INTROIT: The Lord reigns.  HE is dressed  beautifully.  HE is strong.  The Lord reigns.  All the earth rejoice; oceans rejoice; clouds surround HIM; HE judges with righteousness and honesty.  The skies announce HIS righteousness, and all people see HIS glory.

COLLECT: O God, YOU make us happy every-year on the birthday of YOUR Son, Jesus Christ.  Help us to happily welcome Jesus our Savior now, and with bravery trust HIM on the Judgment Day. . We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord.  Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God.  Amen.

ISAIAH 52:7-10
     7.  Truly beautiful are the feet of the announcers walking on the mountains telling about peace, salvation, and that God is King.
     8.  Listen to the watchers sing with joy because they see the Lord leading HIS people home again.
     9.  Let the destroyed city JERUSALEM begin a happy song, because the Lord comforts and saves HIS people.
    10.  The Lord showed HIS strength to all the nations of the earth, and they will see our Savior God.

HEBREWS 1:1-9
     1.  Long-ago God spoke many times in different ways to our fathers through prophets.
     2.  Now God speaks to us through HIS Son.  Jesus made the world, and God gave everything to Jesus.
     3.  The Son shows God's glory.  The Son is God, and with the power of HIS Word the Son reigns all the world.  The Son died for our sins and now reigns with God the Father in heaven.
     4.  The Son is greater than all the angels, because HIS name is greater than their name.
     5.  God never said to any angel, "You are MY Son.  Today I give you the honor of MY name.  I will be your Father and you will be MY Son."
     6.  But happened God's Son came into the world, then God said, "Let all the angels of God worship Jesus."
     7.  God speaks about the angels same-as spirits and servants and fire.
     8.  But to the Son God says, "O God, YOUR Kingdom remains forever.  And YOU reign honestly and correctly.
     9.  YOU love correct and hate wrong.  That is reason God chose YOU and gave YOU the joy of an honor above all others."

GRADUAL: For us a baby is born, a Son given to us, and HE will reign.  And HIS names will be Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Peace Prince.  Sing to the Lord a new song, because HE does wonderful things.

JOHN 1:1-14
     1.  The Word (Christ) was in the beginning.  The Word was with God.  The Word was truly God.
     2.  Christ was with God in the beginning.
     3.  Christ made all things.  Everything that was made, that was made by Christ.
     4.  Life began by Christ.  HIS life was the Light for all people.
     5.  The Light shines in the darkness.  And the darkness can't put-out the Light.
     6.  God sent a man by the name JOHN.
     7.  And JOHN came to tell the truth about the Savior to help everyone believe.
     8.  JOHN was not the Savior, but JOHN came to tell the truth about the Savior.
     9.  The true Savior coming into the world will give light to everyone.
     10. The Savior came into the world.  The Savior made the world, but the people in the world didn't-know the Savior.
    11.  The Savior came to HIS home nation, and HIS home people didn't accept HIM.
    12.  To all those people accepting the Savior and believing in HIM, they became the children of God.
    13.  The children of God are not born from parents or born from sexual hunger or born because a man wanted that child.  No, these children of God are born because God wanted them.
    14.  Christ became a man and lived among us.  We saw HIS shining greatness.  This greatness is given only to a much loved Son from the Father, full of love and truth.
 
 

INTROIT: For us a child is born, for us a Son is given.  And HE will be named Wonderful Advisor, Mighty God.  Sing to the Lord a new song, because HE does wonderful things; HIS right hand and HIS holy arm is victorious.  HE remembered HIS love and HIS faithfulness to the people of ISRAEL; everything on earth sees the salvation of our God.  Shout with happiness to the Lord, all the earth, shout with happiness to the Lord, our King.

COLLECT: Lead us, O Lord, in all our doings with YOUR glorious love and continually help us with all the works that we begin, continue, and finish in YOUR name, that we will give glory to YOUR holy name and then by YOUR mercy receive eternal life.  We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord.  Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God.  Amen.

ISAIAH 45:22-25
    22.  Attend to ME for salvation, all people on earth, because I AM God, and there are no other gods.
    23.  I MYSELF made a promise; I spoke truly, and I will not change MY promise.  Every person will kneel in-front-of ME, and everyone will honor ME.
    24.  The people will say, "Only in the Lord we have righteousness and strength."  And all the people angry with God will feel ashamed.
    25.  But only in the Lord God will forgive HIS people, and they will give glory to HIM.

COLOSSIANS 3:12-17
    12.  Now, dear and holy people; you are the chosen people of God.  Now, in your heart put mercy, kindness, humility, quietness, and slowness to anger.
    13.  Show patience to one-another and forgive one-another.  And if one person complains against another, let him forgive that one, the same-as the Lord forgives you.
    14.  First, become loving, because love is the same-as a perfect chain around all these things.
    15.  And let the peace of Christ reign in your hearts.  God called you to give you peace.  Now show thanks.
    16.  Let the words of Christ live in you much everytime you teach and help one-another in all wisdom.  And let the words of Christ live in you much everytime you sing Psalms and music and spiritual songs in your hearts with thanks to God.
    17.  And all you do in word or work, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.  Give thanks to God the Father through Jesus.

