Christmas Eve 2021 Worship Guide

December 24, 2021

6:00 & 8:00 p.m. Worship

THE SAVIOR HAS COME

Inviting all generations into a growing life with Jesus Christ

The Gathering Douglas Zimmer, organ
arr. Mary McDonald
PRELUDE arr. Diane Bish
Angels We Have Heard on High arr. David Lasky
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear arr. Ralph C. Schultz
The Holly and the Ivy arr. Paul Manz
O Little Town of Bethlehem arr. Mary McDonald
Still, Still, Still arr. Wilber Held
See Amid the Winter’s Snow
Of the Father’s Love Begotten

CHORAL INTROIT: Before the Marvel of This Night by Carl Schalk

Before the marvel of this night Adoring, fold your wings and bow,
Then tear the sky apart with light And with your news the world endow.
Proclaim the birth of Christ and peace, That fear and death and sorrow cease:
Sing peace, sing peace, sing gift of peace…

Awake the sleeping world with song, This is the day the Lord has made.
Assembled here, celestial throng, In royal splendor come arrayed.
Give earth a glimpse of heav’nly bliss, A teasing taste of what they miss:
Sing bliss, sing bliss, sing endless bliss…

The love that we have always known, Our constant joy and endless light,
Now to the loveless world be shown, Now break upon its deathly night.
Into one song compress the love, That rules our universe above:
Sing love, sing love, sing God is Love…

GREETING & GOOD NEWS Pastor Kellen Smith

CALL TO WORSHIP (6:00 p.m.) The Coyne Family
(8:00 p.m.) The Spires Family
Advent Wreath Candle Lighting


HYMN 133 O Come, All Ye Faithful

The Confession

CALL TO CONFESSION


PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God of Christmas,
At the birth of Christ in Bethlehem, the angels sang to you in the highest heaven
and offered peace on earth and mercy to all humankind. We admit that we struggle
to follow the heavenly host. All too often we focus on giving glory to ourselves,
trying to impress our family, friends, and neighbors. We make no move to further
peace in our polarized world; we forget that you have called us to be ambassadors of
reconciliation. Forgive us for these and all our sins, and strengthen us to join the
angels’ song, giving glory to the newborn King.

Please continue in silent prayer for confession of personal matters.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S PARDON
Leader: Friends, believe the good news of the gospel.

People: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

The Word

WORD IN SONG Mary Did You Know? By Lowry and Greene
Stephanie Chiodras, guest vocalist

Paul Burgess, piano

Mary, did you know that your baby boy would someday walk on water?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kissed your little baby, then you kissed the face of God.

The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again;
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak the praises of the Lamb.

Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy was heaven’s perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you’re holding, is the great, the great “I AM!”

HYMN 123 It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

Pastor Kellen Smith
MESSAGE
“Hope Is Here: The Savior Has Come”

John 1:1-18

HYMN 143 Angels, From the Realms of Glory

CHRISTMAS EVE PRAYER

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

OFFERING
Thank you for giving by text, online, or mailing your gifts to the church office.

MUSICAL OFFERING O Holy Night Adolphe Adam
Stephanie Chiodras
Westminster Choir

O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining. It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining. Till He appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices. For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine. O night when Christ was born…

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming. With glowing hearts by his cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming, Here came the wise men from the Orient Land.
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger, In all our trials born to be our friend.
He knows our need! He guardeth us from danger,
Behold your King! Before the Lowly bend!

Fall on your knees…

SHARING THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

PIANO MEDITATION Peace, Peace by Rick and Sylvia Powell
Paul Burgess, Piano

The Sending

HYMN 122 Silent Night, Holy Night

BLESSING Pastor Kellen Smith

POSTLUDE From Heaven Above arr. Wilber Held
Douglas Zimmer, organ

Sermon Notes

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WE WELCOME GUEST SOLOIST
STEPHANIE CHIODRAS

Stephanie Chiodras graduated from Wheaton College with
a BM in Vocal Performance. In her freshman year, she was
awarded 3rd place in the First Year College/Independent
Women category of the Chicago Chapter of NATS in 2015.

In her senior year, she was awarded first place in the Wheaton College Vocal Concerto Competition
of 2018. She has performed in the Wheaton College Conservatory opera scenes as Laetita (Old
Maid and the Thief) and mainstage operas in roles such as Papagena (The Magic Flute), Adele (Die
Fledermaus), and La Musica and La Speranza (L’Orfeo). She has performed as a soloist with Wheaton
College Concert Choir and Women's Chorale. Stephanie is currently pursuing her Masters in Vocal
Performance and Literature at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She thoroughly
enjoyed playing Susanna in scenes from W. A. Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro in her first graduate
production, and also had the opportunity to cover the role of Tink Enraught in The Last American
Hammer, written by Peter Hilliard and Matt Boresi. This October, she won 1st place in the Central
Region NATS Artist Awards competition and will be participating in the semi-finals round in New
York, January 2022. Stephanie is currently preparing for her masters recital with art song selections
by Franz Schubert, Franz Liszt, and Dominick Argento, and most recently portrayed Edith in
Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s production of The Pirates of Penzance!

