A Christmas Festival of Lessons & Carols 17 December 2017 – 4:00 O'clock P.M
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A Christmas Festival of Lessons & Carols 17 December 2017 – 4:00 o’clock p.m. First Congregational Church United Church of Christ 444 East Broad Street Columbus, Ohio 43215 Based on Ancient Sources, the first service of this kind in modern times was held in Victorian England. Father E.W. Benson, later Archbishop of Canterbury and father of E.F. Benson who authored the Lucia novels, began the practice of a Festival Service of Lessons and Carols in preparation for the Christmas Feast, first at Truro Cathedral (1880) and later at Canterbury Cathedral. Popularized by recordings from King’s College, Cambridge, this service has come to be associated with a traditional celebration of Christmas by millions of people throughout the world. Its spirit and content sum up the true spirit of the season, while taking us in heart and mind to the Christmas celebrations of former times. As we listen today to the great music of this holiday season, as we sing the familiar hymns of Advent and carols of Christmas, let us remember the true Spirit of Christmas—that God came among us and dwelt among us. We called His Name Jesus. It is His birth in a stable that we celebrate this afternoon. A blessed Christmas season to you all! This service is being recorded for podcasting throughout the Christmas season, and is available here: http:// concertsatfirstchurch.org/podcast/ or by clicking the QR link at the right. Please silence all electronic devices. Childcare is available for preschool, toddlers and infants on the first floor of the Education Wing. A Deacon near the pulpit door can direct you. Assistive Listening Devices are available at the doors from any Deacon. Available for purchase after the service in the Ralph Fanning Room will be homemade fudge sold by the Youth Groups, and the 2017 First Church Christmas Ornament featuring a detail from the Clerestory windows of the Nave. The Ralph Fanning Room may be accessed through the forward doors of the Nave. The cover art is from the 13th-century Psalter of Ingeburge, specifically folio 79, and depicts The Annunciation: The Archangel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary his divine maternity, The Visitation: Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, pregnant with John the Baptist (Gospel of St. Luke), and the Gesin: the birth of the Virgin Mary. All other art used in this program is by Steven Erspamer and is used with permission. Bulletins are printed on recycled paper with a minimum 50% post-consumer content. All music in the bulletin is reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-717661. All rights reserved. Prelude (3:30 p.m.) G. Dene Barnard, Organist/Choirmaster Emeritus The Snow Lay On the Ground Leo Sowerby The First Church Ringers ‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime Huron Carol, arr. Matthew Prins Sussex Carol Sussex Carol, arr. Jason Krug The Jubilate Choir I Saw Three Ships Traditional English Carol, arr. Craig Curry Gesu Bambino Pietro Yon, arr. Michael Burkhardt The Exultate Choir Psallite unigenito Michael Praetorius The Feast of the Snow Ron Cook Ron Cook, recorder Sing of a Girl Peter Niedmann G. Dene Barnard, organist La Nativité (The Nativity) Jean Langlais La Crêche (The Cradle) Les Anges (The Angels) Les Bergers (The Shepherds) La Sainte Famille (The Holy Family) Welcome The Reverend Dr. Timothy C. Ahrens, Senior Minister The Processional Carol Once in royal David’s city The first verse is sung by Henry Wade, a solo chorister. (Sebby Kulwicki, cover) The Choir sings the second verse. The People stand to sing verses 4–6 with the Choirs. Text: Cecil Frances Alexander (1818–1895) Music: IRBY, Henry John Gauntlett (1805–1876) Verse 6 Descant and harmonization: David Willcocks (1919–2015) The People remain standing. The Bidding Prayer The Reverend Emily Krause Corzine, Associate Minister Beloved in Christ, as we await the great festival of Christmas, let us prepare ourselves so that we may be shown its true meaning. Let us hear, in readings from Holy Scripture, how the prophets of Israel foretold that God would visit and redeem his waiting people. Let us rejoice, in our carols and hymns, that the good purpose of God is being mightily fulfilled. Let us celebrate the promise that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will bring all people and all things into the glory of God’s eternal kingdom. But first, let us pray for the needs of his whole world; for peace and goodwill over all the earth; for the mission and unity of the Church for which he died, and especially in this country and within this community. And because this of all things would rejoice his heart, let us at this time remember in his name the poor and the helpless; the hungry and the oppressed; the sick and those who mourn; the lonely and the unloved; the aged and the little children; and all those who know not the Lord Jesus, or who love him not, or who by sin have grieved his heart of love. Let us also remember before God his pure and lowly Mother, and all those who rejoice with us, but upon another shore and in a greater light, that multitude which no one can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom, in this Lord Jesus, we for evermore are one. These prayers and praises let us humbly offer to God, in the words which Christ himself taught us: 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, for ever and ever. Amen. The People sit. The Bidding Carol O Radiant Dawn O Radiant Dawn, Splendor of eternal Light, Sun of Justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. Isaiah had prophesied, ‘The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.’ O Radiant Dawn... Amen. Text: O ORIENS, SPLENDOR LUCIS ÆTERNÆ, Antiphon for December 21 Music: James MacMillan (b. 1959) The First Reading: Genesis 3:1–15 Mariah Watts Jubilate Choir chorister God announces in the Garden of Eden that the seed of woman shall bruise the serpent’s head. Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God say, “You shall not eat from any tree in the garden”?’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God said, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.”‘ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves. They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ He said, ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.’ He said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?’ The man said, ‘The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.’ Then the Lord God said to the woman, ‘What is this that you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent tricked me, and I ate.’ TheLord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures.’ Reader The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God. The People stand. Congregational Carol Of the Father’s heart begotten Text: Prudentius, tr. John Mason Neale Music: DIVINUM MYSTERIUM, arr. David Willcocks The People sit. The Second Reading: Genesis 22:15–18 Adam Wade Youth Member, Exultate Choir chorister God promises to faithful Abraham that in his seed shall the nations of the earth be blessed. The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.” Reader The Word of the Lord.