A Ceremony of Lessons and Carols

Transcription

1 December 18, 2016 Fourth Sunday in Advent 11:00 am Warning! To enter into the life of this people of God is to encounter God s soul-challenging, life-changing, radicalizing love. Will you join us? Do you dare? A Ceremony of Lessons and Carols PRELUDE See Amid the Winter s Snow arr. William E. Moats Angels from the Realms of Glory arr. Lauran DeLancy Old South Ringers; Peter Coulombe, Director

2 *OPENING CAROL O Come, All Ye Faithful Adeste Fidelis 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 from God, Light from Light eternal, Lo! He abhors not the Virgin s womb; Only-begotten Son of the Parent! Refrain Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation, Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above; Glory to God, glory in the highest! Refrain Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be all glory given; Word of God, now in flesh appearing! Refrain *LIGHTING THE FOURTH ADVENT CANDLE Anthony T. Livolsi *PRAYER OF CONFESSION (in unison) Holy One, Hope of the wretched, Help of the poor, to You we pray: Give us to sing with the prophets of that world which might yet be where the bound are set free, the shamed lifted up, and the lonely embraced; where hunger shall be sated, the warring reconciled, every good longing fulfilled, and all tears wiped away. With hymns of justice firing our hearts, we would be at work, heralding Your advent, O God our Savior and Healer. Amen. * Indicates all who are able may stand 2

3 *SUNG RESPONSE WORDS OF WELCOME THE FIRST LESSON Isaiah 40:1-5; Luke 3:2-16 Pam Roberts and Evan Shu *CAROL 101 Comfort, Comfort O My People Psalm 42 THE SECOND LESSON Isaiah 9:1a, 2-3, 6-7; Luke 1:26-38 ANTHEM Balulalow Francis Pott Adriana Repetto, soloist O my deare hert, young Jesu sweit, Prepare thy creddil in my spreit, And I sall rock thee to my hert, And never mair from thee depart. But I sall praise thee evermoir With sanges sweit unto thy gloir; The knees of my heart sall I bow, And sing that richt Balulalow! attr. James, John, & Robert Wedderburn, c

4 CALL TO PRAYER One: God be with you. Many: And also with you. One: Lift up your hearts. Many: We lift our hearts to God. One: Let us pray. (The congregation may be seated.) Nancy S. Taylor PASTORAL PRAYER AND SILENT PRAYER THE LORD S PRAYER (unison) 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. PRAYER RESPONSE Be Near Me Lord Jesus Cradle Song and Mueller arr. Harbold 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. John T. McFarland THE THIRD LESSON Isaiah 11:1-10; Luke 1:46-55 *CAROL 127 Lo, How a Rose E er Blooming Es ist ein Ros THE FOURTH LESSON Isaiah 7:13-14; Luke 2:1-7 *CAROL 133 O Little Town of Bethlehem St. Louis THE FIFTH LESSON Isaiah 2:2-4; Luke 2:8-14 *CAROL MEDLEY Angels we have heard on high, singing sweetly through the night, And the mountains in reply echoing their brave delight. Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria 4

5 Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King; Mendelssohn Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies; With the angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem! 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 the incarnate deity, Pleased as man with us to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel. Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King! Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing; Come, adore on bended knee Christ, the Lord, the newborn King. Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria THE SIXTH LESSON Isaiah 66:10-13; Luke 2:15-20 *CAROL 139 The First Nowell The First Nowell CALL TO THE OFFERING In thanksgiving to God and giving witness to generous hearts, our financial gifts support ministries of mercy, justice, and beauty. John M. Edgerton OFFERTORY ANTHEM Glory Hallelujah to the Newborn King! Harry L. Huff Matthew Wight, soloist Mary had a baby! Glory hallelujah! Glory hallelujah to the new-born King! The Virgin Mary had a pretty little baby. Mary, watcha gonna name your pretty little baby? Well, some call Him one thing, I know His name is Jesus. Oh, some call Him one thing, I m gonna call Him Savior. Glory hallelujah to the new-born King! THE SEVENTH LESSON Isaiah 61:1-4; Luke 4:

