First Presbyterian Church
Order of Worship

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Sunday Worship
December 21, 2025 - 10 a.m. EST

Prelude - Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (arr. J.S. Bach)

Ringing of the Church Bell

Call to Worship
Wallace W. Bubar

You who bring good tidings to Zion —

All: Get up to a high mountain.

You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem —

All: Lift up your voice with strength.

Lift it up; be not afraid —

All: Say unto the cities of Judah: “Behold your God!”

Hymn 118 - While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
(vv. 1, 3, 4)

While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
all seated on the ground,
the angel of the Lord came down,
and glory shone around,
and glory shone around.

“To you, in David’s town this day,
is born of David’s line
the Savior, who is Christ the Lord,
and this shall be the sign,
and this shall be the sign:

“The heavenly babe you there shall find
to human view displayed,
all humbly wrapped in swathing bands,
and in a manger laid,
and in a manger laid.”

Prayer of the Day [unison]

O God of promise, you visited your servants with news of the world’s redemption in the coming of the Savior. Make our hearts leap with joy, and fill our mouths with songs of praise, that we may announce glad tidings of peace, and welcome Christ in our midst. Amen.

Welcome and Announcements

Lighting of the Fourth Advent Candle and Word with Children
Kristin Ream

The Messiah

A Sacred Oratorio
by George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

Libretto compiled from Holy Scripture
by Charles Jennens (1700-1773)

Prophecy of Christ’s appearance on earth.
The Nativity

Symphony (Overture)

Accompagnato and Air:
Comfort ye – Ev’ry valley shall be exalted
Chuck Wolter, tenor

Chorus: And the glory of the Lord

Air with Chorus: O thou that tellest good tidings
Kathy Craig, alto

Air: The people that walked in darkness
Tom Kimball, bass

Chorus: For unto us a child is born

Pifa (Pastoral Symphony) – Offertory

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Recitatives:
There were shepherds abiding in the field –
And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them –
And the angel said unto them –
And suddenly there was with the angel –
Liane Meredith-Stewart, soprano

Chorus: Glory to God in the highest

Air: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion
Karen Bovenizer, soprano

Recitative and Duet:
Then shall the eyes of the blind be open’d –
He shall feed His flock like a shepherd
Sara Light, alto; Heather Kessler, soprano

Chorus: His yoke is easy, His burthen is light

Closing Prayer

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.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let all their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground;
he comes to make his blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.

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