GRADUAL: For us a child is born, for us a Son is given, and HE will reign over all.  And HE will be named Wonderful Advisor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.  Sing to the Lord a new song, because HE does wonderful things.

LUKE 2:25-40
    25.  A man lived in the city named JERUSALEM.  The man's name was SIMEON.  He was a good man and a very religious man.  He searched for the Promised Savior of God's people to come.  The Holy Spirit was in his heart.
    26.  The Holy Spirit told SIMEON that he would see the Savior before he died.
    27.  The Holy Spirit led SIMEON into the house of the Lord.  The parents brought the baby Jesus into the house of God.  They came in obedience to the Jewish Law.
    28.  Then SIMEON took Jesus in his arms.  SIMEON praised God and said:
    29.  "Lord, YOU kept YOUR promise, now let me die in peace.  My eyes saw the Savior of all people's sins.
    30.  YOU made the Savior ready for all people to see.
    31.  Jesus will shine same-as a light on the dark sinful hearts of non-Jewish people.
    32.  Jesus will show HIS great glory to YOUR chosen people, the Jews."
    33.  And Jesus' father and mother thought very much about SIMEON'S words about Jesus.
    34.  And SIMEON blessed them and said to MARY, Jesus' mother, "Look, God sent this child for HIS purpose.  This child will make many people rebel against God, but many people will believe in God in the Jewish nation.  Many people will speak against HIM.
    35.  Because HE will show the secret thoughts in many hearts.  And you, MARY, will have a pain, same-as a sword piercing your soul."
    36.  And one woman prophet from the family named ASSHUR came.  Her father was named PHANUEL, and the woman's name was ANNA.  She was very old and married for seven years.
    37.  Now her husband died, and she was eighty four years old.  She stayed in the temple and worshipped night and day, praying and often not eating so-that she could pray better.
    38.  ANNA came and gave thanks to God.  She told the people in the city JERUSALEM about Jesus.  She told that to all those believers waiting for the promised Savior to come.
    39.  JOSEPH and MARY finished doing everything the Law of the Lord commanded.  Then they went home to the city NAZARETH, their home town in the country GALILEE.
    40.  The little boy Jesus grew and became stronger and wiser, and God blessed HIM.
 

[B]   NEW YEARS EVE

INTROIT: Our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.  Sing to the Lord a new song, because HE does wonderful things; HIS right hand and HIS holy arm is victorious.  The Lord informed us about HIS salvation and showed HIS righteousness to the nations.  HE remembers HIS love and HIS faithfulness to the people of ISRAEL; and everything on earth sees the salvation of our God.

COLLECT: Lord God, heavenly Father, because YOU sent YOUR only Son to save us and YOU gave the name Jesus, help us to begin the New Year trusting in Jesus and live all our days serving HIM and praising HIS glorious name.  We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord.  Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God.  Amen.

ISAIAH 51:1-6
     1.  Attend to me you people searching for correct things; now search for the Lord.  Look you came from that place.
     2.  See ABRAHAM, your father, and SARAH, she birthed you.  ABRAHAM was only one man before I called him, but I blessed him and gave him a large family.
     3.  The Lord comforts HIS people and pities all the destruction; HE will change the dry country into a beautiful growing area.  Happiness and pleasure will be there, thanksgiving and hear all the singing.
     4.  Attend to me, MY people, and hear ME, MY nation; I give MY Laws, and MY judgment is same-as a light for the nations.
     5.  I come quickly doing correct things.  I come to save.  I will judge the nations.  The land near the sea will eagerly wait for me and trust in me.
     6.  Look to heaven, and look to the earth.  The heavens will disappear in smoke, the earth will melt-away same-as old clothes, and the people living will die same-as FLIES.  But I will always save and always do the correct thing.

ROMANS 8:31-39
    31.  What do we say about this?  If God supports us, then no person can defeat us.
    32.  God will do anything for us.  God let HIS Son suffer for us.  God gave HIS Son for us all.  Now with Jesus our friend, then God will truly give us all things.
    33.  Who will blame God's chosen people?  No one!  God makes HIS people alright.
    34.  Who can say that God's people are to blame?  No one!  Christ Jesus died for us, but that is not all.  Jesus also arose from death.  And now Jesus is with God in heaven praying to God for us.
    35.  Can anything separate us from Christ's love?  No!  Can trouble separate us from Christ's love?  No!  Can problems or persecution separate us?  No!  If we have no food or clothes, will that separate us from Christ's love?  No!  Will danger or death separate us?  No!
    36.  Same-as written in the Holy Writings, "Because of Jesus we are near danger and death all the time.  People think we are worth no more than sheep to be killed."
    37.  But in all these things we are victorious through God showing HIS love to us.
    38.  Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from the love of God.  Not death, not life, not angels, not reigning spirits, nothing now or nothing in the future,
    39.  No powers, nothing above us, nothing below us, or anything else in the world will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

GRADUAL: Everything on earth sees the salvation of our God.  Shout with happiness to the Lord, all you people on earth.  The Lord informed us about HIS salvation and showed HIS righteousness to the nations.

