Readings for Christmas Eve at Rainbow
Opening/Welcome (4 readers)
1: On this night, ordinary things become extraordinary.
2: An animal shelter becomes a sanctuary.
3: A journey becomes a beginning.
4: Field workers become the first to see Christ.
2: On this night, ordinary things become extraordinary.
4: Scandal and embarrassment are transformed.
3: Fear is soothed.
1: The birth of a baby is celebrated.
3: On this night, ordinary things become extraordinary.
1: A light comes into the darkness.
4: It touches those around it,
2: and ignites the skies with heavenly voices.
4:On this night ordinary things become extraordinary.
3: And on this night extraordinary things become ordinary.
2: On this night, God becomes ordinary.
1: On this night, we can hold love in our hands.
Carol #1
The prophet foretells: Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 and Isaiah 11:1-4; 6-9 (2 readers)
Reader 1:
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Reader 2:
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Carol #2
Mary rejoices: Luke 1:26-35, 38, 46-55 (three readers)
Reader 1 (narrator): In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “
Reader 2 (angel): Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
Reader 1 (narrator): But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her,
Reader 2 (angel): “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Reader 1(narrator): Mary said to the angel,
Reader 3 (Mary): “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”
Reader 2: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.
Reader 3: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
Reader 1: Then the angel departed from her. And Mary said,
Reader 3: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
Carol #3
Jesus is born: Luke 2:1-7 (one reader)
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Christ candle is lit followed by silent prayer and then poem by Lonnie (readers?), maybe followed by a short instrumental interlude. Note that this poem is still a draft.
On this holy night
we are a weary world waiting
in the darkness.
On this night
our broken hearts
and our tired souls
yearn
for the star
of hope to appear;
the star with direction
that will lead us
safely to
the purple dawning
of a new day;
heralding new light
and new hope.
Oh night
Oh holy night
Oh night divine.
Shepherds and Angels give praise: Luke 2:8-20 (4 readers)
Reader 1 (narrator): In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them,
Reader 2 (angel): “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”
Reader 1 (narrator): And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
Reader 3 (chorus): “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
Reader 1: When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another,
Reader 4 (shepherds): “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”
Reader 1: So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Carol #4
The mystery of the incarnation unfolds: John 1:1-14 (4 readers)
(lights dim, perhaps the reader holds a candle and spreads the light to the next reader)
Reader 1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. [reader 1 lights the candle of reader 2]
Reader 2: There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. [reader 2 lights the candle of reader 3]
Reader 3: But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. [reader 3 lights the candle of reader 4]
Reader 4: Poem by Lonnie [reader four lights Ruth’s candle]
A vision of what was to come
is here with us now.
The foretelling has
Come to be
The longing
For the new day
Has been rewarded
With new life
A deliverance has been offered
Freely given without demand
With no expectation of return
By a helpless, dependent little King.
Born of God
Born of Woman
Alive for all humankind.
Let the herald angels sing
us into the new dawn
The Christ-child is born
The Christ dwells with us
We are offered the arm of the Lord
Glory be to God
Glory to God in the highest.
Words of instruction offered by Ruth: The light indeed shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. At this time we invite everyone to form a circle around the sanctuary as we encircle ourselves with light. Please bring your candles with you and your bulletin for the singing of Silent Night.
Carol #5 Silent Night
Closing prayer : Ruth
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