New Hope Presbyterian Church
Service of Lessons & Carols
Christmas Eve December 24, 2020 Online Worship Service
New Hope Presbyterian Church 4701 North Carolina Highway 86 Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514 919-942-4710
Music to Celebrate Christmas Eve Violin Trio Saxophone Trio Handbell Choir
Christmas Eve Worship Service
WELCOME Rev. Dr. Kerri Hefner
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH CANDLES Worship leaders will say a prayer as they light the Hope, Peace, Joy, Love, and Christ candles. After the candles are lit, the congregation is invited to sing the response.
All Sing: Hymn 91 Come, come Emmanuel. Come, Emmanuel. Come, come Emmanuel. Come, Emmanuel.
OPENING HYMN O Come, All Ye Faithful Hymn 133 Susan Kimmel, soloist
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.
FIRST LESSON God tells sinful Adam that he has lost the life of Paradise and that his seed will bruise the ser- pent's head. (Genesis 3)
Reader: The Word of the Lord. Congregation: Thanks be to God!
CAROL Adam Lay Ybounden c. 15th century André Pierce, soloist Setting by Peter Warlock
Adam lay ybounden, Adam had fallen, Bounden in a bond; Fallen deep into guilt; Four thousand winter Four thousand winters Thought he not too long. He regarded as not too long. And all was for an apple, And all was for an apple, An apple that he took, An apple that he took, As clerkes finden written in their book. That scholars find written in a book. Ne had the apple taken been, Had he never taken the apple, Ne had never our Lady Never would our Lady Abeen Heavene Queen. Have been a Heavenly Queen. Blessed be the time Blessed be the time That apple taken was. The apple was taken. Therefore we moun singen: So that we may sing: Deo Gracias! Thanks be to God!
SECOND LESSON God promises to faithful Abraham that in his seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 22)
Reader: The word of the Lord. Congregation: Thanks be to God!
CAROL People, Look East arr. Linda R. Lamb Handbell Choir
THIRD LESSON The prophet foretells the coming of the Savior. (Isaiah 9)
Reader: The word of the Lord. Congregation: Thanks be to God!
HYMN It Came Upon the Midnight Clear Hymn 123 Chad Hefner, trumpet & Clare Strayhorn, violin
FOURTH LESSON The peace that Christ will bring is foreshown. (Isaiah 11)
Reader: The word of the Lord. Congregation: Thanks be to God!
CAROL Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming Johannes Brahms
FIFTH LESSON The angel Gabriel salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary. (Luke 1)
Reader: The word of the Lord. Congregation: Thanks be to God!
CAROL What Child Is This? arr. Malcolm Archer Chad Hefner & Clare Strayhorn, vocalists
SIXTH LESSON Luke tells of the birth of Jesus. (Luke 2)
Reader: The word of the Lord. Congregation: Thanks be to God!
CAROL Infant Holy, Infant Lowly arr. Andrew Risinger NHPC Chancel Choir
SEVENTH LESSON The shepherds go to the manger. (Luke 2)
Reader: The word of the Lord. Congregation: Thanks be to God!
HYMN On Christmas Night All Christians Sing Hymn 112
EIGHTH LESSON The wise men are led by the star to Jesus. (Matthew 2)
Reader: The word of the Lord. Congregation: Thanks be to God!
CAROL We Three Kings of Orient Are arr. Linda R. Lamb
NINTH LESSON John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation. (John 1)
Reader: The word of the Lord. Congregation: Thanks be to God!
HYMN Joy to the World! Hymn 134 Trumpets and Saxophones
“Center Christ” by Lauren Wright Pittman, A Sanctified Art LLC
PRAYER
THE PASSING OF THE LIGHT You are invited to lower the lights in your home and light a candle as we sing the closing hymn. You may raise your candle on the last verse. The lighted candle is symbolic of the love and light of Christ spreading throughout the world.
CLOSING HYMN Silent Night STILLE NACHT
1) Silent night, holy night! 3) Silent night, holy night! All is calm, all is bright. Son of God love's pure light. Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child. Radiant beams from Thy holy face Holy infant so tender and mild, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Sleep in heavenly peace, Jesus Lord, at Thy birth. Sleep in heavenly peace. Jesus Lord, at Thy birth.
2) Silent night, holy night! 4) Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight. Wondrous Star, lend thy light; Glories stream from heaven afar With the angels let us sing, Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia, Alleluia to our King; Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born. Christ the Savior is born.
BLESSING AND CHARGE Rev. Dr. Kerri Hefner
Thank you to Randy Case for recording and editing our Christmas Eve Lessons & Carols worship service!
Participants
Chancel Choir Sopranos Altos Tenors Basses Susan Kimmel Leah Amos Chad Hefner Al Johnson Elizabeth Lacey Jane Clarke Dean Herington Christopher Quade Clare Strayhorn André Pierce Scot Winters Maggie Wright
Saxophone Trio Handbell Choir Trumpets Nick Case Clint Burklin Rosemary McNiel Chad Hefner Dean Herington Claire Capps Niels Nickelson Walter Pierce Randy Sellers Ryan Capps André Pierce Jane Clarke Walter Pierce Kerri Hefner Elizabeth Prioli Rebekah Hefner Randy Sellers Dee Lowdermilk
Advent Wreath Violin Trio Jane Clarke & Monty Bryant Jane Clarke Susan Kimmel Clare Stryahorn Readers Allen Amos Ginny Eads Pam Beveridge Anne Montgomery Monty Bryant Imke Nickelson Clint Burklin Stephanie Wittman Claire Capps
The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was first held at King’s College Chapel in Cambridge, England on Christmas Eve, 1918. It was planned by Eric Milner-White, who at the age of thirty-four had just been appointed Dean of the King’s after experience as an army chaplain. His time as a chaplain convinced him that the Church of England needed more imaginative worship. A revision of the Order of Service was made in 1919, involving rearrangement of the lessons. Almost immediately other churches adapted the service for their own use. A wider audience began to grow when the service was first broadcast in 1928 and, with the exception of 1930, it has been broadcast annually. The broadcast even occurred during World War II when the ancient glass had been removed from the Chapel and the name of King’s could not be broadcast for security reasons. Over the years, the service has become public property, with congregations adapting the service to fit the needs of their parish. As Dean Milner- White pointed out years ago, “the main theme is the development of the loving purposes of God…seen through the windows and words of the Bible.”
Historical notes adapted from the King’s College website.
Service for the Eve of Our Savior's Birth
New Hope Presbyterian Church The Rev. Dr. Kerri Mock Hefner, Pastor Allen Amos, Director of Music Mary Todd Peters, Director of Christian Education
December 24, 2020