lessons+and+carols+planning+page

An Advent Service of Lessons and Carols December 6th, 2015

// The congregation stands as the cross enters and the candles on the Advent wreath are lit //

Processional Carol Once in Royal David's City

stood a lowly cattle shed, where a mother laid her baby in a manger for his bed: Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.
 * 1. **Solo** Once in royal David's city

2. **Choir** He came down to earth from heaven, who is God and Lord of all, and his shelter was a stable, and his cradle was a stall; with the poor, the scorned, the lowly, lived on earth our Savior holy. || 3. **All** And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love; for that Child who seemed so helpless is our Lord in heaven above; and he leads his children on to the place where he is gone.

Not in that poor lowly stable, with the oxen standing round, we shall see him; but in heaven, set at God's right hand on high; when like stars his children crowned, all in white shall wait around. ||

Bidding prayer

The Lord’s Prayer // Please be seated, and remain seated for the readings and carols //

Choir Carol Hodie Christus natus est

// Today Christ is born: Today the Savior appeared: Today on Earth the Angels sing,  //  // Archangels rejoice: Today the righteous rejoice, saying: Glory to God in the highest. Alleluia. //

First Lesson Genesis 3 “God announces in the Garden of Eden    that the seed of woman shall bruise the serpent's head.”

Gospel Song My Lord, what a morning

My Lord, what a morning. My Lord, what a morning. Oh—, my Lord, what a morning. When the stars begin to fall. 1. You’ll hear the trumpet sound 2. You’ll hear the sinner cry 3. You’ll hear the Christian shout to wake the nations underground. Looking to my God’s right hand, when the stars begin to fall.

Second Lesson Genesis 22

“God promises to faithful Abraham that in his seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed”

Congregational Carol Of the Father’s love begotten

ere the worlds began to be, he is Alpha and Omega, he the source, the ending he, of the things that are, that have been, and that future years shall see, evermore and evermore!
 * 1. Of the Father's love begotten,

3. O that birth for ever blessèd, when the Virgin, full of grace, by the Holy Ghost conceiving, bare the Savior of our race; and the Babe, the world's Redeemer, first revealed his sacred face, evermore and evermore! || 2. At his word the worlds were framèd; he commanded; it was done: heaven and earth and depths of ocean in their threefold order one; all that grows beneath the shining of the moon and burning sun, evermore and evermore!

4. O ye heights of heaven, adore him; angel-hosts, his praises sing; powers, dominions, bow before him, and extol our God and King; let no tongue on earth be silent, every voice in concert ring, evermore and evermore! ||

Third Lesson Isaiah 9 “Christ's birth and kingdom are foretold by Isaiah.”

Congregational Carol

with heart and soul and voice; give ye heed to what we say: Jesus Christ is born today; ox and ass before him bow, and he is in the manger now. Christ is born today! Christ is born today! |||| Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice; now ye hear of endless bliss; Jesus Christ is born for this! He hath opened heaven's door, and we are blessèd evermore. Christ was born for this! Christ was born for this! ||  Good Christian friends, rejoice     with heart and soul and voice;     now ye need not fear the grave:     Jesus Christ was born to save! Calls you one and calls you all    to gain his everlasting hall. Christ was born to save! Christ was born to save! ||  ||
 * || Good Christian friends, rejoice


 * Congregational Carol ||  The Sussex Carol   ||   ||

Choir All Solo Choir .    All   || On Christmas night all Christians sing, To hear the news the angels bring;
 * Solo

On Christmas night all Christians sing, To hear the news the angels bring:

News of great joy, news of great mirth, News of our merciful King’s birth.

Then why should we on earth be sad, Since our Redeemer made us glad:

Then why should we on earth be sad, Since our Redeemer made us glad:

When from our sin He set us free, All for to gain our liberty. ||  Solo Choir All Solo Choir All  || When sin departs before Your grace, Then life and health come in its place;

When sin departs before His grace, Then life and health come in its place;

Angels and men with joy may sing, All for to see the newborn King.

All out of darkness we have light Which made the angels sing this night;

All out of darkness we have light Which made the angels sing this night:

“Glory to God and peace to men, Now and forevermore. Amen.” ||

Fourth Lesson Isaiah 11 “The peace that Christ will bring is foreshown.” Choir Carol “Torches” // John Joubert //

// Torches, torches, run with torches all the way to Bethlehem! //  // Christ is born and now lies sleeping; come and sing your song to Him! //   // Ah, Roro, Roro, my baby, Ah, Roro, my love, Roro; //   // Sleep you well, my heart's own darling, while we sing you our Rorro. //   // Sing, my friends, and make you merry, joy and mirth and joy again; //   // Lo, He lives, the King of heaven, now and evermore. Amen. //

Congregational Carol The Holly and the Ivy


 * The holly and the ivy,

when they are both full-grown, Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.

