| Greeting and Welcome
Prelude – Advent Hope
Lighting of the Candles
Hymn – O Come, All Ye Faithful (LSB 379)
O come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant! O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; Come and behold Him Born the king of angels! Refrain
Refrain: O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!
Highest, most holy, Light of Light eternal, Born of a virgin, a mortal He comes; Son of the Father Now in flesh appearing! Refrain
Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation, Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Glory to God In the highest! Refrain
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be glory giv’n! Word of the Father Now in flesh appearing! Refrain
+ Preparation +
Invocation P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.
Opening Sentences – John 1:14; Psalm 96:3; Psalm 98:1 P: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, C: and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. P: Declare His glory among the nations, C: His marvelous works among all the peoples! P: Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done marvelous things! C: His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him.
Confession and Absolution P: Joined in worship on this sacred night, let us make confession to our heavenly Father, confident of His forgiveness for Jesus’ sake. C: Almighty Father, we confess that we are sinners by nature and by thought, word, and deed. We have not always given You the best of what we have and are, and have not fully made room for You in our lives. With repentant hearts, we turn to You for mercy, seeking Your grace. In Your loving kindness forgive, restore, and lead us so that we may be renewed and live to the glory of Your holy name. Amen. P: With joy I announce God’s Good News to You. Our gracious God in His mercy has given His Son to be born, to live, and then to die for you and to rise again in glory. For His sake God forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Be at peace and rejoice in the Lord. C: Amen.
+ Word +
Salutation and Prayer of the Day P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Gracious heavenly Father, with joy we celebrate our Lord’s birth as the fulfillment of Your promise of redemption from sin. Grant that as Your Holy Spirit works in our lives, there always be room for Jesus as Lord of our hearts, who now lives and rules with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. C: Amen.
First Reading – Daniel 7:13–14 I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. Gradual – Isaiah 9:6; Psalm 98:1a P: To us a child is born, C: to us a son is given; P: and the government shall be upon His shoulder. C: And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. P: Sing to the Lord a new song, C: for He has done marvelous things!
Second Reading – 1 John 4:7-16 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Holy Gospel – Luke 2:1-7 P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the second chapter. C: Glory to You, O Lord.
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ.
Children’s Song – Away in a Manger (LSB 364)
Away in a manger, no crib for a 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.
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes. I love Thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky, And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
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 take us to heaven to live with Thee there.
Children’s Message – Pastor Scott
Hymn of the Day – Joy to the World (LSB 387)
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.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ, While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows 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.
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.
Sermon
Apostles' Creed I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life + everlasting. Amen.
Prayer of the Church P: Let us pray. Creator of the stars of night, Thy people’s everlasting Light: C: O Christ, Redeemer, save us all and hear Thy servants when they call. P: O God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, the wonder and beauty of Your creation is surpassed only by the awe and miracle that You became one with us in the incarnation of the Son of God, the Son of Mary. Thou, grieving that the ancient curse should doom to death a universe, C: hast found the healing, full of grace, to cure and save our ruined race. P: O Jesus Christ, true Son of God, You came into the world to save sinners. Come now to us in Word and Sacrament to give us life by living in us. O Thou, whose coming is with dread to judge the living and the dead, C: preserve us from the ancient foe while still we dwell on earth below. P: O Holy Spirit, Lord and giver of life, move us to truly repent of our sins and more truly to be filled with faith in Christ, our life. As the angels revealed to Mary and Joseph the miracle of Your visitation and to the shepherds the majesty of the incarnation of Your Son and to the Wise Men the holiness of the gift of Your salvation, so continue to send forth preachers of Your Word and witnesses of Your truth, that many may come to believe in Your love and receive eternal life. Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer. P: Inspire those whom you send to preach and proclaim Your salvation, that they may remain steadfast in the clarity and purpose of Your Word. Fill the entire earth with the beautiful news of Your grace and mercy. Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer. P: For all who are in any need—all who suffer illness, injury, or any adversity—send Your healing and help, forgiveness and strength. Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer. P: Give to all who have died in Christ Your safekeeping and peace. Bring us all at last to the great joy of our resurrection and the life of the world to come. Lord, in Your mercy, C: hear our prayer. P: To God the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit, Three in One, C: praise, honor, might, and glory be from age to age eternally. Amen.
Offering
Choir Anthem – Night of Wonder
(Lyrics provided for reflection)
Night of wonder, night of joy, kneeling by the baby boy, Night of worship, dawn of hope, heart of heaven on earth below, Night of questions, night of truth; kneel before Him born anew! Come, receive the gift He brings. Come and worship heaven's King. One dark evening, one holy birth; One small infant to save the earth. Through the shadows of winter night shines God's bright, purest light! Night of wonder, night of prayer, angel praises fill the air. Through the tears sweet Jesus cries; love restores our paradise.
+ Sacrament +
The Words of Our Lord P: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My + body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.” In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My + blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Proclamation of Christ P: As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. C: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. P: O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
Lord’s Prayer Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Pax Domini P: The peace of the Lord be with you always. C: Amen.
Distribution Hymn – Angels We Have Heard on High (LSB 368)
Angels we have heard on high, Sweetly singing o’er the plains, And the mountains in reply, Echoing their joyous strains. Refrain
Refrain: Gloria in excelsis Deo. Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be Which inspire your heav’nly song? Refrain
Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing; Come, adore on bended knee Christ the Lord, the newborn King. Refrain
Distribution Hymn – The First Noel
The first Noel the angel did say Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay; In fields where they lay keeping their sheep, On a cold winter’s night that was so deep. Refrain
Refrain: Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel.
For all to see there was a star Shining in the east, beyond them far, And to the earth it gave great light, And so it continued both day and night. Refrain
And by the light of that same star The wise men came from country far; To seek for a king was their intent, And to follow the star wherever it went. Refrain
Then let us all with one accord Sing praises to our heavenly Lord Who hath made heav’n and earth or naught, And with His blood mankind hath bought. Refrain
Blessing
Post-Communion Thanksgiving P: Let us pray. Most merciful God, You gave Your eternal Word to become incarnate of the Virgin. Grant Your people grace to put away fleshly lusts, that they be ready for Your visitation; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
Lighting of the Candles
Hymn - Silent Night (LSB 363)
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.
Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight; Glories stream from heaven afar, Heav’nly hosts sing, Alleluia! Christ, the Savior, is born! Christ, the Savior, is born!
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.
Benediction P: The blessing of God almighty—the Father, the + Son, and the Holy Spirit—be with you and fill you with Christmas peace and joy, now and forever. C: Amen! Glory to God in the highest, and peace to His people on earth!
Postlude
+ WORSHIP LEADERS + Preacher/Liturgist/Celebrant – Pastor Scott Jonas Organist – Seth Carruthers Lector – Jerry Nicolaus Sound/Video – Paul Barbercheck Greeters – Ron & Carol Froesel Communion Assistant – Tony Petzoldt & Seminary Student Ushers – Ken Clark, Ron Froesel, Tony Petzoldt, Mike Toney
Many thanks to Glendale members who have donated poinsettias to decorate our sanctuary this Christmas season.
To the Glory of God - Jack & Norma Bentzinger In memory of Kim and Herb Dixson - Beverly Dixson In memory of Betty Jane Grimm - Al Grimm & family Thanks to God for blessings received - Jean Peterson In memory of loved ones - Steve & Phyllis Phelps Thanks be to God! - The Ryan family To the Glory of God - Judy Sowers | 
