30th Christmas Service of lessons & carols A CHRISTMAS SERVICE of LESSONS and CAROLS Independent Presbyterian Church | Memphis, Tennessee The Second Day of December, Two Thousand and Eighteen, Six-o’clock in the Evening
THE PRELUDE ~ “Tidings of Great Joy” ~ ARRON POWELL
THE CALL TO WORSHIP ~ The Reverend John P. Sartelle, Sr. | Senior Pastor Emeritus Senior Pastor, Christ Presbyterian Church, Somerville, Tennessee
THE PROCESSIONAL HYMN ~ “Once in Royal David’s City” ~ Arranged by DAVID WILLCOCKS The Adult, Senior High and Junior High Choirs with the Ensemble and Elaine Clowers, Soloist Once in royal David’s city stood a lowly cattle shed, where a mother laid her Baby in a manger for his bed: Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little Child. He came down to earth from heaven who is God and Lord of all, and his shelter was a stable, and his cradle was a stall; with the poor and mean and lowly lived on earth our Saviour holy. And through all his wondrous childhood he would honour and obey, love and watch the lowly maiden, in whose gentle arms he lay; Christian children all must be mild, obedient, good as he. For he is our childhood’s pattern, day by day like us he grew. He was little, weak and helpless, tears and smiles like us he knew; and he feeleth for our sadness, and he shareth in our gladness. And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love, for that Child so dear and gentle is our Lord in heaven above; and he leads his children on to the place where he is gone. Not in that poor lowly stable, with the oxen standing by, we shall see him; but in heaven, set at God’s right hand on high; where like stars his children crowned all in white shall wait around.
THE ANTHEM ~ “Three Wise Kings” ~ DOUGLAS WAGNER Girls Choirs and Boys Choirs Emilee O. Garrett, Director | Michelle J. Crews, Piano Three wise kings, in long procession marching; Three wise kings, who set out on their way, Harken now to sweet and gentle singing, songs of the angels far away, far away: Today Christ is born, Alleluia. Three wise kings, who seek the tiny Savior; Three wise kings, led onward by a star. Gifts they bring of gold and myrrh and incense, treasures and devotions from afar, from afar. Today Christ is born, Alleluia. Three wise kings, who kneel in solemn splendor; Three wise kings, their humble off’ring bring, Now with all that dwell in earth and heaven bow before the Infant King. Today Christ is born, Alleluia. Amen.
THE ANTHEM ~ “Sing to the Child” ~ K. LEE SCOTT The Senior High and Junior High Choirs Harrison A. Howle, Director Shepherds were watching near Bethlehem, Under the starry night sky. Suddenly angels sang; Tidings of joy outrang: Praises to God on high. Sing to the Child, sing to the Savior, Sing with the angels ‘round Bethlehem. Glory to God, joy to all people, Sing to the holy Child. After the angels had gone away, Quickly they ran to the stall. And, as the angel said, There in a manger bed rested the Lord of All. Joseph and Mary, his mother mild, Welcomed the shepherds that night. Bowing, they worshiped him, Praising with cherubim, Hon’ring this Babe of Light. Let us then worship and honor him, Joining with angels above. Let us with shepherds fall there in the lowly stall, Praising the Lord of Love. Sing to the Child, sing to the Savior, Sing with the angels ‘round Bethlehem. Glory to God, joy to all people, Sing to the holy Child. Sing to this wondrous Child!
The First Scripture Genesis 3: 3-15 ~ God tells Adam that he has lost the life of Paradise ~ The first promise of the Gospel.
THE ANTHEM ~ “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” ~ Arranged by K. LEE SCOTT Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand; ponder nothing earthly minded, for, with blessing in his hand, Christ, our God, to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand. King of kings, yet born of Mary, as of old on earth he stood, Lord of lords, in human vesture, in the body and the blood, he will give to all the faithful his own self for heav’nly food. Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way, as the Light of light descendeth from the realms of endless day, that the powers of hell may vanish as the darkness clears away. At his feet the six-winged seraph; cherubim with sleepless eye, veil their faces to the presence, as with ceaseless voice they cry: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, Lord most high. The Second Scripture Isaiah 9: 2, 6, 7 ~ The Prophet foretells the coming of the Saviour.
