Christmas Eve

December 24, 2006

8 p.m.

A CANDLELIGHT SERVICE OF LESSONS AND CAROLS

(Order of Worship below)

A Congregation of the United Church of Christ
The Old South Church in Boston
Gathered 1669

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A CANDLELIGHT SERVICE OF LESSONS AND CAROLS

Our service this evening is an adaptation of the Christmas Eve Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College Chapel, Cambridge, England, first held in 1918.

 

Prayer upon Entering the Sanctuary

 

Who are we, O God, that you should come to us?

Yet you have visited your people and redeemed us in your Son.

As we prepare to celebrate his birth, make our hearts to leap for joy,

and move us by your Spirit to bless your wonderful deeds.

This we pray in the Spirit of the One whose coming is certain, whose day draws near, our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

 

PRELUDE at 7:30 pm for Organ, Harp, Flute & Cello:

Prelude on Hark! The Herald Angels Sing          David Willcocks

Allegro from the Sonata in G Johann Hesse

Fantasia on What Child Is This            Richard Purvis

I Wonder As I Wander      Appalachian, arr. Salzedo

Sleep of the Infant Jesus Henri Büsser

Fantasia on Greensleeves                    Ralph Vaughan Williams

 

THE GATHERING

 

OPENING CAROL Once in Royal David’s City Irby

arr. David Willcocks

The soloist is Adriana Repetto, soprano.

 

Solo 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.

 

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 and mean and lowly, lived on earth our Savior holy.

 

*Congregation and Choir (those who are able, please rise)

Not in that poor lowly stable, with the oxen standing by,

We shall see him; but in heaven, set at God’s right hand on high; Where like stars his children crowned, all the saints shall wait around.

 

*PROCESSIONAL CAROL O Come, All Ye Faithful             Adeste Fidelis   Descant by David Willcocks

 

  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!

 

Child for us sinners, poor and in the manger, we would embrace

Thee with love and awe; Who would not love thee, loving us so dearly?

 

Refrain

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,

Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

 

Refrain

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;

Jesus, to thee be all glory given; Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;

 

Refrain

* Indicates those who are able may stand.

A WORD OF WELCOME AND GREETING Nancy S. Taylor

 

THE BIDDING PRAYER

 

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

 

<>ANTHEM            What Sweeter Music John Rutter
 

 

THE ANTICIPATION AND PROCLAMATION OF A NEW CREATION IN LESSONS AND CAROLS

 

THE FIRST LESSON Isaiah 9: 2-7

The prophet Isaiah foretells the reign of the Prince of Peace.

Read by James W. Crawford, Senior Minister Emeritus

ANTHEM          The Oxen                                     Marjorie Hess

 

THE SECOND LESSON Luke 1: 26-35, 38      

The Angel Gabriel salutes the Virgin Mary.

Read by Ben Stern on behalf of Old South Youth.

 

ANTHEM        Ding Dong Merrily On High      Trad., arr. Gerald Near

 

THE THIRD LESSON Luke 2: 1-14      

St. Luke tells of the birth of Jesus.

Read by Phil Stern on behalf of the Old South Board of Trustees.

 

*CAROL                              O Little Town of Bethlehem                             St. Louis

 

ANTHEM    What Child is This    Trad., arr. Warland

 

THE FOURTH LESSON         Matthew 2: 1-5, 9-11   

The Eastern visitors are led by a star to Jesus.

Read by Jean Degnon on behalf of the Congregational Care & Support Committee.

 

*CAROL We Three Kings          Kings of Orient

*THE FIFTH LESSON John 1: 1-5, 10-12, 14    Quinn. G . Caldwell

The Evangelist unfolds the mystery of the incarnation.

The Gospel Bearer is Lauren Makholm, on behalf of Old South university students.

 

*A CHRISTMAS CREED FROM LATIN AMERICA unison

 

*CAROL 132                                 Joy to the World!                       Antioch

 

THE CHRISTMAS OFFERING                                       Tadd Allman-Morton The Christmas offering will be distributed by the Christian Service and Outreach Committee of Old South Church to directly benefit the poor and need of the city of Boston. Thank you for your generosity.

