The Nativity of our Lord
Christmas Day 2023
A Brief History of The Christian Church’s
Celebration of Christ’s Birth
What is the most important church festival? No doubt many church-goers would answer, “Christmas, of course!” But it wasn’t always that way. As a matter of fact, for the first 350 years after Christ’s birth Christian churches didn’t celebrate a December 25th Christmas. (There is evidence that the origins of a primitive and isolated Christmas celebration can be traced back to 98 AD, but it was not embraced church-wide and was rather short-lived.) For early Christians the major Church festival of the year was Easter, with each new Sunday (the Lord’s Day) being a fresh reminder of Jesus’ resurrection on the first day of the week. In fact, church members who did consider formally commemorating Christ’s birth were afraid that by doing so, outsiders might come to think of Jesus as just another one of the many earthly rulers whose birthdays customarily were celebrated in those days.
Instead of being concerned with a December 25th Christmas, the ancient church was much more interested in January 6, the Festival of Epiphany, which directed people’s attention to the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry: his baptism and first miracle. Today, of course, Epiphany lies in the shadow of Christmas and has even taken on a Christmas theme. We now use Epiphany to relate the final chapter of the Christmas story, the coming of the Wise Men.
It was during the fourth century that the spotlight began to shift from Epiphany to Christmas. One reason was a growing emphasis on the miraculous, yet human, birth of the Savior. The early Christians had to contend with a cult known as the Gnostics (“Knowers”). These heretics down-played Jesus’ humanity. To them it was unthinkable that the eternal Son of God should come into the world as a little baby. They taught that Jesus first became divine at the time of his baptism. Gnosticism posed a serious threat to the early churches, much like cults who are pulling thousands away from Christian churches today. It was only natural that discussions about Christ’s humanity would center on his birth. The only problem was, nobody knew when the Savior was born. The Bible gives no specific date. And if the first generation of Christians knew it, either they didn’t write it down or it wasn’t preserved.
Putting together what scant information they had, theologians sought to arrive at the date. Some attempted to establish the day when Zechariah (the father of John the Baptist) served in the temple; they then combined it with the annunciation to Mary which took place “in the sixth month” following (Luke 1:26). Others tried to determine at what time of the year the shepherds might or might not have been in the fields of Bethlehem. Such calculations have led to a variety of possibilities: January 2 or 6, March 28 or 29, April 18, 19 or 20, September 29, December 25. The church father Hippolytus (about 170-235) is given credit for being the first person to set the date as December 25. He had concluded that the time of Christ’s life from his conception to his crucifixion was exactly 33 years. Having somehow determined (we now know his conclusions were erroneous) that both these events took place on March 25, it was simply a matter of adding nine months to get the day of Jesus’ birth, December 25.
About the same time that Christians were deciding Jesus’ birthday was important, another momentous event took place. The Roman Emperor Constantine (280-337) was converted to Christianity. Suddenly Christianity changed from being a persecuted religion to the “status” of being the official state religion. Because of this, many people found it politically advantageous to become Christian. Needless to say, more than a few of those “conversions” were less than sincere. It just so happened that one of the favorite Roman holidays was the Saturnalia (December 17-24), which culminated in the celebration of the shortest day of the year and the birth of the “new sun” on December 25. These days were marked by processions, lighting candles and giving presents. This was also a time of merrymaking and overindulgence. Since the Romans were not inclined to give up their holiday, it seemed natural to replace the birth of the sun with the birth of “the Sun of Righteousness” (Malachi 4:2), but it wasn’t an easy or a total victory. In fact, to this day, since that first celebration of Christmas in 336, Christian pastors have been trying their best to keep Christ at the center of the Christmas celebration, often against rather formidable secular and materialistic competition.
Some additional thoughts…..the “season” of Christmas lasts only a few weeks on the “traditional” Church Calendar. Its exact length is determined by the number of Sundays between December 25 and January 6th. It is never longer than two Sundays, and is typically one Sunday in length (this year it will span just one Sunday). Also, in generations past December 25th was usually referred to as “First Christmas” (rather than Christmas Day), while December 26th came to be known as “Second Christmas.” On both days Christians considered it a privilege to publicly worship their Savior-King. Sadly that “good” custom of reinforcing in our hearts the good news of the Savior’s birth through “Second Christmas” fell into disuse years ago, and so has been all but lost to today’s average churchgoer.
