December 24, 2020
Organ Prelude: “Sleep, O Lovely Child” by Carl Simone, on a Traditional Italian Carol
Call to Worship & Invocation
Carol: “Angels, from the Realms of Glory” Words: James Montgomery, 1816, Music: REGENT SQUARE by Henry T. Smart, 1867
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.
Refrain
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn king.
Shepherds, in the field abiding,
Watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing;
Yonder shines the infant light: Refrain
A SEASON FOR SINGING
Meditation on Matthew 1:23 Rev. Martha Dominy
Carol: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” Words: Latin hymn, 12th century; tr. vs 1-2 by John M Neale, 1851; tr vs 3-4 by Henry S Coffin, 1916, Music: VENI EMMANUEL Plainsong; adapt. By Thomas Helmore, 1854
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight. Refrain
O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
And order all things far and nigh;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And cause us in her ways to go. Refrain
O come, Desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind.
Bid envy, strife, and quarrels cease,
Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace. Refrain
Meditation on Micah 5:2 Rev. Martha Dominy
Carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem” Words: Phillips Brooks, 1868, Music: ST. LOUIS by Lewis H. Redner, 1868
O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.
For Christ is born of Mary,
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars together,
Proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth!
How silently, how silently,
The wondrous Gift is giv’n;
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His Heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still,
The dear Christ enters in.
O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend on us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in,
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!
Scripture Luke 2:1-20
Solo: Richard Freeman “O Holy Night” Marilyn Glover at the organ
Meditation on Luke 2:13-14 Rev. Martha Dominy
Carol: “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” Words: Charles Wesley,1739, Music: MENDELSSOHN by Felix Mendelssohn, 1840
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim,
Christ is born in Bethlehem!
Refrain
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Christ, by highest Heav’n adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Long desired, behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with men to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel. Refrain
Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth. Refrain
Prayer
Carol “Angels We Have Heard on High” Words: Traditional French Carol, Music: Traditional French Melody
Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.
Refrain
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song? Refrain
Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King. Refrain
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
Meditation on John 1:4-5 Rev. Martha Dominy
Scripture selected verses from the John 1; 8; and 12
Carol “Silent Night! Holy Night!” Words: Josef Mohr, 8; tr vs 1 & 3 by John F. Young, 1863; tr vs 2 & 4: anonymous, Music: STILLE NACHT by Franz X. Gruber, 1818
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.
Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar.
Heavenly host sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born!
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.
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!
Benediction
Organ Postlude: “Today in Bethlehem”, by Rick Parks, based on a Polish Carol: “Dzisiaj w Betlejem”.
Organist: Ms. Marilyn Glover