6 *CAROL Joy to the World! Antioch Joy to the World! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him room! And heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing, And heaven, and heaven 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. Christ rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of God s righteousness And wonders of God s love, and wonders of God s love And wonders, wonders of God s love. *BIDDING TO MISSION AND BENEDICTION Anthony T. Livolsi *A SIGN OF OUR UNITY AND RECONCILIATION We invite you to greet those around you, wishing them peace or the peace of Christ. POSTLUDE Organ Flourish on Joy to the World Michael Dell Close-Up, a 20-minute tour of the Sanctuary, begins following worship at the front of the Sanctuary. Led by docent Karin Wetmore. 6

7 Family Worship 5 pm With carol sing-alongs and an impromptu pageant for kids Candlelight Service of Lessons & Carols 8 pm (Preludes 7:30) An elegant retelling of the Christmas story in carols and readings Chapel Communion 11 pm 7 A warmly traditional service with festive carol singing, sermon, and communion in our garland-bedecked Gothic chapel

8 WELCOME TO OLD SOUTH CHURCH Welcome to Old South Church in Boston. We are a progressive Christian church first gathered in The Church played a significant role in early American history. Today, Old South Church continues to outfit itself for mission and ministry in the 21st century as a thriving urban church in the heart of Boston. Join us immediately following worship for fellowship and refreshments in the Gordon Chapel. Our readers today are Pam Roberts and Evan Shu. Pam is former Church Moderator and met her husband, Scott, while performing in TAOS (Theater at Old South). Evan formerly served on the Communications Committee and continues to lend a hand in various capacities including photographing First Worship baptisms! The Poinsettias in the Sanctuary and Gordon Chapel Chancel are given in honor and in memory of many loved ones. See the list included in this bulletin. SUNDAY FLOWERS The Sunday Flower Calendar for 2017 is up in the first floor elevator lobby on the bulletin board. February dates available! Donating Sunday flowers is a special way to remember loved ones and special events. The cost is $50. Put your name by the date you want and send the message you wish to appear in the bulletin to helen@oldsouth.org. Please note that more than one person can sign up for any one Sunday. Name tags facilitate community and help newcomers feel welcomed. If you don t see a tag with your name on it, let us know. Parents are free to wander when restless. Audio of the service is available across the Narthex in the Gordon Chapel. For LARGE print bulletins or hearing assistance devices ask an Usher. GARAGE PARKING VALIDATIONS We have arrangements for discounted parking with two nearby garages for Old South Church worship or church business (excluding weddings and concerts): 1. Park at the Garage@100 Clarendon (behind Back Bay Station), have your ticket validated at our Front Desk, and you pay the discounted rate of $7 for up to 3 hours. Old South bears no cost. 2. Park at the Prudential Garage for up to 5 hours on Saturday or Sunday, have your ticket validated at our Front Desk, and the Prudential Garage will bill Old South (costing us $15k - $20k per year). 8

9 CALENDAR Fourth Sunday in Advent Sunday, December 18 8:30 am First Worship Choir 9:00 am FIRST Worship, Anthony T. Livolsi preaching 9:45 am Old South Café in the Gordon Chapel 10:00 am Community Hour: Advent: Isaiah the Prophet Has Written of Old with Rev. Nancy Taylor 10:00 am Lectionary Bible Study 11:00 am FESTIVAL Worship, Anthony T. Livolsi preaching Monday, December 19 6:00 pm Theological Book Group Tuesday, December 20 5:30 pm Trustees Thursday, December 22 6:00 pm JAZZ Worship 6:30 pm Old South Choir Rehearsal 7:00 pm Through the Whole Bible Study 7:00 pm Young Adults Small Group: Celebration of Discipline Christmas Eve Saturday, December 24 5:00 pm Family Worship 8:00 pm Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols 11:00 pm Chapel Communion Christmas Day Sunday, December 25 10:00 am Christmas Morning Worship Anthony T. Livolsi preaching 9

