Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church
421 North Second Street — Mankato, MN 56001
• Church • School • Christmas Eve Archives •
All my heart this night rejoices
As I hear far and near
Sweetest angel voices.
"Christ is born!" their choirs are singing,
Till the air ev’rywhere
Now with joy is ringing.
Come and kneel, you poor and wretched;
Know His will is to fill
Every hand outstretch’d.
Here are riches without measure;
Here forget all regret,
Fill your hearts with treasure.
Come, then, banish all your sadness!
One and all, great and small,
Come with songs of gladness;
We shall live with Him forever
There on high in that joy
Which will vanish never.
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come, ye, O come, ye, to Bethlehem!
Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels;
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
The highest, most holy, Light of light eternal,
Born of a virgin, a mortal He comes;
Son of the Father, now in flesh appearing!
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above;
Glory to God in the Highest!
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning,
Jesus, to Thee be all glory giv’n;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing:
Welcome in the name of Jesus Christ, our priceless Treasure.
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” (2 Cor. 9:15)
Hail the joyful story of the Savior’s glory!
Hail the happy birthday of our Lord and King!
As the shepherds greet Him, let us go and meet Him;
See Him wake and clap His hands when little children sing.
Therefore My Father loves Me,
because I lay down My life that I may
take it again. (John 10:17)
Narrator: Tonight we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We join together in God’s house to listen again to the wonderful story of His birth, sing His praises, and meditate on what His birth in Bethlehem means to us. We begin as we hear of the love of the Father, who loved His Son with a perfect love, but who willingly gave Jesus as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.
“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold. My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.”
(Isaiah 42:1)
For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
(2 Peter 1:17,18)
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.”
(John 15:9)
“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”
(John 17:24)
Shall we still dread God’s displeasure,
Who, to save, freely gave,
His most cherished Treasure?
To redeem us He has given,
His own Son from the throne
of His might in heaven.
I am pure, in You believing,
From Your store evermore,
Righteous robes receiving.
In my heart I will enfold You,
Treasure rare, let me there,
Loving, ever hold You.
Dearest Lord, You will I cherish.
Though my breath fail in death,
Yet I shall not perish,
But with You will reign forever
There on high, in that joy
Which can perish never.
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son,
and shall call His name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
Narrator: God the Father chose a young Jewish woman, a virgin, to bear the Savior of the world. Mary believed in the promise of a Savior, and she magnified God with her whole heart when she was told by the angel Gabriel that she would be the mother of the Redeemer.
And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me;and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.”
My soul now magnifies the Lord;
My spirit shall in God rejoice.
My humble state He did regard,
Exalting me by gracious choice.
Henceforth shall people call me blest,
For great things He has done for me.
The mighty God is now my Guest;
The Holy One has set me free.
His mercy is on all who fear,
Who trust in Him from age to age.
His arm of strength to all is near;
The proud He scatters, though they rage.
He brings down rulers from their seat
And raises those of low degree.
He fills the hungry souls with meat;
The rich depart in poverty.
He helped His servant Israel,
Rememb’ring His eternal grace,
As from of old He did foretell
To Abraham and all his race.
So praise with me the Holy One,
Who comes in all humility.
To our Redeemer, God’s own Son,
Be glory in eternity!
“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. and she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20,21)
Narrator: The miracle of the Savior’s birth is recorded in the Gospel of St. Luke, chapter 2. Here we read and marvel about the precious gift of a Child, given to Mary and Joseph. The baby Jesus wasn’t just a gift to them however; He was the Father’s Gift of eternal life and salvation to all people of all places and times.
And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.
So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because He was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.
So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head.
The stars in the sky look down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle Ôtil morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care
And take us to heaven, to live with Thee there.
Bless the LORD, you His angels who excel in strength,
who do His word, heeding the voice of His word. (Psalm 103:20)
Narrator: When Jesus was born, God the Father spread the news of His Son’s birth in the most spectacular birth announcement ever! The angel of the Lord gave directions to the shepherds, and the angelic host proclaimed praises to their God.
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!”
Infant holy, Infant lowly,
for His bed a cattle stall;
Oxen lowing, little knowing
Christ the Child is Lord of all.
Swiftly winging angels singing,
Bells are ringing, tidings bringing:
Christ the Child is Lord of all.
Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping
vigil till the morning new;
saw the glory, heard the story,
tidings of a Gospel true.
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow,
Praises voicing, greet the morrow:
Christ the Babe was born for you.
While by the sheep we watched at night.
Glad tidings brought an angel bright.
How great our joy!
Joy! Joy! Joy!
Praise we the Lord in heav’n on high!
There shall be born, so he did say,
In Bethlehem a Child today.
There shall the Child lie in a stall,
This Child who shall redeem us all.
This Gift of God we’ll cherish well.
That ever joy our hearts shall fill
How great our joy! Great our joy!
Joy! Joy! Joy! Joy! Joy! Joy!
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high!
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high!
Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply,
Echoing their joyous strains:
“Gloria in excelsis Deo!”
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ, the Lord, the newborn King.
See Him in a manger laid,
Whom the angels praise above;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While we raise our hearts in love.
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift. (2 Corinthians 9:15)
Narrator: The shepherds believed the angel’s message and hurried to Bethlehem to worship the Savior of the world - the Savior people had been waiting for ever since Adam and Eve lived on the earth. They would find the Desire of All Nations in the village of Bethlehem.
So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told to them.
Where shepherds lately knelt and kept the angel’s word,
I come in half-belief, a pilgrim strangely stirred;
But there is room and welcome there for me.
