Bayshore Gardens Community Church B elieving, Again G aining Hope C aring Relationships C hrist Jesus

WE EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO MEMBERS, REGULAR ATTENDERS, and THOSE VISITING TODAY. If you are visiting with us, we welcome you to our church! You are no longer a stranger for you are with the people of God.

CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE Wednesday, December 24, :00 PM

WE INVITE YOU TO SIGN THE WHITE ATTENDANCE PAD so that we may celebrate your presence with us today! Please pass it on to the next person and then back down the row

Please Take Your Bulletins Home With You and Read Announcements We invite you to take advantage of the many opportunities for fellowship and service

Bayshore Gardens Community Church B elieving, Again G aining Hope C aring Relationships C hrist Jesus

THE CALL TO WORSHIP From the Magnificat [The Virgin Mary’s song] (Luke 2:46b-47; 48b-50) The Christmas Angel’s praise chorus (Luke 2:14) [ Pastor / CONGREGATION ]

My soul praises the Lord AND MY SPIRIT REJOICES in God my Savior FOR HE HAS BEEN MINDFUL of my humble state. THE MIGHTY ONE has done great things for me. HOLY IS HIS NAME.

His mercy extends TO THOSE WHO REVERE HIM from generation to generation. GLORY TO GOD in the highest AND ON EARTH, PEACE and good will to all UPON WHOM GOD’S FAVOR RESTS.

**THE OPENING HYMN #249 ‘O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL’

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, Christ, the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation; O sing all ye bright hosts of heaven above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest. 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, Christ, the Lord.

LIGHTING OUR ADVENT CANDLE

SILENT PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND CONFESSION The Assurance Of Pardon Isaiah 66:13-14a As a mother comforts her child, so will I, the Lord, comfort you; And you will be find peace. Then your heart will rejoice and you will be restored.

THE CHANCEL CHOIR “The Birthday of a King” Dale Newhouse, Director Pat Woods, Accompanist

A TIME OF SHARING WITH GOD’S CHILDREN OF ALL AGES

THE HOLY SCRIPTURE Isaiah 40:1-5 Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.

A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

#267 I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day Their old familiar carols play, And wild and sweet the words repeat Of peace on earth, good will to men. I thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along the unbroken song Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head: "There is no peace on earth," I said, "For hate is strong and mocks the song Of peace on earth, good will to men." Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God is not dead, nor doth he sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way, The world revolved from night to day, A voice, a chime, a chant sublime, Of peace on earth, good will to men!

THE SERMON LOWERING THE MOUNTAIN AND RAISING THE VALLEY Please See Sermon Outline Bayshore Gardens Community Church Dr. Daniel Herlein

LOVE CANNOT BE DEMANDED OR ARTIFICIALLY INDUCED. God chose to come DOWN into our world NOT TO DEMAND or artificially induce our love for Him but, rather, to WIN our love by showing us how much He FIRST loved us. He accomplished this in a most unconventional way...

Isaiah 2:3 “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord ” However, we cannot climb UP the mountain into our holy God’s presence because we are sinful. So God chose to come DOWN to us.

A re-read and new understanding of Isaiah 40:4 How God LOWERED the mountain and RAISED up the valley.

Jesus’ own people rejected Him as Messiah because they didn’t recognize Him for who He really was. John 1: He came unto His own, but his own received Him not; But to all who DID receive Him, that is, those who believed in Him, to those He gave the right to be called the children of God.

Four of the thousands of Clarion Hotel properties

Philippians 2:5b ‑ 8 Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God, as something to be held on to. Instead, He LOWERED Himself taking on the very form of a servant, being made in human LIKENESS. And being found in APPEARANCE as a man, He humbled himself choosing to die on the cross to pay the price for our sins.

Christmas IS about God coming DOWN TO US and God bringing us UP TO HIM.

O Holy Child of Bethlehem, DESCEND ON US, we pray. Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angel the great glad tidings tell. O COME TO US, ABIDE WITH US, Our Lord, Emmanuel.

The Pastoral Prayer and The Lord’s Prayer OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME. THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD, AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS; AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL. FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY FOREVER AMEN.

OUR OFFERING As A Tangible Expression Of Our Gratitude To God, We Joyfully Offer Our Monetary Gifts To Financially Support God's Work At Bayshore Gardens Community Church

OFFERTORY MUSIC CHRISTMAS MEDLEY Harriet Hoeksema, Organ Pat Woods, Piano

THE DOXOLOGY Praise God from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. AMEN

THE CLOSING CHRISTMAS CAROL #251 IT CAME UPON THE MIDNIGHT CLEAR

It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth, To touch their harps of gold: Peace on the earth, goodwill to men From heavens all gracious King! The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come, With peaceful wings unfurled; And still their heavenly music floats O'er all the weary world: Above its sad and lowly plains They bend on hovering wing, And ever o'er its Babel sounds The blessed angels sing.

O you beneath life's crushing load, Whose forms are bending low, Who toil along the climbing way With painful steps and slow; Look now, for glad and golden hours Come swiftly on the wing; Oh rest beside the weary road, And hear the angels sing.

For lo! the days are hastening on, By prophets seen of old, When with the ever-circling years Shall come the time foretold, When the new heav’n and earth shall own The Prince of Peace, their King, And the whole world send back the song Which now the angels sing.

THE PASTORAL BENEDICTION Go forth from this place as God’s elect and covenant people... AMEN

Join us for refreshments in the Fellowship Hall