Lessons and Carols 2020 December 13, 2020 by Philip Ruge-Jones Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols Program (click here to open pdf ) Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols Program Prelude O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Cecelia McDowall Carol 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 our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love; for that child so dear and gentle is our Lord in heav’n above; and he leads his children on to the place where he is gone. Treble Soloist, Wilma Hovland First Lesson 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 Carol O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Refrain Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel. O come, O Dayspring, come and cheer; O Sun of justice, now draw near. Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death’s dark shadow put to flight. Refrain O come, O King of nations, come, O Cornerstone that binds in one: refresh the hearts that long for you; restore the broken, make us new. Refrain Bell Response: People, Look East arr. Linda R. Lamb Second Lesson God Promises to faithful Abraham that in his seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Genesis 22:15-18 Carol 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, good will to all, from heav’n’s all-gracious king.” The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing. For lo! The days are hast’ning on, by prophets seen of old, when with the ever-circling years shall come the time foretold, when peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling, and all the world give back the song which now the angels sing. Third Lesson The prophet foretells the coming of the Savior. Isaiah 9:2; 6-7 Message from Pastor Phil Ruge-Jones Carol Lo, how a rose e’er blooming from tender stem hath sprung! Of Jesse’s lineage coming as seers of old have sung, it came, a flow’r so bright, amid the cold of winter, when half-spent was the night. Isaiah had foretold it, the rose I have in mind; with Mary we behold it, the virgin mother kind. To show God’s love aright, she bore to us a Savior, when half-spent was the night O Savior, child of Mary, who felt our human woe; O Savior, king of glory, who dost our weakness know: bring us at length, we pray, to the bright courts of heaven and into endless day. Fourth Lesson The peace that Christ will bring is foreshown. Isaiah 11:1-3a; 4a; 6-9 Carol 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. Heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain; heav’n and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign; in the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed the Lord God almighty, Jesus Christ. 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. Bell Response Carol of the Bells arr. Jason W Krug Fifth Lesson The angel Gabriel salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary. Luke 1:26-35; 38 Choral Response The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy Brian Trant Carol Refrain Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and ev’rywhere; go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born! While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night, behold, throughout the heavens there shone a holy light. Refrain The shepherds feared and trembled when, lo, above the earth rang out the angel chorus that hailed our Savior’s birth. Refrain Down in a lonely manger the humble Christ was born; and God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn. Refrain Sixth Lesson St. Luke tells of the birth of Jesus. Luke 2: 1; 3-7 Carol 1 Away in a manger, no crib for his 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. 3 Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask you to stay close by me forever and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in your tender care and fit us for heaven, to live with you there. Seventh Lesson The shepherds go to the manger. Luke 2:8-16 Carol 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. Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight; glories stream from heaven afar, heav’nly hosts sing, alleluia! Christ, the Savior, is born! Christ, the Savior, is born! Silent night, holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light radiant beams from your holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at your birth, Jesus, Lord, at your birth. Offertory Bell Response What Child Is This? arr. Jason W. Krug Eighth Lesson The Wise men are led by the star to Jesus. Matthew 2:1-12 Carol We three kings of Orient are; bearing gifts we traverse afar, field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star. Refrain: Oh, star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright; westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light! Born a king on Bethlehem’s plain, gold I bring to crown him again; king forever, ceasing never, over us all to reign. Refrain Frankincense to offer have I; incense owns a deity nigh; prayer and praising, gladly raising, worshiping God Most High. Refrain Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume breathes a life of gathering gloom; sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb. Refrain The Three Kings Melchior: Pete Lokken Balthazar: Rick Long Caspar: Roger Pomplun Ninth Lesson St. John unfolds the great mystery of Incarnation. John 1:1-14 Benediction Carol 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! Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation, sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Glory to God in the highest: Refrain Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to thee be glory giv’n! Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing: Refrain Postlude Joy to the World Michael Burkhardt __________________ Rev. Dr. Philip Ruge-Jones, Pastor Elaine Mann, Organist, Music Director Julie DeBoer, Choir Director Karen Lionberger, Pacibells Director Grace Lutheran Choir Soprano Alto Tenor Bass Stacey Geist Wilma Hovland Sharon Kappus Barb Piper Diane Pomplun Diana Cataldi Joanna Simpson Jan Adams Kathy Delfosse Barb Eidahl Kathi Sue Krause Norma Lionberger Linda Simpson Eva Puschautz Randy Adams Paul Lokken Paul Rosenau Rick Long Dean Simpson Jon Thorpe Joseph Hubbard Pete Lokken Collin Pomplun Roger Pomplun Judy Rosenau Pacibells Karen Lionberger Norma Lionberger Andrea Phan Julie DeBoer Kathy Delfosse Katrina Cooper Grace Children’s Choir Annie Ram Quinn Ram Corban Simpson Braelyn LaDew Cadence LaDew Violet Cooper Readers Rev. Philip Ruge-Jones Anita Reid Norma Lionberger Jan and Randy Adams Suzette Peltier Ember Ewings Dean and Linda Simpson Arthur Grothe and Molly Wilson Lynne Ziehr _____________ Video Editing by Julie DeBoer Photographs by Rick Long In-person carols filmed by Iconostar Video ShareTweetPin About Philip Ruge-JonesAfter I served for eighteen years as a professor of theology at Texas Lutheran University, my family decided to return to the Midwest where my wife and I grew up, attended college and seminary. Read more...