A Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols Idlewild Presbyterian Church December 24, 2016 at 5:00 p.m.
INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE PRELUDE ASEMBLE IN GOD S NAME ORGAN PRELUDE THREE ORGAN CAROLS HELMUT WALCHA (1907 1991) HIM THE SHEPHERDS PRAISE SO GREATLY ALL MY HEART WITH JOY IS SPRINGING IN BETHLEHEM IS BORN CONGREGATIONAL CAROL SUNG IN PROCESSION ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID S CITY IRBY One Voice: 1. 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. *Women and Children: 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 meek and lowly, Lived on earth our Savior holy. *All: 3. And, through all his wondrous childhood, 5. For he is our childhood s pattern; He would honor and obey, Day by day, like us he grew; Love and watch the lowly maiden, He was little, weak and helpless, In whose gentle arms he lay: Tears and smiles like us he knew; Christian children all must be And he feeleth for our sadness, Mild, obedient, good as he. And he shareth in our gladness. 4. And our eyes at last shall see him, 6. Not in that poor lowly stable, Through his own redeeming love, With the oxen standing by, For that Child so dear and gentle We shall see him; but in heaven, Is our Lord in heav n above, Set at God s right hand on high; And he leads his children on Where like stars his children crowned To the place where he is gone. All in white shall wait around. C. F. Alexander *CALL TO WORSHIP IN CHRIST S LIGHT THE REVEREND DR. STEPHEN R. MONTGOMERY One: All: One: All: Listen! That God might teach us God s ways. We light these candles for love, hope, peace and joy. We light this candle for Christ s Advent among us. Let us worship in Christ s light.
THE BIDDING PRAYER CHOIR CAROL DING! DONG! MERRILY ON HIGH 16 TH C. FRENCH TUNE, HARMONIZED BY CHARLES WOOD Ding! dong! merrily on high Pray you, dutifully prime In heaven the bells are ringing! Your matin chime, ye ringers; Ding! dong! verily the sky May you beautifully rime Is riven with angel-singing! Your evetime song, ye singers: Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis. Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis. George Ratcliffe Woodward E en so here below, below, Let steeple bells be swungen, And I-o, i-o, i-o! By priest and people sungen: Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis. PROCLAIM GOD S WORD GOD TELLS SINFUL ADAM THAT HE HAS LOST THE LIFE OF PARADISE AND THAT HIS SEED WILL BRUISE THE SERPENT S HEAD GENESIS 3:8 15, 17 19 THE REVEREND MARGARET BURNETT CHOIR CAROL THE APPLE TREE K. LEE SCOTT (B. 1950) The tree of life my soul hath seen, Laden with fruit and always green: The tree of life my soul hath seen, Laden with fruit and always green: The trees of nature fruitless be, Compared with Christ the apple tree. His beauty doth all things excel: By faith I know, but ne er can tell, His beauty doth all things excel: By faith I know, but ne er can tell, The glory which I now can see In Jesus Christ the apple tree. For happiness I long have sought, And pleasure dearly I have bought: For happiness I long have sought, And pleasure dearly I have bought: I missed of all; but now I see Tis found in Christ the apple tree. I m weary with my former toil, Here I will sit and rest awhile: I m weary with my former toil, Here I will sit and rest awhile: Under the shadow I will be, Of Jesus Christ the apple tree. This fruit doth make my soul to thrive, It keeps my dying faith alive; This fruit doth make my soul to thrive, It keeps my dying faith alive; Which makes my soul in haste to be With Jesus Christ the apple tree. Divine Hymns or Spiritual Songs, compiled by Joshua Smith, 1784
GOD PROMISES TO FAITHFUL ABRAHAM THAT IN HIS SEED SHALL ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED GENESIS 22:15 18 THE REVEREND REBEKAH ABEL LAMAR *CONGREGATIONAL CAROL NO. 129 LO, HOW A ROSE E ER BLOOMING ES IST EIN ROS THE PROPHET FORETELLS THE COMING OF THE SAVIOR ISAIAH 9:2, 6 7 THE REVEREND ANNE H.K. APPLE CONGREGATIONAL CAROL NO. 121 O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM ST. LOUIS ISAIAH 11: 1 4 THE PEACE THAT CHRIST WILL BRING IS FORESHOWN DR. MONTGOMERY *CONGREGATIONAL CAROL NO. 144 IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER CRANHAM THE ANGEL GABRIEL SALUTES THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY LUKE 1: 26 35, 38 MS. BURNETT CHOIR CAROL I SING OF A MAIDEN PATRICK HADLEY (1899 1973) I sing of a maiden That is makeless; King of all kings To her son she ches. He came all so still Where his mother was, As dew in April That falleth on the grass. He came all so still To his mother s bower, As dew in April That falleth on the flower. He came all so still Where his mother lay, As dew in April That falleth on the spray. Mother and maiden Was never none but she; Well may such a lady God s mother be. 15th century, Anonymous
