- Sunday worship service. December 23rd, 1979. Duke Chapel. (piano introduction begins) (treble choir singing in foreign language) (piano playing) ♪ Rejoice, Rejoice ♪ ♪ O come, O come Emmanuel ♪ ♪ And random captive Israel ♪ ♪ That morns in lonely exile here ♪ ♪ Until the son of God appears ♪ ♪ Rejoice, rejoice Emmanuel ♪ ♪ Shall come to thee, O Israel ♪ ♪ What child is this who laid to rest ♪ ♪ On Mary's lap is sleeping ♪ ♪ Who angels greet with anthem sweet ♪ ♪ While shepherd's watch are keeping ♪ ♪ This, this is Christ the King ♪ ♪ Whom shepherds guard and angels keep ♪ ♪ This, this is Christ the King ♪ ♪ The babe, the son of Mary ♪ ♪ So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh ♪ ♪ Come peasant, King to own him ♪ ♪ The King of Kings salvation brings ♪ ♪ Let loving hearts enthrone him ♪ ♪ This, this is Christ the King ♪ ♪ Whom shepherds guard and angels sing ♪ ♪ This, this is Christ the King ♪ ♪ The babe, the son of Mary ♪ ♪ Lo, how a rose e'er blooming ♪ ♪ From tender stem hath sprung ♪ ♪ From Jesse's linage coming ♪ ♪ As men of old have sung ♪ ♪ It came a floweret bright ♪ ♪ Amid the cold of winter ♪ ♪ When half spent was the night ♪ ♪ Isaiah 'twas foretold it ♪ ♪ The Rose I have in mind ♪ ♪ With Mary we behold it ♪ ♪ The Virgin Mother kind ♪ ♪ To show God's love aright ♪ ♪ She bore to Him a Savior ♪ ♪ When half spent was the night ♪ (piano introduction) (treble choral voices in foreign language) (piano introduction) (treble solo voice singing in foreign language) (piano introduction) ♪ Silent night ♪ ♪ Holy night ♪ ♪ All is bright, all is light ♪ ♪ He, the only Father and Child. ♪ ♪ Heavn'ly (mumbles) ♪ ♪ Heavn'ly, heavn'ly peace ♪ ♪ Wrapped in heavenly peace ♪ ♪ Silent night ♪ ♪ Holy night ♪ ♪ No more (mumbles) ♪ ♪ No more (mumbles) ♪ ♪ Not a wise men as they dream ♪ ♪ Gives a homage to our King ♪ ♪ Jesus Christ our Lord ♪ ♪ Jesus Christ our Lord ♪ ♪ Silent night ♪ ♪ Holy night ♪ ♪ Holy babe, holy cross ♪ ♪ With the echo of holy dreams ♪ ♪ Alleluia to our King ♪ ♪ Christ the Savior is born ♪ ♪ Jesus, our Savior, is born ♪ (organ music) 

- (with the ccongregation) That we may clearly see the way to walk, the truth to speak, and the life to live for Him, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (choir sings in foreign language) (organ introduction) ♪ Oh come all ye faithful ♪ ♪ Joyful and triumphant ♪ ♪ Oh come, ye, oh come ye to Bethlehem ♪ ♪ Come and behold him, ♪ ♪ Born the king of angels ♪ ♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Christ, the Lord ♪ ♪ Sing choirs of angels ♪ ♪ Sing in exultation ♪ ♪ Sing all ye citizens of Heaven above ♪ ♪ Glory to God in the highest ♪ ♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Christ, the Lord ♪ ♪ Ye, Lord, we greet Thee ♪ ♪ Born this happy morning ♪ ♪ Jesus, to thee be, all Glory giv'n ♪ ♪ Son of the Father ♪ ♪ Now in flesh appearing ♪ ♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Christ, the Lord ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ 

- God has caused light to shine out of darkness, has caused light to shine in our hearts, and will cleanse us from our sins even as we have already been cleansed. Let us therefore make our confession to Almighty God. Let us pray. (leading the congregation) Oh Lord, in this season of hope and expectancy, we look at our lives and confess that we are in need of the miracle of your love and peace. We who claim to have heard the good news live our lives defensively. We are afraid to be made vulnerable by caring too deeply. We hide from pain, loneliness, and involvement. Our lives are full of disillusionment with people and politics. We have forgotten that joy and laughter are a part of your gift to us. Come to us in our fear and despair. Know us as we are. Feel our longing and hunger to be your faithful people. Let your love grow, through Jesus Christ, your son and our Savior. Let us continue our confession of our individual sins in the silence of our own hearts. (ambient coughing) The Lord is our light and our salvation. What have we to fear? Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, God has forgiven us, will strengthen us in all goodness, and will continue to keep us in this life and the world to come. Even as we are forgiven, let us forgive one another. Let us give thanks for God is good, and God's love is everlasting. (with congregation) Thanks be to God, whose love has created us. Thanks be to God, whose mercy forgives us. Thanks be to God, whose advent offers us hope. Amen. We welcome all of you, those present here in the congregation, and those joining us by radio, to this service. We are glad you have chosen to worship with us on this day. You are invited to attend a service of Lessons in Carols on Christmas Eve, tomorrow night, at 11 p.m. here in Duke Chapel. An instrumental prelude will begin at 10:30 p.m. This service will be broadcast live over WDBS, and will be televised over Channel 11. The preacher for today is the Reverend Robert T. Young, minister to the university. As always, we look forward to the message he will bring to us. Let us now continue our worship of Almighty God. Let us pray. Your word is near, oh Lord, our God. Your grace is near. Come to us now with power. Do not let us be deaf to your words or dense in our understanding, but make us receptive, and open on this day and every day and forever and ever, in the name of the one who opens the meaning of your love to us. Amen. The Old Testament lesson is from the fifth chapter of Micah, verses two to four. "But you, oh Bethlehem Ephrathah, "who are little to be among the clans of Judah, "from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler "in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. "Therefore he shall give them up until the time "when she who is in travail has brought forth. "Then the rest of his brethren shall return "to the people of Israel, and he shall stand "and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, "in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God, "and they shall dwell secure, "for now He shall be great to the ends of the Earth." The reading of the epistle is from the Letter to the Hebrews 10:5-10 "Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings thou has not desired, "but a body hast thou prepared for men. "In burnt offerings and sin offerings, "thou has taken no pleasure. "Then I said Lo I have come to do thy will, oh God, "as it is written of me in the role of the book. "When he said above thou has neither desired "nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings "in burnt offerings and sin offerings, "these are offered according to the law. "Then he added lo, I have come to do thy will. "He abolishes the first in order to establish the second, "and by that will, we have been sanctified "through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ "once for all." (organ introduction) ♪ O holy night the stars are brightly shining ♪ ♪ It is the night of our dear Savior's birth ♪ ♪ Long lay the world in sin and error pining ♪ ♪ Til he appeared, and the soul felt its worth ♪ ♪ A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices ♪ ♪ For yonder wakes a new and glorious morn ♪ ♪ Fall on your knees ♪ ♪ O hear the angel voices ♪ ♪ O night divine ♪ ♪ O night when Christ was born ♪ ♪ O night ♪ ♪ Divine ♪ ♪ O night ♪ ♪ O night divine ♪ (organ interlude) ♪ Led by the light of faith serenely beaming ♪ ♪ With glowing hearts by his Credo we stand ♪ ♪ So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming ♪ ♪ Here came the Wise Men from the Orient land ♪ ♪ The King of Kings laid thus in lowly manger ♪ ♪ In all our trials, born to be our friend ♪ ♪ He knows our need ♪ ♪ To our weakness, no stranger ♪ ♪ Behold your King ♪ ♪ Before him lowly bend ♪ ♪ Behold your King ♪ ♪ Your King ♪ ♪ Before Him bend ♪ (organ interlude) ♪ Truly He taught us to love one another ♪ ♪ His law is love, and His gospel is peace ♪ ♪ Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother ♪ ♪ And in His name all oppression shall cease ♪ ♪ Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we ♪ ♪ Let all within us praise His holy name ♪ ♪ Christ is the Lord ♪ ♪ Then ever, ever praise we ♪ ♪ His power and glory evermore proclaim ♪ ♪ His power and glory evermore proclaim ♪ 

