“For Everyone Born:” “Justice and Joy”

—, DECEMBER 24, 2017 10:15 AM & 7:00 PM—

For each child that’s born a morning star rises, And sings to the universe who we are.

Ysaye M. Barnwell in “We Are”

ORDER OF SERVICE SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2017

+Opening Music Hark! The Herald Sing by Felix Mendelssohn, arranged by Joel Raney

Opening Words Jay Leach, Senior Minister Kelly Greene, Membership Coordinator

“For so the children come” adapted from Sophia Fahs

+*Opening Song O Come, All Ye Faithful by John Francis Wade

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; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Lo, humble shepherds, hasting to his cradle, Leaving their flocks in the fields, draw near. We, too, with gladness, thither bend our footsteps; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Sing, of angels, sing in exultation; O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

* Lighting Words

+*Chorus Angels We Have Heard on High words by Earl Marlatt, French carol

Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o'er the plains, And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains. , in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why these songs of happy cheer? What great brightness did you see? What glad tidings did you hear? Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

See Him in a manger laid, Whom the angels praise above; Mary, Joseph, lend your aid, while we praise our hearts in love. Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Welcome

+Song In the Bleak Midwinter English traditional melody, words by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

In the bleak midwinter frosty wind made moan, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, in the bleak midwinter long ago.

Christ a homeless stranger, so the gospels say, cradled in a manger and a bed of hay; in the bleak midwinter stable place sufficed Mary and her baby, Jesus Christ.

Once more a child and mother weave their magic spell, touching hearts with wonder words can never tell; in the bleak midwinter, in this world of pain, where our hearts are open love is born again.

Reading : 1 - 16

Musical Offering Amen! Tell It on the Mountain! African American Spirituals, arranged by Mary McDonald

Reading by Joy Harjo “Remember” from She Had Some Horses

+*Song The First Nowell English carol

The first Nowell the did say was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay, in fields where they lay keeping their sheep, on a cold winter’s night that was so deep. No-well, No-well, No-well, No-well, born is the king of Israel.

They look-ed up and saw a star, shining in the east beyond them far, and to the earth it gave great light, and so it continued both day and night. No-well, No-well, No-well, No-well, born is the king of Israel.

And by the light of that same star, three magi came from country far; to seek a king was their intent, and to follow the star wherever it went. No-well, No-well, No-well, No-well, born is the king of Israel.

Homily “For Everyone Born:” “Justice and Joy”

Musical Offering For Everyone Born words by Shirley Erena Murray, music by Brian Mann, arranged by Tom Trenney

For ev’ryone born, a place at the table, for ev’ryone born, clean water and bread, a shelter, a space, a safe place for growing, for ev’ryone born, a star overhead,

And God will delight when we are creators of justice and joy, compassion and peace: yes, God will delight when we are creators of justice, justice and joy!

For woman and man, a place at the table, revising the roles, deciding the share, with wisdom and grace, dividing the power, a system that’s fair,

And God will delight…

For young and for old, a place at the table, a voice to be heard, a part in the song. The hands of a child in hands that are wrinkled, for young and for old, the right to belong

And God will delight…

For ev’ryone born, a place at the table, to live without fear, and simply to be, to work, to speak out, to witness and worship, for ev’ryone born, the right to be free!

And God will delight…

Offering Words

Offertory Away in the Manger by William James Kirkpatrick and James R. Murray

Meditation

*Candle Lighting Silent Night words by Joseph Mohr, music by Franz Xaver Gruber

Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright round yon virgin mother and child. Holy infant so tender and mild, sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night, shepherds quake, at the sight, glories stream from heaven afar, heavenly hosts sing “,” sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night, child of God, love’s pure light radiant beams from thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace, sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

*Closing Words by Maya Angelou in “Amazing Peace: A Poem”

NOTES

Thank you to the pledging members of this congregation whose generosity makes our possible. Kelly Greene, John Herrick, and Jay Leach contributed to the planning of this service. The Christmas Eve sings under the direction of John Herrick, accompanied by Kaarin Record Leach on piano. John Herrick plays the piano, organ and tenor recorder. Kathy Allen plays the alto recorder, John Burns plays the soprano recorder and Eddie Wielunski plays the bass recorder and violin. Manny Allen, Fred Hutchinson and Doug Swaim assist with A/V for today’s services. Large print copies of the Order of Service and personal hearing assistance devices are available on the table at the entrance to the Sanctuary.

IMAGES

The images displayed in this service (with the exception of 3. and 16.) were collected for the December 25, 2015 blog post “More Nativity Paintings from around the World” for the blog “The Jesus Question” [https://thejesusquestion.org]. They include: 1. Le Van Dai, (Vietnamese), “Nativity” 1980s 2. Gde Sukana Kariana (Indonesian, 1974-) “Nativity” 2011 3. Paul Gauguin “Baby (Nativity of Tahitian Christ)” [Original Title: “Bé bé”] 1896 10. Jackson Beardy (Oji-Cree, 1944-1984), “The Nativity” 1975 14. Azaria Mbatha (South African, 1941-) “The Birth of Christ” 1964 15. Hiroshi Tabata (Japanese) “Nativity” 1998 16. William Blake “Illustration to Milton`s ‘On the Morning of Christ`s Nativity’” 1809 20. Tanzanian nativity batik 21. Federico Dominguez (Filipino, 1953-), from the “Yang ya Utaw si Manggob” (When Manggob Was Born) series 22. Angelo da Fonseca (Indian, 1902-1967) “Nativity” 1954 23. Lu Lan, Nativity, 1994 24. Father Kevin Carroll (born Britain, active Nigeria, 1920-1993) “Yoruba Nativity” 1948 28. Contemporary Ethiopian nativity icon