Christmas Eve 2020

at your home

ESG Christmas Eve Service at home

This year everything is different. But a real Christmas service (about 20 minutes) can also be celebrated at home. You will find the worship order including all the texts and hymns below for download as print and web version.

If you are celebrating with others, you can divide the prayers and readings among up to 3 speakers. If you are celebrating alone, the "We" includes you in the community of all those who are celebrating this service together in different places.

Preparation

Prepare the place where you will celebrate the service - by the nativity scene, by the Christmas tree or bouquet, by the dining table - place a candle there. If you don't have a nativity scene, you can quickly make one with simple materials. All you need is plain white paper, felt tip pens if you have them, some oil and an inkjet printer. You can find the instructions here:

Music

If you want to pre-compile the instrumental and sung versions of the hymns used, click on the links.

Joy to the World instrumental sung
Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming instrumental sung
O Little Town of Bethlehem instrumental sung
Angels from the Realms of Glory instrumental sung
O Come, All Ye Faithful instrumental sung
Silent Night, Holy Night instrumental sung
O Thou Joyful Time instrumental sung

For the opening and closing music, we have compiled and linked some Christmas songs from around the world. Of course you can also use others.

Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her Cantus Thuringia & Capella
Maria durch ein Dornwald ging Die Prinzen
Joy to the World Die Prinzen
Quem pastores laudavere TENET Vocal Artists
Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier Sarah Kaiser
In dulci jubilo Mike Oldfield
Lulazje Jesunju (Polen) Eleni
Nesem vám noviny (Tschechien) Waldemar Matuška
Sus boieri nu mai dormiti (Rumänien) Irina Loghin si Alesis
Amanou moryo (aramäisch) Fairuz
Ayed el Lail (Stille Nacht arabisch) Fairuz
The First Noel Pentatonix
Hark! The Herald Angels Sin Mariah Carey
O Little Town of Bethlehem Mahalia Jackson
O Come, All Ye Faithful Mahalia Jackson
Happy Xmas (War is Over) Sultans of String featuring Ruben Blades and Luba Mason
Entre le bœuf et l'âne gris Claire Pelletier
Jesous Ahathonhia (Huron Carol) Sultans of String feat. Crystal Shawanda
Sizalelwe Indodana (South Africa) Concord Nkabinde
Ẹ Jẹ́ Ká Jọ Yọ̀ (Let Us All Rejoice/Nigeria) All Saints' Church Choir/David Aina
Campanas de Belen Ainhoa Arteta
Feliz Navidad José Feliciano feat. FaWiJo
San Juanito para el Niño Quimantu
Dulce Jesús mío Zobeida Jiménez

Nativity Reflections to listen to

If you don't want to read the Nativity Reflections yourself, you can also listen to them: