Worship for December 18, 2022
The video will stream live beginning at 10:00 AM on Sunday, December 18, 2022. You may need to click Play to launch the stream. You can also watch the recorded video at this same place at any time afterward.
Welcome to Church of the Holy Cross’s live stream of its worship service for Sunday, December 18, 2022. Feel free to follow the service text by scrolling down, or you may download and print the service in PDF format below. You are welcome to attend worship in person or to participate via live stream or recorded video.
Service of Worship, December 18, 2022
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Rev. Eric S. Anderson, Pastor
WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD
Please note that audio and video of this service are being live streamed on the Internet and will be recorded. The right rear section of the sanctuary will not be captured by any cameras. Please be aware that in other sections you may be visible at times.
Welcome Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Prelude: O Come, All Ye Faithful Kayleen Yuda
Moment of Concern Anne Sadayasu
Lighting of the Advent Candles Rekis family
Family Member: Would you dare to ask for a sign of God’s love? “Behold, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.” Each child is a testimony to God’s love. Each raindrop is a testimony to God’s love. Each grain of sand upon the beach is a testimony to God’s love. All creation cries, “The love of the LORD is here!”
Singing Eric Anderson
On the earth’s revolving sphere,
in the heavens God’s love is clear,
for the promise of ages nears
as Christ is born, the blessed child of Mary.
Tune: JOSEPH LIEBER, JOSEPH MEIN 7.8.8.11.
Family Member: Again we light the Advent candles of Hope, of Peace, and of Joy. Today we complete the circle with the fire of love. This is a love free from selfishness and greed. This is a love free from ignorance and limitations. This is a love to embrace a child, a family, a nation, a world, even a universe. This is a love to overwhelm the powers of evil. This is a love as tiny as an atom, and as great as existence itself. This candle shines for love.
Prayer Cindy Debus
You might have come in majesty and might, O God. You might have come in war and in wrath. You might have come in fire and in fury. We would have recognized these signs. Instead, Emmanuel, “God with us,” is a newborn child. In humility and in amazement we recognize this sign of your holiness, your presence, and your everlasting love. Amen.
Christmas Pageant: What Do You See When You Look at the Sky?
Scene One: On the road to Bethlehem
Carol: O Little Town of Bethlehem v. 1, 4
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see you lie!
Above your deep and dreamless sleep the silent starts go by;
Yet in your dark streets shines forth the everlasting light,
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in you tonight.
v. 4
O Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in; be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!
Scene Two: An inn in Bethlehem
Carol: Away in a Manger, v. 1-2
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The starts in the sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.
I love you, Lord Jesus: protect me, I pray,
And stay by my side until night turns to day.
Scene Three: Hillside outside Bethlehem
Carol: Angels We Have Heard on High, v. 1-2
Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply, echo back their joyous strains.
Glo—ria in excelsis De-o,
Glo—ria in excelsis De-o.
Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong?
Say what may the tidings be, which inspire your heavenly song.
Glo—ria in excelsis De-o
Glo—ria in excelsis De-o.
Carol: The First Nowell, v. 1-2
The first Nowell, the angel did say,
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay.
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell, born is the King of Israel.
They looked above and saw a star
Shining in the east, beyond them far,
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.
Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell, born is the King of Israel.
Scene Four: A stable in Bethlehem
Carol: Hark the Herald Angels Sing, v. 1
Hark the herald angels sing, “Glory to the Christ child bring
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinner reconciled!”
Joyful, all you saints arise, join the triumph of the skies;
With the angel host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn king!”
Scripture Cindy Debus
Isaiah 7:10-16
Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiahsaid: ‘Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young womanis with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.
Matthew 1:18-25
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiahtook place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel’,
which means, ‘God is with us.’ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
Processional Carols
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.
[refrain]
O come, let us adore him;
O come, let us adore him;
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above!
Glory to God,
Glory in the highest.
[refrain]
IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR
It came upon a midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, good will to all
From heaven’s all gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.
JOY TO THE WORLD
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart prepare him room,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n, and heaven and nature sing.
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.
Anthem: Christmas Fantasia Fantasia Orchestra
Organ Meditation: How Beautiful Upon the Mountains Are the Feet of Them That Bring Good Tidings Rick Mazurowski
Pastoral Prayer Rev. Eric S. Anderson
* Please stand and join me in 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 and ever. Amen
Call to Offering Cindy Debus
We have been given stars in the heavens. We have been given a Savior on Earth. Let us give thanks for God’s grace with giving of our own. Whether you share your gift here in the church today, through a gift online, or via an envelope in the mail, let the offering now be received.