- The Gospel lesson is that according to St. Luke 1:46-56 and 2:1-14. Would you please stand for the reading of the Gospel? (crowd standing) "My soul magnifies the Lord, "and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior "for he has regarded the lowest state of his handmaiden. "For behold, henceforth all generations "will call me blessed, "for He, who is mighty, has done great things for me, "and Holy is his name. "And His mercy is on those who fear him "from generation to generation. "He has shown strength with His arm. "He has scattered the crowd "in the imagination of their hearts. "He has put down the mighty from their thrones, "and exalted those of low degree. "He has filled the hungry with good things, "and the rich He has sent empty away. "He has helped is servant, Israel, "in remembrance of His mercy as he spoke to our fathers, "to Abraham and his posterity forever. "And Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months "and then returned to her home. "In those days, a decree went out from Ceasar Augustus "that all the world should be enrolled. "This was the first enrollment, "when Quirinius was governor of Syria. "And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. "And Joseph also went up from Galilee, "from the city 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 enrolled with Mary, his betrothed. "who was with child. "And while they were there, the time came "for her to be delivered, "and she gave birth to her first-born son, "and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, "and laid him in a manger "because there was no place for them in the inn. "And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, "keeping watch over their flock by night. "And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, "and the glory of the Lord shone round them, "and they were filled with fear. "And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid, for behold, "I bring you good news of a great joy "which shall come to all the people, "for to you is born this day, in the City of David, "a Savior who is Christ the Lord. "And this will be a sign for you. "You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths "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 people with whom He is pleased." Praise be to God. (organ introduction) ♪ Gloria ♪ ♪ In excelsis deo ♪ ♪ Gloria ♪ ♪ In excelsis deo ♪ 

- May I just simply point out to you two errors in the bulletin that you may want to take note of. In case you look in the Old Testament for the Book of Michael, there is no such book. It is Micah. And I am aware that this is the year of our Lord 1979, rather than the year of our Lord 1980. I am no more eager for this to be 1980 than you are. A word of thanks to the members of the Durham Boy's Choir. Most of you heard them prior to the beginning of the service and have heard them already, and we will be blessed to hear them again. Mr. Bill Graham and the members of the choir, we welcome you to Duke Chapel and to this service. Again, as you celebrate with us, the meaning of Advent, and the meaning of Christmas, and David, thank you for a beautiful job with the solo. Grace to you and peace from our Lord and Savior, even Jesus the Christ. Christmas is many things to all of us. It is many things to each of us. Expectation, disappointment, remembering, anticipating, hoping, longing. Christmas is words. It is music, song, celebration. Christmas is mixed feelings, ambivalence, happy, sad, thankful, and regretful, concern for self and concern for other. Christmas is giving and receiving. Christmas is real ecstasy, and, for some, despondency. Christmas is, and you could complete that sentence as well, or perhaps better, than I can. Christmas 1979 is almost here. And to understand Christmas in the year of our Lord 1979, I believe we must look again at Christmas in the year of our Lord one or in the year of our Lord five when scholars say that Jesus probably was born. Christmas is many things to all of us, many things to each of us, but I want to proclaim to you this morning as I read, and as was read for us in the Gospel of Luke, as we heard about Mary's experiences and the experiences of the shepherds. In our Gospel lesson for today, I want to proclaim... I started to say "loudly," but perhaps "calmly" is a better word. I want to proclaim calmly and clearly that Christmas is that experience of being surprised by joy. The joy of the coming of the Lord. The coming of Emmanuel, that is God with us. The coming of the Messiah, Savior, Christ. My dear friends, the coming of your Lord and my Lord. That, I believe, is Christmas. Surprise, which comes to us as joy. Cause for real, deep and lasting rejoicing. And as I thought about these words, and as I have written these words, and as I have read them over and over several times, I feel, and feel very deeply, that we need an experience of joy today. Oh how very much we need it. The world, in many