Welcome and Invocation: Rev. Martha Dominy
Carol: “O Come, All Ye Faithful”
Chorus: “Whisper! Whisper! Althouse. Watch Video >
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 9:2-7 Pastor Zelia Steeves, Casa de Oracao
Special Music: “Fogo que Consome; “Ousado Amor” Casa de Oracao, Brazilian. Watch Video >
Chorus: “Ding, Dong, Merrily On High” C. Wood. Watch Video >
Prayer: Rev. Bhim Gurung, First Nepali Baptist Church
Special Music: First Nepali Baptist Church “Wow, What a Happy Day Christ was Born” Traditional (Nepalese) Watch Video >
Chorus: “And the Glory of the Lord” G.F. Handel. Watch Video >
Special Music: Chinese Bible Church of Greater Boston “Dona Nobis Pacem” Traditional (Mandarin), “All on a Silent Night” B. Mayo. Watch Video >
Offering: The Salvation Army, Mystic Valley Corps, Capt. Deb Coolidge
Organ Offertory: Rosalind Mohnsen “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly” Guilmant
Special Music: First Baptist Church Praise Team “Mary Did You know” Lowry/Greene. Watch Video >
Carol: “Angels We Have heard on High”
Chorus: “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly” arr. D. Willcocks. Watch Video >
New Testament Reading: Luke 2:8-20 Elder Ernst Jean, Casa de Fe y Alabanza
Special Music: Casa de Fe y Alabanza “Es Navidad” M. Whitt (Spanish) Watch Video >
Chorus: “Everybody’s Comin’ to Bethlehem Town” Beall/Carter. Watch Video >
Carols: “Joy to the World”; “Silent Night”
Special Music: Global Ark Baptist Church “Silent Night, Holy Night”; “The First Noel” Gruber/Stainer (Korean). Watch Video >
Benediction: Pastor Paul Young Yoo, Global Ark Baptist Church
Finale: “Hallelujah Chorus” (Messiah) G.F. Handel. Watch Video >
Worship Leaders
Richard B. Freeman, Director, First Baptist Church, Malden
Rosalind Mohnsen, Organist, Immaculate Conception Parish, Malden
Participating Choirs
Boston Church of Christ, Lowell
Emmanuel Baptist, Malden
First Baptist Church, Malden
First Parish, Unitarian Universalist, Malden
Grace Community Church, Marblehead
Immaculate Conception, Roman Catholic, Malden
St. John the Baptist, Ukranian Catholic, Salem
St. Robert Bellarmine, Roman Catholic, Andover
St. Joseph, Roman Catholic, Malden
St. Peter’s community, Roman Catholic, Malden
St. Thomas of Villanova, Roman Catholic, Wilmington
West Medford Baptist, Medford
Alumni Members – Malden High School Choral Art Society
Special Thanks to the members of the Diaconate and Sanctuary Choir of the First Baptist Church of Malden for preparing and serving refreshments to the program participants.
History
The Festival of Carols started as a way to bring people together during World War II. Richard Freeman, currently the choir director, said it was initially sponsored by the Malden Clergy Association, and later by the Malden Council of Churches, until that body dissolved in 1970. The festival became a fixture at First Baptist Church, Malden when the church became the lead sponsor in 1970. Richard Freeman was a singer in the choir back then, and said he was asked to direct the program by then-minister of music Robert Love. Freeman has been directing the program ever since. Learn more >
Festival of Carols through the years
Now on its 76th year, the Festival of Carols still continues to spread the Good News of Jesus’ birth through songs, bringing Christmas cheers to everyone in the community in and around Boston. The Annual Festival of Carols is a gathering of Choirs from communities around Malden, MA. It presents Christmas Carols to the public for FREE. This is a tradition that opens Christmas celebration since 1943 up to the present. First Baptist Church, Malden, MA. has been the venue of the event since 1970. Director of music and Conductor is Mr. Richard Freeman and Accompanist playing the majestic E.M. Skinner Organ is Ms. Rosalind Mohnsen. Watch past Festival of Carols presentation here.