OFFERTORY ANTHEM               O Holy Night     Adolphe Adam, arr. John Rutter

 

CAROL (seated) It Came Upon the Midnight Clear              Carol

 

         A SERVICE OF LIGHT

 

THE PASSING OF THE LIGHT (seated)                                      All the people

 

CAROL (seated)                   Silent Night, Holy Night                              Stille nacht

*RECESSIONAL CAROL      Hark! The Herald Angels Sing               Mendelssohn

Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the new-born King!

Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”

Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies;

With angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the new-born King!”

 

Christ, by highest heaven adored; Christ, the everlasting Lord;

Late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin’s womb.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail the incarnate Deity,

Pleased as one with us to dwell; Jesus, our Emmanuel.

Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the new-born King!”

 

Hail the heaven-born Prince of peace! Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings,

Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die,

Born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth.

Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the new-born King!”

 

*BENEDICTION  Nancy S. Taylor

 

POSTLUDE              Postlude on Hark! The Herald Angels Sing     David Willcocks

 

You may depart the sanctuary through the doors on either side of the chancel

in the front of the sanctuary, or behind you through the narthex.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

 

Join us for worship at Old South Church in Boston

Sundays at 9:00 am—Service of Morning Prayer and Communion

Sundays at 11:00 am—Festival Service with choir

Thursdays at 6:00 pm—Jazz Worship Service

 

Visit us online at www.oldsouth.org

Old South Choir

 

<>  Soprano: Alecia Batson Alice Andrews Judy Hill Dawn Patterson Gloria Platt Adriana Repetto Mary Sullivan Alto: Pam Amidon Carrie Cheron Joan Christenson Alliea Groupp Rebecca O’Brien Carter Wall Andra Skaalrud Harp: <> Martha Moor  Flute: Alan Weiss Violo and cello: Sam Ou

Tenor:              Joel Cummings              Tim Jarrett              Murray Kidd               John Williams                Bass:              Harry Baechtel              Jay Blackwell              Gary Griffiths              Erik Gustafson              Michael Hand              Patrick McNally              Russell Nile              Sean O’Donnell   Interim Director & Organist: Brian Jones   Assistant Director & Organist: George Sargeant

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OLD SOUTH CHURCH IN BOSTON
MINISTERS, OFFICERS AND STAFF

Nancy S. Taylor, Senior Minister

Quinn G. Caldwell, Associate Minister

Brian Jones, Interim Director of Music and Organist

Patricia Hazeltine, Church School Director

Tadd Allman-Morton, Ministerial Intern v Rolanda Ward, Youth Worker

George Sargeant, Assistant Organist v Willie Sordillo, Jazz Service Music Director

Peter Coulombe, Interim Director, Old South Ringers

Calvin Genzel, Wedding Outreach Minister v James W. Crawford, Minister Emeritus

Jeff Makholm, Moderator v David Clark, Clerk

James Monsma, Treasurer v Dwight Crane, Chair, Board of Trustees

Betty Smith, Senior Deacon v Susan T. Campbell, Historian

Vicki A. Newman, Pledge Secretary

Helen McCrady, Senior Church Administrator

Amy Perry, Administrative Assistant v Rosemary Clarke, Accountant

Elias Perez, Senior Sexton v Ozo Nwodo and Robert Blenman, Sextons

Rhoda Harding, Rubia Reyes and Jim McDonnel, Receptionists

Carolyn Davis, Director, Old South Preschool

www.oldsouth.org v 617/536-1970

 

A NOTE ON THE INCLUSIVE DIMENSIONS OF GOD’S GRACE

Old South Church in Boston, in the name of its host, Jesus Christ, and in the spirit of Christ’s invitation carved into the stone of this church’s portico, “Behold I Set Before You an Open Door,” welcomes all who seek to know God.

Following the One who we believe is Sovereign and Savior, we affirm that each individual is a child of God, and recognize that we are called to be like one body with many members, seeking with others of every race, ethnicity, creed, class, age, gender, marital status, physical or mental ability, and sexual identity to journey together toward the promised realm of God.

We invite everyone to join in the common life and mission of our reconciling community through participation and leadership in this congregation, and by fully sharing in the worship, rites and sacraments of this church.

As we all move forward with the work of this church, we commit ourselves to making justice and inclusivity a reality in this congregation and in the world.  On the threshold of Christ’s open door, we rely upon the healing, unconditional nature of God’s love and grace to be our help and guide.