THE ANTHEM ~ “There Shall a Star Come Out of Jacob” from Christus ~ FELIX MENDELSSOHN There shall a star come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, with might destroying princes and cities! As bright the star of morning gleams, so Jesus sheddeth glorious beams, of light and consolation. Thy Word, O Lord, radiance darting, truth imparting, gives salvation; thine be praise and adoration!
The Third Scripture Luke 1: 26-33 ~ The Angel Gabriel salutes the Virgin Mary.
THE ANTHEM ~ “O Magnum Mysterium” ~ MORTEN LAURIDSEN O great mystery, and wondrous sacrament, that animals should see the newborn Lord, lying in their manger! Blessed is the virgin who was chosen to bear the Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia!
THE CONGREGATIONAL HYMN No. 203 ~ “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” ~ Arranged by DAVID WILLCOCKS
The Fourth Scripture Luke 2: 1-7 ~ Luke tells of the birth of Jesus.
THE ANTHEM ~ World Premiere* of “Rise Up, My Soul” ~ ALICE PARKER *Commissioned by Independent Presbyterian Church to the glory of God and in honor of Pam and James Brown for forty years of outstanding ministry in music. Hallelujah, Hallelujah! Rise up, my soul, and let us go Up to the gospel feast; Gird on the garment white as snow To join and be a guest. Hallelujah, Hallelujah! Dost thou not hear the trumpet call for thee, my soul, for thee? Not only thee, my soul, but all May rise and enter free! Hallelujah, Hallelujah, May rise and enter free!
THE ANTHEM ~ “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light” ~ KATHLEEN THOMERSON / Arranged by RENE CLAUSEN
I want to walk as a child of the light. I want to follow Jesus. God set the stars to give light to the world. The star of my life is Jesus. In him there is no darkness at all. The night and the day are both alike. The Lamb is the light of the city of God. Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
THE ANTHEM ~ “Cradle Hymn” ~ KIM ANDRE ARNESEN The Women of the Choir Jennifer Velázquez, Director | Pamela M. Brown, Piano Hush my dear, lie still and slumber, Holy angels guard thy bed! Heavenly blessings without number Gently falling on thy head. See the kindly shepherds round him, Telling wonders from the sky! When they sought him, there they found him, with his virgin mother by. See the lovely babe a-dressing; Lovely infant how he smiled! When he wept, the mother’s blessing Soothed and hush’d the holy child. May’st thou live to know and fear him, Trust and love him all thy days; Then go dwell forever near him, See his face, and sing his praise! Hush, my dear, Holy angels guard thy bed! Amen.
THE ANTHEM ~ “What Sweeter Music” ~ JOHN RUTTER What sweeter music can we bring than a carol, for to sing the birth of this our heav’nly King? Awake the voice! Awake the string! Dark and dull night, fly hence away, and give the honour to this day that sees December turn’ d to May. Why does the chilling winter’s morn smile, like a field beset with corn? Or smell like a meadow newly shorn thus on the sudden? Come and see the cause, why things thus fragrant be: ‘Tis he is born, whose quick’ning birth gives life and lustre, public mirth, to heaven and the underearth. We see him come, and know him ours, who, with his sunshine and his show’rs, turns all the patient ground to flow’rs. The darling of the world is come, and fit it is, we find a room to welcome him. The nobler part of all the house here, is the heart, which we will give him; and bequeath this holly, and this ivy wreath, to do him honour; who’s our King, and Lord of all this revelling.
The Fifth Scripture Luke 2: 8-16 ~ The shepherds go to the manger.
