Candlelight Christmas Even Worship
Saturday, December 24, 2011, 7PM
Wrapped in every breath, song, and action is God’s direct connection with the earth and her peoples. This night counters voices and theologies that view God as distant and unengaged with humanity and the world. From old, the promise of God drawing near has been uttered; in the gospel we witness the birth of God’s yearning presence through a teenage girl; throughout we are invited to join the song of creation, hope, and salvation. Tonight we pulse with the exhilaration of Mary and the shepherds, and those who have lived at the margins, as we experience and proclaim, that “God dwells with us.” While people may often talk of the “magic” of Christmas, it is our call to speak to the incarnation of Christmas. As people come together to hear a familiar story and sing familiar hymns, the blessing and challenge is to witness again to God’s promise and promise-keeping and to join the chorus of joy in what God has done and continues to do in being made real among us.
Bethlehem Church welcomes