First Church text with white circular emblem

CHRISTMAS

CHRISTMAS AT FIRST CHURCH

Join us as we seek to cultivate hope, peace, joy, and love this Advent season. Together, we’ll look back at the hopes surrounding the first Christmas, explore what Jesus’ birth meant for those key figures in the Biblical birth narrative, and consider what it means for us today. We hope you and your family will join us starting December 1 for our Advent sermon series, “Great Expectations,” at one of our Sunday worship services.

Our Christmas Eve offering (which comprises of the gifts from the Christmas Envelopes and Online Christmas giving) will be evenly split to support First Church and Expectations.

People passing and sharing the light of Christ through small taper candles at a dinner experience

FIRST NIGHT CHRISTMAS DINNER

December 18, 5:00 PM | (CLC) Stryker Hall

This week’s First Night will be a dinner experience to celebrate the Christmas story in community with singing carols, retelling the Jesus story and candle lighting.

Contact: Michael Glazier, College and Care Minister

spark children praying on the steps during the Children's Christmas service in a Sanctuary

CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS SERVICE

December 22, 9 AM & 11 AM

This year’s Children’s Christmas service will be held during both the Traditional Service (at 9:00 AM in the FEC) and the Contemporary Service (at 11:00 AM in the CLC). The kids will help lead worship through music, prayer, and Scripture. Then, they will be dismissed to celebrate Jesus’ birthday at sparkzone.

Any child Age 3 through Grade 3 is invited.

Contact: Courtney Wynn, Children’s Minister

a teenager lights a congregant's small taper candles lit at a Christmas Eve service at First Church

TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE

December 24, 3:00 PM & 5:00 PM | (FEC) Sanctuary — 604 Market St

Celebrate the joys and traditions of Christmas in community. This service is traditional in style and worship: a brass ensemble and organ accompany our chancel choir leading the hymns that anticipate the coming of Christ. Scripture, prayer, a brief message, and candle lighting are also included.

The 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM services are identical.

LIVE-STREAM: The 5:00 PM Service will be live-streamed on Church Online Platform.

NURSERY (3 PM): The Nursery (Room 206) will be open for all parents who wish to use this space with their little ones, but no Nursery workers will be present to formally staff the room at this service. (The Traditional Service will be shown on the screens in the room.)

NURSERY (5 PM): There will be Nursery staff available for kids Birth – Age 3. (The service will be live-streamed on the screen in the room.)

SPARKZONE: There will be no sparkzone at either service. Children of all ages are welcome to worship with their families; they will be given a children’s worship bag. Glow sticks will be in the children’s worship bags if children are unable to handle candles during the candle-lighting portion of the service. Parents can pick up a worship bag at the spark table located in the (FEC) Lobby.

person raising their hand in worship while a contemporary band leads singing and Advent candles lit in the background

CONTEMPORARY CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE

December 24, 7:00 PM | (CLC) Stryker Hall — 601 Market St

Celebrate the joys and traditions of Christmas in community. This service is contemporary in style: a worship band will lead songs that fit the context of the service and anticipate the coming of Christ. Also, the worship band will be leading from the center of Stryker Hall, with chairs arranged around them, cultivating a more intimate worship experience (also known as “worship in the round”). Scripture, prayer, a brief message, and candle lighting are also included.

NURSERY: There will be no Nursery at this service.

SPARKZONE: There will be no sparkzone at this service. Children of all ages are welcome to worship with their families; they will be given a children’s worship bag. Glow sticks will be in the children’s worship bags if children are unable to handle candles during the candlelighting portion of the service. Parents can pick up a worship bag at the spark table located in (CLC) Stryker Hall.

person raising their hand in worship while a contemporary band leads singing and Advent candles lit in the background

REFLECTIVE CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE

December 24, 11:00 PM | (FEC) Sanctuary — 604 Market St

Revere in our fulfilled expectations of the Savior’s birth in this quiet, meditative service designed to help you center amidst the busy season. This service will incorporate a rhythm of scripture, prayer, and silence, as well as the beloved traditions of communion and candle lighting.

NURSERY: There will be no Nursery at this service.

SPARKZONE: There will be no sparkzone at this service.

Stained glass windows depicting the life of Jesus

UPCOMING SERVICES

December 29, 2024 at 10:00 AM | (FEC) Sanctuary

Our last Sunday of the year will be a combined service at 10 AM in our Sanctuary, looking back at 2024 and celebrating the Jubilee throughout.

NURSERY: The Nursery (Room 206) will be open for all parents at this service who wish to use this space with their little ones, but no Nursery workers will formally staff the room during this service. This service will be shown onscreen in the Nursery Room.

SPARKZONE: There will be no sparkzone at this service, but children of all ages are welcome and will be given a fun worship activity.

 

January 5, 2025

Beginning January 5, our Sanctuary Worship schedule will resume normally: our Traditional Service occurring at 9 AM in the (FEC) Santuary (which will be live-streamed) and our Contemporary Service occurring at 11 AM in (CLC) Stryker Hall.