Christmas Service

WESLEY METHODIST CHURCH

CHRISTMAS SERVICE

25 December 2025

Wesley Sanctuary 8.30am (Live-streamed) | 11.00am

I.  GATHERING

We gather in the Lord’s name weekly to be renewed in our hearts and minds. Our worship of God is a response to his revelation as he reveals his truth to us through Scripture, sermon, prayers and songs 

MEDITATION VERSE 

On coming to the house, the Magi saw the child with his mother Mary,
and they bowed down and worshiped him.
Matthew 2:11a

Jesus was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made.
John 1:2, 3a

In Jesus was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
John 1:4

Jesus was in the world, and though the world was made through him,
the world did not recognize him.
John 1:10

PREPARATION PRAYER

We have waited for a long time
for your hope, your joy, your love
to shine in the darkness of this world, Almighty God.

Even now, in our gathering here, we await you.
In our hearts, we still hope that your light will blaze forth,
banishing the shadows of this world
and guiding all the people back to you.

Open our hearts, merciful God,
to the sparks of your presence still in this world.

Open our eyes,
that we might behold your presence in the least likely of places,
and among the least likely of people

God with us,
kindle your spark within us,
that together we may shine forth your light,
that we might banish the shadows of this world,
that we might be the continuation of the Christmas miracle:
Emmanuel is in this world,
God is with us, now and evermore. Amen.

PRELUDE Organ

GREETING
Leader 1:
Dear friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ,
whether we are old or young,
first-time or longtime worshipers,
whether we come full of doubts or confidence, joy or sorrow,
God welcomes us here in the name of Christ.
We are all here because of God’s hospitality.

Leader 2:
To the stranger in need of fellowship,
to those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
and to whoever will come,
this congregation opens wide its doors
and welcomes all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Leader 1:
At Christmas, we remember and celebrate the birth of Christ
and the mystery of the incarnation, where God became man.
The significance of Christmas does not stop today or even during the next twelve days,
but all the way till the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Leader 2:
Christmas is the first in a series of celebrations—
Christmas, Epiphany, the baptism of our Lord, and the transfiguration of Jesus,
that affirm the identity of Jesus as not only fully human but also fully divine.

Together, these celebrations prepare us for the journey
toward the cross and the empty tomb.

Of the Father’s Love BegottenUMH 184
Of the Father’s love begotten,
ere the worlds began to be,
he is Alpha and Omega,
he the source, the ending he
of the things that are, that have been
and that future years shall see,
evermore and evermore. 

PRAYER OF CONFESSION 

All: God of love,
all year long we pursue power and money,
yet you come in weakness.

All season long we covet great material gifts,
when you alone offer what is lasting.

Through the work of Jesus Christ,
who comes among us full of grace and truth,
     forgive us,
     heal us,
     correct us.

Then open our lips,
that we may sing your praise with the angels
and remake our lives,
that we may witness to your transforming love.
Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON based on 2 Corinthians 4:6 and John 1:12

Leader 1: God has caused light to shine in our hearts,
the light that is knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ.

Leader 2: To all who received him,
to those who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God.

All: Thanks be to God!

CANDLE LIGHTING LITURGY

Leader 1: Today, we gather to remember with the prophet Isaiah:

All: For to us a child is born,
   to us a son is given,
   and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Refrain: O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord!

All: Of the greatness of his government and peace
   there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
   and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it
   with justice and righteousness
   from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
   will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6–7).

Refrain: O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord!

Leader 2: We gather to once again bask in the glory
that visited a stable and a manger,
shepherds watching their flocks,
and a young couple cradling the newborn Messiah.

All: We light the Christ candle as a sign of the glory
that came among us in unexpected places and to unexpected people,
that we may be people who seek and follow
the glory of the Christ child here and now.

Refrain: O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord!

CALL TO WORSHIP *by Dr. Lisa Hancock, 2025

Beloved, on this day, we gather to enliven the story once again
of God who came to dwell among us as a vulnerable baby.
We rejoice in the day that all the earth awaits.

We remember the stable, the animals, and the manger
that witnessed the arrival of Emmanuel, God with us.
We rejoice in the day that all the earth awaits.

We recall the angels who announced the Messiah’s birth
to the shepherds, those most unlikely witnesses of God’s glory.
We rejoice in the day that all the earth awaits.

In our remembering and enlivening, we gather today
as people of God’s promise, witnesses to God’s glorious presence
among us in the vulnerable, forgotten, and tucked away places of the world.
We gather to rejoice in the day that all the earth awaits,
the day that has already come and will yet be.

All: Thanks be to God! Amen.

OPENING HYMN *
All Earth is WaitingUMH  210

1. All earth is waiting to see the Promised One
   and the open furrows the sowing of the Lord.
   All the world, bound and struggling, seeks true liberty;
   it cries out for justice and searches for the truth.
   
   
2. Thus says the prophet to those of Israel,
   “A virgin mother will bear Emmanuel,”
   for his name is “God with us,” our brother shall be,
   with him hope will blossom once more within our hearts.
   
   
3. Mountains and valleys will have to be made plain;
   open new highways, new highways for the Lord.
   He is now coming closer, so come all and see,
   and open the doorways as wide as wide can be.
   
   
4. In lowly stable the Promised One appeared,
   yet, feel his presence throughout the earth today,
   for he lives in all Christians and is with us now;
   again, with his coming he brings us liberty!

