Ascension Evangelical Lutheran Church Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
4768 Union Deposit Road, Harrisburg, PA 17111; Pastor Green’s telephone numbers: office: 652-8285; cell: 319-5424; home: 732-2631; Email: ; Church’s Website: Pastor Robert Green; Officers: President: Mike Neff; Vice President: Chuck Thompson; Elders: Mike Neff, Chuck Thompson, Ralph Buehler, Daniel Sellers, Rick Grove, and Lance Pockey; Evangelism: Steve Lange; Fellowship: Ron Althoff; Treasurer: Rick Grove; Properties: Terry Reilly; Public Relations:; Youth Ministry: Vacant Christian Education: vacant; Stewardship: Franklin Stauffer; Secretary: vacant. Organists/pianists: Vyonne Stephenson, Marge Metz, Scott Salesky and Jodie Roberts; Willing Workers: Co-chairmen: Barb Buehler and Jodie Roberts; Secretary: Linda Graf; Altar Guild: Barb Buehler and Lila Collins; LWMS Reporter: Jodie Roberts
SERVICE OF LESSONS AND CAROLS FOR
CHRISTMAS EVE, 2011
Luke 1:31-33 “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
Welcome one and all to worship this Christmas Eve!
We are glad you are here. Please sign our guest book, located on the cabinet to your left as you leave the sanctuary or fill out the guest card in the pew and put the guest card in the offering plate. Please include your e-mail or mailing address, if you would like to be added to our weekly e-mail for sermons, bulletins and announcements.May our worship strengthen your faith in Jesus as your Savior.
A Nursery from which you can hear and see the service is available for parents with children in the back of the sanctuary. A restroom is in the narthex, the large room you came through to enter the church.
Joy to the World
Stand
exhortation and prayer
M:Dear people of God, in this Christmas season, it is our duty and delight to hear again the message of the angels and, in heart and mind, to go to Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us—the Christ Child lying in a manger.
Let us read and learn in Holy Scripture the story of the loving purpose of God from the first days after our fall into sin to the glorious redemption brought to us by this Holy Child.
But first, let us pray for people all over the world who would delight with us to know the good news of Jesus Christ and who would join with us in singing his praises. Let us pray
for the people of this city and for all those in our own congregation.
And, because this would please our Lord, let us remember in his name the poor and helpless, the cold, the hungry and the oppressed, the sick and those who are sad, the lonely and the unloved, and the elderly and the little children. We especially remember all those who do not know the Lord Jesus, those who do not love him, and those who by sin have grieved his heart of love.
Finally, let us remember before God all those who rejoice with us in heaven, who live in greater light than we, that multitude which no one can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, who died in faith, and who live before the throne of God and praise him each day in his temple. We confess that we are united with them as we are united with one another.
To sum up all these petitions, let us pray as Christ himself taught us:
LORD’S PRAYER
C: 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.
BE SEATED
First Lesson read by Franklin Stauffer
THE FIRST PROMISE OF THE SAVIOR
Genesis 3:14-15: So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Second Lesson read by Steve Lange
ThePromise narrowing the line of the Savior
Genesis 12:1–3 (NIV):The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 26:4 (NIV84):I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed,
Genesis 28:14 (NIV84):Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.
Hymn: O Little Town of Bethlehem: The first two verses are sung by our soloist Betty Murray. We sing the second two verses after the next reading.
Third Lesson read by Terry Reilly
The Promise the Savior would come from the tribe of Judah and the line of David
Genesis 49:10:“The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.” (NIV)
2 Samuel 7:11b-16:`The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.'" (NIV)
O Little Town of Bethlehem –The congregation sings the second two verses (previous page)
Fourth Lesson read byMike Neff
The promise of when and where he would be born
Daniel 7:13-14 (NIV): “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
Micah 5:2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."
Hymn: From Above to Earth I Come
Fifth Lesson read by Ralph Buehler
Promise of the Virgin Birth
Isaiah 7:1–14 (NIV84): When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it.
2 Now the house of David was told, “Aram has allied itself with Ephraim”; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.
3 Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub, to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washerman’s Field. 4 Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood—because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah. 5 Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s son have plotted your ruin, saying, 6 “Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it.” 7 Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“ ‘It will not take place,
it will not happen,
8for the head of Aram is Damascus,
and the head of Damascus is only Rezin.
Within sixty-five years
Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people.
9The head of Ephraim is Samaria,
and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son.
If you do not stand firm in your faith,
you will not stand at all.’ ”
10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11 “Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”
12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.”
13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Hymn: Behold A Branch is Growing
5. O Savior, Child of Mary,
Who felt our human woes,
O Savior, King of glory,
Who conquered all our foes,
Bring us at last, we pray,
To the bright courts of heaven,
And to the endless day.
Sixth Lesson read by Terry Reilly
The promises confirmed to Mary
Luke 1:26–38 (NIV84): In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful
Seventh Lesson read by Steve Lange
The promise confirmed to Joseph
Matthew 1:18–25 (NIV84)
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Hymn:Away in the Manger (next page)
3. Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask you to stay
Close by me forever and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in your tender care,
And take us to heaven to live with you there.
Eighth Lesson read by Mike Neff
Promised fulfilled in the birth
Luke 2:1–20 (NIV84):In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to 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. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Hymn: To Shepherds as They Watched at Night(next page)
1
5. Not one he will or can forsake, His cov’nant he will never break.Let ev’ry scheme the tempter try, You may his utmost pow’rs defy.
6. You shall and must at last prevail, God’s own you are; you cannot fail.To God forever sing your praise, With joy and patience all your days.
1
Text: Martin Luther, 1483-1546; tr. Richard Massie, 1800=87, alt.
Tune: Latin melody, 15th century, adapt.
Ninth Lesson read by Ralph Buehler
Promise fulfilled in the suffering, death
and resurrection of Jesus
Luke 24:36–49 (NIV84):While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”