WORSHIP THE BABE OF BETHLEHEM

The Nativity of Our Lord: Christmas Eve

December 23-24, 2017

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WELCOME TO WORSHIP!

We are pleased that you have chosen to worship the Lord with us today. If you are a guest

visiting with us, know that we are thankful you have joined us, and please take a moment to sign

the guest register in the entryway.

Large print hymnals (both locations) are available upon request from an usher.

Hearing assist devices (Falls only) are available upon request from an usher.

Restrooms at the Falls: In the lower level of the church and also down the school hallway.

Restrooms at Germantown: In the north and south halls of the building.

If you need a place to quiet a restless child, the service is streamed to a TV in the lower level of

the Falls and in the Alpha Room at Germantown.

SERVICE NOTES FOR THIS SUNDAY

The order of service for today is printed for you in this folder. The hymns are found in “Christian

Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal”, the red hymnal, or are printed in the bulletin.

1st Candle – (blue) THE PROPHECY CANDLE or CANDLE OF HOPE

2nd Candle – (blue) THE BETHLEHEM CANDLE or THE CANDLE OF PREPARATION

3rd Candle – (pink) THE SHEPHERD CANDLE or THE CANDLE OF JOY

4th Candle – (blue) THE ANGEL CANDLE or THE CANDLE OF LOVE – The angels announced the

good news of a Savior. “…I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke

2:10b-11). God sent his only Son to earth to save us, because he loves us! “For God so loved the

world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have

eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the

world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

N84 W15252 Menomonee Ave. Menomonee Falls, WI 53051

N108 W14290 Bel Aire Lane

Germantown, WI 53022

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THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD: CHRISTMAS EVE

OPENING HYMN Once Again My Heart Rejoices | 37 v. 1-3

INVOCATION AND OPENING SENTENCES

P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

P: Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!

C: Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.

P: Declare his glory among the nations,

C: His marvelous works among all the peoples!

P: When all was still, and it was midnight, your almighty Word, O Lord, descended from the

royal throne.

C: Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things!

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

P: Beloved in the Lord: let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins to God our

Father, asking him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.

C: Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have

disobeyed you in my thoughts, words, and actions. I have done what is evil and failed

to do what is good. For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity. But I

am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have

mercy on me, a sinner.

HYMN RESPONSE Once Again My Heart Rejoices | 37 v. 4-5

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P: With joy I announce God’s good news to you. Our gracious God in his mercy has given his

Son to be born, to live and then to die for you, and for his sake forgives you all your sins. As

a called servant of Christ, and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the

Father and of the ✙ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Be at peace and rejoice in the Lord.

HYMN RESPONSE Once Again My Heart Rejoices | 37 v. 6

PRAYER OF THE DAY

P: The Lord be with you.

P: Let us pray.

Stir up your power, O Lord, and come. Take away the burden of our sins and make us ready

for the celebration of your birth, that we may receive you in joy and serve you always; for

you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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THE WORD

FIRST LESSON Isaiah 9:2-7

The Babe of Bethlehem is everything we need - our Wonderful Counselor, our Everlasting Father, our

Prince of Peace.

2 The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness

a light has dawned. 3 You have enlarged the nation

and increased their joy;

they rejoice before you

as people rejoice at the harvest,

as warriors rejoice

when dividing the plunder. 4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,

you have shattered

the yoke that burdens them,

the bar across their shoulders,

the rod of their oppressor. 5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle

and every garment rolled in blood

will be destined for burning,

will be fuel for the fire. 6 For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace

there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne

and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

with justice and righteousness

from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the LORD Almighty

will accomplish this.

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PSALM OF THE DAY Psalm 96

Sing to the LORD, praise his name;*

proclaim his salvation day after day.

Declare his glory among the nations,*

his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;*

tremble before him, all the earth.

Refrain

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;*

let the sea resound, and all that is in it;

let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.*

Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;

for he comes to judge the world in righteousness*

and the peoples in his truth.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son*

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,*

is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Refrain

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SECOND LESSON Titus 2:11-14

The Babe of Bethlehem has come to accomplish the most important of missions: to redeem the

world from wickedness and purify a people to be his very own.

