About Our Festival of Lessons & Carols Welcome to our annual Festival of Scriptures & Songs service. This historic service engages our minds and grips our hearts as the drama of redemption is proclaimed to us from Genesis to Revelation. We hear the Scriptures read and briefly explained from nine passages, tracing the history of salvation. It begins with the promise of a Savior to Adam and Eve, moves to the promises announced to the Patriarchs and through the Prophets, culminates with the birth of the God-man in the Gospels, but looks forward to his glorious return which will bring peace on earth. Between each Scripture reading and lesson, we respond by singing sacred hymns, rich in theology, which exalt the person and work of Christ. This service follows closely the pattern of the famous Christmas Eve celebration from King s College Cambridge. Every year on Christmas Eve a festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is held in King s College Chapel. The Festival was first introduced in 1919. It was later broadcast in 1928 and is now broadcast to millions of people around the world. The service includes carols and readings from the Bible. We hope this service causes you to reflect with wonder and awe upon the great significance of the incarnation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to trust in Him alone for salvation, and to look forward with hope to His second coming. Worship Service Times: Morning (Imus): 10:00 a.m. Afternoon (Pasig): 2:30 p.m. Contact Information: Pastor: Rev. Nollie Malabuyo Website: Landline: 661-0653 twoagespilgrims.com/pasigucrc Cell: 0927-863-6364 Email: dvopilgrim@gmail.com Elder: Albert Medina Cell: 0915-302-3534 Elder: Paulo Macaraig Cell: 0927-317-8176
Page 2 of 12 Sunset Drive & Pacific Avenue, Brookside Hills, Cainta, Rizal Page 11 of 12 As a courtesy to your neighbors and in reverence for God, please silence mobile devices, minimize getting up, and take overly loud children out of the sanctuary until they calm down. * Please stand if you are able. God Calls Us To Worship * Call to Worship ~ Psalm 98:1-4 & Gal. 4:4-5 Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All Serving the ends Sizes of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. * Prayer of Invocation (based on Luke 1:68-79) * God s Greeting ~ Revelation 1:4-5 Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. * Opening Carol: #341 O Come All Ye Faithful 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: O come, let us adore Him, (3X) Christ the Lord. 2 Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation, Sing, all you citizens of heaven above, Glory to God, All glory in the highest; O come, let us adore Him, (3X) Christ the Lord * Closing Carol: All Praise to Thee, Eternal Lord 1. All praise to thee, Eternal Lord, Clothed in a garb of flesh and blood; Choosing a manger for thy throne, While worlds on worlds are thine alone. 3. A little Child, thou art our Guest, That weary ones in thee may rest; Forlorn and lowly is thy birth, That we may rise to heav n from earth. * Doxology: Angels from the Realms of Glory st. 5 5 Saints and angels join in praising Thee, the Father, Spirit, Son, Evermore their voices raising To th Eternal Three in One. : Come and worship! Come and worship! Worship Christ the newborn King. 4. Thou comest in the darksome night To make us children of the light, To make us, in the realms divine, Like thine own angels round thee shine. 5. All this for us thy love hath done; By this to thee our love is won: For this we tune our cheerful lays, And shout our thanks in ceaseless praise. * Benediction ~ 2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. WE INVITE YOU to immerse yourself in our worship and life together. To learn more bout us, you may also bring home the literature included in this bulletin. If you would like to meet with any of the pastors and elders, you are cordially welcome to talk to them after the service or contact them later. Please join us for merienda fellowship after the worship service.
Page 10 of 12 Sunset Drive & Pacific Avenue, Brookside Hills, Cainta, Rizal Page 3 of 12 The New Testament Hope: The Second Coming of Christ Seventh Lesson: Revelation 21:1-4; 22:1-5, 20 Minister: This is our blessed hope! Christ is coming again soon! Congregation: Amen! Come Lord Jesus! * Carol: # 339 Hark! the Herald Angels Sing 1 Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! Joyful, all you nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies; Serving Sizes With th angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem! Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King! 2 Christ, by highest Heav n adored; Christ the everlasting Lord; Late in time, behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin s womb. We Go Forth With Thanksgiving and God s Blessing Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail th incarnate Deity, Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel. 3 Hail the heav nly Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to us He brings, Ris n with healing in His wings. Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die. Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth. Prayers of Thanksgiving and Supplication (from the 1563 liturgy of Heidelberg) ending in the Lord s Prayer in unison Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen. 3 Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be all glory given; Word of the Father, First Lesson: Genesis 3:13-15 The Old Testament Prophecies of the Coming of Christ Summary: God tells sinful Adam that he has lost the life of Paradise, but his Seed will crush the serpent s head. Then the LORD God said to the woman, What is this that you have done? The woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate. The LORD God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field... I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. (After each Old Testament reading) Minister: This is the Word of the Lord. Congregation: Thanks be to God! Carol: #335 Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus 1 Come, Thou long-expected Jesus, Born to set Thy people free; From our fears and sins release us; Let us find our rest in Thee. Israel s strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art; Dear desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart. Now in flesh appearing: O come, let us adore Him, (3X) Christ the Lord. 2 Born Thy people to deliver, Born a child, and yet a King, Born to reign in us forever, Now Thy gracious kingdom bring. By Thine own eternal Spirit, Rule in all our hearts alone: By Thine all-sufficient merit, Raise us to Thy glorious throne.
