29 Dec BULLETIN – SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2023

WELCOME to MESSIAH & ST. PETER LUTHERAN CHURCHES

Reverend Nancy Brody, Pastor

Greta Wright, Music Director

Sunday, December 31, 2023

First Sunday of Christmas

 

LUKE 2:12-15 

And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes 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, and on earth peace among those with whom God is pleased!’ 

HYMN     Angels We Have on High

1   Angels we have heard on high,
sweetly singing o’er the plains,
and the mountains in reply,
echoing their joyous strains.

Refrain

Gloria in excelsis Deo;
Gloria in excelsis Deo.

2   Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
which inspire your heav’nly song?  Refrain

3   Come to Bethlehem and see
him whose birth the angels sing;
come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn king.  Refrain

Text: French carol; tr. H. F. Hemy, The Crown of Jesus Music, 1864

PSALM     98

O sing to the Lord a new song, 

For He has done marvelous and wonderful things; 

His right hand and His holy arm 

have gained the victory for Him. 

The Lord has made known His salvation; 

He has [openly] revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations. 

He has [graciously] remembered His lovingkindness 

and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; 

All the ends of the earth 

have witnessed the salvation of our God. 

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; 

Shout [in jubilation] and sing for joy and sing praises. 

Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, 

With the lyre and the sound of melody. 

With trumpets and the sound of the horn, 

Shout with joy before the King, the Lord. 

Let the sea thunder and roar, 

and all the things it contains, 

The world and those who dwell in it. 

Let the rivers clap their hands; 

Let the mountains sing together for joy and delight before the Lord,

for He is coming to judge the earth with righteousness 

and all people with fairness. 

HYMN     Joy to the World

1   Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her king;
let ev’ry heart prepare him room
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.

2   Joy to the earth, 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 sin and sorrow 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.

Text: Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

ISAIAH     9: 2, 6-7 

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: 

they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. 

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: 

and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called 

Wonderful, 

Counsellor, 

The mighty God, 

The everlasting Father, 

The Prince of Peace. 

Of the increase of his government and peace 

there shall be no end, 

upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, 

to order it, 

and to establish it 

with judgment 

and with justice 

from henceforth even forever. 

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

HYMN     O Little Town of Bethlehem

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.

2   For Christ is born of Mary,
and, gathered all above
while mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wond’ring love.
O morning stars, together
proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the king,
and peace to all the earth!

3   How silently, how silently
the wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of his heav’n.
No ear may hear his coming;
but, in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him, still
the dear Christ enters in.

4   O holy child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin, and enter in,
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell;
oh, come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Immanuel!

Text: Phillips Brooks, 1835-1893

PRAYERS of INTERCESSION

Trusting in God’s good news of great joy for all people, we offer prayers for ourselves, our neighbors, and the world God loves. A brief silence.

We pray for the church: You inspire faith and call us to rejoice at the salvation you bring. Make our churches places of belonging where people may express themselves in the fullness of their being. Encourage the presentation of gifts and abilities from people who are neurodivergent, living with disability, or bearing invisible illness. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

We pray for creation: Your praise is sung throughout creation at all times and in all seasons. As the new year turns, ground us in your changeless and sustaining love. Keep us attentive to the rhythms of the cosmos and inspire us to live in harmony with all the earth. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

We pray for those who aim to do good: Give hope and stamina to employees, volunteers and leaders who work tirelessly for the sake of others. We pray especially for persons working to provide basic needs of food, shelter, safety, and healthcare, who protect others from abuse or neglect, who address the effects of injury or trauma, and those who attempt to rescue anyone else from harm. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

We pray for those suffering: Sustain all people who wait in hope or languish in discouragement, for a chance at salvation, restoration or wholeness (especially those on our prayer list). We pray especially for anyone living with cancer, chronic pain or illness, all people in rehab facilities aiming to strengthen their body and soul, and for those experiencing complications from anything that’s taken its toll. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

We pray for this community: May we be known for our faith and joy and for being a welcome place for all ages and generations. Teach us to honor the wisdom of children, the inquisitiveness of youth, the thoughtfulness of adults, and the knowledge of elders. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

We pray for the world: Lord, only you can make wars end, bring the earth peace, and make strife cease. More than ever we need your wisdom to help nations unite toward common goals, toward preservation of our planet, toward survival of life currently threatened by death. Help leaders negotiate treaties, work together cooperatively, build strength of character, increase honor and discipline among their ranks. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

We pray for the dearly departed and those they’ve left behind: We give thanks for those persons connected to us throughout life and death. We ask for healing of any scarred memories and for recall of all that were pleasant or joyful. Help us live with expectation and in peace, sustained by you until we are joined again in love through your generosity around your great and eternal throne. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

There is none like you, O God of mercy, who abides with us and receives our prayers according to your steadfast love, your tender mercies, and abundant grace. We welcome the opportunity to spend another new year in each other’s company under the blessing of your constant holy presence. Amen.

HYMN     Angels, from the Realms of Glory

1   Angels, from the realms of glory,
wing your flight o’er all the earth;
once you sang creation’s story,
now proclaim Messiah’s birth:
Come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the newborn king.

2   Shepherds, in the fields abiding,
watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing,
yonder shines the infant light.
Come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the newborn king.

3   Sages, leave your contemplations,
brighter visions beam afar;
seek the great desire of nations,
you have seen his natal star.
Come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the newborn king.

4   All creation, join in praising
God, the Father, Spirit, Son,
evermore your voices raising
to the eternal Three in One.
Come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the newborn king.

Text: James Montgomery, 1771-1854, alt., sts. 1-3; Salisbury Hymn Book, 1857, st. 4

LORD’S PRAYER

PROFESSION OF FAITH     NICENE CREED

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is… seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For  incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead,  and the life of the world to  come. Amen.

BLESSING

HYMN     THE  BELLS of CHRISTMAS

1   The bells of Christmas chime once more;
the heav’nly guest is at the door.
He comes to earthly dwellings still
with new year gifts of peace, good will.

2   This world, though wide and far outspread,
could scarcely find for you a bed.
Your cradle was a manger stall,
no pearl nor silk nor kingly hall.

3   Now let us go with quiet mind,
the swaddled babe with shepherds find,
to gaze on him who gladdens them,
the loveliest flow’r of Jesse’s stem.

4   Oh, join with me, in gladness sing,
to keep our Christmas with our king,
until our song, from loving souls,
like rushing mighty water rolls!

5   O patriarchs’ Joy, O prophets’ Song,
O Dayspring bright, awaited long,
O Son of Man, incarnate Word,
great David’s Son, great David’s Lord:

6   Come, Jesus, glorious heav’nly guest,
and keep your Christmas in our breast;
then David’s harpstrings, hushed so long,
shall swell our jubilee of song.

Text: Nikolai F. S. Grundtvig, 1783-1872; tr. Charles Porterfield Krauth, 1823-1883, alt.

DISMISSAL

Go in peace to love and serve Christ our King. 

Thanks be to God.