In closing…..(and perhaps as a surprise to some) a few of the customs we associate with Christmas owe at least part of their origin to pagan sources. For example, the Roman Saturnalia, which marked the sun’s “return” included the practice of giving and receiving presents. Also, it is very possible that our customs of using evergreens, holly, ivy, mistletoe and rosemary were first suggested by non-Christian practices, although these quickly took on Christian significance. And finally, as for the custom of Christmas trees, which are of German origin, this practice can be traced back to the Christian-oriented mystery plays of the Middle Ages. Traditionally, Martin Luther was among the first – if not the first – to bring the evergreen tree indoors as a symbol of the everlasting life which Christ our Savior came to bring us.
The Advent Wreath and Candles
Central to our celebration of the Savior’s birth not only this morning , but throughout the pre-Christmas season of Advent has been the “Advent Wreath and Candles” which are found in the front of the sanctuary today. For the first time this year, the large white candle in the center, the “Christ Candle,” is lit, since this morning we are here to celebrate His birth. It symbolizes the fulfillment of Christmas prophesy — the nativity of Jesus Christ, the Savior and Light of the world. In addition, the four smaller candles (formerly 3 purple and one pink) have been replaced by four white candles. The color of white is used to symbolize the personal purity and righteousness of Christ our Savior, as well as to typify the status (of fully forgiven, heaven-bound saints) that Jesus’ substitutionary perfect life and sacrifice has secured for us. The significance of each of those four smaller candles is explained in what follows:
The First Candle (violet/white) is the Candle of Prophesy, symbolizing the Old Testament prophecies of the Advent, or coming, of the Savior.
The Second Advent Candle (violet/white) is the Bethlehem Candle. It symbolizes the coming to earth of Jesus, the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary.
The Third Advent Candle (pink/white) is the Shepherd Candle. Through this candle’s symbolism we recall the coming of the Savior into our hearts and lives through the Means of Grace (the Gospel in Word and Sacrament).
The Fourth Candle (violet/white) is the Angel Candle. It represents the final coming of the Savior in glory with all His angels for the final judgement.
Other than Luke 2:1-20, which comes from the King James Version, the other portions of God’s Word used in this worship flyer have been taken from The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version Copyright 2019, The Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission Music and lyrics, as needed, are used with permission via OneLicense.net #A712831
Prayer In Preparation For Worship Heavenly Father, I thank You for bringing me safely to this hour of worship and praise. Help me to listen attentively to Your Word, and use that Word to increase both my faith and my knowledge of Your will. Thank You, also, for sending Your Son to become a human like me, and – more than that – to live the life of faithfulness for me that I could not live because of my sinfulness; and to die the death of sin that I deserve because of my unfaithfulness. Finally, thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit, to work faith in my heart, so that I can believe in You, along with Your Son and the Spirit, as the one, true God of my salvation, In Jesus’ name, and for His sake, I ask all this. Amen.
Oh Come, All Ye Faithful, Joyful and Triumphant
Oh Come, Ye, O 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.
+ + + + + + + + + +
Rejoice, Rejoice, this happy morn, A Savior unto us is born,
The Christ, the Lord of Glory. His lowly birth in Bethlehem
The angels from on high proclaim And sing redemption’s story.
My soul, extol God‘s great favor, Bless Him ever For salvation Give Him praise and adoration.
+ + + + + + + + + +
Of the Father’s love begotten, since the world began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega, He the Source, the Ending, He
Of the things that are, that have been, And that future years shall see.
Evermore and evermore.
+ + + + + + + + + +
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
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy
+ + + + + + + + + +
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.
+ + + + + + + + + + + +
God rest you merry gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay,
For Jesus Christ our Savior Was born on Christmas Day,
To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and you, comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.
Silent Prayer Pre-service Music
We Praise Our God
The Greeting and Invitation to Worship
At the Pastor’s invitation, the Congregation will rise for
The Invocation
P: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Congregation: Amen.
