Christmas Eve at ICE
December 24, 2025 at 11pm
Gathering Music:
“O Come, All Ye Faithful” (UMH 234)
“The First Noel” (UMH 245)
1. O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold him, born the King of angels;
Refrain:
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
2. True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal,
lo, he shuns not the Virgin’s womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created;
Refrain:
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
3. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;
Refrain:
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
4. See how the shepherds, summoned to his cradle,
leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
we too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;
Refrain:
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
1. The first Noel the angel did say
was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
in fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Refrain:
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
born is the King of Israel.
Welcome
Key Safety Details:
- This is a peaceful and non-violent gathering.
- Tend to your needs and honor one another with grace.
- Police Liaison: Tom Riggs
- Media Liaisons: Rev. Drew Hogan & Rev. Heather Riggs
- If we need to move for any reason we will move south.
- We will only use battery powered lights or the lights on our phones.
- Do not cross the tracks and keep the bike path clear.
Call to Worship
(ONE) We gather at this loveless place with hearts of love,
(ALL) We cry out, ‘how long, O God!”
(ONE) weeping with sorrow until freedom fills the earth
(ALL) We cry out, ‘how long, O God!”
(ONE) We wail our love for everyone stolen away
(ALL) We cry out, ‘how long, O God!”
(ONE) We cry out to you,
because you were born in a barn
to brown skinned parents
who sought Asylum in Egypt
(ALL) We cry out, ‘how long, O God!”
(ONE) We cling to hope, we work for peace, we demand compassion, and we refuse to let them steal our joy.
(ALL) Joy to the World! Love is here to stay!
Carol: “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus”
1. Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.
2. Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.
First Reading (Responsive) | Based on Isaiah 9:2-7
(ALL) The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
(ONE) Those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
(ALL) A light has shined on them.
(ONE) You have multiplied exultation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
For all the boots of the tramping warriors, the unmarked cars, the garments rolled in blood, and the face coverings shall be burned as fuel for the fires of Justice.
(ALL) For a child has been born for us.
(ONE) Authority rests upon his shoulders, and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Parent,
(ALL) Prince of Peace!
(ONE) Great will be his authority,
and there shall be endless peace.
(ALL) There shall be justice and righteousness
(ONE) those who live in a land of deep darkness—
(ALL) A light shines!
Prayer with Sung Refrain
“When the night becomes dark” (Taizé)
R: When the night becomes dark, your love O Lord is a fire, your love O Lord is a fire. (Repeat)
God of Love, shine your light into us and transform our thoughts and prayers into action and policy change. Remind us daily that you commanded us to welcome the foreigner and to share your love.
God, meet us in the darkness….
R: When the night becomes dark, your love O Lord is a fire, your love O Lord is a fire.
Mothering God, work a miracle for every family who has lost contact with their loved ones, especially children. May they know your abiding presence in the darkness they know.
God, meet us in the darkness….
R: When the night becomes dark, your love O Lord is a fire, your love O Lord is a fire.
God of Justice, we pray for the leaders of this world who believe in a gospel of domination and fear. We pray your light would transform their hearts.
God of Grace, help us to have productive conversations with those who have been deceived into supporting oppression and injustice.
God, meet us in the darkness….
R: When the night becomes dark, your love O Lord is a fire, your love O Lord is a fire.
God of Hope, share your dream with us, again, of a light that breaks into the dark and becomes the fire that warms us, and moves us to action, again and again.
God, meet us in the darkness….
R: When the night becomes dark, your love O Lord is a fire, your love O Lord is a fire.
Second Reading (Responsive) | Based on Psalm 96
(ONE) It’s Time for a New song
(ALL) Let the whole earth sing
(ONE) Let Frogs Dance and Unicorns sing
(ALL) Shouting for justice from the sidewalks and in the streets
(ONE) Get out the message!
(ALL) There will be justice!
(ONE) Let’s hear it from sky:
(ALL) And a huge round of applause from the Sea
(ONE) Let the Wilderness turn cartwheels,
(ALL) Animals, come dance
(ONE) Put every tree of the forest in the choir!
(ALL) The whole earth joining in
(ONE) Jesus comes as a brown man camping in a barn
(ALL) He’s coming to set the captives free
Sung Response: “When the Night Becomes Dark”
When the night becomes dark, your love O Lord is a fire, your love O Lord is a fire. (Repeat)
A Word from the Community
Sung Response: “Toda la tierra (All Earth is Waiting)”
1. All earth is waiting to see the Promised One,
And the open furrows, the sowing of the Lord.
