December 21, 2025
Join us for worship on Sunday, December 21, 2025. This Sunday is our Advent Music Service, Out of Darkness, Light.. Our scripture is Matthew 1: 18-23. Our music is provided by The Alleluia Singers, Chamber Singers, and Resound Vocal Ensemble, accompanied by professional instrumentalists.
- To watch the service, click the Service tab below. The livestream will begin around 11:05 a.m. A recording of the livestream will be available afterward, and you can watch it anytime.
- To read the Bulletin, click the Bulletin tab below. You may flip back and forth between the Service and Bulletin tabs at anytime without interruption. Below the video screen, you can use the button to access a PDF of the Bulletin, if you prefer.
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Sunday December 21, 2025 Worship Service
Livestream at 11:10 a.m.
Gathering in God’s Name
Welcome and Announcements
Prelude — “I Wonder as I Wander” — Kyle Pederson
Resound
Silent Meditation
“The whole story of Advent is the story of how God can’t be kept out. God is present. God is with us. God shows up—not with a parade but with the whimper of a baby, not among the powerful but among the marginalized, not to the demanding but to the humble.” – Rachel Held Evans
Lighting the Advent Candle of Love — The Friesen Family (Jeff, Camille, Beckett)
Congregational Response — “Light the Candle” — Carl Schalk
Advent Call to Worship
A voice cries, “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord;
We are preparing our hearts for the God of love to come into the world.
God’s love flows into our lives through the gift of the Christ child.
God has come into our lives, turning our hearts toward God. In Jesus, we have received the ultimate gift of love, which is our gift to share with the world!
Praise and Adoration
*Advent Hymn — “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” PICARDY; arr. Chad Fothergill
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(All) Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand;
ponder nothing earthly minded, for with blessing in his hand
Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand.
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(Choir) King of kings, yet born of Mary, as of old on earth he stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture, in the body and the blood,
he will give to all the faithful his own self for heavenly food.
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(All) Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way,
as the Light of light descendeth from the realms of endless day,
that the powers of hell may vanish as the shadows clear away.
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(All) At his feet the six-winged seraph, cherubim, with sleepless eye,
veil their faces to the presence, as with ceaseless voice they cry,
“Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, Lord most high!”
Confession and Pardon
Call to Confession
Prayer of Confession
Great God, as we behold the birth of Jesus again, we are mindful of how we have failed to receive the fullness of that gift. The story points us to your glory, yet we focus on things of little significance. Tell us again that the Savior is born. Tell us again that we are forgiven. Tell us again that our lives can be abundant in faith, hope and love because of what you have given us in Jesus Christ.
Silent Prayers of Confession and Petition
Kyrie Eleison (#578) — “O Lord, Have Mercy” — ORÉ PORIAJÚ VEREKÓ
Assurance of Pardon
*Alleluia (#587) — “Alleluia!” — CELTIC ALLELUIA
Proclamation of God’s Word and Prayer
Scripture — Isaiah 11: 1-4a, 6-9 — page 558 of the pew Bible
Janet Wallace, Liturgist
Prayers of the People and The Lord’s 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
Anthem — “Splendor” from Illuminare — Elaine Hagenberg
Alleluia Singers & Resound
“A Savior is Born! (What Child Is This?)” Dave Gardner — Alleluia Singers
Scripture — Matthew 1: 18-23 — page 783 of the pew Bible
Janet Wallace, Liturgist
Anthem — “Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day” — John Gardner
Chamber Singers
“Cradle Hymn” Kim André Arnesen
Women’s Chorus
*Christmas Hymn — “Joy to the World!” Lowell Mason — Arr. John Rutter
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(All) 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.
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(All) Joy to the world! The Savior reigns: let us our songs employ;
while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
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(Choir) 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.
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(All) 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.
Presentation of Tithes and Offerings
Offertory — “I Am Changed” — Will Todd
Chamber Singers
“I Will Light Candles This Christmas” — Kim André Arnesen
Alleluia Singers & Resound
*Christmas Hymn — “O Come, All Ye Faithful” — ADESTE FIDELES — arr. Sir David Willcocks
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O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant;
O come ye; O come ye to Bethlehem!
Come, and behold him, born the King of angels!
Refrain: O come, let us adore him; O come, let us adore him;
O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord!
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Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation.
Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above;
Glory to God in the highest:
Refrain
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Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning,
Jesus, to thee be glory giv’n;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing:
Refrain
*Charge and Benediction
*Postlude — “Where Riches Is Everlastingly” — Bob Chilcott
Resound