Leader: This time of worship includes narration and singing. Ask several different people who are comfortable reading to help you read the narration. Choose your own carols or praise songs, or use the ones suggested. Be sure to have someone play the guitar, piano, or have a CD if your group would feel uncomfortable singing a cappella. Always have the words of the songs you plan to sing printed out for each group member.
Narrator One: Christmas is about a lot of things … it is about friends and family. It's about celebrating and remembering. It is about giving and receiving. It is about God becoming man, about the holy One leaving glory to drape himself in the frailties of this human existence. Christmas is about God's love for mankind. It is about God rescuing you and me from the suffocating quicksand of sin. Ultimately, Christmas is about loving Jesus back.
Sing one or two of the following:
Jesus, Lover of My Soul, I love you, Lord, Away in the Manger, Silent Night.
Narrator Two: Right from the beginning, God's love has reached, and from the beginning man has refused to understand. But love went on reaching, offering itself. Love offered eternal, we wanted immediate. Love offered deep joy, we wanted thrills. Love offered freedom, we wanted license. Love offered communion with God himself, we wanted to worship at the shrine of our own minds. Love offered peace, we wanted approval for our wars. Even so, love went on reaching. And still today, after two thousand years, patiently and lovingly, Christ is reaching out to us. Right through the chaos of our world, through the confusion of our minds, he is reaching, longing to share with us … the very being of God.
"his love still is longing. his love is still reaching … right past the shackles of my mind. The Word of the Father became Mary's little Son, and his love reached all the way to where I am." — Gloria Gaither
Sing one of the following:
Power of Your Love; Give Thanks; hark! The herald Angels Sing; What Child is This?
Narrator Three: Because of Christmas--because God chose to come, we will never be the same again. We have closed the door on yesterday's lies and have stepped into the light of living in God's glory. We will walk his path: the humble road of servanthood; the street of joy; the lane of hope. Your glory fills our lives, Lord. We will never be the same again.
Sing one or two of the following:
I Will Never Be; Lord, I Lift Your Name on high; Oh Come, All Ye Faithful.
Narrator Four: This time of darkness and despair shall not go on forever. The people who walk in darkness shall see a great Light—a Light that will shine on all those who live in the land of the shadow of death. God will break the chains that bind his people and the whip that scourges them. In that glorious day of peace, there will no longer be the issuing of battle gear; no more the bloodstained uniforms of war; all such will be burned into ashes of yesterday's memories.
For unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder. These will be his royal titles: "Wonderful," "Counselor," "The Mighty God," "The Everlasting Father," "The Prince of Peace." — Isaiah 9:1-6 (Living)
Sing together one or two of the following:
Shout to the Lord; Awesome God; Joy to the World.