The Responsive Reading
Pastor: Oh come, let us worship the Lord
Congregation: Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving.
Pastor Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.
Congregation: We have seen Christ’s glory, the glory of the
Father’s’ only- begotten Son, full of grace and truth.
The Opening Prayer for Christmas Day
Almighty God, in Your incomprehensible mercy, + You sent Your one and only Son to take upon Himself our human nature. + By virtue of Christ’s gracious coming + and His atoning work, + deliver us now from the oppression of our enemies: + Satan, + our sinful flesh, + and this evil world, + which relentlessly seek to turn us back toward spiritual darkness. + Transform us, we pray, + by the power of Your Holy Spirit + into living Lights for Christ, + that we might daily grow in faith, joy, and service to You. + This we seek in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ, + Your Son, our Lord, + Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, + one God, now and forever. Amen.
After which the Congregation may be seated for
The Opening Hymn Hymn 36 A Great and Mighty Wonder
1 A great and mighty wonder, A glorious mystery:
A virgin bears an infant Who veils his deity.
Refrain:
Repeat the hymn again: “To God on high be glory And peace on earth to men.”
2 The Word becomes incarnate And yet remains on high,
And cherubim sing anthems To shepherds from the sky. [Refrain]
3 While thus they sing your monarch, Those bright angelic bands,
Rejoice, O vales and mountains, And oceans, clap your hands. [Refrain]
4 Since all he comes to ransom, By all be he adored,
The infant born in Bethl’em, The Savior and the Lord. [Refrain]
5 All idols then shall perish And Satan’s lying cease,
And Christ shall raise his scepter, Decreeing endless peace. [Refrain]
After which, the Congregation will rise for
The Confession of Sins and Absolution
Pastor – Let us now rise and join in confessing our sins to God.
All – Almighty God we have come together to stand in Your presence, to hear Your Word and to worship You.
Pastor – But who may appear in Your presence, Heavenly Father, and who may call on You for help?
All – He who has clean hands and a pure heart; He shall receive blessings from the Lord.
Pastor – O Holy and righteous God, You alone can make us clean. We have rebelled against You and become worthless. But Your mercies never end; they are new every day. At Your command and promise, therefore, we come to You and confess our sins.
All – O Holy and most merciful Father, I am altogether sinful from birth. In countless ways I have sinned against You and do not deserve to be called Your child.
But at Your gracious Word I come to You, and for the sake of my Lord, Jesus Christ, I plead: God have mercy on me a sinner!”
The Absolution and Assurance
Pastor – Having heard your confession, I as a called minister of the Living Word assure you that our gracious Father in heaven has heard your prayer, and now, according to the command of the Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you. Amen.
Congregation: To the melody of “Ode to Joy” (cwh, 1999)
Joyful, joyful we adore You, God of glory, God of love!
Heav’n and earth bow down before You,
Praising You, our Lord above.
You our Father, Christ our Savior, With the Spirit faith provides,
Life eternal we’ve been granted, gracious gift that e’er abides.
You are giving and forgiving, Ever glorious, Ever blest.
Source of every kind of blessing, Giver of eternal rest.
You have claimed us as Your children
Heaven’s heirs through faith alone —
In the Rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ, our Lord, Your Son.
Lord, receive our prayers and praises, weak and humble though they be.
Yours the power, Yours the glory, Both today and endlessly.
None beside You, None before You, God of mercy, full and free.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, ever blessed Trinity. Amen
The Psalm for This Festival Psalm 150
Pastor: Praise the Lord.
Congregation: Praise God in His sanctuary;
Men & boys: Praise Him in His mighty heavens.
Women & girls: Praise Him for His acts of power;
Lectern Side: Praise Him for His surpassing greatness.
Pulpit Side: Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet,
Pastor: Praise Him with the harp and lyre.
Men & boys: Praise Him with tambourine and dancing,
Pastor: Praise Him with the strings and flute,
Women & girls: Praise Him with the clash of cymbals,
Pastor: Praise Him with resounding cymbals.
Congregation: Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Pastor: Praise the Lord.
After which the Congregation may be seated
We Give Our Attention to God’s Word
Promised to Adam and Eve Genesis 3:15
And I will put hostility between you and the woman
And between your seed and her Seed.