Page 4 of 12 Sunset Drive & Pacific Avenue, Brookside Hills, Cainta, Rizal Page 9 of 12 Second Lesson: Genesis 22:15-18 Summary: God promises to faithful Abraham that in his Seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice. Minister: This is the Word of the Lord. Serving Congregation: Sizes Thanks be to God! * Carol: To Us a Child of Hope is Born 1 To us a Child of hope is born To us a son is giv n, Him shall the tribes of earth obey, Him all the hosts of heaven. 2 His name shall be the Prince of For evermore adored, Peace, The Wonderful, the Counselor, The great and mighty Lord. Third Lesson: Jeremiah 23:1-6 Summary: The Lord promises to raise up a righteous branch from the tree of David. 3 His pow'r, increasing, still shall spread, His reign no end shall know; Justice shall guard his throne above, And peace abound below. 4 To us a Child of hope is born, To us a Son is giv n, The Wonderful, the Counselor, The mighty Lord of heaven. Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! declares the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will P: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. C: He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. P: He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. C: But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. P: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. C: And we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. P: And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. C: For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. P: The Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise be to you, O Christ! * Carol: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence 1 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 descended, our full homage to demand. 2 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 heavenly food. 3 Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way, as the Light of light descending from the realms of endless day, that the powers of hell may vanish as the shadows clear away. 4 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! Christmas Meditation: Wise Men from the East Opened Their Treasures and Offered Him Gifts
Page 8 of 12 Sunset Drive & Pacific Avenue, Brookside Hills, Cainta, Rizal Page 5 of 12 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased! When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. Minister: The Gospel of the Lord. Congregation: Praise be to you, O Christ! Carol: Angels We Have Heard on High 1 Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o er the plains, And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains. : Gloria, in excelsis Deo! (2X) 2 Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be Which inspire your heav nly song? Sixth Lesson: John 1:1-5, 10-17 3 Come to Bethlehem and see Christ Whose birth the angels sing; Come, adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King. 4 See Him in a manger laid, Whom the choirs of angels praise; Mary, Joseph, lend your aid, While our hearts in love we raise. Summary: St. John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation. P: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. C: He was in the beginning with God. P: All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. C: In him was life, and the life was the light of men. bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the LORD. Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: The LORD is our righteousness. Minister: This is the Word of the Lord. Congregation: Thanks be to God! Carol: #331:1-3 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel 1 O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel; That mourns in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appear. : Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to Thee, O Israel! 2 O come, Thou Branch of Jesse s stem, Unto Thine own and rescue them; From depths of hell Thy people save, And give them victory o er the grave. The New Testament Fulfillment in the First Coming of Christ Fourth Lesson: Luke 1:26-38; Matthew 1:18-25 Summary: The angel announces the coming of the Savior. 3 O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer Our spirits by Thine Advent here; Disperse the gloomy clouds by night, And death s dark shadows put to flight. 4 O come, Thou Key of David, come, And open wide our heavenly home; Make safe the way that leads on high, And close the path to misery.... And [the angel Gabriel] came to her and said, Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you! But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her,
Page 6 of 12 Sunset Drive & Pacific Avenue, Brookside Hills, Cainta, Rizal Page 7 of 12 Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb an bear a son. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. And Mary said to the angel, How will this be, since I am a virgin? And the angel answered her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy the Son of God... (Matthew 1:18-25) But as [Joseph] considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. (After each Gospel reading) Minister: The Gospel of the Lord. Congregation: Praise be to you, O Christ! Carol: Angels from the Realms of Glory st. 1-4 1 Angels from the realms of glory, Wing your flight o er all the earth, You who sang creation s story, Now proclaim Messiah s birth; : Come and worship! (2X) Worship Christ the newborn King. 2 Shepherds, in the field abiding, Watching o er your flocks by night, God with man is now residing, Yonder shines the infant Light; Fifth Lesson: Luke 2:1-16 Summary: St. Luke tells the story of the birth of Jesus. 3 Sages, leave your contemplations, Brighter visions beam afar, Seek the great Desire of Nations; You have seen his natal star; 4 Saints in humble pray r now bending, Watching long in hope and fear, Suddenly the Lord descending In His temple shall appear; In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered... And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,