10 OLD SOUTH CHURCH IN BOSTON MINISTERS, OFFICERS AND STAFF Nancy S. Taylor, Senior Minister John M. Edgerton, Associate Minister Anthony T. Livolsi, Associate Minister James W. Crawford, Senior Minister Emeritus Kate Nintcheu, Director, Children and Family Ministries Donald A. Wells, Theologian in Residence June Cooper, Theologian in the City Calvin Genzel, Wedding Outreach Minister Ken Orth, Healing Worship Minister Carrie Swayne-Gerrish, Youth Leader Rebecca Bowler, Seminarian Intern Carolyn Davis, Director, Old South Preschool George Sargeant, Associate Organist and Choirmaster Laurel Leslie, Choir Director, First Worship Willie Sordillo, Music Coordinator, Jazz Worship Peter Coulombe, Director, Old South Ringers Amy Budka, Children s Music Leader Linda O Donnell, Director, Children s Choirs Tim Harbold, Director, Gospel & Festival Choir Deb Washington, Moderator Rob Gabler, Clerk Lauren Berk, Treasurer Phil Stern, Chair, Board of Trustees Emily Click, Historian Debbie Leonard, Senior Deacon Vicki A. Newman, Pledge Secretary Helen McCrady, Senior Church Administrator Amy Perry, Communications Kelsey Walck, Administrative Assistant Linda Van Praet, Accounting and Human Resources Janet Butler, Wedding Coordinator Elias Perez, Senior Sexton Ozo Nwodo and Oppong Serebour, Sextons Corey Spence, Rubia Reyes, and Lena Rojas Receptionists CCLI License # A NOTE ON THE INCLUSIVE DIMENSIONS OF GOD S GRACE Old South Church in Boston, in the name of its host, Jesus Christ, and in the spirit of Christ s invitation carved into the stone of this church s portico, Behold I Set Before You an Open Door, welcomes all who seek to know God. Following the One who we believe is Sovereign and Savior, we affirm that each individual is a child of God, and recognize that we are called to be like one body with many members, seeking with others of every race, ethnicity, creed, class, age, gender, marital status, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to journey together toward the promised realm of God. We invite everyone to join in the common life and mission of our reconciling community through participation and leadership in this congregation, and by fully sharing in the worship, rites and sacraments of this church. As we all move forward with the work of this church, we commit ourselves to making justice and inclusivity a reality in this congregation and in the world. On the threshold of Christ s open door, we rely upon the healing, unconditional nature of God s love and grace to be our help and guide. 10

11 ANNOUNCEMENTS COMMUNITY LIFE Christmas Potluck Lunch Eat, sing, be merry! TODAY, following Festival Worship on the second floor, celebrate the season and sing carols together over a lunch you helped to provide. An all-church event. Chanukah Celebration Central Reform Temple extends a special welcome to Old South Church to join their eighth annual A Light Through The Ages, a celebration of Chanukah in story, song, and light. This event, which has become a beloved holiday season tradition for people of all faiths, will be held TODAY, December 18th, at 4 pm at the Temple s home at Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street. The Temple will once again honor community leaders representing organizations and issues that emulate the core spiritual and social values of the congregation. Each of these special guests will participate in the lighting of the Menorah, symbolically spreading the light of their various gifts to the civic, cultural, and social life of our city. And the 40-voice Zamir Chorale will accompany these timeless stories with traditional and contemporary holiday music. Christmas Morning Worship Join Rev. Anthony Livolsi for community worship on Christmas Day at 10 am. GIVING ENVELOPES Old South Church s Stewardship season kicks off in January, BUT you won t have to wait that long to pick up your 2017 giving envelopes. Envelopes are now available in the Gordon Chapel. For more information, find Vicki Newman following worship or Helen McCrady at helen@oldsouth.org.

