The First Noel
The first Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds
in fields as they lay;
In fields as they lay, keeping their sheep, 
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.  
     [CHORUS]  
     Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
    Born is the King of Israel.  

They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far,
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.
     [CHORUS] 
And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from country far;
To seek for a king was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went.
     [CHORUS]

This star drew nigh to the northwest,
O'er Bethlehem it took it’s rest,
And there it did both stop and stay
Right over the place where Jesus lay.
     [CHORUS]

Chalice Lighting
We light our chalice this evening 
In honor of that star seen so long ago in so dark a field,
In honor of the light that informs us and directs us and saves us
In honor of the birth of the baby, Jesus. [light chalice]

Opening Words
The story told in the carol we just sang, The First Noel, tells us part of the story of Jesus’ birth, does it not?  Other songs tell us the other parts of the story, the main parts, really - how Mary and Joseph were looking for a place to stay in overcrowded Bethlehem, how there was no room at the inn, how they were shown to a stable.  Other songs remind us that Jesus is born there in that stable, and wrapped in swaddling clothes, laid in a manger, and all the rest of the story we know so well. 

But the carol The First Noel talks about the other part of the story, how when the time came for the birth there were some shepherds, hanging out in a field overnight, watching their sheep. 

Not usually a very exciting time, I imagine, camping overnight in a meadow with your livestock. 

But Christmas Eve, the first Christmas Eve, I mean, was different.  Those shepherds had their own miraculous experience on Christmas Eve, far from the stable and the manger and all, and we’ll mostly be hearing about them tonight in song and story. 

And, as we’ll learn, Christmas Eve midnight field miracles happen at other times throughout history.  And they happen even today, maybe even here, if you are wise enough to pay attention, to listen.  We’ll hear about all these things tonight.  But first, please join me in singing another Carol….

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

It came upon a midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
From heaven’s all gracious King!"
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled;
And still their heavenly music floats
O'er all the weary world:
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.

O ye beneath life's crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow;
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing;
Oh, rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing.

For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years
Shall come the time foretold,
When the new heaven and earth shall own
The Prince of Peace, their King,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.

Reading Luke 2:8-14       Megan
A reading from the gospel of Luke, chapter 2 verses 8 through 14…

Angels we have heard on high    JP and Jessica

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o'er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Refrain

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo! 

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?

Refrain

Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Refrain

See Him in a manger laid,
Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.

Refrain

Reflection           Megan
We know this story well, we who have heard it year after year.  Shepherds in the field, angels coming down to them, scaring them half to death, and then they hear the news and decide to travel themselves to see the Christ child, the baby Jesus.

When I was little, I couldn’t understand why the shepherds were afraid of the pretty angels.  With all the advantage of knowing exactly how the story 
would turn out, I was sure there was nothing to fear.  Glorious angels, a bright star, a cute baby?  Come on, it’s fun!  Maybe you, too, thought the shepherds were, well, overreacting a little bit.

Tonight I invite you to spend a moment really putting yourself in the place of the shepherds.  The field in which the shepherds lived – lived! we’re told in the scripture verse – was familiar to them, and I imagine that living there could be a little dull once you got used to it.  Sheep aren’t the rowdiest of animals.  Tending sheep isn’t the most stimulating of jobs.  All is calm, indeed.

That first of Christmas Eves started out like any other night – dark and quiet.  Until a big angel suddenly appeared out of nowhere and was standing in front of the shepherds and a great holy light shone all around them, brightening that night sky.  That was definitely out of the ordinary!  No wonder they were afraid!

The part of this story I love the best is that the angel knew what sort of impression he was making.  He knew he was freaking those shepherds out.  I imagine if his news was less important, he might have chosen a different method of communication.  But his news was great and was important and he tells the shepherds not to be afraid, because what he has to say is so joyful and will make the shepherds very happy, happy enough to make up for the early fright. 