MATTHEW 1:18-21
    18.  The mother of Jesus Christ was-named MARY.  Jesus became born this way.  Mary was-engaged to marry JOSEPH.  But before the wedding MARY became pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit.
    19.  JOSEPH was a good man and didn't-want to embarrass MARY in-front-of the people.  JOSEPH planned to divorce MARY secretly.
    20.  While JOSEPH thought about everything, an angel of the Lord came in a dream.  The angel said, "JOSEPH, son of DAVID, don't be-afraid to accept MARY for your wife.  The baby inside her comes from the Holy Spirit.
    21.  She will birth a Son, and you will name the boy Jesus, because HE will save HIS people from their sins."
 
 

INTROIT: The Word became born and lived among us.  We saw HIS glory, same-as the only Son from the Father full of love and truth.  Truly it-is good to sing praises to our God, pleasant and correct to praise HIM!  Our Lord is great and very powerful; HIS understanding has no limit.  The Lord loves those people honoring HIM and trusting in HIS never failing love.  Praise the Lord, O JERUSALEM; praise your God, O heaven.

COLLECT: O God, our Maker and Savior, YOU wonderfully made us and YOU made us YOUR people through the birth of YOUR Son, help us to always live with HIM same-as HE came to live with us.  We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord.  Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God.  Amen.

ISAIAH 61:10-62:3
    10.  I will rejoice much because of my Lord, and my soul will be happy with my God, because God saved me and made me holy.
    11.  Same-as the ground grows food and flowers bloom from SEEDS, the same the Lord God will make HIS righteousness and praise to grow in-front-of the nations.
  62:1.  Because of MY people I will not be-quiet and for MY people in the city JERUSALEM I will not rest until the righteousness shines same-as a light and salvation shines same-as a fire.
     2.  The nations will see God's righteousness and all the kings will see HIS glory.  YOU will have a new name that the Lord HIMSELF will give YOU.
     3.  YOU will be the same-as a beautiful crown for the Lord, and a shining diamond in the hand of God.

EPHESIANS 1:3-6, 15-18
     3.  Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Because of Christ God gave every spiritual blessing from heaven.
     4.  Before God made the world, God chose us that we would be holy and without blame in-front-of HIM.
     5.  Because of HIS love God decided to make us HIS sons through Jesus Christ agreeing with HIS pleasure and purpose.
     6.  Let us praise God for HIS wonderful love and for the free gift God gave us in HIS dear Son.
    15.  For this reason since I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people,
    16.  I have not stopped thanking God for you.  I remember you in my prayers.
    17.  I ask the God of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Father of glory to give you HIS Spirit to make you wise and to show God to you that you will know HIM.
    18.  I ask that your minds be-opened to see HIS light that you will know the hope that God gives to you and the very rich wonderful blessings God promises HIS people.

GRADUAL: For us a child is born, for us a Son is given, and HE will reign over all.  And HE will be named Wonderful Advisor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.  Sing to the Lord a new song, because HE does wonderful things.

JOHN 1:1-18
     1.  The Word (Christ) was in the beginning.  The Word was with God.  The Word was truly God.
     2.  Christ was with God in the beginning.
     3.  Christ made all things.  Everything that was made, that was made by Christ.
     4.  Life began by Christ.  HIS life was the Light for all people.
     5.  The Light shines in the darkness.  And the darkness can't put-out the Light.
     6.  God sent a man by the name JOHN.
     7.  And JOHN came to tell the truth about the Savior to help everyone believe.
     8.  JOHN was not the Savior, but JOHN came to tell the truth about the Savior.
     9.  The true Savior coming into the world will give light to everyone.
    10.  The Savior came into the world.  The Savior made the world, but the people in the world didn't-know the Savior.
    11.  The Savior came to HIS home nation, and HIS home people didn't accept HIM.
    12.  To all those people accepting the Savior and believing in HIM, they became the children of God.
    13.  The children of God are not born from parents or born from sexual hunger or born because a man wanted that child.  No, these children of God are born because God wanted them.
    14.  Christ became a man and lived among us.  We saw HIS shining greatness.  This greatness is given only to a much loved Son from the Father, full of love and truth.
    15.  JOHN told about Christ and said, "I told you about this Christ.  I said that HE will come later, but HE is more important than me, because HE lived long before me.
    16.  All of us received from HIM many, many gifts of love.
    17.  The Law was given to us through MOSES, but God's love and truth came to us through Jesus Christ.
    18.  No one ever saw God.  The only Son of God, that Son of God the Father loves very much, that Son told us about God."