Christmas Eve 2018: Celebrating 200 Years of Silent Night

Christmas Eve is a special time at St. Peter’s UCC in Skokie. It is a combination of honoring tradition, with well-known and loved Christmas carols and scripture readings, and celebrating the future, acknowledging the joy and hope of the newborn Lord of Hosts. This year, we will be featuring a special musical program, highlighting the 200th Anniversary of “Stille Nacht” (Silent Night), which was first performed on Christmas Eve 1818 at St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, Austria. A young priest, Father Joseph Mohr had written the lyrics to "Stille Nacht" in 1816. Before Christmas Eve in 1818, Mohr brought the words to Franz Gruber, a schoolmaster and organist in the nearby village of Arnsdorf, and asked him to compose a melody and guitar accompaniment for the Christmas Eve mass. It was performed that Christmas, and every Christmas since.

In honor of St. Peter’s German heritage, the first verse of “Silent Night” is always sung in German on Christmas Eve. This year, the congregation will be treated to Richard Schneider, Andre Glockner, and Dan Guenther’s voices as they sing the German words, and are accompanied by Guenther on guitar, as the original was done. The candlelight hymn is always a special moment in the service, and this year it will be even more so.

Additional musicians will be featured throughout the service, including Pastor Richard Lanford on trumpet, Lisa Nazar on flute, and Music Director Dan Surma on piano and organ.

Also, as part of our service, gifts of baby items for the Niles Township Food Pantry will be collected. Diapers, wipes, formula, clothing, and baby food are considered “gifts to the Christ child” and will be placed under the Christmas tree, to be delivered to the Food Pantry the following week.

St. Peter’s UCC is an Open and Affirming congregation, and at Christmas (and the whole year through) we invite everyone to partake in Holy Communion with us, regardless of denomination, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, race, economic status, or physical/mental ability. The Lord’s Table is open to all. Children who have not had their official “First Communion” are welcome to participate as well, receiving a Candy Cane during distribution as an emblem of Jesus’ love for us.

Worship is at 7:30pm on Monday, December 24 at 8013 Laramie Street in Skokie. Please contact office@stpeteruccskokie.org or 847-673-8166 if you have any questions, or visit our website or Facebook pages for more information. www.stpeteruccskokie.org facebook.com/stpeteruccskokie/

About St. Peter’s United Church of Christ in Skokie

Saint Peter’s was established on May 5, 1867, as St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church by German immigrant farmers. It was the first church organized in what was then called Niles Center. In 1957, St. Peter’s adopted the new, progressive denomination of United Church of Christ. Our church is more than 150 years old … our thinking is not. We worship in grace and beauty, fellowship in love and friendship, and serve the Lord with humility and passion. Located at the corner of Oakton and Laramie, across the street from the Village Hall and the Library, we are the Open and Affirming heart of our neighborhood, and plan to be here for (at least) another 150 years.