ways, is really one big hell-hole, a quagmire of fighting, and bickering, and sin, and lust, and envy, and hatred. Where almost everything horrible and imaginable has been done, or is being done, by us and our fellow human beings in the world. W.H. Auden describes this world in his brief poem entitled A Shock, He writes, "Houseman was perfectly right. "Our world rapidly worsens. "Nothing now is so horrid "or silly that it cannot occur." We who live in the year of our Lord 1979 do know now, as perhaps never before, that nothing within the mind or heart of human beings, nothing that can be imagined or conceived or dreamed of, nothing is really so horrid or so silly that it has not occurred, or is not occurring, or cannot occur on the face of this Earth. We have seen and know of the most horrid and silly ways that human beings can possibly behave. So that's why I believe this morning we need a word of joy. I guess I believe that at least once a year we need to be reminded that God was in Christ, that the Word has become flesh, that unto you that is unto us is born a Savior that you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. We do need to be reminded, perhaps more often than we are, but at least once a year of God's coming to us. Murray Bodo, Roman Catholic priest, writes "Everyone who turns to God, at one time or another, "asks oneself if God is, "or if one is really deceiving oneself "in order to explain one's own unfulfilled life. "And then subtly, in ways one did not expect, "the Lord comes to one, pleadingly, "to keep alive the longing and the hope "of the life to come." God never comes on our own terms, but in his own time and place. "And his appearance," Bodo says, "is always a surprise." No one ever sees God, of course, but we see the shadows of his passing through our lives in the things that change that we never thought would, in the prayers that are answered in ways we never expected, in a new level of maturity that we knew we couldn't have arrived at alone, and once again, our faith is enkindled, and we begin to hope for more, for a sound in the air, for a sign unmistakable and clear. "God is a lover," he continues, "and God leads us artfully, "attracting us, then showering us with blessings, "then withdrawing to start the process "all over again on a new level. "Everyone asks, at one time or another, if God is. "God never comes on our own terms. "And then, subtly, in ways one did not expect, "the Lord comes, and his appearance is always a surprise." In his book entitled Christian Wholeness, Tom Langford, Dean of the Divinity School, quotes August Bournonville, late leader of the Royal Danish ballet. As having said some words that I think are aptly and beautifully descriptive of what Christmas is all about, noble simplicity will always be beautiful. It seems to me that that is the message of Christmas. The whole experience is one of noble simplicity when God surprises us with the joy which God has to give to us. Noble simplicity. That is Christmas. Christmas A.D. 1, or A.D. 5, or A.D. 79, or A.D. 1980. Noble simplicity. Husband, wife. Pregnant woman walking, paying taxes, resting at night. Simple place. Simple people. Simple tasks to do. Simple roles to play. A mother's pain. A father's anxiety. A baby's birth, a baby's cry. A baby is born in the night, and the world was never, never, ever to be the same again. God used, and God uses, the ordinary, the common, the everyday to say this is the way I love you, to surprise us with joy. So. This, it seems to me, is what Christmas is all about. Those times, and those occasions, those experiences when God surprises us with joy. So I wanna look at these two experiences of Mary and of the shepherds, and see what it is in these experiences that tell us of joy, of celebration, of rejoicing, and see if they have a word for us in the year of our Lord 1979. In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. He came to her and said, "Hail, oh favored one. "The Lord is with you." And she was greatly troubled at this saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be, and the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God, "and behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, "and you shall call his name Jesus." Mary said, "How can this be since I have no husband? And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you." Mary's response is, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. "Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. And in those days, Mary arose, and went with haste into the hill country to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zachariah and greeted Elizabeth. And Elizabeth's response to her coming was, "Blessed are you among women, "and blessed is the fruit of your womb." Mary's response in the presence of Elizabeth is, "My soul magnifies the Lord, "and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior, "for he has regarded the lowest state of his handmaiden. "He who is mighty has done great things for me, "and Holy is his name, "and His mercy is on those who fear Him "from generation to generation. "He has shown strength with His arm. "He has exalted those of low degree. "He has filled the hungry with good things. "He has helped his servant, Israel." Mary's experience with the angel of God, and her response to that coming. And then Luke continues. As he tells about this experience of the shepherds. "In that region, there were shepherds out in the field "keeping watch over their flock by night, "when an angel of the Lord appeared to them, "and the glory of the Lord shone around them. "The angel said to them, Be not afraid. "but behold, I bring you good news of great joy "which will come to all the people, "for to you is born this day, in the City of David, "a Savior who is Christ, the Lord. "This will be a sign for you. "You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths "and lying in a manger. "Suddenly there was, with the angel, "a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, "and on Earth, peace among those with whom God is pleased. "When the angels went away, "the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem "and see this thing that is happened "which the Lord has made known to us. "And they went with haste, "and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger." And then this passage ends with Luke saying, "After the shepherds had seen this babe lying in a manger, "and the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God "for all that they had heard and seen." Joy. Absolute, unadulterated joy. It's something like an experience that I had recently when, after the Saturday luncheon with the Friends at the chapel, and a faculty member, who is a member of the Friends of Duke Chapel, and I were walking from the luncheon over here to the chapel for the Saturday afternoon performance of Messiah. We were walking along, and the crowd was coming in. People with excited, expectant, enthusiastic, warm, radiant expressions on their face, knowing that a real blessing was just in store for them. Beautiful day outside, so as we walked, we looked around. We saw these people. We saw the expectancy and the joy on their faces. Looked up and saw the two big, beautiful wreathes on the front of the chapel. Walked on inside and stood at the back for just a moment and saw the advent wreath and beautiful poinsettias. I said, "Boy, this is some great time of year." And the faculty member turned to me and said, "Yes. "For me, Advent, Christmas is the one time of the year "when I feel I experience sheer joy." Sheer joy. And I believe it is, my friends. Even in the midst of personal hurt or sadness, or loss or pain. Whatever we may be suffering Or even in the midst of a world today that is torn, and bickering, and fighting, and filled with hatred. There is a word from God which says, "I come to you to bring you joy. "That your life may be full." And so I wanna say just a word about the joy that these folks experienced. That Mary experienced and the shepherds experienced, and see if it has anything to do with the possibility of what you and I may experience. The first is that joy from God often comes to unlikely people in unlikely places. Who would ever have imagined that an angel of the Lord would have come to a 14 or 15 year-old girl named Mary in Nazareth? But it did. Who would ever have imagined that a multitude of the hosts of God, whatever it was, whoever it was, however it came, that this experience with God would have come to a group of shepherds out on the side of a hill late at night? But it did. We have absolutely no way of knowing, certainly no way of controlling, surely no way of predicting, how, and when, and where, and to whom the joy, which comes from God, may be experienced. Joy rejoicing is that