Prepare the Way Worship Series: ARRIVE
Christmas Eve — December 24, 2018

Planning for this Series

After yesterday’s Welcome, today we have Arrive. Arrive sums up the event of the Christ entering into the world. We read the familiar story in Luke 2, where Mary and Joseph arrive in Bethlehem; Jesus arrives into the world through birth; and the shepherds arrive to worship the baby. The Isaiah texts looks to the arrival of the Messiah.

Christmas Eve, or the Evening of Christmas. In the cultures of the Bible, the day begins not at sunrise, but sunset. In Judaism, Sabbath begins on Friday at sunset. Christians continue to commemorate this ancient way of telling time in the various “Eve” services of the year, including All Saints Eve, The Great Vigil of Easter (Easter Eve) and beginning the daily office with evening prayer. With sunset on December 24, Advent ends and Christmas begins. After the Easter Vigil (Easter Eve), this is the holiest night in the church's celebration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. (Taylor Burton-Edwards).

Also remember that Christmas Eve and Easter are your highest visitor Sundays. Be sure to have extra ushers on hand to greet and help seat people. Sing familiar Christmas hymns. Consider having a gift for visitors that they can take when they exit the church that includes information about upcoming events or worship series and your church’s contact information.

Above all, celebrate the coming of Christ into the world. This is a night of joy and celebration!

If you are interested in developing more services within the Christmas Season this year, be sure to look at The Three “M’s” of Christmas Season: Mystery, Martyrs, and Magnificat. For our series, we will continue with “Prepare the Way” until Epiphany, and then launch a four-week series called “Greater Things.”