FIRST SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS Worship Service | 12-29-24
+ Gathering +
OPENING SONG: “THERE’S A STAR IN THE EAST” Brown #58
THE OPENING RITE AND PRAYER OF THE DAY:
L A girl-to-be mother was pregnant before her wedding.
C A soon-to-be stepfather was willing but confused.
L A birth occurred outside the inn in a too busy world.
C Angels hovered, shepherds hastened, a star sparkled, and wise men searched.
L The baby was named Jesus on his eighth day of life.
C The angel had announced this name before he was conceived.
L He was presented to God in the Temple on his fortieth day.
C Old Simeon and old Anna saw salvation in that newly born child.
L A paranoid king murdered the innocent children to destroy him.
C An escape to Egypt saved the one child.
L He grew up in Nazareth.
C He was lost when he was twelve.
L He was found back in Jerusalem learning and teaching.
C He returned to Nazareth growing in size and spirit.
L It was one birth, one child, one life.
C It was like no other birth and an extraordinary life.
L The facts are limited, the details missing.
C The effect is amazing, the joy unlimited.
L Scripture says, when the time was right, God sent the Son.
C He came among us.
He was one of us.
L A word took shape, a child was born.
C He lived to die,
and he died to deliver us from grave and hell!
L Once more we celebrate the miracle of Jesus’ birth.
Once more we celebrate that God is born among us and for us. And we pray…
C O God, be with us –
in the day and in the night, in our joys and in our sorrows.
O God, be with us –
LIGHT of our lives, HOPE bearer, LIBERATOR of our lives, RULER of our hearts, and PEACE MAKER.
O God, be with us –
May the name of Jesus be on our lips always,
may your Word fill every part of our being,
may your Son grow among us forever. Amen.
+ Holy Word +
FIRST READING: 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
[Samuel in the Lord’s house, serving God… growing in wisdom and stature.]
2:18 Samuel was ministering before the LORD, a boy wearing a linen ephod.
2:19 His mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
2:20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the LORD repay you with children by this woman for the loan that she made to the LORD,” and then they would return to their home.
2:26 Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the LORD and with the people.
SECOND READING: Colossians 3:12-17
[Christians reflecting Christ through their attitudes, words, and actions.]
3:12 Therefor, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
3:13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
3:14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.
3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR
BRIEF WORDS FROM OUR COLLEGE AND CAREER STUDENTS
[We hope to hear from some of our St. Peter’s students who are continuing their educational journey beyond high school in colleges and career training schools.
Students, this continues to be a challenging time! We pray for your good health and safety through these days, for peace and sleep, for sanity and wisdom, for continued opportunities and the inspiration to stay on the path. And we encourage and challenge you to continue to connect your unfolding life with God’s creative and redeeming love!]
SONG BEFORE THE GOSPEL: “HE CAME DOWN” Brown #37
GOSPEL: Luke 2:41-52
[Jesus in the Temple, sharing God’s wisdom.]
2:41 Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover.
2:42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival.
2:43 When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents were unaware of this.
2:44 Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends.
2:45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.
2:46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
2:47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
2:48 When his parents saw him they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously looking for you.”
2:49 He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
2:50 But they did not understand what he said to them.
2:51 Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them, and his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years and in divine and human favor.
THE SERMON: Pastor Tanysha Mendoza
SONG RESPONSE: “JESUS LOVES ME” Brown #249
THE PRAYERS… We pray that the good news and great joy of JESUS CHRIST will touch all lives and transform the world!
+ Holy Meal +
TITHES (10% giving) AND GIFTS… We have been blessed by GRACE to be a blessing of GRATEFUL GENEROSITY!
We’re at the end of a year of giving, of responding with our time, abilities, and possessions.
Those in the Sanctuary can put their offering in the offering plate to share their gratitude and their generosity in response to Christ’s love. Those who are farther away might: mail a check or money order to St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2169 74th Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19138… contribute online through bit.ly/stpetersgiving and set up a one-time donation or a recurring weekly gift to selected categories… or text Give+ at 833-914-0896 and follow the instructions to register and record your contribution. God has blessed us to be a blessing!
We are humbled and encouraged to note that – while we entered December with a deficit of about $10,4000, members and friends have responded to our appeal. So last Sunday’s offering was more than $6,000, which is very unusual for St. Peter’s. This will be the last Sunday for 2024 offerings. Then we start again.
SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR
OFFERING SONG: (1) Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive its King;
Let every 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.
OFFERING PRAYER by the Communion Assistant:
Good news! Great Joy! Loving God, if light has dawned on us, we want to share it. And if there is joy to tell, we can’t help but proclaim it. O how we thank you for the gift of new and eternal life in Jesus Christ! As we celebrate his birth, guide us to be bearers of light, makers of peace, and heralds of good news to all the world. AMEN.
THE PREFACE:
L Christ is born among us! The Lord be with you. C AND ALSO WITH YOU!
L Hope and promise are alive! Lift up your hearts! C WE LIFT THEM UP IN LOVE FOR GOD!
L Jesus is our Redeemer! Let us give thanks to our God! C IT IS RIGHT TO GIVE GOD THANKS AND PRAISE!
L Gracious God, we gather together in celebration of all the signs of your love in our lives, too many to count.
But especially we thank you this Christmas Season for speaking your Word, Jesus Christ, to us. You could
have shown no greater love than by sharing what you treasured most, your only Son, your Word of love,
your peace on earth, the light that comforts us, the hope to which we cling. He was born to give us new life,
and he died to deliver us from grave and from hell. We join with heaven and earth in singing our praises…
C (sing) JESUS… JESUS… OH, WHAT A WONDERFUIL CHILD!
JESUS… JESUS… SO HOLY, MEEK, AND MILD!
NEW LIFE, NEW HOPE, TO ALL HE BRINGS;
LISTEN TO THE ANGELS SING,
“GLORY, GLORY, GLO-RY TO THE NEW BORN KING!”
THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS by the Celebrant, who recalls and re-enacts Jesus’ Holy Meal.
THE LORD’S PRAYER (spoken)
COMMUNION AND BLESSINGS… All believers in Christ are welcome at the Lord’s Table! We will have “continuous distribution” with wafers and either wine or grape juice. CHRIST COMES TO US IN BREAD AND WINE AND BLESSING, BRINGING US PEACE, UNITY, STRENGTH, AND HOPE!
COMMUNION SONGS:
-
- “THE VIRGIN MARY HAD A BABY BOY” Brown #53
- “GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN” Brown #52
THE COMMUNION BLESSING by the Celebrant after all have communed.
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER by the Communion Assistant:
O Lord, with our own eyes we have seen the joy of your salvation, and with our own lips we have tasted of your Kingdom. We celebrate the birth of your Son among us! Shine out through us to a hurting world that knows the night and needs the light. Amen.
+ Sending +
THE BENEDICTION… We go forth in the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT to testify, baptize, and serve!
CLOSING SONG: “JESUS, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD” Brown #59