// Refrain // The rising of the sun, and the running of the deer, The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir. || The holly bears a blossom as white as lilly flow’r, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to be our sweet Savior. // Refrain //

The holly bears a berry, as red as any blood, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to do poor sinners good. // Refrain // ||

Fifth Lesson St. Luke 1 “The Angel Gabriel salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

Duet – My soul magnifies the Lord // M. Haugen //


 * Poem ||  In Memoriam (Ring out wild bells)   ||   Alfred, Lord Tennyson   ||

The flying cloud, the frosty light: The year is dying in the night; Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
 * Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,

Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind For those that here we see no more; Ring out the feud of rich and poor, Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause, And ancient forms of party strife; Ring in the nobler modes of life, With sweeter manners, purer laws. || Ring out the want, the care, the sin, The faithless coldness of the times; Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease; Ring out the narrowing lust of gold; Ring out the thousand wars of old, Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free, The larger heart, the kindlier hand; Ring out the darkness of the land, Ring in the Christ that is to be. ||

Sixth Lesson St. Luke 2 “St. Luke Tells of the Birth of Jesus.”

Congregational Carol Angels from the Realms of Glory

wing your flight o'er all the earth; ye who sang creation's story, now proclaim Messiah's birth: come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the newborn King.
 * Angels, from the realms of glory,

2. Shepherds in the field abiding, watching o'er your flocks by night, God with man is now residing; yonder shines the infant Light: //Refrain// || 3. Sages, leave your contemplations; brighter visions beam afar: seek the great Desire of nations; ye have seen his natal star: //Refrain//

4. Saints before the altar bending, watching long in hope and fear, suddenly the Lord, descending, in his temple shall appear: //Refrain// ||

“The Shepherds Go to the Manger.”
 * Seventh Lesson ||  St. Luke 2   ||   ||

Congregational Carols

In the bleak mid winter

frosty wind made moan, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, in the bleak midwinter, long ago. |||| Our God, heaven cannot hold him nor earth sustain; heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign: in the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed the Lord God incarnate, Jesus Christ. ||
 * In the bleak midwinter,
 * What can I give him,    poor as I am?     If I were a shepherd,     I would bring a lamb;     if I were a wise man,     I would do my part;     yet what I can I give him     give my heart.   ||   ||

Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o'er the plains, And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains. Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo! || 2. Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be Which inspire your heavenly song? // Refrain // || Christ whose birth the angels sing; Come, adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King. //Refrain// || 4. 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// ||
 * 1. Angels we have heard on high
 * 3. Come to Bethlehem and see

Eighth Lesson St. Matthew 3 “The Wise Men are led by the Star to Jesus.”

Choir Carol Follow that star

// Follow that star to Bethlehem, see the wise men travelling far, they were told to follow that star, bright, shining, filling the night, following that guiding light. //

Ninth Lesson St. John 1 “St. John Unfolds the Great Mystery of the Incarnation.”

Congregational Carol On this day earth shall ring

// An offering will be taken during this hymn //

with the song, children sing to the Lord, Christ our King born on earth to save us; him the Father gave us.
 * 1. On this day, earth shall ring

Ideo - o - o, ideo - o - o Ideo - o, gloria, in excelsos Deo || 2. His the doom, ours the mirth, when he came, down to earth Bethlehem, saw his birth ox and ass beside him, from the cold would hide him || wise men three, to him led, kneel they low, by his bed, lay their gifts before him, praise him and adore him. || 4. On this day, angels sing, with their song, earth shall ring, praising Christ, heaven’s king, born on each to save us; peace and love he gave us. ||
 * 3. God’s bright star, o’er his head,

// The congregation stands //

Closing Collects and Blessing

Recessional Carol

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; come, and behold him, born the King of angels;
 * O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,

O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord. |||| God from God, Light from Light eternal, lo! he abhors not the Virgin's womb; only-begotten Son of the Father; //Refrain//

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation, sing, all ye citizens of heaven above; glory to God, glory in the highest; //Refrain// ||
 * Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;    Jesus, to thee be glory given;     Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; //Refrain//   ||   ||