carol service 2013

Welcome to our Carol Service

Who is the STAR of your Christmas?

HARK! the herald angels singHARK! the herald angels sing 206glory 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 the angelic host proclaim,‘Christ is born in Bethlehem.’

Hark! the herald angels singglory to the new-born King.

HARK! the herald angels singChrist, by highest heaven adored,Christ, the everlasting Lord,late in time behold Him come,offspring of a virgin’s womb.Veiled in flesh the Godhead see!Hail, the incarnate Deity!Pleased as Man with men to dwell,Jesus, our Immanuel.


HARK! the herald angels singHail, 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 man no more may die,born to raise the sons of earth,born to give them second birth.


HARK! the herald angels singCome, Desire of nations, come,fix in us Thy humble home;rise, the woman’s conquering seed,bruise in us the serpent’s head.Now display Thy saving power,ruined nature now restore;now in mystic union joinThine to ours, and ours to Thine!


Charles Wesley, 1707-88

PRAY -WORSHIPCONFESSTHANK

PETITION

LUKE chapter 1Luke 1:26–29 (NKJV)

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favoured one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.


Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

LUKE chapter 1Luke 1:34,35 (NKJV)

Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Luke 1:38 (NKJV)

Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

STAR OF CHRISTMAS

MARY?

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MARY?

X

Child in a MangerCHILD in the manger,infant of Mary;outcast and stranger,Lord of all!Child who inheritsall our transgressions,all our demeritson Him fall.

Once the most holychild of salvation,gently and lowlylived below;now as our gloriousmighty Redeemer,see Him victoriousover each foe.

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Child in a MangerProphets foretold Him,infant of wonder;angels behold Himon His throne;worthy our Saviourof all their praises;happy for everare His own.

Mary Macdonald, 1789-1872;tr. by Lachlan Macbean, 1853-1931

MATTHEW chapter 1

Matthew 1:18–21 (NKJV)

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”

MATTHEW chapter 1

Matthew 1:22–25 (NKJV)

So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.

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JOSEPH?

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JOSEPH?

X

While Shepherds Watched

WHILE shepherds watched their flocks by night,all seated on the ground,the angel of the Lord came down,and glory shone around.

‘Fear not!’ said he, for mighty dreadhad seized their troubled mind;‘Glad tidings of great joy I bringto you and all mankind.

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‘To you, in David’s town, this dayis born, of David’s line,a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord;and this shall be the sign:

‘The heavenly babe you there shall findto human view displayed,all meanly wrapped in swaddling bands,and in a manger laid.’


Thus spake the seraph, and forthwithappeared a shining throngof angels praising God, and thusaddressed their joyful song:

‘All glory be to God on high,And to the earth be peace:Goodwill henceforth from heaven to menBegin and never cease.’

Nahum Tate, 1652-1715


And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.


So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.


Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Luke 2:10–12 (NKJV)

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

MATTHEW chapter 2Matthew 2:1–2 (NKJV)

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:11 (NKJV)

And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

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WISE MEN?

SHEPHERDS?

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WISE MEN?

SHEPHERDS?

XX

X X

O Come all ye faithfulO COME, all ye faithful, 209

joyful and triumphant,O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;come and behold Him,born the King of angels:

O come, let us adore Him,O come, let us adore Him,O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

O Come all ye faithfulGod of God,

Light of Light,lo, He abhors not the virgin’s womb;very God,begotten, not created:


O Come all ye faithfulSing, choirs of angels,

sing in exultation,sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;‘Glory to Godin the highest!’


O Come all ye faithfulYea, Lord, we greet Thee,

born this happy morning,Jesus, to Thee be glory given;Word of the Father,now in flesh appearing:


Latin, 17th cent.;tr. by Frederick Oakeley*, 1802-80

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STAR OF CHRISTMASJohn 3:16 (NKJV)

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

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What Could You Put In As A Gift to Jesus?

Christians AwakeCHRISTIANS, awake! salute the happy morn,on which the Saviour of the world was born;rise to adore the mystery of lovewhich hosts of angels chanted from above:with them the joyful tidings first begunof God incarnate, and the virgin’s Son.

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Christians AwakeThen to the watchful shepherds it was told,who heard the angelic herald’s voice, ‘Behold,I bring good tidings of a Saviour’s birthto you and all the nations upon earth;this day has God fulfilled His promised word,this day is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord.’

Christians AwakeHe spoke; and straightway the celestial choirin hymns of joy unknown before conspire;the praises of redeeming love they sang,and heaven’s whole orb with hallelujahs rang;God’s highest glory was their anthem still,‘Peace upon earth, and unto men goodwill.’

Christians AwakeO may we keep and ponder in our mindGod’s wondrous love in saving lost mankind;trace we the babe who has retrieved our lossfrom His poor manger to His bitter cross;tread in His steps, assisted by His grace,till man’s first heavenly state again takes place.

Christians AwakeThen may we hope, the angelic hosts among,to sing, redeemed, a glad triumphal song:He that was born upon this joyful dayaround us all His glory shall display;saved by His love, incessant we shall singeternal praise to heaven’s almighty King.

John Byrom, 1692-1763

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carol service 2013

Spiritual