Author: Julie Raffa

Introit Psalm 24:1, 3–5; antiphon: Psalm 2:7
I will tell of | the decree:* The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have be- | gotten you.” The earth is the Lord’s and the full- | ness thereof,* the world and those who | dwell therein. Who shall ascend the hill | of the Lord?* And who shall stand in his | holy place? He who has clean hands and a | pure heart,* who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear de- | ceitfully. He will receive blessing | from the Lord* and righteousness from the God of his sal- | vation. Glory be to the Father and | to the Son* and to the Holy | Spirit; as it was in the be- | ginning,* is now, and will be forever. | Amen. I will tell of | the decree:* The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have be- | gotten you.”
Collect of the Day
O God, You make us glad with the yearly remembrance of the birth of Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Grant that as we joyfully receive Him as our Redeemer, we may with sure confidence behold Him when He comes to be our Judge; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Old Testament Reading Isaiah 7:10–14 10Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11“Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 12But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” 13And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
Gradual Isaiah 9:6; Psalm 98:1a
To us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder. And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things!
Epistle 1 John 4:7–16 7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
13By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
Holy Gospel Matthew 1:18–25 18Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us). 24When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
Announcements
Cable Worship Schedule Pilgrim’s Sunday 8:00 a.m. Divine Service is broadcast on WB 987 and AT&T Uverse 99 multiple times during the week: Sundays: 6:00 a.m. Mondays: 4:00 p.m. Tuesdays: 11:30 a.m. Wednesdays: 9:00 a.m. Wednesdays: 4:00 p. m. Bible Study, Thursdays: 4:00 p.m. This service is also live streamed and archived on the church’s YouTube channel:
Pilgrim Lutheran Church- West Bend, WI
Please Note:
The 2021 Offering envelopes are out and waiting for you to pick them up in the old Fellowship Hall/Cry room. Please do not use them until January 1, 2021. Thank you
Sunday School and Catechism classes will resume January 3rd and January 6, 2021.
Masks are requested to be worn in the building during services and classes to prevent further spread of the Corona virus. Thank you
The Christmas and New Years services listed in the Coming Up at Pilgrim section.

Christmas Eve 6:00 p.m.
Divine Service
Lutheran Service Book: Page:
Liturgy: Setting 4 203
Apostles Creed 207
Hymns:
Once in David’s Royal City vs. 2-5 376
O Come All Ye Faithful 379
Communion Hymns:
Away in the Manger 364
What Child is This 370
Hark the Herald Angels 380
O Little Town 361
It Came upon the Midnight 366
Angels We Have Heard 368
Silent Night 363
Scripture Readings:
Old Testament: Isaiah 7:10-14
Epistle: 1 John 4:7-16
Gospel: Luke 2: 1-20
In our prayers, we remember:
X all who live under the flag of our nation,
X law enforcement officers and their families,
X military personal and their families,
X those isolated from family and friends,
X those struggling with health issues: Randy Frank, Bill & Bev. Schepp, Cheryl Thill, Keith Gierach, Ruth Mertz, Richard & Chloe Fisher, Judy Clark, Joyce Virchow, Jerry & Gert Sullivan, Carolyn Bren, Lois Pritzlaff, Orville Heckendorf, Donna Sommer, Kandie Darmody, Tracey Leffin-Hedrick, June Fry, Elaine Kuenzel, Louise Kreis, Diane Behrens, Jennifer Jensen
X pastors, missionaries, and those who serve God’s people with the gifts of Christ,
X Christians persecuted for the confession of the faith, and especially we remember
X all who have forsaken the faith, that they may be restored to gladness of heart and be made wise to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
Preacher: Rev. Joseph Fisher
Liturgist: Rev. Christopher Raffa
Elder: Bob Knuth
Organists: Samuel Grosskreuz
Soloist: Matthias Raffa

Coming Up at Pilgrim
Thursday, December 24:
6:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Divine Service
10:00 p.m. Lessons & Carols
Friday, December 25: Office Closed
9:00 a.m. Christmas Day Divine Service
Sunday, December 27:
8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Divine Service
9:30 a.m. Adult Class: Small Catechism
12:30 p.m. Bible Study: Galatians
Monday, December 28:
Tuesday, December 29:
Wednesday, December 30:
6:30 p.m. Adult Class: Lutheran Difference
Thursday, December 31:
6:00 p.m. New Year’s Eve Divine Service
Friday, January 1: Office Closed
9:00 a.m. News Year’s Day Divine Service
Sunday, January 3:
8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Divine Service
9:15 a.m. Sunday school: Growing in Christ
9:30 a.m. Adult Class: Small Catechism
12:30 p.m. Bible Study: Galatians
Saturday, January 9:
7:00 a.m. Men’s Breakfast & Bible Study

2020 Giving Report
The Giving Report will be updated in the January Pilgrim herald

Christmas Eve
December 24, 2020
21She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
Welcome and blessings to you through our Lord Jesus Christ!
We welcome all who gather with us around the Altar and Pulpit to hear the Word of God. If you are visiting, we are happy that you could join us today. Please sign the guest book in the narthex and fill out one of the pew cards and pass it in with the offering plate to leave a record of your visit.
Communion Statement: By the design and specific warning of our Lord Jesus Christ in His Word, the precious gift of the Lord’s Body and Blood is to be shared with His blessing only with those prepared to take it rightly. (1 Cor 11:23-32) At the first communion our Lord did not commune all believers, but only those who had been instructed by Him daily for three years. The custom of our church is to offer the Sacrament only to confirmed members of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. So that our pastors would faithfully fulfill their obligations, (1 Cor 4:1; Heb 13:17; 1 Cor 11:27), all first-time visitors should speak to one of the pastors prior to communing. Our pastors are eager and available to provide instruction leading to a right and salutary reception our Lord’s holy Body and Blood, so that in the future you may join us in the blessing of this sacrament.

Pilgrim Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession
The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
462 Meadowbrook Drive, West Bend, WI 53090
(262) 334-0375 www.pilgrimlutheran-westbend.org