God!
People: Glory be to God in the highest!
Postlude