experience which comes from God to unlikely people in unlikely places. Second thing I think about this is that rejoicing in the grace of God is very, very personal. It's hard to rejoice secondhand. Vicarious rejoicing is hardly any rejoicing at all, isn't it? If rejoicing is not personal, then what is it to be? Mary, young maiden, heart singing, life-filled, joy-filled, full and overflowing, "My soul magnifies the Lord," she says. Very personal. The shepherds. The angel came to them. The hosts sang to them. Their response was, "Not let us wait here. "Let us see what things look like in the morning, "but let us go with haste unto Bethlehem." Is there really any other way to know the fullness and the goodness of God's love and grace other than through one's personal experience? Rejoicing then, it seems to me, is to be very, very personal. A third thing, it seems to me, that comes through loudly and clearly here, is that rejoicing is to be shared. Do you notice how Mary could not stay by herself? She had to go and be with somebody. She had to share her experience. She had good news that she wanted to tell somebody, and let somebody know what had happened to her. She had to sing and celebrate and rejoice, and that's hard to do all by yourself, isn't it? The shepherds, after seeing and hearing the angels, getting together, made up their minds and moved, and they saw the baby Jesus. After they had seen and experienced the fullness of God's grace in the message that had come to them, and the revelation which they had seen in the child, Jesus, what was the response? Not to keep it to themselves, but to return, glorifying and praising God for all that they had seen and heard. It's hard to rejoice or to celebrate or to know joy, and to keep it to one's self, isn't it? You ever try to celebrate your birthday all by yourself? Rejoicing is intended to be shared, and so was the message which came to Mary and the message which came to the shepherds. Joy, celebration, rejoicing. To unlikely people in unlikely places. Very, very personal, and to be shared. "Christmas," the faulty member said to me, "is my time of year. "It is the one time of year that is sheer excitement. "Sheer joy." And we all want that, don't we? We want one time of the year, at least, when we can know sheer, unadulterated joy, when life is pure, when we know and sense and experience the Holy. I guess that is part of the reason that we never give up hoping, praying, that Christmas will come. Maybe not last year, but surely Christmas will come this year. If not this year, then surely next year. This year, surely we will know joy. We will find and know purity of life. We will know and experience the Holy, the good, the just, the right. There seems to be an insatiable longing and yearning deep down inside of us that does keep praying, "Come, Lord Jesus. "Come quickly, Lord Jesus." They keep singing, "Oh come, oh come Emmanuel. "Oh come and cheer our spirits by thine Advent here." This is why we sing again, and say again, "Come, thou long-expected Jesus. "From our fears and sins release us." This is why the words of Joseph Moore's lines touch us and revive our hopes again for this year. 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. 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. For to you is born this day, in the City of David, a Savior who is Christ, the Lord. To you, and to you, and to you. Come. Let us go to Bethlehem, to see this which has come to pass. Let us pray. Almighty God, God of power. We praise you for Jesus the Christ, who came to love us and to bring us everlasting life. We thank you in this moment, oh God, for the prophet's hope, for the angel's and Mary's songs, for the birth in Bethlehem. We thank you that in Jesus the Christ, you came to us, sharing our human hurts and our pleasures. And so we say, oh God, glory be to you, for your boundless love. Glory to you, eternal God, through Jesus Christ who is Lord of Lords and King of Kings, forever and ever, Amen. I'd like to share a personal word at this moment, if I may. This morning, just a little after 8 o'clock, Dr. Jay Phillips died. Many of you know of him, have heard of him, and share with me the sadness that this word brings. Jay Phillips and his wife, Alice, are beloved by all who know them. Dr. Phillips was, for a time, Chaplain to the University here, and for many years served as professor of religion in