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Christmas in July
07/26/2026 - 10:30 am
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
CENTERING MUSIC
MOMENT OF HOPE
One: Christ is born!
People: Christ is born!
One: Because of this birth, life is full of promise for you and for me. Life is full of promise for our community.
People: We celebrate today the presence of God’s promise in our midst.
One: The promise of a small child coming into a crowded, hurting world, and growing to be a liberator.
People: It’s the promise of you and me, struggling and stumbling together, growing and celebrating, reaching out to make a new presence in our world.
HYMN #133 O Come, All Ye Faithful Vs. 1,3,4
O come, all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant
O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem
Come and behold Him
Born the King of Angels!
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
Oh, sing, choirs of angels
Sing in exultation
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest!
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be all glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing!
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
PRAYER CONFESSING OUR NEED FOR GOD’S GRACE
Faithful God, we rejoice that you have sent your promised Christ. And yet, O God, we sometimes are still not ready for Christ’s coming; we are reluctant to live as if the whole earth were your realm. We know the story – the shepherds, the angels, the magi – but we struggle to fully understand what it means. Awaken us to your Spirit, let Christ’s birth make a difference in our lives, and grant us your peace, through the grace of Jesus Christ. Amen.
(Moment of Silence)
SONG OF RENEWAL #88 Vs. 1 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
ASSURANCE OF GOD’S GRACE
One: God loves us enough to come to be one of us.
People: God loves us enough to be with us in our most vulnerable state as a baby.
All: God loves us enough! Thanks be to God!
ANTHEM OR SPECIAL MUSIC
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
BLESSING THE CHILDREN AND SINGING TO GODLY PLAY
Go Tell it on the Mountain
Go tell it on the Mountain, over the hills and everywhere!
Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born! (2Xs)
Today’s Story title
Leader: And as we continue our worship…
Congregation: May God be with you there.
Children: May God be with you here.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Leader: God in your grace,
People: Hear our prayer
PASTORAL PRAYER
THE LORD’S PRAYER
SCRIPTURES Luke 2:1-20
RESPONSE
Reader: The word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION, from Psalm 19 - responsively
Pastor: May the words of my mouth
People: And the meditations of our hearts
All: Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord,
Our rock and our redeemer. Amen
SERMON Christmas Again?
MOMENT OF QUIET REFLECTION
*HYMN OF RESPONSE #155 Raise a Song of Gladness
Raise a song of Gladness, peoples of the earth.
Christ has come, bringing peace, joy to every heart.
Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!
Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!
MOMENT OF THANKS
OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS
OFFERTORY
*DOXOLOGY Tune: INFANT HOLY
Glory be to God, Creator; glory be to Christ the Son;
Glory be to Holy Spirit, glory to the Three-in-One.
Here we offer to you gladly all the gifts that you impart,
As we glory in your Presence, giving from a grateful heart.
*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
One: Thank you God for giving us everything.
All: Thank you God for giving us You! Amen.
*CLOSING HYMN #134 Joy to the World
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.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteous ness
And wonders of his love, and wonders of his love,
And wonders, wonders of his love.
POSTLUDE
*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
*PASSING THE PEACE
Pastor: The peace of Christ be with you.
People: And with you also.
Pastor: Let us pass the peace of Christ.
People: The peace of Christ be with you. (To one another)