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For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.12

It teaches us to say “No”

to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this

present age, 13

while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God

and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14

who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to

purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLES

P: We light four Advent candles remembering Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Mary. He

came to share our humanity.

C: We remember Jesus, whose name means Savior. He came to save his people from

their sins.

P: We hear his call to give him a place in our hearts.

C: We light four Advent candles as a sign of our joy and hope.

P: Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest.

C: Through your Word and Spirit may our souls be blessed.

HYMN RESPONSE O Savior, Rend the Heavens Wide | 22:4

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Worship services center around the Gospel Reading; we rise to highlight its function.

After the announcement of the Gospel, the congregation sings:

GOSPEL Luke 2:1-20

These beloved words beautifully describe the events surrounding the coming of the Babe of

Bethlehem. A Savior has been born to us—he is Christ, the Lord!

Pastor: In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the

entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while

Quirinius was

governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

Men: So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to

Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He

went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was

expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,

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she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a

manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Women: And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their

flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord

shone around them, and they were terrified. 10

But the angel said to them, “Do not be

afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11

Today in the

town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12

This will be

a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

All: Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising

God and saying, 14

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

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Pastor: When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one

another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord

has told us about.” 16

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the

manger. 17

When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been

told them about this child, 18

and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds

said to them. 19

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her

heart. 20

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had

heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

After the Gospel, the congregation sings:

APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born

of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He

descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to

judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the

forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

HYMN OF THE DAY Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel | 23

SERMON Luke 2:1-20

Worship the Babe of Bethlehem!

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THANK OFFERING

Moved by God’s love in Christ, we offer him our first and best gifts, purely out of thanks to him.

Please take a moment during the gathering of the thank offering to sign the

FRIENDSHIP REGISTER and get to know those seated around you.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

P: Oh gracious and almighty Father, we praise you that you kept your ancient promises by

sending your everlasting Son in human flesh.

C: On this holy day, receive our thanks and devotion, our songs and prayers.

P: You sent Jesus as a lowly child to demonstrate your concern for all, the weak and lonely, the

troubled and frightened, the timid and helpless. No one is overlooked by your ever-seeking

eyes. No one is excluded from your upholding arms. No one is denied the comfort and help

of your outstretched hand.

C: Bless us with a childlike faith in the divine assurance that you love and care for us

always.

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P: You sent Jesus as the Savior of the world to deliver all from the curse of sin, the power of

death, and the torment of hell. He took our place. He was born under the law to set us free.

He became the innocent lamb of sacrifice. He came to die and rise again in order that we

might live eternally. Firmly implant this good news in our hearts, and fill us with an eager

desire to spread the Word concerning what we have heard today.

C: May all who hear the message, in every nation under heaven, be amazed and believe

what is told them about the child.

P: You sent Jesus as the Light of the world to drive out all darkness that would rob us of the

full life that you intend for us. May the “joy that will be for all people” be our joy. May the

“peace on earth to all on whom his favor rests” be our peace. May the treasure that Mary

pondered in her heart be our treasure.

C: For today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to us. He is Christ, the Lord.

Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on

earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those

who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom,

the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

HYMN Behold, a Branch Is Growing | 47

P: O God, you make this most holy day to shine with the brightness of the true light. Grant

that as we have known the mysteries of that light on earth we may also come to the fullness

of his joys in heaven; through the same Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and

reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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BLESSING

P: The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

The Lord look on you with favor and ✙ give you peace.