12 ADULT EDUCATION SUNDAYS at 10 am between First and Festival Worship COMMUNITY HOUR Looking Ahead Discussion of The Underground Railroad: Sundays, January 15, 22, and 29 You have homework! Old South Church invites you, over the Christmas holiday, to read Colson Whitehead s National Book Award-winning novel The Undergro und Railro ad. Beginning the Sunday of Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, for three weeks, members from (G)RACE TALKS and the Christian Formation Committee will guide us in discussing the book s themes of race, power, inequity, struggle, and resilience. LECTIONARY BIBLE STUDY: Engage the preached scripture text for the week in depth and detail and enjoy the lively discussion facilitated by our Boston University School of Theology Seminarian Rebecca Bowler. WEEKDAYS FUN-AND-NOT-SCARY, AT-A-SNAIL S-PACE READ THROUGH OF THE WHOOOLE BIBLE: We have been ever so ponderously plodding along and have finally finished the book of Leviticus. This has been a fun, immensely rewarding deep dive of a study. Feel like joining in as we continue on in the Book of Numbers (which probably most of us know next to nothing about... if we have heard of it at all)? We regroup on Thursday, January 26th at 7 pm. anthony@oldsouth.org with questions or to get in on the action. SMALL GROUPS: Do you seek to deepen your experience of community, cultivate spiritual friendships, and grow in your faith? Consider joining a Small Group! We are currently forming groups for the winter (January to March) season. Participants gather weekly at church or off-site to discuss a topic of their choosing. To sign up, fill out the interest form at The information you provide will be used to match you with a group. Sign up by December 23rd to ensure a spot. We form groups with care, intention, and seriousness, and thus cannot accommodate latecomers. NOTE: Participants are expected to attend a significant majority of the weekly Small Group gatherings in a given three-month cycle; if you cannot prioritize attendance, please consider lower-commitment adult discipleship options like our Sunday morning adult education offerings. For more information, contact anthony@oldsouth.org.

13 CHRISTMAS EVE Family Worship - 5 pm Join us as we sing carols and tell together the Christmas story. Children are invited to participate in an impromptu pageant. Simple costumes provided. Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols - 8 pm (Preludes 7:30 pm) An elegant retelling of the Christmas story in carols and readings with music for choir, strings, and organ culminating in the singing of Silent Night in the candle-lit sanctuary. Chapel Communion - 11 pm A warmly traditional service with festive carol singing, sermon, and communion in our garland-bedecked Gothic chapel. The congregation greets Christmas Day singing Silent Night by candlelight outdoors. CHILDCARE Childcare is available for the 5 pm (starting at 4:30) and 8 pm (starting at 7:30) services. PARKING Validated parking is available for all three services at the Clarendon Street Garage (for up to 3 hours) and the Prudential Center Garage (after 5 pm). NEW YEAR S EVE King of Instruments Organ Demonstration - 3 pm Experience the Sensurround magnificence of Old South Church s mighty 1921 Skinner orchestral pipe organ, affectionately dubbed the Copley Philharmonic Organ. Pipes and Pops Concert - 6:30 pm and 8:00 pm The best of Boston s brass and percussion artists join George Sargeant in a supersonic program, playing electrifying arrangements of popular classics, as well as leading the audience in singing stirring favorites.

14 CHILDREN + FAMILIES CHILDCARE: Infants through grade 2 are welcome in our childcare ministries beginning at 8:40 am. Care is available uninterrupted through First Worship, Community Hour, and Festival Worship. CHURCH SCHOOL: Our Montessori-style Godly Play program invites children to see themselves as active participants in the story of faith. Through December, all three classes (Preschool and Early and Older Elementary) are exploring Advent. Today, Meet the Ancestors for middle school students will explore Solomon: The Ambitious Son. YOUTH GROUP: Students in grades 8-12 explore issues of life and faith on Sundays with Youth Leader Carrie Swayne-Gerrish. SERVE ROLLING FOOD DRIVE: Collecting red and green foods like spaghetti sauce and canned green veggies for the Allston-Brighton Food Pantry. Collection is in the stone entryway. MEMORIAL BOSTON S MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR THOSE WHO DIED ON THE STREETS Wednesday, December 21, 12 pm, Church on the Hill (140 Bowdoin St.) On the longest night of the year, you are invited to celebrate and memorialize the lives of our friends, family, neighbors, and those who were unknown to us. NOTICES 1) Worship services and events at Old South Church are sometimes photographed and videotaped to document the vibrant life of our church. If you do not wish to be included in these recordings, please notify an usher. 2) Please do not leave bags unattended in the building, including in the Sanctuary, for any length of time. Old South Church in Boston (617) OldSouth.org