Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church SUNDAY 23 rd DECEMBER 2007 At 7:00pm followed by Festive Fayre
MINISTER Rev. Roy Patton BA BD Rev. Ben Walker DIRECTOR OF MUSIC Helen Brown Med BEd LTCL READERS Dorothy Boal Hugh Boyd Bill Brown Glynis Dowling Claire Ferguson Susan Hamilton Robert Hume Perry McDonnell Joyce Morrison Daphne Patton SOLOISTS Fay Cairnduff Linda Walsh CHOIR & CHORISTERS See listing at end
BIDDING AND LORD S PRAYER PRAISE: ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID S CITY C.F. Alexander H.J.Gauntlet harm. A.H.Mann Descant David Williams Verse 1. Solo: Fay Cairnduff 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. 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. 6. 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. INTROIT: IT CAME UPON THE MIDNIGHT CLEAR Sears, Willis It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth, to touch their harps of gold, Peace on the earth, goodwill to men from heaven s all gracious king. The world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing. FIRST LESSON: CHRIST S REIGN IS FORETOLD Isaiah ix, v2,6-7 DOROTHY BOAL
CHOIR: UP! GOOD CHRISTEN FOLK AND LISTEN Harm. G.R.Woodward Piae Cantiones Up! Good Christen folk and listen, how the merry church bells ring, And from steeple bid good people, come adore the new born King: Tell the story how from glory God came down at Christmastide, Bringing gladness, chasing sadness, showering blessings far and wide, Born of mother, blest o er other, Ex Maria Virgine, In a stable ( tis no fable), Christus natus hodie. SECOND LESSON: GABRIEL SALUTES MARY Luke 1, v26-38 PERRY M C DONNELL CHORISTERS: INFANT HOLY Polish Traditional Arr. David Wilcocks Infant holy, Infant lowly, for His bed a cattle stall; Oxen lowing, little knowing, Christ the Babe is Lord of all. Swift are winging, angels singing, noels ringing, tidings bringing: Christ the Babe is Lord of all. THIRD READING: O SIMPLICITAS An Angel came to me And I was unprepared To be what God was using. Mother I was to be. A moment I despaired, Thought briefly of refusing. The angel knew I heard. According to God s Word I bowed to this strange choosing. A palace should have been The birthplace of a king (I had no way of knowing). We went to Bethlehem; It was so strange a thing. The wind was cold, and blowing, My cloak was old, and thin. They turned us from the inn; The town was overflowing. Madeline L Engle GLYNIS DOWLING God s Word, a child so small, Who still must learn to speak, Lay in humiliation. Joseph stood, strong and tall. The beasts were warm and meek And moved with hesitation. The Child born in a stall? I understood it: all. Kings came in adoration. Perhaps it was absurd: The stable set apart, The sleepy cattle lowing; And the incarnate Word Resting against my heart. My joy was overflowing. The shepherds came, adored The folly of the Lord, Wiser than all men s knowing.
PRAISE: IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER Gustav Theodore von Holst 1. In the bleak mid-winter 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 mid-winter Long ago. 2. Heaven cannot hold him, Nor the earth sustain; Heaven and earth shall flee away When he comes to reign: In the bleak mid-winter A stable-place sufficed God, the Lord almighty, Jesus Christ. 3. Enough for Him whom cherubim Worship night and day- A breastful of milk And a manger full of hay; Enough for Him whom angels Fall down before- The wise men and the shepherds Who adore! 4. What can I give Him, Poor as I am? If I were a shepherd I would give a lamb; If I were a wise man I would do my part; Yet what I can I give Him- Give my heart. FOURTH LESSON: MATTHEW TELLS OF THE BIRTH Matthew 1, v18-25 BILL BROWN CHOIR: O LITTLE ONE SWEET Tr. Percy Dearmer Old German tune Har. J.S.Bach O little one sweet, O little one mild, Thy Father s purpose thou hast fulfilled; Thou cam st from heav n to mortal ken, equal to be with us poor men, O little one sweet, O little one mild O little one sweet, O little one mild, with joy thou hast the whole world filled; Thou camest here from heaven s domain, to bring men comfort in their pain, O little one sweet, O little one mild, O little one sweet, O little one mild, help us to do as thou hast willed. Lo, all we have belongs to thee! Ah keep us in our fealty! O little one sweet, O little one mild,
FIFTH LESSON: LUKE TELLS OF THE BIRTH Luke ii, v1-7 SUSAN HAMILTON SOLO: THE VIRGIN SLUMBER SONG Max Reger LINDA WALSH SIXTH LESSON: THE SHEPHERDS GO TO THE MANGER Luke 2, v8-19 CLAIRE FERGUSON PRAISE: SILENT NIGHT Trad. adapt. Arthur Sullivan 1. Still the night, holy the night! Sleeps the world; hid from sight, Mary and Joseph in stable bare Watch o er the Child beloved and fair, Sleeping in heavenly rest, Sleeping in heavenly rest. 2. Still the night, holy the night! Shepherds first saw the light, Heard resounding clear and long, Far and near, the angel song,, Christ the Redeemer is here! Christ the Redeemer is here! 3. Still the night, holy the night! Son of God, O how bright Love is smiling from thy face! Strikes for us now the hour of grace, Saviour, since thou art born! Saviour, since thou art born! SEVENTH LESSON: THE WISE MEN ARE LED BY A STAR Matthew 2, v1-12 ROBERT HUME CHOIR: I SAW THREE SHIPS Trad. Arr. John Rutter I saw three ships come sailing in on Christmas day in the morning. Pray whither sailed those ships all three on Christmas Day in the morning? O they sailed into Bethlehem on Christmas day in the morning. And who should be in those three ships, but Joseph and his lady? And he did whistle and she did sing on Christmas day in the morning. And all the bells on earth shall ring on Christmas day in the morning. Then let us all rejoice a-main on Christmas day in the morning.
