God Breaks In
Shelter in Place
O Come O Come Emmanuel
CCLI 20455650
VERSE 1
O come, O come Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
CHORUS 1
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
VERSE 2
O Come thou Dayspring from on high
And cause thy light on us to rise
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadow put to flight
CHORUS 2
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
VERSE 3
O come, o come, true prophet of the Lord
And turn the key to heaven's door
Be thou our comforter and guide
And lead us to the Father's side
CHORUS 3
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall by his word our darkness dispel
VERSE 4
O come, our great High Priest, and intercede
Thy sacrifice, our only plea
The judgment we no longer fear
Thy precious blood has brought us near
CHORUS 4
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel
Has banished every fear of hell
VERSE 5
O come, thou king of nations, bring
An end to all our suffering
Bid every pain and sorrow cease
And reign now as our prince of peace
CHORUS 5
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall come again with us to dwell
Silent Night
Joseph Mohr CCLI 20455650
VERSE 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.
VERSE 2
Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sign alleluia
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born.’
VERSE 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.
Creed
“Start of Christmas Season”
Liturgist: As we prepare for the coming of Christmas season, we would also prepare our hearts for the returning Christ.
Congregation: You came once for your people, O Lord, and you will come for us again.
Liturgist: Though there was no room at the inn to receive you upon your first arrival,
Congregation: We would prepare you room here in our hearts and here in our homes, Lord Christ.
Liturgist: As we prepare and celebrate, we do so to mark the memory of your redemptive movement into our broken world, O God. Our glittering ornaments and Christmas trees, our festive carols, our sumptuous feasts—
Congregation: By these small tokens we affirm that something amazing has happened in time and space--
Liturgist: that God, on a particular night, in a particular place, so many years ago, was born to us, an infant King, our Prince of Peace. Our wreaths and ribbons and colored lights, our giving of gifts, our parties with friends--these have never been ends in themselves.
Congregation: They are but small ways in which we repeat that sounding joy first proclaimed by angels in the skies near Bethlehem.
Liturgist: We are making ready to receive the one who has already, with open arms, received us!
Congregation: We would prepare you room here in our hearts and here in our homes, Lord Christ.
Liturgist: Now we celebrate your first coming, Immanuel, even as we long for your return.
Congregation: O Prince of Peace, our elder brother, return soon. We miss you so!
Liturgist: Amen.
Scripture Reading
Advent reading comes from Isaiah 42:1-5.
Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, gin whom my soul delights;
I have put my Spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
a bruised reed he will not break,
and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow faint or be discouraged1
till he has established justice in the earth;
the coastlands wait for his law.
Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people on it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
Sermon
Exodus 3:2, Nehemiah 9:13, and John 1:1-5
Closing Song
Prepare Him Room
Dave Fournier and Rebecca Elliott CCLI 20455650
Verse 1
O behold, the mystery now unfolds
See the star shine on the virgin foretold
Angels sing and light up the sky
Hope rings out in a newborn's cry
Swing wide, you ancient gates for Christ is born today!
Chorus
Prepare Him room, prepare Him room
Let the King of Glory enter in
Verse 2
God with us, the promise has come to be
This, the one the prophets were longing to see
In the darkness a blazing light, to the hungry the words of life
His kingdom now is near for those with ears to hear
Chorus
Prepare Him room, prepare Him room
Let the King of Glory enter in
Verse 3
Oh, our hearts, as busy as Bethlehem
Hear Him knock, don't say there's no room in the inn
Through the cradle, cross, and grave
See the love of God displayed
Now He's risen and he reigns
Praise the Name above all names!
Chorus
Prepare Him room, prepare Him room
Let the King of Glory enter in