He will crush your head,
And you will crush His heel.
Promised to Abraham Genesis 22:18
In your Seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed,
Because you have obeyed My voice.
From the Tribe of Judah Genesis 49:10
The scepter will not depart from Judah,
Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until the One to Whom it belongs comes.
He will receive the obedience of the peoples.
From the House of David II Samuel 7:12-14
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.
He is the One Who will build a house for my name,
And I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever.
I will be His Father and He will be My Son.
He will be Born in Bethlehem Micah 5:2
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
From you, will go out the One Who will be the Ruler for Me in Israel.
His goings forth are from the beginning, from the days of eternity.
Our Response In Song Hymn 50 “Once in Royal David’s City”
1 Once in royal David’s city Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her baby In a manger for his bed;
Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.
2 He came down to earth from heaven Who is God and Lord of all,
And his shelter was a stable, And his cradle was a stall;
With the poor and mean and lowly Lived on earth our Savior holy.
3 But our eyes at last shall see him Through his own redeeming love,
For that child, so dear and gentle, Is our Lord in heav’n above,
And he leads his children on To the place where he is gone.
4 Not in that poor, lowly stable With the oxen standing by
Shall we see him, but in heaven, Set at God’s right hand on high.
Then like stars his children crowned, All in white, his praise will sound.
The Reading of Luke 2:1-7 The Birth of the Savior
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room from them in the inn.
A Special Vocal Selection “The Manger Holds The Lamb”
sung by Cynthia and Deborah Tragasz
Behold the humble manger where the Baby rests His head;
It will soon become the altar where His gentle heart is bled.
For the manger holds the Lamb, on Whose heart our sins are laid,
And the Lamb becomes the sacrifice for the sheep who all have strayed.
Though the baby now is sleeping in the comfort of His bed,
Soon His eyelids will be closing on the cross of death instead.
For the manger holds the Lamb, on Whose heart our sins are laid,
And the Lamb becomes the sacrifice for the sheep who all have strayed.
Do now weep, and do not mourn
the loss of your sins that cause Him pain.
For beyond the manger is the cross; He has risen up to reign!
Greater truth was never told, Nor achievement ever won;
Greater love was never shown us than this deed that God has done!
The Angels Announce Christ’s
The Reading of Luke 2:8-14 Birth to the Shepherds
And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not. For, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, good will toward men.”
Congregational Hymn Hymn 63 “Angels We Have Heard On High”
1 Angels we have heard on high, Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply, Echoing their joyous strains.
Gloria in excelsis Deo; Gloria in excelsis Deo.
2 Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be Which inspire your heav’nly song?
Gloria in excelsis Deo; Gloria in excelsis Deo.
3 Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
Gloria in excelsis Deo; Gloria in excelsis Deo.
The Shepherds Visit the Christ
The Reading of Luke 2:15-20 Child and Return, Glorifying God
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, “Let us now go even to Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.” And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
The Confession of our Faith Excerpted from the Athanasian Creed
Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the universal Christian faith. + Which faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, + without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
And the universal, Christian faith is this, + that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity. + Neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the Substance. + For there is one Person of the Father, + another of the Son, + and another of the Holy Spirit.
Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation + that he also believe faithfully the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. + For the right faith is that we believe and confess + that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, + is God and Man; + God of the Substance of the Father, + begotten before the worlds; + and Man of the substance of His mother, + born in the world; + Perfect God and perfect Man, + of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting.
Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead + and inferior to the Father as touching His manhood; + Who, although He is both God and Man, + yet He is not two, but one Christ: + One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, + but by taking the manhood into God; + One altogether; not by confusion of Substance, + but by unity of Person.
For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, + so God and Man is one Christ; + Who suffered for our salvation; + descended into hell; + rose again the third day from the dead; + He ascended into heaven; + He is seated on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty; + from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. +
At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies + and shall give an account of their own works. + And those that have done good shall go into life everlasting; + and those that have done evil, into everlasting fire.
This is the universal, Christian faith; + which except a man believe faithfully and firmly, + he cannot be saved.
