Liturgy for wherever you are

First Sunday after Christmas | Isaiah 9:2-7

December 31, 2023

welcome to WORSHIP

Liturgy is an ancient word for worship that is usually translated as “the work of the people.” You’ll hear the voices of our pastoral staff and our community each week, and we are so grateful that this is the work we get to do together. We prayerfully plan our worship services trusting that the Spirit will use each element to shape us and our desires as we pursue the path of Christ. To listen to previous liturgies, you can visit our Soundcloud page below to browse the archives.

Lyrics*

Joy to the World

George Frideric Handel | Isaac Watts

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 heav'n and nature sing

Joy to the earth the Savior reigns
Let us our 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

What Child Is This?

William C. Dix

What Child is this who laid to rest
On Mary's lap is sleeping
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping
This this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste haste to bring Him laud
The Babe the Son of Mary

Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and lamb are feeding
Good Christian fear for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading
Nails spear shall pierce Him through
The cross be borne for me for you
Hail hail the Word made flesh
The Babe the Son of Mary

So bring Him incense gold and myrrh
Come peasant king to own Him
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone Him
Raise raise a song on high
The Virgin sings her lullaby
Joy joy for Christ is born
The Babe the Son of Mary

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

Edmund Hamilton Sears | Richard Storrs Willis

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 good will to men
From heaven's 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 heav’nly music floats
o’er all the weary world.
Above its sad and lowly plains
they bend on hov’ring wing,
And ever o’er its babel sounds
the blessed angels sing.

For lo! The days are hast’ning on,
by prophets seen of old,
when with the ever circling years
shall come the time foretold,
When the new heaven and earth shall own
the prince of peace their King.
And the whole world send back
the song which now the angels sing.

Go Tell It On the Mountain

John W. Work Jr.

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

While shepherds kept their watching
O’er silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a Holy light

Down in a lowly manger
The humble Christ was born
And God sent us salvation
That blessed Christmas morn

The shepherds feared and trembled
When, lo! Above the Earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed the Savior’s birth 

* CCLI # 108970

Credits

What a wonderful group of friends we had for this week’s service! Lindsay welcomed us. Tim and Sally invited us into a communal practice of gratitude. Hazel called us into worship. Mary led us in communal prayer. Hannah read scripture. Lindsay provided us with a teaching, invited us into a time of generosity through our offering and offered up the benediction. Our musicians this morning were Leslie, Jason C, Cindie, Dave E, Tim and Chris B. Leslie oversaw the production while Kenny worked his technical magic to mix this special collaborative worship experience.

Much love from your church family at FBC Pasadena.