EIGHTH LESSON: JOSEPH AND MARY FLEE TO EGYPT Matthew 2, v13-15 DAPHNE PATTON CHOIR: THE SHEPHERDS FAREWELL From L Enfance du Christ Op.25. Words Paul England, Comp. H.Berlioz Thou must leave thy lowly dwelling, the humble crib, the stable bare, Babe, all mortal babes excelling, content our earthly lot to share, Loving father, loving mother, shelter thee with tender care! Blessed Jesus we implore thee with humble love and holy fear, In the land that lies before thee, forget not us who linger here! May the shepherd s lowly calling, ever to thy heart be dear! Blest are ye beyond all measure, Thou happy father, mother mild! Guard ye well your heavenly treasure, The Prince of Peace, the Holy Child! God go with you, God protect you, Guide you safely through the wild! PRAISE: UNTO US A BOY IS BORN Piae Cantiones 1582 Arr. G.T.Shaw 1. Unto us a boy is born! King of all creation, Came he to a world forlorn, The Lord of every nation, The Lord of every nation. 2. Cradled in a stall was He With sleepy cows and asses; But the very beasts could see That He all men surpasses That He all men surpasses. 3. Herod then with fear was filled: A Prince he said in Jewry! All the little boys he killed At Bethlehem in his fury. At Bethlehem in his fury. 4. Now may Mary s son, who came So long ago to love us, Lead us all with hearts aflame Unto the joys above us, Unto the joys above us. 5. Omega and Alpha He! Let the organ thunder, While the choir with songs of glee Now rend the air asunder, Now rend the air asunder.
POEM: CHRISTMAS The bells of waiting Advent ring. The tortoise stove is lit again And lamp-oil light across the night Has caught the streaks of winter rain In many a stained-glass window sheen From Crimson Lake to Hooker s Green. John Betjeman JOYCE MORRISON And girls in slacks remember Dad, And oafish louts remember Mum, And sleepless children s hearts are glad, And Christmas-morning bells say Come! Even to shining ones who dwell Safe in the Dorchester Hotel. The holly in the windy hedge And round the Manor House the yew Will soon be stripped to deck the ledge, The altar, font and arch and pew, So that the villagers can say The church looks nice on Christmas Day. And is it true? And is it true, This most tremendous tale of all, Seen in a stained-glass window s hue, A Baby in an ox s stall? The Maker of the Stars and sea Become a Child on earth for me? Provincial public houses blaze And Corporation tramcars clang, On lighted tenements I gaze Where paper decorations hang, And bunting in the red Town Hall Says Merry Christmas to you all. And London shops on Christmas Eve Are strung with silver bells and flowers As hurrying clerks the city leave To pigeon-haunted classic towers, And marbled clouds go scudding by The many-steepled London sky. CHOIR: O HOLY NIGHT And is it true? For if it is, No loving fingers tying strings Around those tissued fripperies, The sweet and silly Christmas things, Bath salts and inexpensive scent And hideous tie so kindly meant, No love that in a family dwells, No carolling in frosty air, Nor all the steeple-shaking bells Can with this single Truth compare- That God was Man in Palestine And lives today in Bread and Wine. John Rutter O holy night! The stars are brightly shining, It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth Long lay the world in sin and error pining, Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary soul 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!
NINTH LESSON: JOHN UNFOLDS THE MYSTERY OF THE INCARNATION John I, v1-14 HUGH BOYD PRAISE: O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL Trad. arr. Willcocks 1. 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: 2. God of God, Light of light, Lo! He abhors not the Virgin s womb; Very God, Begotten, not created: 3. See how the shepherds, Summoned to his cradle, Leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear; We too will thither Bend our joyful footsteps: 4. Lo! Star-led chieftains, Magi, Christ adoring, Offer him incense, gold and myrrh; We to the Christ Child Bring our hearts oblations: 5. Child for us sinners Poor and in the manger, Fain we embrace thee with awe and love: Who would not love thee, Loving us so dearly? 6. Sing choirs of angels, Sing in exultation, Sing, all ye citizens of Heav n above; Glory to God In the Highest: BLESSING There will be a retiring offering
CHOIR & CHORISTERS LADIES Amy Blakemore Jenny Boyd Norah Brown Margaret Currie Gillian Davison Mollie Edbrooke Claire Ferguson June Ferguson Jennifer Graham Maureen Hume Diane McConnell Jennifer McDonnell Valerie Robinson Sarah Schofield Rosemary Shaw Ann Thompson Linda Walsh GENTLEMEN Alfie Beaney Simon Beattie Alan Boyd David Boyd Stephen Boyd Bill Brown Peter Davison Craig McConnell Robbie Montgomery Harry Orr Conor Patton Daniel Patton George Sittlington George Smith Eric Thompson Alastair Vance Ben Walker CHORISTERS Fay Cairnduff Karl Eccles Hannah Davison Mary Davison Trevelyn Lowe Michael Montgomery Rebecca Schofield
CHRISTMAS DAY FAMILY SERVICE 10:30 am Come and bring all the family