the Department of Religion here at Duke. I think it must be said that he surely was one of the most beloved professors by all the students who ever had him that I think this University has ever had. Alice and he loved this chapel. They worshiped with us every Sunday morning, even though they were not here in the chapel. And so, it is with a heavy heart that I share that word with you, but all of you who know Jay and Alice will want to know of that. The funeral service for Jay will be on Wednesday at 2 o'clock here in the chapel. During this Holy season, when we remember the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ, I ask you to remember Jay with thanksgiving, and to remember Alice and their family with your love and your prayers, and to God be the glory, now and forever. Our hymn is Hark, The Herald Angels Sing, which will be sung to tune number 388 rather than 387. Let us stand as we sing. (organ introduction) ♪ Hark, the herald angels sing ♪ ♪ Glory to the newborn King ♪ ♪ Peace on Earth and mercy mild ♪ ♪ God and sinners reconciled ♪ ♪ Joyful all ye nations rise ♪ ♪ Join the triumph of the skies ♪ ♪ With angelic hosts proclaim ♪ ♪ Christ is born in Bethlehem ♪ ♪ Hark, the herald angels sing ♪ ♪ Glory to the newborn King ♪ ♪ Christ by highest heav'n adored ♪ ♪ Christ the everlasting Lord ♪ ♪ Late in time behold Him come ♪ ♪ Offspring of a Virgin's womb ♪ ♪ Veiled in flesh the Godhead see ♪ ♪ Hail the incarnate Deity ♪ ♪ Pleased as man with us to dwell ♪ ♪ Jesus, our Emmanuel ♪ ♪ Hark, the herald angels sing ♪ ♪ Glory to the newborn King ♪ ♪ Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace ♪ ♪ Hail the Son of Righteousness ♪ ♪ Light and life to all He brings ♪ ♪ Ris'n with healing in His wings ♪ ♪ Mild he lays his glory by ♪ ♪ Born that man no more may die ♪ ♪ Born to raise the sons of Earth ♪ (organ drowns out singing) ♪ Hark the herald angels sing ♪ (organ drowns out singing) ♪ Amen ♪ 

- Let us affirm what we believe. (with the crowd) We believe in God, who has created and is creating, who has come in the truly human Jesus to reconcile and make new, who works in us and others by the Spirit. We trust God, who calls us to be the church, to celebrate life and its fullness, to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil, to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, our judge and our hope. In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God. You may be seated. (crowd sitting) The Lord be with you. 

- (crowd in unison) And with your spirit. 

- Let us pray. Thank you, our words easy on our lips this time of year, oh God. Thank you for the card. Thank you for the gift. Thank you for the meal, the party, the time off from work. We say thank you to members of our families to friends, to those with whom we work, to strangers. And now we pause to thank you for giving us life, and enriching life with faith and love and friends, and little boys and girls who smile or cry, and make us feel like hugging the whole world. Thank you for evergreen trees and red ribbons, for gifts unwrapped and the joy of anticipation. Thank you for young people growing up, changing, becoming men and women before our eyes. Thank you for quiet evenings at home, and for jolly holiday gatherings. Thank you for mature years, for reflections of the mind and heart, for memories and hopes, for chance encounters with unselfishness. Thank you for holy moments, for candlelight, and songs, and warm smells, and angels on the tree. And thank you, God, as we await the coming of the one who traced a path from Bethlehem to Calvary, and at Easter gave meaning to Advent. And so we say thank you, but we know, oh Holy God, that none of us here are shepherds. We are not professional wise men or women like the magi of old. And who of us is an innkeeper? Yet we do know that our waiting is almost over. That Christmas is about to overtake even us. How favored we are to be among those invited to Bethlehem's manger to celebrate the excitement of you, great God Almighty. Humbled and glorified as the newborn infant. The creator become a child to share our human experience, and so become our Savior. Yet Christmas, oh God, is different for us. Different because we have grown accustomed to it. And it's hard, sometimes, to find the Christ Child under the tissue paper and the red and green foil. The sounds of Santa's bells, and commercials, and the telephone