LUKE 2:1, 3 7 LUKE TELLS OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS MS. ABEL LAMAR CHOIR CAROL ROUND THE GLORY MANGER AFRICAN AMERICAN SPIRITUAL, ARR. K. LEE SCOTT (B. 1950) They turn way Mary an a Joseph, way from the inn. They laid my pretty little Jesus down in the straw, An that s what made the Glory Manger. An that s what made the Glory Manger. Hallelujah, Lord! Hallelujah, Lord! Wasn t that a right mornin, all round the Glory Manger. Wasn t that a right mornin, all round the Glory Manger. THE ANGELS ANNOUNCE THE BIRTH LUKE 2: 8 14 MS. APPLE CONGREGATIONAL CAROL, NO. 119 HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING MENDELSSOHN LUKE 2:15 20 THE SHEPHERDS GO TO THE MANGER DR. MONTGOMERY CHOIR CAROL ALL BELLS IN PARADISE JOHN RUTTER (B. 1949) Deep in the cold of winter, Lost in awe and wonder, Darkness and silence were everywhere; Doubting I asked what this sign might be: Softly and clearly, there came through the stillness Christ our Messiah revealed in a stable, a wonderful sound to hear: A marvelous sight to see. All bells in paradise I heard them ring, Sounding in majesty the news that they bring; All bells in paradise I heard them ring, Welcoming our Saviour, born on earth a heavenly King. All bells in paradise I heard them ring: Glory to God on high the angel voices sing. He comes down in peace, a child in humility, The keys to his kingdom belong to the poor; Before him shall kneel the kings with their treasures, gold incense and myrrh. THE WISE MEN ARE LED BY THE STAR TO JESUS MATTHEW 2:1 11 MS. BURNETT CHOIR CAROL HERE IS THE LITTLE DOOR HERBERT HOWELLS (1892 1983) Here is the little door, lift up the latch, oh lift! We need not wander more, but enter with our gift; Our gift of finest gold. Gold that was never bought or sold; Myrrh to be strewn about his bed; Incense in clouds about His head; All for the child that stirs not in His sleep, But holy slumber hold with ass and sheep. Bend low about His bed, For each He has a gift; See how His eyes awake, Lift up your hands, O lift! For gold, He gives a keen-edged sword. (Defend with it thy little Lord!) For incense, smoke of battle red, Myrrh for the honored happy dead; Gifts for His children, terrible and sweet; Touched by such tiny hands, and Oh such tiny feet. Frances Chesterton (1869 1938)
JOHN UNFOLDS THE MYSTERY OF THE INCARNATION JOHN 1:1, 4 5, 14 MS. ABEL LAMAR *CONGREGATIONAL CAROL NO. 133 O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL ADESTE FIDELES DEDICATION OF GIFTS AND OFFERING MS. APPLE OFFERTORY ANTHEM O HOLY NIGHT ADOLPHE CHARLES ADAMS Alyce Tarver and Mary Jane Claassen, soloists OFFERTORY RESPONSE GREENSLEEVES So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh; come, one and all, to own him. The King of kings salvation brings; let loving hearts enthrone him. Raise, raise the song on high. The virgin sings her lullaby. Joy, joy, for Christ is born, the babe, the son of Mary! CANDLE-LIGHTING DR. MONTGOMERY Ushers will light the first candles on each row, then the light will be passed down. Please watch children carefully when the candles are lit. CONGREGATIONAL CAROL SILENT NIGHT, HOLY NIGHT! STILLE NACHT 1. 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. 3. Silent night, holy night! Son of God, love s pure light radiant beams from thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth. 2. Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight; glories stream from heaven afar, heavenly hosts sing Alleluia: Christ the Savior is born; Christ the Savior is born! 4. Silent night, holy night! Wondrous star, lend thy light; with the angels let us sing Alleluia to our King: Christ the Savior is born; Christ the Savior is born.
*CONGREGATIONAL CAROL JOY TO THE WORLD ANTIOCH 1. 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. 3. 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. 2. 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. 4. 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. BENEDICTION DR. MONTGOMERY ORGAN POSTLUDES A BOY IS BORN IN BETHLEHEM, BWV 603 JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685 1750) IN DULCI JUBILO, BWV 729 J. S. BACH *Those who are able please stand.
WORSHIP NOTE: Please note that Alex Colley is the solo voice for Once in Royal David s City. THIS EVENING S OFFERING is for the Compassion Collection. This fund enables us to provide care for people who come to the church with many different needs including food, shelter, school supplies and clothing. Please give generously so that we can continue to care for God s people in need. NO PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEO during the worship service. Remember to turn off your cell phone. PLEASE LEAVE CANDLES in the baskets and boxes by the doors. THIS EVENING S 11:00 SERVICE is a festive celebration led by senior high youth and clergy. Music, readings, and the Lord s Supper lead to the joyous lighting of candles at midnight. (Childcare is not available.) All are welcome! DECEMBER 25 11:00 WORSHIP ONLY No 8:30 worship service or Sunday School on Christmas Day. During the 11:00 service, Children s Church Continued (C3) will not be held, but nursery care will be available. The service will feature A Festival of Carols. Communion will be served. JANUARY 1 11: 00 WORSHIP & FIRST SUNDAY LUNCH No 8:30 worship service or Sunday School on New Year s Day. During the 11:00 service, Children s Church Continued (C3) will not be held, but nursery care will be available. We will have First Sunday Lunch. TREZEVANT RIDERS On Christmas Day and New Year s Day, there will only be one bus trip departing Trezevant Terrace at 10:30 a.m. since there is no Sunday School. The bus will return at 12:15 p.m., as usual. IDLEWILD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA) 1750 Union Avenue / Memphis TN 38104 / www.idlewildchurch.org 901-726-4681 / Recreation 725-4165 / Children s Center 725 7941 The mission of Idlewild Presbyterian Church is to pursue, personify, and practice as Presbyterians the good news of reconciliation and salvation in Christ through worship, education, fellowship, and outreach.