Congregational Hymn Hymn 54 “Where Shepherds Lately Knelt”
- Where shepherds lately knelt and kept the angel’s word,
I come in half belief, a pilgrim strangely stirred,
but there is room and welcome there for me, but there is room and welcome there for me.
- In that unlikely place I find him as they said:
sweet newborn babe, how frail! and in a manger bed,
a still, small voice to cry one day for me, a still, small voice to cry one day for me.
- How should I not have known Isaiah would be there,
his prophecies fulfilled? With pounding heart I stare:
a child, a son, the Prince of Peace for me, a child, a son, the Prince of Peace for me.
- Can I, will I forget how love was born, and burned
its way into my heart unasked, unforced, unearned,
to die, to live, and not alone for me, to die, to live, and not alone for me?
The Sermon based on Genesis 3:15
I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed. HE will crush your head,
and you will crush his heel.
Why We Need Christmas
We Bring our Offerings and Prayers to the Lord
Offerings will be received this morning through offering plates passed among those who have gathered here for worship.
However, for those viewing this service online, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) You can mail a check (no cash) to the church address: (415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
2) You can also donate on our website: www.gracelutherannwa.com
as the offerings are being brought forward to the altar the Congregation will rise for
-
Any Special Prayers
Our Christmas Prayer (offered in Unison)
O GOD THE FATHER, we praise You for the gift of Your Son, Who was born in the poverty and lowliness of Bethlehem so that we might enjoy the riches of Your grace and the blessings of being Your children now and forever.
O GOD THE SON, we adore You for humbling Yourself to be born a human being in order to be our Savior; for bearing the burden and curse of all our sins; and for offering Yourself to our Father in heaven as the perfect sacrifice and satisfaction for our sins
O GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT, we glorify You for having made in our hearts a home for the Savior of the world; and for bringing the peace of forgiveness and salvation to our souls by giving us the faith to believe in Him Who is the Prince of Peace and King of Kings.
O BLESSED HOLY TRINITY, on this holy day give us humble and contrite hearts that we may joyfully claim the Babe of Bethlehem as our Lord and God. Remove from us the tattered robes of our own self-righteousness, and instead adorn us with the spotless garments of Christ’s righteousness.
Use every gift we receive during this Christmas season from friends and family to remind us of Your greater gift to us: the Gift of a Savior from sin, so that our hearts might rejoice and our tongues might sing, “Glory to God in the highest, forever and ever!”
We offer this prayer in the name, and for the sake of the Christ Child, our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, Who has also taught us to pray:
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.
We Conclude Today’s Service
The Closing Hymn Hymn 34 “Now Sing We Now, Rejoice”
1 Now sing we, now rejoice, Now raise to heav’n our voice;
He from whom joy streameth Poor in a manger lies;
Not so brightly beameth The sun in yonder skies.
Thou my Savior art! Thou my Savior art!
2 Come from on high to me; I cannot rise to thee.
Cheer my wearied spirit, O pure and holy Child;
Through thy grace and merit, Blest Jesus, Lord most mild,
Draw me unto thee! Draw me unto thee!
3 Now through his Son doth shine The Father’s grace divine.
Death o’er us had reigned Through sin and vanity;
He for us obtained Eternal joy on high.
May we praise him there! May we praise him there!
4 Oh, where shall joy be found? Where but on heav’nly ground?
Where the angels singing With all his saints unite,
Sweetest praises bringing In heav’nly joy and light.
Oh, that we were there! Oh, that we were there!
After which, the Congregation will rise for
The Closing Prayer
Pastor: We thank You, Almighty God, for the gift of Your Son, Who humbled Himself to become our Brother. Grant that the birth of our Lord Jesus may bring us into the glorious liberty of serving Him in His Kingdom. We ask this for the sake of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who with the Father and the Spirit is One God, forever and ever.
Congregation Amen.
The Benediction
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
And the love of God
And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
Be with you all. Amen.
Silent Prayer
Announcements,
ostlude
THANK YOU, and GOD BLESS YOU!
…..for being a participant in this morning’s worship service.
It’s been our privilege to share with you the joyous message
of the angels, that God has intended to be proclaimed by all His people:
that to us a Savior has been born. He is Christ the Lord!