All the world, bound and struggling, seeks true liberty;
it cries out for justice and searches for the truth.
2. Toda la tierra espera al Salvador
y el surco abierto, la obra del Señor;
es el mundo que lucha por la libertad,
reclama justicia y busca la verdad.
3. Mountains and valleys will have to be made plain,
open new highways, new highways for our God,
He is now coming closer, so come all and see,
and open the doorways as wide as wide can be.
Text: Luke 1:46-58; Rory Cooney, b.1952, © 1990, GIA Publications, Inc.
Third Reading | Luke 2:1-7 (FNV)
When the time drew close for Bitter Tears (Mary) to have her child, the government of the People of Iron (Romans) ordered that the people be numbered and put on government rolls. This happened during the time that Powerful Protector (Quirinius) was the governor of Bright Sun (Syria). All the Tribal Members were required to travel to their own ancestral village to register.
He Gives Sons (Joseph) and Bitter Tears (Mary) set out on a long journey from Seed Planter Village (Nazareth) in Circle of Nations (Galilee), to House of Bread (Bethlehem) in the Land of Promise (Judea), the village of their ancestor, the great chief Much Loved One (David).
The journey took several long days and cold nights as they traveled over high hills and through the dry desert. When they arrived, tired and weary, they entered the crowded village.
The time for Bitter Tears (Mary) to have her child was upon her! But no place could be found in the lodging house, so He Gives Sons (Joseph)found a sheep cave where it was warm and dry. There she gave birth to her son. They wrapped him in a soft, warm blanket and laid him on a baby board. Then they placed him on a bed of straw in a feeding trough.
Holy words shared across generation and language,
(ALL) Thanks be to God
Carol: “Away in a Manger”
1. Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,
the little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.
2. The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes;
I love thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
and stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
3. Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay
close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
and fit us for heaven to live with thee there.
Fourth Reading | Luke 2:8-20 (FNV)
That night, in the fields nearby, shepherds were keeping watch over their sheep. Suddenly a great light from above was shining all around them. A spirit-messenger from Creator appeared to them. They shook with fear and trembled as the messenger said to them, “Do not fear! I bring you the good story that will be told to all nations. Today in the village of Much Loved One (David) an Honored Chief has been born who will set his people free. He is the Chosen One!”
The spirit-messenger continued, “This is how you will know him—you will find the child wrapped in a blanket and lying in a feeding trough.”
Suddenly, next to the messenger, a great number of spirit-warriors from the spirit-world above appeared giving thanks to Creator, saying, “All honor to the One Above Us All, and let peace and good will follow all who walk upon the earth.”
When the messengers returned to the spirit-world above, the shepherds said to each other, “Let us go and see this great thing Creator has told to us.” So they hurried to the village of Chief Much Loved One (David) and found Bitter Tears (Mary), He Gives Sons (Joseph), and the child, who, just as they were told, was lying in a feeding trough!
The shepherds began to tell everyone what they had seen and heard about this child, and all who heard their story were amazed.
Bitter Tears (Mary) kept these things hidden in her heart and wondered what all this would mean. The shepherds returned to their fields, giving thanks to the Great Spirit for the wonders they had seen and heard.
Holy words shared across generation and language,
(ALL) Thanks be to God
Homily
Hymn: “What Feast of Love”
1. What feast of love is offered here,
what banquet come from heaven?
What food of everlasting life,
what gracious gift is given?
This, this is Christ the king,
the bread come down from heaven.
Oh, taste and see and sing!
How sweet the manna given!
Holy Communion
A liturgy is provided for accessibility.
Liturgy (click to expand)
[Rev. Heather Riggs] I’m United Methodist and in our tradition Communion is open to all.
Gay and Straight, you are welcome.
Trans and Cis, you are welcome.
Immigrants and Native Peoples, you are welcome.
Frogs and Chickens, you are welcome.
People of all faiths and no faith, you are welcome.
Protesters and ICE agents, you are welcome.
Jesus welcomed Judas to this table, so I know that we’re All Welcome.
All are welcome, but no one is required.
If you don’t feel comfortable taking communion, that’s OK.
In the beginning, God created everything and everyone and God looked at all of Creation with Love and said, THIS IS VERY GOOD.
But God also gave us minds of our own.
And life is complicated. And we’re insecure.
So it wasn’t very long before people started making some choices that hurt others and hurt themselves.
God loves us All, so God sent gave Moses the Law – some pointers on how to love one another. Things like:
Don’t kill each other, and don’t cheat on each other.
But it wasn’t very long until, in our insecurity, people weaponized the law against each other. Like, “If I follow the law better than you, then God will love me more… and if you’re poor, than maybe God loves you less.
And God was like (facepalm)…
So God sent Prophets to tell the people that the whole point is to love one another!
God sent Amos to tell us that God doesn’t need us to sing Them love songs, God wants Justice to roll down like a river!
God sent Micah to tell us that what God requires of us is Justice, Mercy and Humility.
And each time God sent a Prophet it helped, for a while, but we soon got distracted again and started making up even more bad rules to exclude people, and honestly, we haven’t stopped making up bad rules!
But God still loves us.
So God said, that’s it, I’m coming down there myself!
But not like an angry father hoisting himself out of his recliner to deliver a beating.
Nor did God show up as rich and powerful.
God chose to be born into an ordinary working class family who weren’t organized enough to book a place to stay for the Census even though they have several months to plan for it.
Jesus chose to be born in a barn,
during the Herod Administration,
With a bad economy, high taxes,
And occupying troops snatching protestors off the streets.
Seriously!
We have a lot in common with first century Palestine!
God chose to come when times were hard and justice was scarce to tell us to love our neighbors in bad times and good times.
Jesus healed the sick and fed the hungry, for free.
Jesus hung out with all the wrong people.
And Jesus spoke out against injustice.
So those in power arrested him.
On the night when Empire came for Jesus,
he did not make an army out of his disciples,
He didn’t storm the capitol,
He planned a dinner party with his friends and family:
At dinner Jesus took the bread and blessed it
in the tradition of his Jewish faith:
Blessed be the Lord, God, King of the Universe
who gives us the grain of the fields.
Then he broke it and gave it to his friends,
and through them, to us saying,
This is my body which is given for you.
When the supper was ended,
Jesus took the cup, and blessed it:
Blessed be the Lord God, King of the Universe
who gives us the fruit of the vine,
Some say that this was the cup of the Prophet,
Left out in hope of the Prophet Elija’s return.
Then Jesus passed the cup among his friends,
and through them, to us as if to say,
YOU are the Prophet you have been waiting for.
YOU are the Prophet you have been waiting for.
YOU are the Prophet you have been waiting for.
Let us pray:
Pour out your Spirit O God, upon your people,
gathered here and everywhere, and upon these gifts of bread and juice,
that in this holy meal we may be re-membered into the Body of Christ, where all are beloved. Amen.
Sharing The Light
We invite you to continue this sacred act and pass the light to your neighbor and wait to turn on your electric candle, or your cell phone flashlight until someone turns to you and says,
The Light Enters! ¡La Luz Entra!
Carol: “Silent Night“
1. 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.
2. 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!
3. Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light;
radiant beams from thy holy face
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
4. Silent night, holy night,
wondrous star, lend thy light;
with the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!
Sharing The Light
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart.
(“The Work of Christmas” by Howard Thurman from, The Mood of Christmas, Friends United Press)
Merry Christmas!
May you continue to be a witness for the light breaking into the darkness!
We invite you to continue this sacred work of solidarity!
____
Share this with people who may have not been able to attend. Learn more about partner organizations below, and consider giving to them in their work. … plus making a donation in honor of someone is a great way to give a last-minute gift that goes towards transforming a life; especially, when a person is confronted with the darkness of empire.
PIRC - Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition
Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition (PIRC) provides legal support, supports families that have been impacted by ICE, and maintains the community hotline for reporting ICE activity. This is a vital organization providing response and support for our most vulnerable neighbors.
IMIrJ - Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice
Supporting IMIrJ allows us to support the work of supporting families facing the wake of chaos left behind after ICE detains a family member.
Resources for Reporting and Protecting Your Neighbors
The Latino Network is a Latine-led organization that believes in the power of education and community. They are deeply rooted in culturally specific practices, dedicated to uplifting our youth, their families, and our community to achieve their fullest potential through programming centered on arts, culture, education, health, advocacy, and more.
Resources for Reporting and Protecting Your Neighbors
You can find vital resources like information on the PIRC Hotline for reporting ICE Activity, Know Your Rights resources, and Migrawatch Resources by clicking the link below. Share these resources with your neighbors so that you’re prepared in how to respond.
Additional Stories
You can read more and learn about more of our neighbor’s stories of those who have been impacted by ICE with the following links:
KPTV | Beaverton family says father was arrested by ICE, sent to Mexico within 10 hours (11/24/2025)
https://reason.com/2025/10/30/a-portland-family-says-their-dad-was-wrongly-arrested-by-ice-now-hes-lost-in-immigration-detention/