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Festivals of
Light
Carol
Services for the Seasons
Advent |
Opening Hymn 75
O Come, All Ye Faithful Adeste Fidele
Welcome
The First and Second Readings: (Lights are turned off)
Genesis 1.1-3, 1.31
and
John 1.1-5, 1.14, 1.16, 1.12-13
The Beginning of all Things
Genesis - In the beginning
John - In the beginning was the Word.
Genesis - In the beginning when God
John - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
Genesis - In the beginning, when
God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void, and
darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over
the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light;" and there
was light.
John - In the beginning was the Word ... All things came into being
through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come
into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.
Genesis - Then God said, "Let there
be light;"
John - The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome
it.
Genesis - There was light.
(The Paschal Candle, symbolizing the Light of Christ, is lit. Then the
following 4th Century hymn is sung to a 12th century plainsong melody, as
a solo, without accompaniment.)
Hymn 79 Of the Father's Love Begotten Divinum Mysterium
(Selected Verses)
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 and have been,
and that future years shall see,
evermore and evermore.
At his word the worlds were framed.
He commanded, it was done.
heaven and earth and depths of ocean
in their three-fold order one;
all that grows beneath the shining
of the moon and burning sun,
evermore and evermore.
John - And the Word became flesh, and lived among us.
(The people's candles are now lit. The next verse is sung solo,
accompanied.)
O that birth for ever blessed!
When the virgin, full of grace,
by the Holy Ghost conceiving,
bare the Saviour of our race,
and the babe, the world's redeemer,
first revealed his sacred face,
evermore and evermore.
Genesis - God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very
good.
John - From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. To all
who
received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children
of God, who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of
the
will of a man, but of God.
(The congregation sings the next
verse, accompanied.)
This is he whom seers in old time
chanted of with one accord,
whom the voices of the prophets
promised in their faithful word;
now he shines the long-expected;
let creation praise its Lord,
evermore and evermore.
John - And the Word became flesh, and lived among us, and we have seen his
glory.
Hymn 361 Joy to the World Antioch
(Lights are turned on, candles extinguished)
Third and Fourth Lessons:
Isaiah 7.14, 9.2, 9.6-7,
and
Matthew 1.18-25
Promises made by God through the prophet Isaiah come to pass seven-hundred
years later with the conception of Jesus.
Hymn 62 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Veni Emmanuel
The Fifth and Sixth Lessons:
Micah 5.2-4
and
Matthew 2.1-7
The prophet Micah announces that the Messiah is to be born in Bethlehem.
Jesus is born there.
Hymn 82 O Little Town of Bethlehem St. Louis
The Seventh Lesson:
Luke 2.1-7
St. Luke tells of how the son of Mary was born in Bethlehem
Hymn 745 'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime Jesus Ahatonhia
The Eighth Lesson: Luke 2.8-15
St. Luke tells of how the Angels appeared to the Shepherds
Hymn 76 While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks Winchester Old
The Ninth Lesson: Luke 2.16-21
St. Luke tells of how the Shepherds found the Child
Hymn 741 Good Christian men, rejoice In dulci jubilo
(At this time, the congregation is invited to suggest carols, as time
permits.)
Hymn 739 Silent Night Stille
Nacht
Closing Prayers, The Lord's Prayer, and Blessing
During the next hymn, a collection will be taken up and blessed.
Final Hymn 750 The First Nowell The First Nowell
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