*Carols and Lessons Service Sunday Dec 08. 7 p.m. . Tea & goodies. Raffles
*Christmas Eve. 7:00 Carols. 7:30 Service.
*New Year’s Eve Tuesday December 31st Variety Show at 8:30 PM featuring Denise Pelley, Adam, Kydra, Jack Sizeland and Stephen. Pizza, music to midnight. Tickets 519-615-2210 or visit www.alvegoroottheatre.com. $35.00 includes chips, Everfresh pizza, midnight bubbly. Licenced. Cash bar.
*Our food cupboard. Butch 519-615-9106.
*We are seeking a new webmaster for our church website. Ron Stewart has done a great job and will assist the new webmaster.
*DRAWS: *Cookie draw, $5, 5 for 20$. Sandra W.
*Handmade Afghan by Heather Jamieson. $2 or 3 for $5.
*Hockey tickets (Millard George) $2 or 3 for $5. Judy C.
*Mint smoothies Sandra $3
*Meat/Veggie Pie Making Day Saturday January 18, 9:00 am start. Come and help and have fun socializing. Orders can be placed through Barb by calling 519-680-0649.
*Trivia Night – Sat. January 25th 7:30 – 10:00 pm Book tickets atwww.alvegoroottheatre.com or by calling 519-615-2210.
*Turkey Dinner. Sat. February 22. $25.00 includes Tea, Coffee, Dessert.
*Canadian church calendars. $8 Barb
*Cancelled stamps. Gloria Thompson.
*Rinsed empty drink containers Dan Davies
*If you wish, our regular weekly donations or special donations may be sent to our Envelope Secretary:
The flowers in the Sanctuary today are to the Glory of God and in loving memory of dear husband and father Gord Cronk and parents George and Dolores Walker given by daughters Connie, Wendy and families
Bible Readings for Dec 08
Malachi 3:1-4
Baruch 5:1-9
Luke 1:68-79
Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6
Audio Service – Lessons and Carols from December 2020:
Service of Lessons and Carols:
Listen to the audio service, and follow along here.
Prelude: French Carols Set
Performed by Celtic Shift: Stephen Holowitz, Amy Barten, Dave Nuttall
Opening: The Story of the First Lessons and Carols
Rev. Teresa Corrigan
Carol: Once in Royal David’s City
Performed by Katy Clark and Angus Sinclair
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 meek and lowly,
Lived on earth our Savior holy.
And through all
His wondrous childhood
He would honor and obey
Love and watch the lowly mother,
In whose gentle arms He lay.
Christian children all should be
Mild, obedient, good as He.
For He is our child-hood’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;
When like stars
His children crowned,
All in white shall be around.
1st Lesson: Genesis 1: 26-31 and 5: 1-2
God Blesses Humankind
Ron Stewart, Reader
Carol: Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Performed by Celtic Shift and the Congregation at Epiphany’s 2019 Lessons and Carols
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;
Refrain:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord!
God of God, Light of Light,
Lo! he abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
Very God, begotten, not created,
Refrain
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above:
Glory to God, in the highest!
Refrain
See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear
We too will thither Bend our joyful footsteps
Refrain
Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing,
Refrain
2nd Lesson: Isaiah 9:2-7
Christ’s Birth and Influence is Foretold
Suzie Dann, Reader
Carol: Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel
Performed by Jack Sizeland, Katy Clark, Paul Grambo, Victoria Piovesan, Stephen Holowitz
O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in her ways to go.
Refrain
O come, O Rod of Jesse’s stem,
from every foe deliver them.
That trust your mighty power to save,
and give them victory o’er the grave.
Refrain
3rd Lesson: Luke 1: 26-38
Mary is Visited by the Angels
Judy Caley, Reader
Carol: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Performed by Adam Corrigan Holowitz and Stephen Holowitz
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King:
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with th’angelic hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Refrain:
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King”
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of the Virgin’s womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th’incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.
Refrain:
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King”
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.
Refrain:
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King”
4th Lesson: Luke 2: 1- 7
The Birth of Jesus
Carole Hawkins, Reader
Carol: In the Bleak Midwinter
Performed by Adam Corrigan Holowitz and Stephen Holowitz
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.
Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
but his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
worshiped the beloved with a kiss.
What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him: give my heart.
5th Lesson: Luke 2: 8-16
The Shepherds seek Jesus at the Manger
Jan Stewart, Reader
Carol: Away in the Manger
Performed by Celtic Shift and the Congregation at Epiphany’s 2019 Lessons and Carols
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
but little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
and stay by my side until morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay
close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
and fit us for heaven to live with thee there.
6th Lesson: Matthew 2: 1-12
The Wise Ones Led by a Star
Peter Leonard, Reader
Carol: O Holy Night
Performed by Paul Grambo and Angus Sinclair
O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
‘Til He appears and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night, O Holy night, O night divine!
Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the Wise Men from Orient land
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is Peace
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name, all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us Praise His Holy name
Christ is the Lord; O praise His name forever!
His power and glory evermore proclaim
His power and glory evermore proclaim
7th Lesson: John 1: 1-14
The Mystery of God in Christ
Brian Garrett, Reader
Anthem: Lo! How a Rose E’er Blooming
Performed by Katy Clark, Paul Grambo, Victoria Piovesan, Jack Sizeland, Stephen Holowitz
Poem: Image of Christmas 2020 by Ron Stewart
Poem: Balthazar’s Story by Jan Stewart
The Prayers
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth.
Blessed are you, Prince of Peace. You rule the world with truth and justice. Send your gift of peace to all nations of the world.
Blessed are you, Son of Mary. You share our humanity.
Have mercy on those especially in need of your loving presence and care.
Blessed are you, Son of God. You dwell among us as the word made flesh. Reveal yourself to us in word and sacrament that we may bear your light to all the world.
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 trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen.
Blessing: May you be filled with the wonder of Mary, the faithfulness of Joseph, the joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherds, the determination of the magi, and the peace of the Christ Child. God, Creator, Redeemer and Spirit bless you and those you love now and forever. Amen.
Carol: Joy to the World
Performed by Katy Clark, Paul Grambo and Angus Sinclair
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive its king;
let ev’ry heart prepare him room,
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let all their songs employ
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground.
He comes to make his blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.