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

All: Mighty God,
the shepherds of old were full of your praises,
saying that all they had heard and seen
was mirrored by what they had been told.

Move among us now with your Holy Spirit,
that we too might hear and experience the wonder and joy of the living Word
as we seek to welcome the written Word into our lives.
In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

MUSICAL INTERLUDE

II.   SERMON

III.   WE RESPOND IN PRAYER, SHARING, GIVING, AND CELEBRATION

We respond to God’s Word through (a) praying for the church and the world, (b) sharing of God’s peace with one another (2 Cor 13:11, Gal 5:13) after having received the peace of Christ, and after made peace with one another, (c) offer to God our tithes and gifts (Matt 5:24), as a response to Christ’s sacrificial offering (Eph 5:2, 1 Pet 2:5). 

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

WELCOME

GIVING

Offertory Prayer

Tithes and Gifts to God
Let the World Sing Gloria! ChoirChoir
Words and Music: Jeremy Bose, Sarah Hart and Bryan Brown
Arr. by Heather Sorenson
© 2013 Meadowgreen Music Company

Doxology * 
Glory Be to the FatherUMH  70
Glory be to the Father
and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen. Amen.

WE CELEBRATE!

UMH 234 O Come, All Ye Faithful

1. 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!
   
   
2. Sing, choir of angels; sing in exultation;
   O sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above!
   Glory to God, all glory in the highest! (Refrain)
   
   
3. Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
   Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n:
   Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing! (Refrain)
   
   

UMH 218 It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

1. 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 heav’n's all-gracious King."
   The world in solemn stillness lay
   to hear the angels sing.
   
   
2. Still thro’ 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.
   
   
3. And ye, 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:
   O rest beside the weary road
   and hear the angels sing!
   
   
4. For lo, the days are hast’ning on,
   by prophet seen of old,
   when with the ever-circling years
   shall come the time foretold,
   when peace shall over all the earth
   its ancient splendors fling,
   and the whole world send back the song
   which now the angels sing.
   
   

UMH 239 Silent Night, Holy Night

1. Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright.
   Round yon virgin mother and Child.
   Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
   sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.
   
   
2. Silent night, holy night, shepherds quake at the sight.
   Glories stream from heaven afar;
   heavenly hosts sing alleluia.
   Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born!
   
   
3. Silent night, holy night, wondrous star, lend thy light.
   With the angels let us sing
   Alleluia to our King.
   Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born!
   
   
4. Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love's pure light
   radiant beams from thy holy face,
   with the dawn of redeeming grace,
   Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
   
   

UMH 240 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

1. Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King;
   Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!"
   Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies;
   with th'angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
   Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King!"
   
   
2. Christ, by highest heav’n adored; Christ, the everlasting Lord!
   Late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin's womb:
   veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail th'incarnate Deity,
   pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.
   Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King!"
   
   
3. Hail, the heav’n-born Prince of Peace! Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
   Light and life to all he brings, ris’n with healing in his wings.
   Mild he lays his glory by, born that men no more may die,
   born to raise the sons of earth, born to give us second birth.
   Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King!"
   
   

UMH 238 Angels We Have Heard on High

Refrain:
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo

1. Angels we have heard on high,
   sweetly singing o'er the plains
   and the mountains in reply,
   echoing their joyous strains. (Refrain)
   
   
2. Shepherds, why this jubilee?
   Why your joyous strains prolong?
   Say what may the tidings be
   which inspire your heav’nly song? (Refrain)
   
   
3. Come to Bethlehem, and see
   him whose birth the angels sing;
   come, adore on bended knee
   Christ the Lord, the newborn King. (Refrain)
   
   
4. See within a manger laid
   Jesus, Lord of heav’n and earth!
   Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
   with us sing our Savior’s birth. (Refrain)
   
   

IV.   SENDING FORTH

Having encountered God through worship, we are to go forth into the world as Christ’s hands and feet in the ministry of reconciliation. 

CLOSING HYMN *
Joy to the World! with Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You

UMH 246 Joy to the World!

1. Joy to the world! The Lord is come;
   let earth receive her King.
   Let every 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.

4. 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.
   
   

TCH⁺ 271 Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You

1. Joyful, joyful, we adore you,
   God of glory, Lord of light;
   angels lifting praise before you
   sing thro’out this holy night.
   In a manger lies a Baby—
   Child of Mary, Son of God.
   Voices joined in joyful chorus
   praise you for your gift of love.
   
   
2. All your works declare your glory;
   all creation joins to sing.
   Praise resounds as earth rejoices
   in the birth of Christ, the King.
   Shepherds kneel before the Infant.
   Trumpets sound and anthems raise
   as with joy our hearts are lifted,
   joined in wonder, love, and praise.
   
   

BENEDICTION *

POSTLUDE
Rise Up, Go Tell It Orchestra
Arr. Llyod Larson; Orchestrated by Michael Lawrence
© 2009 and this edition © 2016 Lorenz Publishing Company

Prayer Ministry at the Altar
If you need someone to pray with you, please proceed to the inner rails of the altar area. If you wish to pray alone, please use the outer rails.

* Congregation may stand.
⁺TCH: The Celebration Hymnal

Christmas Floral Offering

In Thanksgiving:

• Dr & Mrs Ivan Ko
• Amy & John Ko
• Mr & Mrs Simon Wong and Andrew