Please join us for our online Christmas Eve service, featuring our virtual choir (pictured above) and lots of other friendly faces from near and far. The service will be posted here, on our Youtube Channel (GLL UMCs) and our Facebook Pages by mid-day Christmas Eve. You can use it for your Christmas Eve worship any time after that. The order of worship is provided below:

Order of Worship for the Online Christmas Eve Service 2020¹

Glidden, Lanesboro Community and Lohrville United Methodist Churches

PREPARING FOR THE SERVICE:  If possible, before you begin the video, assemble an advent “wreath” of five candles: four candles surround a center, “Christ” candle.  The candle can be of any color, shape, or size.  Also have an additional candle, or flashlight, glowstick of smartphone with a flashlight app available for each person.

PRELUDE  “I heard the bells on Christmas Day”

INTRODUCTION TO THE SERVICE

LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLES

Zechariah feared that he and his wife Elizabeth were too old to be of use.

Light the first candle while saying:

We heard the angel say, “Fear Not, Zechariah; Fear Not.”

Mary feared that the task she was given was impossible; but nothing is impossible with God.

Light the second candle while saying

We heard the angel say, “Fear Not, Mary; Fear Not”

Joseph feared embarrassment and the disdain of others.

Light the third candle while saying

We heard the angel say, “Fear Not, Joseph; Fear Not”

The shepherds feared the unexpected interruption to their lives

Light the fourth candle while saying

We heard the angel say, “Fear Not, shepherds; Fear Not”

Tonight, Christ is born

Light the middle candle while saying

He is the answer to all our fears. He is God with us, and so we Fear Not

CAROL: O Holy Night: Schroeders

PRAYER

Gracious God, source of our hope, and answer to our fears,

   help us hear again the story of the birth of Jesus,

   so that we may be filled with joy and share the good news with all the world.

Amen.

FIRST READING Luke 1:26–38

CAROL “Breath of Heaven”²

SECOND  READING Matthew 1:18-24

CAROL:  “What Child is This”

THIRD READING Luke 2:1-7

HYMN  “O Little Town of Bethlehem”

FOURTH READING Luke 2:8-20

HYMN  “Mary Did You Know”³

FIFTH READING Matthew 2:1-12

CAROL “We Three Kings”

SIXTH READNG:  Isaiah 9:6-7

SPECIAL MUSIC: “All Is Well”⁴

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING⁵

THE LORDS 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 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, amen.

CANDLE LIGHTING

     Light your candles (or turn on a flashlight) as a sign of the light that shines through you, and join our virtual choir in singing Silent Night

SILENT NIGHT

BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE: Joy to the World

¹ Unless otherwise noted, liturgy and instructions are Written by Lorinda H. M. Hoover, © 2020 Glidden, Lanesboro and Lohrville United Methodist Churches. Creative CommonsAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

² By Amy Grant and Chris Eaton ©1992 Clouseau Music Ltd Age To Age Music, Inc. Riverstone Music, Inc. Used by permission through CCLI licenses 11472327 (Glidden UMC, print), 20262915 (Glidden UMC, streaming), 3177642 (Lanesboro-Lohrville UMCs print), 20262881 (Lanesboro-Lohrville UMCs, streaming).

³ By Buddy Greene And Mark Lowry ©1991, 1993 Rufus Music, Curb Word Music.  Used by permission through CCLI licenses 11472327 (Glidden UMC, print), 20262915 (Glidden UMC, streaming), 3177642 (Lanesboro-Lohrville UMCs print), 20262881 (Lanesboro-Lohrville UMCs, streaming).

⁴ By Michael W. Smith and Wayne Kirkpatrick ©1989 Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Songs Sony/ATV Milene Music.  Used by permission through CCLI licenses 11472327 (Glidden UMC, print), 20262915 (Glidden UMC, streaming), 3177642 (Lanesboro-Lohrville UMCs print), 20262881 (Lanesboro-Lohrville UMCs, streaming).

⁵ Adapted from a prayer Written by Lorinda H. M. Hoover,  ©2015 Glidden United Methodist Church, and are released under   Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.  This adaptation is by Lorinda H. M. Hoover, © 2020 Glidden, Lanesboro and Lohrville United Methodist Churches. Creative CommonsAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.