Sunday Worship Service
December 24, 2023 – 10:30am
We are RECEIVED as the Beloved of God
The actual worship service begins 15 minutes into the recordings.
WELCOME
Welcome! We are grateful that God has brought us together. If you are a first-time visitor, please send Pastor Jinwoo an email at pastor@saint-matthews.org. We would love to stay in contact with you. Thank you.
OPENING SONG
He is Born – UM Hymnal (blue book) # 228
Refrain:
He is born, the holy Child, play the oboe and bagpipes merrily!
He is born, the holy Child, sing we all of the Savior mild.
1 Thru long ages of the past, prophets have foretold his coming;
thru long ages of the past, now the time has come at last!
2 O how lovely, O how pure is this perfect child of heaven;
O how lovely, O how pure gracious gift to humankind!
3 Jesus, Lord of all the world, coming as a child among us,
Jesus, Lord of all the world, grant to us thy heavenly peace.
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Today, we light the Advent candles of HOPE, PEACE, JOY, LOVE, and the Christ candle. There is room for you here. If you’re weary and worn, or hopeful and patient.
People: If you’re tired and lost, or wrapped up in hope.
Leader: If you’re new to this place, or have been here before.
People: Come in, come in. There is room for you here.
Leader: The angels are singing,
People: “Be not afraid.”
Leader: The angels are singing,
People: “Good news and great joy!”
Leader: So come in, come in!
All: There is room for all here. Let us worship our God together.
Amen.
OPENING PRAYER
† SONG – Together
Joy to the World – UM Hymnal (blue book) # 246
1. Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King;
let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
2. Joy to the world, 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 sins and sorrows 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.
CHILDREN’S TIME WITH A MESSAGE FOR ALL AGES
We are TRANSFORMED by the Word of God
SCRIPTURE READING
Luke 2:1-20
GOOD NEWS
We Make Room
† SONG – Together
Go, Tell It on the Mountain – UM Hymnal (blue book) # 251
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
1. While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night,
behold throughout the heavens, there shone a holy light.
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
2. The shepherds feared and trembled when lo! above the earth
rang out the angel chorus that hailed the Savior’s birth.
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
3. Down in a lowly manger the humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation, that blessed Christmas morn.
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
THE HOLY COMMUNION
The Great Thanksgiving in Music – UM Hymnal (blue book) # 17-18
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
RESPONSE TO GOD’S GRACE (OFFERING)
Pastor: Gracious God, we believe in You who know the shape and form of our weariness.
People: We believe in You who want joy and delight for us, not just survival and existence.
Pastor: We bring our joy and our weariness like two sides of the same coin, and we trust that You are already at work.
People: We believe in You who are not done dreaming for the world, who send hope in the form of people and change, movements, and Spirit.
All: So we decide to participate in Your ministry in and through us with our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Thanks be to God! Amen.
OFFERING (Let us count God’s blessings upon us while listening to the offertory.)
The Angels’ Carol by John Rutter
We are SENT by the power of God
BLESSING
CLOSING SONG – Together
Silent Night, Holy Night – UM Hymnal (blue book) # 239
Silent Night, Holy Night – UM Hymnal (blue book) # 239
1. 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.
2. Silent night, holy night, shepherds quake at the sight;
glories stream from heaven afar, heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born!
3. 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.