Missed a week? Watch past services at firstpreswheaton.org/livestream.

We welcome you after Christmas!

JANUARY SERMON SERIES

Airplane Mode: Practicing Spiritual Discipline

Sundays, January 9-30 at 9:00 and 10:30 a.m.

We live in a noisy world. The 24-hour news cycle is relentless. Even
when alone, we’re bombarded with texts, emails, and social media
messages. The Lord’s invitation to seek solitude and silence isn’t only
about finding a quiet place, it’s also discovering the gift of removing
ourselves from the cacophony of messages to find our rest in God. Drawing from the life of Jesus
and the Apostle Paul, this series extends that invitation at four critical life junctures: a big decision,
a big loss, a big job, and a big change. At each point, a time of silence, solitude, and prayer in God’s
presence can heal us of the past and prepare us for our futures.

ADULT EDUCATION SERIES

On Mission Together: MissionFirst Pres
An Education Series on Serving Our Community Abundant Compassion

Sundays, January 9-30 at 10:30 a.m.

I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and
you welcomed me. I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me.
I was in prison and you visited me. – Matthew 25:35-36

In the new year, you’re invited to learn about how our faith can be applied to helping those in need
around us by hearing directly from several First Pres mission partners. One of the steps in our
church’s discipleship path is to “serve in a ministry or with a mission partner.” Discover how serving
others deepens your life with Christ and uplifts our community.

January 9 – Sue Horgan, Executive Director, Exodus World Service
January 16 – Peter Lawson, Ministry Program Director, Mission USA: The Bridge
January 23 – Nate Kaunley, CEO, Outreach Community Ministries
January 30 – Hester Bury, Director of Corporate and Foundation Giving,
Northern Illinois Food Bank

The poinsettias that adorn our chancel steps are given to the glory of God
by our church family in memory or in honor of their loved ones.

Monty and Rachel Abbott, Mike, Amanda, Brady and Connor Ray in memory
of John and Julia Abbott
Monty and Rachel Abbott, Mike, Amanda, Brady and Connor Ray in memory of
Mary and Marvin Krause
Anonymous in memory of Louise and Florence Avery
Roger and Kathy Benson Family in memory of greatly missed and loved, Mormor
and Morfar June and Ray Benson and Nana Kathleen Clark
Ed and Pam Ballard in memory of our parents
Mike and Margaret Bucholz in memory of David Bucholz
Bob and Pam Cherry in memory of Ruth and Bill Cherry
Bob and Pam Cherry in memory of Peter Ratkovich
Martin and Pat Dettmer in memory of Martin H. Dettmer, Jr. and Vincent Zito
Randy and Jan Foster in honor of our family
Randy and Jan Foster in memory of Jan's sister and our parents
Diane Freeman Hodges and sons in memory of Dennis Hodges

Bev Gleich in memory of George Gleich
Jean Goris in honor of her family, with love
John and Cindy Heisler in honor of our grandchildren: Asa, Brenna, Eli and Owen
Fischer; John Bruce, Braydon, and Alison Heisler
The Hinson Family in memory of Barbara Jill Mullen
The Hinson Family in memory of Logan Arrington Hinson
Susan and Norman Hull in memory of our loved one’s
Dean and Deborah Incopero in memory of our parents
Charmaine G. Jones in memory of Bradley George Jones
Charmaine G. Jones in memory of Colby D. Jones
Scott and Agnes Kenton in honor of our loving family
Alan F. Konfirst and Family in memory Rudolf & Olga Konfirst
Kathy, Chris, Kaitlyn and Silas Nickell in memory of Randy Nickell and Peter Talbot
Ronda Riffle and Linebarger Family in memory of Raymond T. Riffle, Jr. beloved
husband, father, grandfather
Ronda Riffle and Lisa Linebarger in memory of Lori Rae Riffle cherished daughter
and sister
Marilyn Stanciu in memory of Richard Stanciu
Shawn and Sharon Smith in memory of Don Schoening and Janet Smith
Marjorie Stevens in memory of our past church saints
Marjorie Stevens in honor of all our dear friends at First Pres
Dave and Beth Trumpy in memory of Bob and Marion Trumpy and Patrick O'Dell
Gary Wright in memory of Cindy Wright
Bob and Kathy Young in memory of our parents, Neal and Harriet Johnson and
Gordon and Jean Young

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

of Wheaton

firstpreswheaton.org
715 N Carlton Ave, Wheaton, IL 60187

Phone 630-668-5147