THE ANTHEM ~ “Masters in This Hall” ~ Arranged by MACK WILBERG Masters in this hall, hear ye news today Brought from over sea, and ever I you pray. Going o’er the hills, through the milk-white snow, Heard I ewes bleat while the wind did blow: Refrain: Nowell! Nowell! Nowell! Nowell sing we clear! Holpen are all folk on earth, born is God’s Son so dear: Nowell! Nowell! Nowell! Nowell sing we loud! God today hath poor folk raised and cast a-down the proud. Shepherds many an one sat among the sheep, No man spake more word than they had been asleep. Quoth I, “Fellows mine, why this guise sit ye? Making but dull cheer, shepherds though ye be?” “Shepherds should of right leap and dance and sing, Thus to see ye sit, is a right strange thing.” Quoth these fellows then, “To Bethl’em town we go, to see a mighty Lord lie in manger low.” Ox and ass him know, kneeling on their knee, Wond’rous joy had I this little Babe to see, This is Christ the Lord. Masters be ye glad: Christmas is come in, and no folk should be sad.
THE ANTHEM ~ “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” ~ Arranged by JAMES BROWN and ARRON POWELL The Men of the Choir 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 that have been, and that future years shall see, evermore and evermore! O that birth forever blessed, when the virgin, full of grace, by the Holy Ghost conceiving, bore the Savior of our race; and the babe, the world’s redeemer, first revealed his sacred face, evermore and evermore! This is he whom heav’n-taught singers sang of old with one accord, whom the Scriptures of the prophets, promised in their faithful word; now he shines, the long expected; let creation praise its Lord, evermore and evermore! O ye heights of heav’n, adore him; angel hosts, his praises sing; all dominions, bow before him and extol our God and King; Let no tongue on earth be silent, ev’ry voice in concert ring, evermore and evermore!
The Sixth Scripture Matthew 2: 1-11 ~ The wise men are led by the star to Jesus.
THE ANTHEM ~ “The First Nowell” ~ Arranged by MACK WILBERG The first Nowell the angel 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: Refrain: Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell! Born is the King of Israel. They looked 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. Then let us all with one accord sing praises to our heav’nly Lord, That hath made heav’n and earth of nought, and with his blood mankind hath bought.
THE ANTHEM ~ “Personent Hodie” 13th Century Processional ~ Arranged by LARA HOGGARD The Adult and Senior High Choirs Let youthful voices resound today joyfully praising him who is born for us, who is given unto us by the most high God, and brought forth from a Virgin. He is born in the world, is wrapped in swaddling cloths, and placed in a manger in a stable of beasts. He is the Ruler over all things. (The Prince of Darkness thus has lost his prey!) Three wise men come, bearing gifts. They have found the babe by following a little star. Adoring the Lord, they offer him gold, incense and myrrh. Let all the young choristers now sing as did the angels, praising him who has come into the world: “Glory to God in the Highest!”
The Seventh Scripture John 1: 1-14 ~ John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation.
THE ANTHEM ~ “All Is Well” ~ MICHAEL W. SMITH and WAYNE KIRKPATRICK / Arranged by RON HUFF Elaine Clowers, Soloist All is well, all is well. Angels and men rejoice! For tonight darkness fell into the dawn of love’s light. Sing alleluia! All is well, all is well. Let there be peace on earth. Christ is come, Go and tell that he is in the manger. Sing alleluia! All is well, all is well. Lift up your voice and sing. Born is now Emmanuel. Born is our Lord and Savior. Sing alleluia! Sing alleluia! All is well.
THE ANTHEM ~ “Hallelujah!” from Messiah ~ G.F. HANDEL The Adult, Senior High and Junior High Choirs Hallelujah! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever. King of kings, and Lord of lords. Hallelujah!
THE HYMN OF RESPONSE ~ No 208, “O Come, All Ye Faithful” (Stanzas 1,3,4) ~ Arranged by DAVID WILLCOCKS Emilee O. Garrett, Organ THE BENEDICTION ~ Dr. Sean Michael Lucas, Senior Pastor
THE POSTLUDE ~ “Prelude in B Major,” Op. 7 ~ MARCEL DUPRE
James A. Brown, Jr., Director of Worship and Music Ministries Jennifer P.K. Velázquez, Associate Director of Worship and Music Ministries and Organist Pamela M. Brown, Assistant Director of Worship and Music Ministries Emilee O. Garrett, Children’s Choir Coordinator Harrison A. Howle, Choral Assistant Kathy L. Leggett, Administrative Assistant
Cover Illustration ~ The Annunciation to the Shepherds, Abraham Hondius (1663).