This will be a candlelight service of special music, anthems and favorite carols, readings and reflection to honor our individual and collective lights.
We anticipate that this service will be both in-person and on Zoom. Click right here Sunday shortly before 10:00 a.m. to join via Zoom. Click here to read our protocols for in-person attendance.When attending in person, please completely power off your cell phone during the service to preserve the Church’s WiFi bandwidth for our Zoom attendees.
Christmas Eve Service
“Sharing Our Light”
Saturday, December 24, 2022, 5:00 PM
Words of Welcome Rev. Telos Whitfield
Prelude: Ave Maria J.S. Bach/Charles Gounod
Peter Gibbons, viola; Eva Greene, piano
Chalice Lighting: Elizabeth Lewis
“We kindle this flame to bring
Light in a time of darkness,
Love in a time of fear, and
Hope in a time of uncertainty.
We light this flame to honor our common light.”
Lighting Our Children’s Chalice
We light this chalice to celebrate Unitarian Universalism.
We are the church of the open minds.
We are the church of the helping hands.
We are the church of the loving hearts.
Call to Worship Rev. Telos Whitfield
Carol #244: “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” (see below for lyrics)
Story for the Season: “Unexpected Gifts!”
Anthem: “Go Tell It on the Mountain”
African American Spiritual
All Souls Choir, joined by the Congregation on the refrain:
“Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.”
Readings: Luke 2:1-7 “A Humble Birth” Ed Burke
Sabbath Poem by Wendell Berry
Readings: Luke 2:8-14 “News of Peace and Joy” Marty Shaw
Anthem: “Stars” A poem by Sarah Teasdale, Music by Tom Baehr
All Souls Choir, Tom Baehr, Director
Readings: Luke 2:15-20 “Shepherds Make the Journey” Marty Shaw
Poem: “Keeping Watch in the Night” by Joyce Rupp
Carol #237: “The First Nowell” (see below for lyrics)
Reflection: “Sharing Our Light” Rev. Telos Whitfield
Prayer For the World
Inviting the Offering Rev. Telos Whitfield
Offertory: “Be Thou My Refuge” (melody from G. F. Handel’s Rinaldo)
Will Lehninger Swist, piano; Marcia Lehninger, violin
Carol #245: “Joy to the World” (see below for lyrics)
offered by Marie Gorst and Eva Greene
Extinguishing the Chalice Elizabeth Lewis
“Though we extinguish our chalice, our light lives on.
Let us offer the best of ourselves to the work
that is so needed, the work of justice and care,
transformation and healing.
In this season of lights, may we spread our light far and wide.”
Blessing of the Candles and Candlelighting
Closing Carol #251: “Silent Night, Holy Night” (see below for lyrics)
accompanied by Will Lehninger Swist
Benediction:”The Work of Christmas” by Howard Thurman Rev. Telos Whitfield
“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”
It came upon a midnight clear
That glorious song of old
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of gold
Peace on the earth, good will to all
From heaven’s all gracious King
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing
Still through the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled
And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing
And ever o’er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing
All ye beneath life’s crushing load
Whose forms are bending low
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow
Look now for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing
O rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing
And hear the angels sing
“The First Nowell”
The First Noel the Angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep
Noel Noel Noel Noel
Born is the King of Israel!
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the East beyond them far
And to the earth it gave great light
And so it continued both day and night
Noel Noel Noel Noel
Born is the King of Israel!
And by the light of that same star
Three Wise men came from country far
To seek for a King was their intent
And to follow the star wherever it went
Noel Noel Noel Noel
Born is the King of Israel!
This star drew nigh to the northwest
O’er Bethlehem it took it’s rest
And there it did both pause and stay
Right o’er the place where Jesus lay
Noel Noel Noel Noel
Born is the King of Israel!
“Joy To the World!”
Joy to the world!
The Light is come: let earth with praises ring.
Let every heart, prepare a room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
Joy to the earth! :Now gladness reigns.
Let hearts their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
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.
“Silent Night, Holy Nght,”
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,
shepherds quake at the sight,
glories stream from heaven afar,
heavenly hosts sing “Alleluia”
sleep in heavenly peace,
sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night,
child of God, love’s pure light
radiant beams from thy holy face,
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
sleep in heavenly peace,
sleep in heavenly peace.
LUMINARIA DEDICATIONS
IN MEMORIAM
- FROM BEV MILLER FOR: NIC MATTINGLEY
- FROM RUTH LANE FOR: EUGENE LANE
- FROM MARTY WHITNEY FOR: WILMOT WHITNEY, JR.
- FROM KATHY SQUIRES FOR: JUDY INGISON
- FROM REV. TELOS FOR JUDY INGISON
- FROM SARAH O’SHEA FOR: JEFFREY BROADWELL
- FROM BETH MCKINNEY FOR: JOY WALLENS-PENFORD
- FROM LINDA LYON FOR:
CONRAD XXOO DEBORAH
CONRAD-THE BLACK DOGS – MISS YOU
JOY-YOUR SPECIAL FRIEND ROY - FROM JEN KARPIN FOR: JAY H. KARPIN
- FROM JOHN SPICER FOR: TARG SPICER
MARIA HERBERT - FROM ANN NEWSMITH FOR: VIRGINIA NEW
ALFRED NEW
BILL CALLAHAN
SAM OAKES - FROM THE FAMILY OF GARY & SUE GRAFF FOR:
DIANE & RICHARD BELSCHWENDER
GLORIA & WALTER GRAFF - FROM DEB KIRCHWEY FOR: DORA & JOHN TANZI
DIANE TANZI
CHRIS DICKEY
CAROL & BILL WHEELER
DEB BEAN - FROM JANIS CHAILLOU FOR MY PARENTS,
WALTHER & ETHEL CHAILLOU, & MY BROTHER, GARY
IN APPRECIATION
- FROM ANN NEWSMITH FOR: REV. TELOS
- FROM KATHY SQUIRES FOR: BEV MILLER
- FROM ANDREA MCAUSLAN FOR: REV. TELOS FOR BEING GREAT AT STAYING CONNECTED!
- FOR ALL THOSE WHO WE HOLD IN OUR HEARTS AND WHO HAVE TOUCHED OUR LIVES
- IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE AND IRAN
- FROM ED, MAEVE, DAN, & EAMON BURKE FOR:
MARGUERITE MONET - FROM ELIZABETH LEWIS FOR: PETER NALDONI & JEANNE AUSTIN
- FROM JANIS CHAILLOU FOR BRAD HUNT TECH SUPPORT,
FOR HIS TALENT, CREATIVITY, PROBLEM SOLVING, AND SENSE OF HUMOR
IN HONOR
- FROM REV. TELOS FOR: RICHARD “SWEET WILLIAM” WHITFIELD
- FROM KATHY SQUIRES FOR: JOHN SPICER
REV. TELOS - FROM JANIS CHAILLOU FOR BEV MILLER,
WHO’S JUST AN AMAZING HUMAN BEING, ON EVERY LEVEL. THANK YOU, DEAR ONE! - FROM BETH MCKINNEY FOR:
REV. TELOS, PAMELA, “SWEET WILLIAM” - FROM JANIS CHAILLOU FOR MY CHOSEN FAMILY:
EM, KIM, KRIS, BREN, CHARLIE,
NATE, AND ELLA. LOVE YOU GUYS!
FROM MARTY AND JAMIE FOR:
- GRATITUDE FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS
- SUPPORT FOR THOSE FACING PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGED
- CONCERN FOR THE POLITICAL AND CLIMATE CRISES THAT SURROUND US
- THE POWER OF LOVE