Christmas Eve 2023 — Wiggle & Worship

OPENING SONG
“Joy to the World (Unspeakable Joy)”

WELCOME

Come in, sit down. We’re glad you’re here. We want to share a story with you. It’s a story you might know well; one you may have heard before. Tonight, we want to tell you this story with something else we know well, our alphabet.

A is for an angel, Gabriel, who began the story with a greeting:

“Good evening! You’re beautiful with God’s beauty, Beautiful inside and out! God be with you!” Luke 1.28, The Message (Place one of your Angel’s on your scene)

B is for Bethlehem, where our story takes place. People traveled from far and wide to arrive in the city; it was a very busy place. (Look far and look wide!)

C is for a census (that’s a counting of all the people) the reason so many people filled the city of Bethlehem. (Turn and count all the people that came with you today!)

D is for the donkey that carried a family on their long journey to Bethlehem to be counted. (Find the Donkey and place it somewhere on your paper)

E is for exhausted, that’s how everyone felt when they arrived – tired from all the travelling. (Show us how you look when you feel exhausted)

F is for family: Mary and Joseph and their new baby Jesus, who was born that night in Bethlehem. (While we sing the next song – place Mary and Joseph on your paper)

MUSIC:
“Away in the Manger” (Verse 1- Pop-up Choir, Verse 2- with cong.)

G is for the gift God shares with all the earth.

H is for herds, all the animals that were present in the stable, and the flocks of sheep in the field with the shepherds when they heard the good news. (Find the sheep and add it to your picture)

I is for our imaginations, stirred by this story!

J is for joy the excitement and happiness that a new baby, and now, this special night brings. (Can you find the words that say “Joy to the World” and add it to the picture?”

SONG:
“Joy to the World” (Unspeakable Joy)

K is for kindness, shown by the innkeeper that night, allowing a tired family to stay in the stable when there was no room in the inn.

L is for the love we share with one another all through the year and especially at Christmas. (Give someone you came with a hug!)

M is for the manger, it is usually used to hold food for animals, but this time it held the baby because he had no crib. (Place baby Jesus, in his manger on your paper)

SONG:
“Angels We Have Heard On High”

N is for news. The shepherds heard the Good News of Jesus Birth – and shared it with others – just as we are called to do today! (Add the shepherd to your scene!)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

O is for offering, there were many gifts for the baby; we even have some to share now!

SHARING OUR GIFTS

OFFERING MUSIC:
“God With Us”
Anna Woods, Tim Graf, Worship Band

P is for prayer and praise and pondering, all different ways people reacted the amazing thing that happened. P is also for Peace on Earth. We pray for peace on earth (can you find that on your sticker sheet and add it to your manger scene?) , and praise and ponder together:

PRAYERS

Q is for quiet, the deep peace that Christmas brings – knowing that God is with us. (Can you be very, very quiet?)

R is for revelation, God showing us who God is (in a little baby born one night)

S is for one special star that shone bright in the night showing wise ones the way to Jesus. (can you add the special star to your scene?)

T is for trust, the confidence we have in God.

U is for unity, all different people brought together tonight to celebrate God’s love!

SONG:
“Go Tell it On the Mountain”

V is for vulnerable, a little child needs to be cared for, protected–that’s our job.

W is for wonder– our amazement at the beauty of how much God loves us.

X is for Xmas, the x is actually the symbol for Christ – it is the first letter of the Greek word.

Y is for You! here to celebrate and worship.

Z is for zeal, the passion with which we share the Good News and God’s love, tonight.

SHARING OF THE LIGHT
“Silent Night, Holy Night“

BLESSING

The Musicians for Today’s Worship

Tim Graf (Director of Worship & Music)
Bodie Hanninen
JJ Ratliff
Elyse Vandersteen
Anna Woods

Prayers

As a community of faith we are connected through joy, sorrow, worship, and prayer. Please pray for the people listed below.
Your prayers are greatly appreciated!

We ask for God’s loving embrace to hold all those who mourn, especially:

The family of Lorna Budke
Deb and Roger Supalla and family on the death of Deb’s mother, Dolores
Steve Young and family on the death of his Aunt Lenore
Bonnie Lewis and family in the death of Bonnie’s husband, Dan
Friends, family, and the Loring Park neighborhood following the death of Robert Skafte
Lori Hertzog on the death of her mother, Lucille
Brian Shimley and family on the death of his brother, Bernie
Julie Bane and family on the death of her brother, Mike

Prayers of Mourning:

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. Psalm 130:1–2
For I am convinced that neither death nor life… nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38–39
Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die’. John 11:25–26

As we are praying for all members of the St. Andrew community, this week we pray especially for God’s comfort, healing, protection, and strength to be present with:

Della Tufte
Lorna Budke
John Rostad’s father, Mike
Stephanie Berg’s my son-in-law, Zach
Gib Bendell’s mother Carol
Gib Bendell’s father-in-law Dayton
Paula Crouse
Karle Erickson

Long Term Prayers:

Gordon Gilbert
Kathy Hoagland
Dave & Sherri Anderson’s daughter, Sarah Anderson-Jacobson
Ron Wolfbauer
Dick Smith
Tammi Ziesemann as she continues her cancer treatment
For the people of Haiti enduring ongoing political upheaval, severe economic challenges, and gang-related violence.
For the people of the Middle East and Ukraine – non-violence and peace.
All those in the military serving our country

General Prayers:

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you. Psalm 55:22a
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Names will remain listed for three weeks unless otherwise requested. To add a name to the prayer list, click Prayer Requests or contact Pastor Peter Johnson.