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INTRODUCTION
In place of our usual live Christmas Eve Service, we have sought to provide you with an alternative form of worship. This resource will allow you and those you’ve gathered with on Christmas Eve to hold your own “mini-service” in your own home.
This liturgy is in three movements. The first explores our need for Christ with four “woes.” The second responds to that need with the hope of Christ, and the final movement tells the story of Christ’s coming. The lighting, extinguishing, and lighting again of the candles will lead you through this journey.
This resource was created with all ages in mind and we hope that you’ll feel free to adapt it as you need.
PREPARATION
If you picked up a Christmas Eve kit at CWC then everything you’ll need is in that bag (if you didn’t, then click the “Didn’t get a Christmas Eve Kit?” button for alternative ideas). This site is simply a digital version of the booklet provided in that kit. Use it if you prefer an online version or if others in your group want to follow along.
Gather your family (or others you regularly isolated with) for this at home liturgy in the evening of Christmas Eve. During the next 20-40 minutes, you will all be invited to listen to, discuss, remember, and celebrate the story of Emmanuel—God with us.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
(and is provided in your Christmas-Eve Kit)
OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL ROLES
Though the leader could do everything, if you’ve got willing helpers some great additional roles you could assign are:
MOVEMENT I
"Setting the Scene"
Turn off the primary lights in the room and leave them off for the entirety of this liturgy. When everyone is gathered and the lights are off, the leader says:
Leader:
In the beginning, there was nothing.
Nothing to hear. Nothing to feel. Nothing to see.
Only emptiness and darkness. Nothing but nothing.
Like a mother bird flutters her wings over her eggs
to help her babies hatch,
God hovered over the deep, silent darkness.
He was making life happen.
God spoke. That’s all.
And whatever he said, it happened.
Sally Lloyd-Jones, The Jesus Storybook Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan), 2007.
Participation Prompt:
What things has God created
that you are thankful for?
List them out loud, and as you do,
light each of the Advent Candles
until all four are lit.
Give time for those gathered to speak out loud those things they are thankful for while the Acolyte lights the four small Advent Candles (3 blue and 1 pink)
THE FIRST WOE
Once the candles are lit and all who desired to share have done so, the Leader says:
Leader:
But then, darkness came into God’s perfect world.
and it would try to put out God’s light.
God’s children would run away from him
and hide in the dark.
Their hearts would break now,
and they would be unable to fix them
on their own.
Invite the Acolyte to blow out one of the blue Advent Candles.
Sit in the darkness in silence…
When you are ready to break the silence pray,
Leader:
Lord, in your mercy, please forgive us.
Too many lights have been extinguished.
The world has grown too dark.
Creator of Light and Dark,
restore your light in us
so that we can create holy sparks
for all humankind. Amen.
(to the group)
God promises that if we, God’s people,
humble ourselves and pray and seek God’s face
and turn from our wicked ways,
then God will hear our cries, forgive our sin,
and heal our land.
Let us remember the promises of God:
MOVEMENT II
"Hope"
Depending on how many are gathered, the following five readings could be read by others gathered.
Following each reading, someone will light the appropriate candle, and the group will say together: “Glory to God in the highest!” (as many times as there are candles lit, getting louder with each additional candle).
THE FIRST ADVENT CANDLE
Leader:
Hear God’s promise to see us and comfort us
when we’re in the darkness.
Reader 1:
Isaiah 40:1-2
“Comfort, oh comfort my people,” says your God.
“Speak softly and tenderly to Jerusalem,
but also make it very clear that she has served her sentence,
that her sin is taken care of—forgiven!
She’s been punished enough and more than enough,
and now it’s over and done with.”
Leader:
Light the first blue candle to represent our hope
that God has seen us
and will have compassion on us.
The Light of the World is coming to us
and he will be called “Wonderful Counselor.”
Invite the Acolyte to light the first blue Advent Candle.
Leader:
Softly, let’s say together:
All:
Glory to God in the highest!
THE SECOND ADVENT CANDLE
Leader:
Hear God’s promise that
light is coming into the darkness:
Reader 2:
Isaiah 9:2
The people who walk in darkness
will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
a light will shine.
Leader:
Light the second blue candle
to represent our hope that.
the Light of the World will break into the darkness
and he will be called “Mighty God.”
Invite the Acolyte to light the second blue Advent Candle.
Leader:
Starting softly and getting a little louder,
let’s say twice together:
All:
Glory to God in the highest!
Glory to God in the highest!
THE THIRD ADVENT CANDLE
Leader:
Hear God’s promise that we are invited into
his everlasting light:
Reader 3:
Isaiah 49:8-9
This is what the Lord says:
“At just the right time, I will respond to you.
On the day of salvation I will help you.
I will protect you and give you to the people
as my covenant with them.
Through you I will reestablish the land of Israel
and assign it to its own people again.
I will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out in freedom,’
and to those in darkness, ‘Come into the light.’
They will be my sheep, grazing in green pastures
and on hills that were previously bare.
Leader:
Light the pink candle to represent our joy that
God’s light is forever, there is no end to it,
for he will be called “Everlasting Father.”
Invite the Acolyte to light the pink Advent Candle.
Leader:
Growing a little louder still, and three times,
let’s say together:
All:
Glory to God in the highest!
Glory to God in the highest!
Glory to God in the highest!
THE FOURTH ADVENT CANDLE
Leader:
Hear God’s promise that we are able
to share his light with the world:
Reader 3:
Isaiah 42:6-7
“I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness.
I will take you by the hand and guard you,
and I will give you to my people, Israel,
as a symbol of my covenant with them.
And you will be a light to guide the nations.
You will open the eyes of the blind.
You will free the captives from prison,
releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.
Leader:
Light the final blue candle to represent our hope that
we can participate with God in revealing the Light of his kingdom,
for he will be called the “Prince of Peace.”
Invite the Acolyte to light the last blue Advent Candle.
Leader:
Growing still, and four times, let’s say together:
All:
Glory to God in the highest!
Glory to God in the highest!
Glory to God in the highest!
Glory to God in the highest!
THE CHRIST CANDLE
Leader:
Hear God’s promise that
Jesus is the “Light of the World”:
Reader 3:
John 1:1-5
In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
Leader:
Light the white Christ Candle to represent our hope that
a child has been born—for us! the gift of a son—for us!
He’ll take over the running of the world
and his names will be:
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
Invite the Acolyte to light the Christ Candle.
Leader:
Now, five times, starting softly and growing as loud as we can,
let’s say together:
All:
Glory to God in the highest!
Glory to God in the highest!
Glory to God in the highest!
Glory to God in the highest!
Glory to God in the highest!