11 AM Worship Bulletin

11 AM SERVICE

11AM Order of Worship

A bulletin you can print at home

CONNECT CARD

Tell us how we can pray with you

& how we can connect you with ministries

GIVE

An expression of gratitude to God

WELCOME TO WORSHIP | sunday | december 28, 2025

a diverse, inclusive church experiencing and reflecting the love, hope and joy of Jesus Christ

to each other and our community.

PRELUDE
I Wonder as I Wander | John Jacob Niles
Pastor Cathy Johns, alto

WELCOME | Pastor Doug Johns

WELCOME ONE ANOTHER

WAYS TO CONNECT | christchurchfl.org/ways2connect
Please see below.

* CALL TO WORSHIP | Richard Sheffield, liturgist
The light that was born in Bethlehem still shines among us.
We come to worship the Christ who dwells with us.
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
And we have seen his glory, full of grace and truth.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
We rejoice, for Christ is born, and God’s love is with us.

Come, let us worship the One who was, who is, and who is to come.
With hearts full of praise, we lift our voices to Emmanuel—God with us!

* GATHERING HYMN
O Come, All Ye Faithful | The United Methodist Hymnal No. 234 (verses 1,3)
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 heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest; (refrain)

C. Frederick Oakeley | John Francis Wade | © words: public domain; music: public domain | CCLI License # 487103

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear | The United Methodist Hymnal No. 218 (verses 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 heaven’s all-gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing.

Edmund Sears & Richard Willis | © words & music: public domain | CCLI License # 487103

The First Noel | The United Methodist Hymnal No. 245 (verses 1,2)
The first Noel 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.

(refrain) Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, born is the King of Israel.

They looked up 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. (refrain)

* OPENING PRAYER
Gracious and loving God, we gather in the glow of Christmas joy, still marveling at the gift of your Son. The light of your love has entered our world, shining in the darkness and bringing hope to all people. Renew our faith and remind us that your light shines in our everyday lives. Give us the courage to reflect this light so that our neighbors may see your love through our words and deeds. As we step into a new year, let the wonder of Jesus’ birth continue to shape who we are and how we live out our call to be your disciple. Amen.

* AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
We believe in God, who moved across the dark waters at Creation.
God’s words “Let there be light” filled the heavens and the earth with abundant light and goodness. God loves, protects, and nurtures all of Creation.

We believe in Jesus Christ, God born among us a fragile baby.
His birth was heralded by angels. From shepherds to kings, people
came to worship Jesus, the infant king. His life, death,
and resurrection continue to transform the world with God’s love.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who gives us eyes to see all people as beloved children of God.
This Spirit call us to live in peace, and with great joy, sing with the angel chorus:
“Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people of earth.”

* GLORIA PATRI
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.

Henry W. Greatorex | public domain | CCLI License # 487103

MUSIC MINISTRY
Away in a Manger | arr. Gilbert Martin
Chancel Choir

SCRIPTURE
Matthew 1:18-25 | New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
¹⁸Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly. ²⁰But 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. ²¹She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ²²All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

²³“Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” ²⁴When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife ²⁵but had no marital relations with her until she had given birth to a son, and he named him Jesus.

These are the words of God for us, the people of God. Thanks be to God.

MESSAGE
God’s Grace and Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer | Pastor Doug Johns

OFFERING | Pastor Cathy Johns
worshiping through the offering of our lives and gifts

· Place offerings in the plates or wooden boxes

· Give online at christchurchfl.org/give

· Text GIVE to 954.880.3885

· Mail a check to Christ Church, 4845 NE 25^th Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308

Connect cards may also be placed with your offering. Christ Church is a congregationally supported ministry. Thank you for your faithfulness as we reflect the love, hope and joy of Jesus to our community.

MUSIC MINISTRY
The Light in the Night | John C. Reim
Chancel Choir
Piercing through the shadows of the night, suddenly there shone a brilliant light. To some shepherds came an angel bright, an angel sent with a word from God. On the ground the frightened shepherds lay, till they heard the holy angel say, “Do not fear; I bring good tidings, joyous news for people near and far. For to you is born this day in David’s town a tiny baby boy, the Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you’ll find the baby wrapped in strips of cloth and in a manger bed reclined.” Straight away this joyous news would fly. This joyous news would fly. Hosts and hosts of heaven filled the sky, shouting praises high and announcing peace on the earth. Filled with joy, the shepherds soon agreed, “Let us now go and run without delay. Let us now go to David’s town and see. They’ve told us things in which we still rejoice.” “For to us is born this day in David’s town a tiny baby boy, the Savior, who is Christ, the Lord. When the shepherds saw the Blessed One, with the news they soon were on the run, praising God for all that he had done, for wondrous things they had seen and heard. As they ran to spread the news abroad, telling all about the gift of God, may we, too, be on our way to say, “The Savior of the world has come!” Come to the Light that shines in the night! He, who once was laid in manger bed, came down to suffer in our stead, and to rise on high! Him we glorify! Alleluia!

* 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.

Bourgeois & Ken | public domain | CCLI License # 487103

MORNING PRAYER

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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

* HYMN OF COMMITMENT
Joy to the World | The United Methodist Hymnal No. 246 (verses 1,2,4)
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 world, 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.

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.

* SENDING FORTH

* RESPONSE
O Little Town of Bethlehem | The United Methodist Hymnal No. 230 (verses 1)
O Little Town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie;
above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light;
the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

MUSIC FOR CLOSING
O Come, All Ye Faithful | arr. Mary McDonald
Chuck Stanley, organ

* please stand in body or spirit.

Join us next Sunday for the message Do you believe in Magi? based on Matthew 2:1-12.

For a complete list of all the ways to conect click here