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: