Christmas Eve Traditional Service of Holy Communion
11pm | December 24, 2024

MUSIC MINISTRY

Who is This Tiny King? | Ruth Elaine Schram

Ensemble

Ruth Elaine Schram | © 2002 Belwin-Mills Publishing, Corp/Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc. | all rights reserved | used with permission under One License #A-726973

WELCOME | Pastor Doug Johns

WAYS TO CONNECT | christchurchfl.org/ways2connect

* CAROL OF PRAISE

O Come, All Ye Faithful | The United Methodist HymnalNo. 234 (verses 1,3,6) 

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)   O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,

O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Sing choirs of angels, sing in exultation;

O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!

Glory to God, all glory in the highest;  (refrain)

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning,

Jesus, to thee be all glory given.

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;  (refrain)

C. Frederick Oakeley | John Francis Wade | © words & music: public domain | CLI License # 487103 

LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE

The Christ candle will be lighted by Connie Booth and Brian McComb

reader 1 Oh, come all ye faithful. 

reader 2 Come all ye not so faithful. 

reader 1 Come all ye who used to be faithful. 

reader 2 Come all ye willing to be faithful again, even if it is just for tonight. 

all Tonight, we come again to light the candle of Jesus as if walking our own path toward Bethlehem. Toward hope. Toward peace. Toward joy. Toward love. Fill us with faith like never before that we might live in the light of Christ and share that light with the world. Amen.

RESPONSE 
O Little Town of Bethlehem | The United Methodist Hymnal No. 230 (verse 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.

Dennis Allen, Lewis H. Redner & Phillips Brooks © words: public domain music: 1998 Pilot Point Music | CCLI License # 487103

MUSIC MINISTRY                      
What Child is This? | arr. Hal Hopson

Chancel Choir; string quartet

© 1994 by Hope Publishing Company | all rights reserved | used with permission under One License #A-726973

OFFERING | Pastor Peytyn Tobin
worshiping through the offering of our lives and gifts

·     Place offerings in the plates or wooden boxes

·     Give online at christchurchfl.org/give 

·     Text GIVE to 954.880.3885

·     Mail a check to Christ Church, 4845 NE 25th Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308

Connect cards may also be placed with your offering.

Christ Church is a congregationally supported ministry. We thank you for your faithfulness as we reflect the love, hope and joy of Jesus to our community.

MUSIC MINISTRY
O Holy Night | arr. René Clausen
Chancel Choir, string quartet

© 2004 Fostco Music Press, a division of Shawnee Press, Inc. | All rights reserved. | Used with permission under One License #A-726973

SCRIPTURE | Pastor Cathy Johns

Luke 2:1-20 | New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition 
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ All went to their own towns to be registered. ⁴ 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. ⁵ He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. ⁷ 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 in the guest room.

⁸ Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 

¹⁰ 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: ¹¹ to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host,^[c] praising God and saying, ¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, ¹⁹ and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.

These are the words of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. 

MESSAGE
Christ is Born | Pastor Doug Johns

THE LORD’S SUPPER

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

God be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to God.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

God of all times and places, we gather at your table of grace to recall your vision of hope for all people and for your world.

Through Abraham and Sarah, you revealed your promise in the surprise of a child. Through your prophets, you called your people to make way for peace and justice. In Jesus, you revealed your way of forgiveness and love. Through the ever-circling year, your word discloses to us—again and anew—your promise for the restoration of all creation.

As we gather to share this sign of hope and fulfillment, we remember Jesus, the child born into obscurity, amid fear and uncertainty. We remember the fragility of that revelation, as well as the hope he stirred and imagination he inspired, and we sing… 

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,

earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;

snow had fallen, snow on snow; snow on snow.

in the bleak midwinter, long ago.

We remember Jesus, the one who blazed a new and risky path of extravagant generosity and of passionate concern: temple-shaker, world-maker, rule-breaker, risk-taker; the author and finisher of our faith.

We remember Jesus’ self-giving love and the offer of himself for others, even those who gave him over to death, and we sing… 

Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;

heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign;

in the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed

the Lord God almighty, Jesus Christ. 

On that night, in the midst of great confusion and fear, Jesus broke bread with friends, saying, “This is my body, which I give for you and for all. When you do this, remember me.”

With a blessing, he took the cup and offered it to them saying: “This cup is God’s covenant which is given for all. When you drink this, remember me.” 

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,

Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;

But his mother only, in her maiden bliss,

Worshiped the beloved with a kiss.

Come to us, life-giving Spirit of God. Bless us, these gifts, and what we do here, so that we might sing your song of love for your people and for your world. 

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

God of All, we pray for your people.

For those who are afraid and oppressed, may you give courage.

For those suffering conflict and fear, may you bring peace.

For those who long for food and water, may they be filled.

For those who long for justice, may it be fulfilled.

We pray also for ourselves and our community.

That those in hospital and in care feel your strength.

That those who are alone and anxious feel you near.

That those who are ill in body and in spirit be comforted.

That our friends and family be blessed by healing and love.

Hear our prayers, O God, 

and in your mercy, answer. 

We pray these things, trusting in God’s faithfulness revealed:

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

What can I give him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd I would bring a lamb,

if I were a wise man I would do my part;

yet what I can I give him—give my heart.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

God of shepherds and kings, you gather us by the light of the star of promise. 

You lead us not only to hope for the future, 

but to trust in your presence and renewal of life in every time and place.

Guide us this night, by the light of that same star.

Lead us to the mangers of this world, 

where uncertainty is met with the renewal life

and the transformation of this world is most deeply felt 

in love, one with another. 

Be with us on this most wondrous of nights, we ask in Jesus’ name. 

Amen.

—Rev. Andrew O’Neil, St. Paul’s United Church, Riverview, NB
© 2018 The United Church of Canada/L’Église Unie du Canada. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ca. Any copy must include this notice.  

THE LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES

* CAROL OF PEACE 

Silent Night, Holy Night | The United Methodist Hymnal No. 239

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, heavenly 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.

Please raise candles on final stanza.

Silent night, holy night, wondrous star, lend thy light;

with the angels let us sing, alleluia to our King;

Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born!

Please extinguish your candles before leaving your seat.

Please deposit plastic holders, with candles if you like, in the designated boxes as you leave

Franz Xaver Gruber, John Freeman Young & Joseph Mohr | © words: public domain; music: public domain | CCLI License # 487103

* SENDING FORTH  

MUSIC FOR CLOSING

For Unto us a Child is Born | arr. John Innes

Wes Kassulke, piano; Chuck Stanley, organ; string quartet

tune and text: © 1988 Lorenz Publishing Company | All rights reserved. | Used with permission under One License #A-726973

* please stand in body or spirit.

Join us Sunday for worship at 9am and 11am, with the message Simeon’s Song of Hope, based on Luke 2:21-33.

WAYS TO CONNECT | christchurchfl.org/ways2connect

HOLY GROUNDS COFFEE TIME Every Sunday, coffee and snacks are available before the 9am and 11am services. Join your friends outside the kitchen window in the gym lobby for coffee and conversation. 

CONNECT CARDS We want to connect with you. Please fill out a Connect Card and tell us how we can pray with you and help you be part of the ministries you’re called to. We’d love to hear your ideas also. You’ll find paper Connect Cards in the worship space and digital cards at christchurchfl.org/connectcard.      

GROW       

AT THE TABLE sunday | 10:05am | fellowship halls 1-3 At the Table is a time to explore the scripture of the day and meet new people as you do. Invite friends and newcomers to join you. Plan to stay after the 9am service or come early for the 11am service; you don’t need to hear the day's message to participate in the conversation. Holy Grounds is open, so grab a cup of coffee and a snack and join us.

MORNING PRAYERS This Facebook morning devotional is taking a break during the holidays. Resuming Monday, January 6, begin your weekdays praying with your church family at 7:30am on the Christ Church Facebook page, @christchurchfl. If you can’t be online at 7:30, a recording of morning prayers is available on Facebook. Morning prayers take a break on church and federal holidays.   

HEALING       

FAITH CARING GROUP mondays | 1pm The Faith Caring Group reflects and addresses the need for caring and assistance as well as grief support. The group meets on Zoom every Monday of the month, except the second Monday when members have lunch at the Fort Lauderdale Olive Garden. For more information, send an email to info@christchurchfl.org with your contact information. A Faith Caring Group leader will get back to you.   

SERVE   

MARCH IN FORT LAUDERDALE’S MLK DAY PARADE monday | january 20 Join the Anti-Racism Task Force to show our love for all by walking in the 2025 King Holiday Parade, which concludes at the Multicultural Unity Festival at Joseph C. Carter Park. Stay tuned for details and to sign up. For now, save the date and plan to honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by walking in the parade.

YEAR-END CONTRIBUTIONS Thank you for your commitment to Christ Church – whether fulfilling your 2024 pledge or taking a step of extravagant generosity by giving more. The IRS required donations be postmarked by December 31, to be eligible for 2024 tax deductions. Year-end donations can be made several ways: Place the offering plate in worship; mail your donation and be sure to have it postmarked by 12/31; bring your donation to the office, which closes at 5pm weekdays. You may also text-to-give, 954.880.3885. If you have questions, please call the church business office, 954.771.7300.