In that unlikely place I find Him as they said:
Sweet newborn Babe, how frail! and in a manger bed,
A still, small Voice to cry one day for me.
How should I not have known Isaiah would be there,
His prophecies fulfilled, with pounding heart I stare:
A child, a son, the Prince of Peace for me.
Can I, will I forget how Love was born, and burned
Its way into my heart unasked, unforced, unearned,
To die, to live, and not alone for me,
o die, to live, and not alone for me.
Text by Jaroslav Vajda
Copyright © 1987 Concordia Publishing House.
Used with permission.
Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright.
Round yon virgin mother and Child;
Holy Infant, so tender and mild.
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar, heavenly hosts sing
Alleluia! Christ the Savior is born!
Silent night! Holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light.
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace.
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth.
The Gentiles will come to Your light,
and kings to the brightness of Your rising. (Isaiah 60:1-3)
Narrator: Common shepherds weren’t the only people to visit and worship the infant Jesus after His birth. The Gospel of St. Matthew records the journey of wise men from the east. These believers traveled for weeks or months to adore the Savior of all.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
When Herod the king heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
‘But you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.’”
Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me that I may come and worship Him also.”
When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
What Child is this, who laid to rest,
on Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
while shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King
whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
the Babe, the Son of Mary.
Why lies He in such mean estate
where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear, for sinners here
the silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spears, shall pierce Him through,
the cross be borne for me, for you;
Hail, hail, the Word made flesh,
the Babe, the Son of Mary.
So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh;
come, peasant, king, to own Him.
The King of Kings salvation brings;
let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise, the song on high, the Virgin sings her lullaby;
Joy, joy, for Christ is born, the Babe, the Son of Mary.
And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
And He is the head of the body, the church,
who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things He may have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:17,18)
Narrator: We have heard about those who regarded Jesus as their priceless Treasure: God the Father, Mary and Joseph, the angels, the shepherds, and the Wisemen. There are many more examples from Bible times up to this very hour! Christians throughout time have honored and will continue to honor Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as Lord and Savior.
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Therefore God has also highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11)
Above all powers, above all kings,
Above all nature and all created things;
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man,
You were here before the world began.
Above all kingdoms, above all thrones,
Above all wonders the world has ever known,
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth,
There’s no way to measure what You’re worth.
Crucified, laid behind the stone;
You lived to die, rejected and alone;
Like a rose, trampled on the ground,
You took the fall - and thought of me,
Above all.
Words and music by Paul Baloche and Lenny LeBlanc.
Copyright 1999 Integrity’s Hosanna!
Music (c/o Integreity Music, Inc., 1000 Cody Road, Mobile, AL 36695)
Lensongs Publishing (ASCAP).
All rights reserved.
Used with permission.
Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.
Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’ angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King!
Christ, by highest heav’n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail th’ incarnate Deity!
Pleased as Man with man to dwell; Jesus, our Immanuel!
Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King!
Hail, the heav’nly Prince of Peace! Hail, the Sun of Righteousness;
Light and life to all He brings, Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild He leaves His throne on high, Born that man no more may die;
Born to raise each child of earth, Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King!
Come, Desire of nations, come, Fix in us Thy humble home;
Oh, to all Thyself impart, Formed in each believing heart!
Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!
Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King!
Program compiled by Mr. Lane Fischer
Pastor Paul D. Nolting Adam Lueck, narrator Wayne Timm, Deacon Lane Fischer and Karla Olmanson, Organists Paul Matzke, Church Choir Director Doug Thompson, Head Usher Mark Geiger, Assistant Usher Doug Schaller, Sound
David Busse ...................................... Superintendent Vickie Schreyer ....................................... Preschool Laura Nolt ing ................................. Preschool helper Sharla Boyer ....................................... Kindergarten Molly Hanel .................................... Preschool helper Diane Lentz ........................................ Grades 1 & 2 Skye Dauer.......................................... Grades 3 & 4 Heidi Libby ........................................ Grades 5 & 6 Russell Schmitt .................................... Grades 7 & 8 Julie and Matthew Busch ............................. Youth Forum
Paul D. Nolting .......................................... Pastor Wayne C. Eichstadt ....................................... Pastor Sara Nolting ................................... Church Secretary Paul Matzke ............................... Church Choir Director Charles and Linda Bode ........................ Church Custodians John Paulson ................................... School Custodian Church and School Offices .............................. 345-3027 Pilgrims Rest Cemetery ................................. 388-4009 Website .............................. http://immanuelmankato.org
Karl Olmanson........................ Principal, Grades 3-5, 9-12 Kathleen Olmanson .................................. Kindergarten Michael Wheaton .................................. Grades 1 and 2 Lane Fischer .............................. Grades 3 and 4, Music Donna Klammer ............................ Grades 5 and 6, Phy Ed Karla Olmanson ............................ Grades 5 and 6, Music Leif Olmanson ........ Grades 7 and 8, Keyboarding, Administrator Pastor Wayne Eichstadt ................................. Doctrine Laila Fleischer ..................................... High School Annette Hagen ............................. Study hall supervisor Anita Kruse .................................... School Secretary Douglas Libby .......... Grades 7-12, Counselor, Athletic Dirctor Paul Matzke ................................................ Band Pastor Paul Nolting .................................... Religion Craig Owings ........................................ Grades 7-12 Daniel Roehl ........................................ High School Gene Schreyer ............................................ German Grace Schreyer ............................................. Aide Helen Stelter ................................... Reading, Crafts Jay Sydow ........................................... High School Website ....................... http://immanuelmankato.org/school