drown out the chance of hearing choirs of angels. Shopping and parties and travel plans make us too tense for wonder. Do, thou, oh God, quieten and calm our lives, so that this year we may hear and understand the message "Peace on Earth. "Goodwill to all people." May we pause in our cooking and our decorating long enough to grasp what that message means. That you do love us, and call us to lives of love. We pray, oh God, that the message and the meaning of Christmas will dawn in our world this year. Hasten the release of the captives in Iran. Give stamina, courage, and wisdom to those who try to negotiate the demands and intentions of that situation. Bring sensibility and compassion to all rulers and forces that defy peace in Latin America, Southern Africa, in Northern Ireland, and all other places where political and economic tensions cause bloodshed and suffering. We pray for the new settlement in Zimbabwe, Rhodesia. That it may be lasting and an end to the suffering of those long-denied peace. And today, oh God, we remember with special longing all people who are hungry, who are held prisoner, all whose human and civil rights are denied. Brighten their hope, and instill in us determination to be bearers of the glad tidings of justice. We know that it is pointless to pray that hungry and lonely persons have a merry Christmas, unless we are willing to share what we have. Our food, our fellowship, and ourselves with them. We pray, therefore, for a new spirit of generosity and Christ-like service within the Church and all lands, for a growing love in this place, and for our personal willingness to be self-sacrificing that none shall be hungry, or cold, or friendless. We pray today for all the Ebenezer Scrooge's of this world, and for the exorcizing of the Scrooge in ourselves. And on this Sunday before Christmas, Mighty God, we pray for all who travel in this holiday season, for friends and families as they gather in good cheer. We pray for all who sing hymns to your glory, for every child who dons angel's wings or shepherd's gear, for every church school which decorates trees, and every minister who proclaims your Christmas word. We solicit your healing powers for the sick. Restore them to health and to their families. We remember, in prayerful respect, all those who fill our memories this Christmas. May those memories enrich our Christmas now and in Christmases to come. We remember, especially today, Mrs. Phillips, and the family and friends of Jay Phillips. Bring them your comfort in their time of grief. And now, oh God, we're never too big or too old to outgrow the excitement of unwrapping a gift. So let us now untie the strings we have used to bind our greatest gift, your love in Christ. As one family, we pray the family prayer. (with the crowd) 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, the Power, and the Glory forever. Amen. (organ solo) ♪ Glorious is Thy name, Almighty Lord ♪ ♪ Glorious is Thy name ♪ ♪ Is Thy name, oh Lord ♪ ♪ Glorious is Thy name ♪ ♪ Glorious is Thy name, Lord ♪ ♪ Glorious is Thy name, oh Lord. ♪ ♪ Glorious is Thy name, oh Lord. ♪ ♪ Glorious is Thy name, oh Lord. ♪ ♪ Glorious is Thy name, Almighty Lord. ♪ ♪ All the angels stand ♪ ♪ Stand ♪ ♪ Round about Thy throne ♪ ♪ All the angels stand ♪ ♪ Stand ♪ ♪ Round about Thy throne ♪ ♪ Let all nations ♪ ♪ Bow before Thee ♪ ♪ Bow before Thee ♪ ♪ Let all, let all nations bow before Thee ♪ ♪ Let all ♪ ♪ All the nations bow before Thee ♪ ♪ Let all ♪ ♪ Let all nations bow before Thee ♪ ♪ Let all ♪ ♪ All nations bow before Thee ♪ ♪ And declare Thy wond'rous works ♪ ♪ And declare Thy wondr'rous works ♪ ♪ We praise Thee ♪ ♪ We give thanks to Thee ♪ ♪ We adore Thee ♪ ♪ We glorify Thee ♪ ♪ Lord we adore Thee ♪ ♪ We bless Thee ♪ ♪ Lord, we thank Thee ♪ ♪ For Thy great glory ♪ ♪ Lord, we thank Thee ♪ ♪ For Thy great glory ♪ ♪ Lord, we thank Thee ♪ ♪ For Thy great glory ♪ ♪ Lord, we thank Thee ♪ ♪ For Thy great glory ♪ ♪ For Thy great glory ♪ ♪ For Thy great glory ♪ ♪ Heav'n is Thy throne and Earth is Thy footstool. ♪ ♪ Thou art King over all the world ♪ ♪ Glorious is Thy name ♪ ♪ Is Thy name, oh Lord ♪ ♪ Glorious is Thy name ♪ ♪ Blessing and honor be to God forever and ever ♪ ♪ Forever and ever more ♪ ♪ Forever and ever more ♪ ♪ Blessing and honor be to God forever and ever more ♪ ♪ Blessing and honor be to God forever and ever more ♪ ♪ Blessing forever and ever more ♪