PREPARE BREAKFAST FOR PARKWAY The Parkway community breakfast is prepared in the Fort Lauderdale kitchen early Sunday morning. This is a great opportunity for families to serve together, wrapping and heating breakfast sandwiches. Students can earn service hours. Contact Pastor Peytyn Tobin if you, your family or group can help: ptobin@christchurchfl.org

HEAT DINNERS FOR PARKWAY  On Wednesdays, we’re preparing Christ Church’s famous and tasty meatloaf and side dishes in the Fort Lauderdale kitchen for our guests on the Parkway Campus. Flex volunteer time 2-4pm. This is a great opportunity for families to serve together after school. Students can earn service hours. If you are interested, please contact Pastor Peytyn Tobin, ptobin@christchurchfl.org

BLESSINGS FOOD PANTRY NEEDS TRUCK DRIVERS  The Blessings Food Pantry, a Christ Church ministry, needs volunteer truck drivers on Monday and Wednesday mornings. The volunteer drives a church truck to two Publix stores within 10 miles of the Parkway Campus. The route starts at 7am and lasts until about 10am. Volunteers for this role need to pass a church background check, provide a current driver's license, and pass a short driving test with Mike Gartland, facilities director. If you are interested in serving in this way, please contact Mike Gartland, mgartland@christchurchfl.org.   

JOIN THE WELCOME TEAM Do you enjoy greeting your church family and welcoming guests? The Welcome Team would be a great place for you to serve. Welcome Team members also help serve communion and collect the offering. Some welcome team members serve as ushers and greeters for memorial services and other special events. Linda Bajkowsky coordinates the team and would love your help. Serving with the Welcome Team is a great way to get to know your church family. Sign up at christchurchfl.org/serve 

BE PART OF THE WORSHIP TECH TEAM Put your tech skills to work for God. If you would like to be part of the team that helps run the cameras and visuals for worship, send an email to info@christchurchfl.org

CONNECT       

ANTI-RACISM TASK FORCE sunday | january 5 | 12:15pm | fellowship halls 1-3  One of Christ Church’s most active ministries will set its course for 2025 at its first meeting of the year, and you’re invited to join the conversation. The Anti-Racism Task Force meets the first Sunday of each month, after the 11am worship service. Christ Church, and other churches in the Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, is on a journey to confront the sin of racism and work towards a church community that reflects the beautiful diversity of God’s Kingdom.

MORE THAN CONQUERORS PRAYER GROUP sunday | january 5 | 11am Bring joys and concerns of your life, our community and our world to the feet of Jesus with others who are devoted to intercessory prayer. All are invited to attend to receive or share in prayer. The group gathers in Fellowship Hall 4 at 11am on the first Sunday of each month to pray for our collective joys and concerns. For more information, send an email to info@christchurchfl.org 

JOY GROUP wednesday | january 8 | 11am  Women 55 and over, here’s your chance to get to know and encourage one another. The Joy Group – Jesus, Others, You – meets the first Wednesdays of each month. Their mission is to share what Christ has done in their lives and to support one another. RSVP if you plan to attend; lunch will be provided. The group will dive into the 23rd Psalm and discuss the book “A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm.” If you need a ride or have questions, contact Lynn Harrison at LHTLC@aol.com

SHARED MEALS You are invited to share a meal and community twice each week on the Parkway Campus. On Wednesday at 4:30pm, dinner is served to all who come. On Sunday at 9am, breakfast is shared. This is a great way to build community with our neighbors. The Parkway Campus is located at 100 NE 44th Street, Deerfield Beach. Just a note: there will be no Wednesday dinners on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Wednesday dinners will resume January 8, 2025.

CHRIST CHURCH AT TRIVIA NIGHT mondays | 7:30pm | Funky Buddha Brewery  Join us as we play trivia. It’s an informal gathering of folks who have fun trying to answer the questions and catching up on one another’s lives. Look for the Christ Church team at the Funky Buddha, 1201 NE 38th Street, Oakland Park, on Monday nights.     

CHURCH HOLIDAYS HOURS The Christ Church office will close Tuesday, December 24, at 4pm and remain closed until 12noon Thursday, December 26, for the Christmas holiday. The office will be closed Wednesday, January 1, 2025, for the New Year's holiday. Regular hours these weeks are 8:30am-5pm, Monday-Friday. The Parkway Campus, including the Blessings Food Pantry and shared meals, will be closed Christmas and New Year's days.