Offertory: Infant Holy, Infant Lowly Fantasia Orchestra
*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
* Offertory Prayer Cindy Debus
You gave angels’ voices to shepherds, O God. We lift our human voices to you. As you have heard and blessed the voices of the children and the voices of the chorus, receive and bless the voices of our giving, O God. May these voices bless your world. Amen.
Hymn #146: Nu Oli
Announcements Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Benediction Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Postlude: Jubilate Deo Kayleen Yuda
* Please stand if you are able.
Permissions:
O Come, All Ye Faithful—John F. Wade
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
Advent Verses
Text © 2019 by Eric Anderson
Used by permission
Tune JOSEPH LIEBER, JOSEPH MEIN 15th cent. German carol
Public Domain
What Do You See When You Look at the Sky?
© 2022 by Eric Anderson
Used by permission
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Text by Phillips Brooks, 1868
Tune ST. LOUIS by Lewis H. Redner, 1868
Public Domain
Away in a Manger
Text Anonymous, 1885
Tune AWAY IN A MANGER attrib. to James R. Murray, 1887
Public Domain
Angels We Have Heard on High
Traditional French Carol, trans. 1862
Tune GLORIA traditional French carol
Public Domain
The First Nowell
Text traditional English carol
Tune THE FIRST NOWELL traditional English melody
Public Domain
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Text by Charles Wesley, 1739
Tune MENDELSSOHN by Felix Mendelssohn, 1840
Public Domain
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Latin text trans. by Frederick Oakeley, 1841
Tune ADESTE FIDELES English melody, 18th cent.
Public Domain
It Came upon the Midnight Clear
Text by Edmond H. Sears, 1849
Tune CAROL by Richard S. Willis, 1850
Public Domain
Joy to the World!
Text by Isaac Watts, 1719
Tune ANTIOCH by Lowell Mason, 1836
Public Domain
Fantasia on Christmas Carols—Ralph Vaughan Williams
Tune: © 1989 Roger Dean Publishing Company, a division of The Lorenz Corporation (Admin. by Music Services)
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
How Beautiful Upon the Mountains Are the Feet of Them That Bring Good Tidings
John Carter—Text (c) 1977, Hinshaw Music, Inc.
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
Nu Oli
Text by Fanny Crosby, 1873, trans. Lorenzo Lyons
Tune NU OLI by Robert Lowry, 1873
Public Domain
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly—arr: Richard Proulx
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
Jubilate Deo–George Blake, George Frideric Handel
Tune: © 1981 Lorenz Publishing Company, a division of The Lorenz Corporation
(Admin. by Music Services)
Streamed by permission ONELICENSE A-735890
Pastor Rev. Eric S. Anderson
Moderator Woody Kita
Lay Reader Cindy Debus
Chapel Decorations Jean & Woody Kita
Choir Accompanist Kanako Okita
Choir Director & Conductor Doug Albertson
Organist Kayleen Yuda
Hand Bell Director Anna Kennedy
Childcare Coordinator Evonne Shioshita
Movement Leader Genie Phillips
Projected Imagery Sue Smith
Web Master Ruth Niino-DuPonte
Videographers Eric Tanouye, Bob Smith, Eli Yamaki,
Woody Kita and Ruth Niino-DuPonte
Fantasia Orchestra
Michael Russell, 1st violin
Alden Young, 1st violin
Cathy Young, 2nd violin
Mark Caudill, 2nd violin
Taarini Godbole, 2nd violin
Susan McGovern, viola
Mary Szaur, viola
Kelly Stuart, cello
Rick Mazurowski, organ
Kanako Okita, piano
Barry Brandes, solo
Fantasia Singers
Lorraine Davis, soprano
Lori DeMello, soprano
Keiko Formanek, soprano
Phyllis Fujimoto, soprano
Jane Kawazoe, soprano
Genie Phillips, soprano
Susan Wackerbarth, soprano
Sandra Wagner-Wright, soprano
Ramona Witt, soprano
Nina Buchanan, alto
Rachel Edwards, alto
Mari Endo, alto
Dorothea Fendentz, alto
Jeri Gertz, alto
Barbara Iwami, alto
Gloria Kobayashi, alto
Tupou Koenig, alto
Teresa Mondoy, alto
Kanako Okita, alto
Kenny Simmons, alto
Eric Anderson, tenor
Kevin Lewis, tenor
Tom McAlexander, tenor
Ian McMillan, tenor
Tom Mirenda, tenor
Len Miyazono, tenor
Wayne “Doc” Wilson, tenor
Kevin “Nohea” Elzia, bass
Nathanael Friday, bass
Bob Grove, bass
Tim Oldfather, bass
Bob Smith, bass
D Michael Steele, bass
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