Join us for this holiday service of music and song, readings and candlelight as we celebrate Christmas Eve together! We will join our voices in song, hear special music offered by our All Souls choir and musicians, and honor the Light of our community!
We anticipate that this service will be both in-person and on Zoom. Click right here Sunday shortly before 5 p.m. to join via Zoom. Click here to read our protocols
Christmas Star by Trish Murtha
Our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
“Sharing the Light of Our Community”
led by Rev. Telos Whitfield
Sunday, December 24, 2023, 5:00 PM
Click right here Sunday shortly before 5:00 PM to join our online service.
Music for Gathering The Wexford Carol Ireland, 15th c.
Arr. & performed by Hilary Menegaz Weitzner, violin
Words of Welcome Rev. Telos Whitfield
Prelude: I Wonder as I Wander Appalachian carol John Jacob Niles (1933)
Peter Gibbons, viola; Eva Greene, piano
Lighting Our Chalice Jamie Gibson
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
Rev. Edmund Sears, Unitarian pastor (1849) (see below for lyrics)
Readings: Luke 2:1-7 “A Humble Birth” Janis Chaillou
The Moment of Magic by Victoria E. Safford
Story and Song: The Little Drummer Boy
Carol of the Drum Katherine Kennicott Davis (1941)
Readings: Luke 2:8 – 14 “News of Peace and Joy” Marty Shaw
The Moment of Magic by Victoria E. Safford continues…
Anthem: See Amid the Winter’s Snow
music by John Goss, words by Edward Caswall,
arr. & additional words by Ruth Elaine Schram
All Souls Choir, Tom Baehr, Director
Readings: Luke 2:15 – 20 “Shepherds Make the Journey ” Ed Burke
Keeping Watch in the Night by Joyce Rupp
Inviting the Offering
Offertory: Corde natus ex parentis (13th c. plainchant)
Rob Winslow, trumpet; Eva Greene, piano
Reflection: “Sharing the Light of Our Community” Rev. Telos Whitfield
Prayer for the World
Carol #245: Joy To the World Isaac Watts; Handel/Lowell Mason (1848)
(see below for lyrics)
Extinguishing the Chalice Jamie Gibson
Though we extinguish our chalice, our light lives on.
Let us share our light and 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
Joseph Mohr/Franz Gruber (1818) (see below for lyrics)
Peter Gibbons, viola
Benediction: “The Work of Christmas” by Howard Thurman
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
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.
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
- Beverly Miller for
my son, Nic Mattingley - Deb Kirchwey for
Diane Tanzi
Christopher Dickey
John and Dora Tanzi
William and Carol Wheeler
Ronnie and Deb Bean - Ian Hefele for
Maria Hefele (Mom)
Sister Margaret “Mag” Williams
April Good
Christophre Woods - Heide Bredfeldt for
Bill Oates - Ruth Lane for
Eugene Lane - Mary Henderson for
Charles Henderson - Michael & Shannon Henderson for
Charles Henderson - Rebecca, Jon, Jackson & Charlie Streeter
for Charles Henderson - Amy Henderson & Olivia Prue
for Charles Henderson - Marty Whitney for
Wilmot Whitney, Jr. - Leslie Kinney for
Dorothy & Charles Kinney
Charlotte Witmer, aka “Aunt Twit” - John Spicer for
Targ Spicer
Barbara Wicks - Leslie Kinney for
Richard Roy
IN HONOR
- Marty Whitney in loving honor for
My loving family
IN APPRECIATION
- Christina Gibbons for
Avah Gibbons
Lydia Gibbons
Owen Gibbons
Kellan Gibbons
ON BEHALF OF THE ALL SOULS COMMUNITY
- for Family & Friends
- for Peace in the World
- for Social Justice
- for Growing Together in Faith
- for Caring & Compassion
- for Living in Grace
- for Memories of Loved Ones