CLOSING HYMN O Jesus Christ, Your Manger Is | 40 v. 1, 3, 5

SERVING IN WORSHIP

Preaching Minister Pastor Phil Arnold

Organists Amy Noon (M), Donna Pflughoeft (G)

Musician Miranda Noon, cello (M)

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Divine Service II © 2008 Northwestern Publishing House. Reprinted under OneLicnese.net #A-716490

Cover artwork by Ian M. Welch. © 2013 Ian M. Welch. All Rights Reserved. www.paramentics.com

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL

VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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WEEKLY NEWS AND NOTES

PASTORAL CALL UPDATE –Pastor Brian Kom has declined the call that was extended to

him to serve at Bethlehem. May the Lord continue to bless his ministry at Ascension

Lutheran Church in Rochester, MN. Details on the next pastor call meeting will be made

available soon.

EARLY CHILDHOOD MINISTRY DIRECTOR CALL UPDATE – A call meeting for an ECM

Director will be held on Sunday, January 7th following the 10:30 am service at the

Menomonee Falls Church.

WORSHIP SERVICE NOTE – Please be aware that there will NOT be a worship service on

Thursday, December 28th or Saturday, December 30th. The regular worship schedule will

resume on Thursday, January 4th.

Dear Members of Bethlehem: Many, many thanks for the opportunity to serve you with

God’s gift of music. Each time we play, our faith is renewed not only by the great hymns of

our Church, but also by the singing congregations that cherish them. Truly God’s saving

message has power, both spoken and sung! - Koiné

CHURCH DIRECTORY PICTURES – If you had your picture taken for the church directory

this fall, you will be able to find your complimentary 8 x 10 picture located in a basket in the

narthex of the church where your mailbox is located. CHILI BOWL IV – Mark your calendars for our annual Chili Bowl at the Menomonee Falls Campus on Saturday, January 27th at 6:00 p.m.! This is a fun fellowship event for all, so come to compete or just come to eat! There will be a variety of recipes to sample, as well as musical entertainment from Polka Joel! Sign-up sheets are located at both campuses, as well as online by visiting our website, under the Upcoming Events page! NEW YEAR’S EVE SERVICE INFORMATION – The service times will be:

8:00 a.m. – (Regular Worship Service) – Menomonee Falls Church 9:15 a.m. (Regular Worship Service) – Germantown Church 10:30 a.m. (Regular Worship Service) – Menomonee Falls Church New Year’s Day – 9:15 a.m. Festival Service – Menomonee Falls Church

Please note that there will not be a service at 5:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve this year.

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Church Attendance Last Week: 1,904 Unified Offerings Last Week: $40,473.57 Building Relationships Offerings Last Week: $16,706.00

Serving in Worship: Service Overseer:

Sunday, December 24th

Menomonee Falls – Erich Schmandt

Germantown – Fred Banaszak

Sunday, December 31st

Menomonee Falls – Jon Wirkkula

Germantown – Paul Snamiska

Communion Assistants: Sunday, December 31st

8:00 a.m. – Jim Casper

Sunday, December 31st

10:30 a.m. – Fred Banaszak

Set Up Teams (Germantown): Sunday, December 24th

Team 4 – Mark Ignatowski

Sunday, December 31st

Team 6 – Steve Zimmermann

Ushers: Saturday, December 23rd 5:00 p.m. Team 8 - Maliszko

Sunday, December 24th

8:00 a.m. Team 10 - Affeldt

9:15 a.m. Team 9 - Rehlinger 10:30 a.m. Team 20 - Zimmerman 9:00 p.m. Team 19 - Schulz Monday. December 25th

9:15 a.m. Team 11 - Liebner

Sunday, December 31st

8:00 a.m. Team 9 – Rehlinger

9:15 a.m. Team 2 – Siwy

10:30 a.m. Team 20 – Zimmermann

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Have a Blessed Christmas!

The Week Ahead

Sunday, December 24

8:00 AM Worship Service – M

9:15 AM Worship Service – G

10:30 AM Worship Service (Sunday School

Christmas Program) – M

9:00 PM Candlelight Service – M

Counters Burt’s Team

Monday, December 25

9:15 AM Christmas Day Worship Service – M

Sunday, December 31

Communion

8:00 AM Worship Service – M

9:15 AM Worship Service – G

10:30 AM Worship Service – M

Monday, January 1

9:15 AM New Year’s Day Worship Service – M