The angel Gabriel tells them of the birth of Jesus and then shows them how very happy the news really is – he is joined by all sorts of other angels (that’s what a multitude of heavenly host means, a whole bunch of other angels) and they not only say “this is good news” but they are so filled with joy themselves that they fly and they dance and they sing and they bless God …Gloria in excelsis deo, glory to god in the highest. 

And then the heavenly host, all those angels, blessed us here on earth.  They blessed us with peace and goodwill, the greatest blessing that God can bestow, the greatest lesson that Jesus ever taught.  Peace and goodwill among us squabbling human beings.

I mentioned that Christmas Eve miracles have happened in other midnight fields.  I’d like you to listen now to another story – it’s a true one, from almost 100 years ago during World War One.  Listen closely and see if you can hear the blessing of the angels in this field, too.
Story                    The Christmas Truce       Roy

Reflection                          Megan

Reflection                          Megan

The wartime field we heard about just now is the same as the Christmas Eve field in some ways, and very different in others.  It was dark in this Christmas Eve story, too, and the soldiers were living outdoors, like the shepherds did so much longer ago. 

And the people in this field were afraid, too, but not because their quiet evening was broken up by some surprising angels.  No, they were afraid because they had been fighting a war with each other, and they were cold and wet, and they had guns, and they were getting hurt and were hurting each other. 

Many of them had joined the war thinking they were headed for adventure. Again, that sounds different to me from the life of a shepherd.  But no matter what the soldiers thought they were getting into, they didn’t find adventure in the First World War so much as they did misery and horror.    In fact, a field like the one in this last story – a killing field – is really the exact opposite sort of place from the one the angels sang about on the first Christmas Eve.  Wartime is the opposite of peace and goodwill towards men.

The heavenly host, though, isn’t just for folks having quiet evenings in their fields, and I think we saw that in this story. 

This story doesn’t have physical angels coming down and telling the soldiers to put down their weapons and to spend the evening with their enemies.  
But the soldiers did that just the same. 

And if you ask me, when those soldiers sang carols, and rose from their trenches and joined in the middle of the field, and celebrated and played and thought about the baby Jesus in the far-off manger, there was even there the multitude of angels flying and dancing and singing and blessing God. I believe that because I can see their work, the same work as on the first Christmas Eve, when those angels blessed the world with peace and goodwill.  Goodwill even towards those we are told are our enemies. 

Jesus grew up to be a man who said that there is no task more important than loving all the people you encounter in the same way you would love your best friend, your family, yourself.  Jesus is called the Prince of Peace

because of this message.  When you ask yourself how the world can be so hard, and what you, one little person, could possibly do to change it, the answer is right here with you on Christmas Eve. 

You remember that your enemies are human beings like yourself.  You regard them with goodwill.  You act as if you have multitudes of angels blessing the world with peace, even when they can’t be seen.

Be not afraid, for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people, to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who saves us from our own hatred and violence with a message of peace and of love.

Let us join together in singing …
Do you hear what I hear

Said the night wind to the little lamb
Do you see what I see
Way up in the sky little lamb
Do you see what I see
A star, a star
Dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite
With a tail as big as a kite

Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear
Ringing through the sky shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear
A song, a song
High above the tree
With a voice as big as the sea
With a voice as big as the sea

Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king
Do you know what I know
In your palace wall mighty king
Do you know what I know
A child, a child
Shivers in the cold
Let us bring him silver and gold
Let us bring him silver and gold

Said the king to the people everywhere
Listen to what I say
Pray for peace people everywhere
Listen to what I say
The child, the child
Sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light

The child, the child
Sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light

Candle Lighting
We will now have the chance to usher in our own midnight field story, our own tale of goodness and light growing from the dark.  Please grab a hold of your candle as we lower our lights.

This place, this community, is our midnight field tonight.  Let us fill it with blessing and with peace and with our light.

[candle lighters light tapers from chalice and light the front row.  After a bit of time, Jessica begins.] **acapella?

Silent Night (German by Jessica, English by congregation)

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar.
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
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,
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!
Christ the Savior is born.
Silent night, holy night!
Son of God love's pure light.
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth.
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth