During the final carol, we offer our gifts to help and
support the work of The Children’s Society.
Carol Hark, the herald angels sing
Hark, the herald-angels sing
glory to the new-born King;
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 new-born King.
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of a 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…
Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace:
hail, the Sun of Righteousness.
Light and life to all he brings,
risen 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.
Hark, the herald-angels sing…
Words: Charles Wesley (1707–1788), 1739
Music: Mendelssohn (Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholody, 1809–1847)
Blessing
Let us pray.
We offer these gifts for the work of The
Children’s Society, that they may continue to
show God’s love in action in the world.
May God, who gives us strength,
Bless us with courage.
May God, who is gracious,
Bless us with generosity.
May God, who sends light for all the world
Bless us with joy and hope.
God who loves us,
May we leave this place,
inspired to shine your light,
encouraged to share your welcome and
determined to offer your love to all.
We make this prayer through Christ, our new
born Lord.
Amen.
Front cover
Should include
ORDER OF SERVICE in the text
Carol Service 2015
Add your church name and logo
here.
A fourth candle is lit
Reading Matthew 2.1-11
Jemma’s story
Christmas is a time when many of us think about
how we can help those less fortunate than
ourselves.
The Children’s Society, believes no child
should suffer the devastating effects of abuse,
neglect or exploitation.
Your generosity today will help us be there for
thousands of children and young people who have
seen and experienced things no child ever should.
Children who were losing hope that life could get
better.
Children like Jemma.
Jemma’s early childhood was defined by domestic
violence, her mum’s mental health problems and
her dad’s alcohol addiction.
When she was just eight years old, she ran away
from home with her mum. They soon returned, but
her dad’s repeated violence finally forced them to
live alone.
When she was 14, Jemma became involved with a
20-year-old man. She began to go missing, often
staying in flats belonging to older men where she
was physically taken advantage of.
Reader:
To all who bring their gifts for others
And who are changed in the process.
All: Bring your light and hope.
Carol As with gladness men of old
As with gladness men of old
did the guiding star behold,
as with joy they hailed its light,
leading onward, beaming bright;
so, most gracious Lord, may we
evermore be led to thee.
As with joyful steps they sped
to that lowly manger-bed;
there to bend their knees before
him whom heaven and earth adore;
so may we with willing feet
ever seek thy mercy-seat.
As they offered gifts most rare
at that manger rude and bare;
so may we with holy joy,
pure and free from sin’s alloy,
all our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to thee, our heavenly King.
At 16, Jemma felt her life was no longer worth
living. She tried to commit suicide, saying she
didn’t want to go on.
Holy Jesus, every day
keep us in the narrow way;
and, when earthly things are past,
bring our ransomed souls at last
where they need no star to guide,
where no clouds thy glory hide.
Thankfully, Jemma’s social worker referred
Jemma to her local project run by The Children’s
Society. There she slowly began to build a
relationship of trust with her project worker, who
encouraged her to seek help from a mental health
service.
In the heavenly country bright,
need they no created light;
thou its light, its joy, its crown,
thou its sun which goes not down;
there for ever may we sing
alleluias to our King.
She now recognises the ‘unhealthy’
aspects of the relationship she was in and how
she had been exploited.
Words: William Chatterton Dix (1837–1898)
Music: Dix (Conrad Kocher, 1786–1872, arranged William Henry Monk, 1823–1889)
Jemma is now 18, has returned to school and is
gaining confidence. The consistent and dedicated
support her project worker showed when she
was 16 made all the difference.
Reader:
Alleluia, alleluia! The Word became flesh and
dwelt among us.
All: The light shines in the darkness,
And the darkness did not overcome it.
This is the difference we can make to children’s
lives by supporting The Children’s Society today.
Together, we can make life better for more
children like Jemma.
All stand
© Common Worship, Gospel acclamation for Christmas Day
Reading John 1.1-14
All sit
A third candle is lit
Reading Luke 2.8-16
Reader:
To all for whom debt and lack of support
mean a life full of fear and uncertainty.
All: Bring your light and hope.
Carol While shepherds watched
While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
all seated on the ground,
the angel of the Lord came down,
and glory shone around.
‘Fear not,’ said he, for mighty dread
had seized their troubled minds;
‘Glad tidings of great joy I bring
to you and all mankind.
To you, in David’s town, this day
is born of David’s line
a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord;
and this shall be the sign:
The heav’nly babe you there shall find
to human view displayed,
all meanly wrapped in swathing bands,
and in a manger laid.’
Thus spake the seraph, and forthwith
appeared a shining throng
of angels praising God, who thus
addressed their joyful song:
‘All glory be to God on high
and on the earth be peace;
good will henceforth from heav’n to all
begin and never cease.’
Words: Nahum Tate (1625–1715)
Music: Winchester Old (Este’s Whole Book of Psalmes,
arranged William Henry Monk, 1823–1889)
Order of service
Welcome and introduction
Carol Once in royal David’s city
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 Saviour holy.
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.
And our eyes at last shall see him,
Through his own redeeming love;
For that child so meek and helpless
Is our Lord in heaven above;
And he leads his children on,
To the place where he is gone.
Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing round,
We shall see him; but in heaven,
Set at God’s right hand on high;
When like stars his children crowned,
All in white shall wait around.
Words: Cecil Frances Alexander (1819–1895)
Music: Irby, Henry John Gauntlett (1805–1876)
Opening prayer
Gracious God,
Meet us as we gather
at the dawning of your light.
As we hear again the story of
your love born among us,
strengthen us to face the
darkness of the world.
May we know our gifts and find our voice
and be emboldened to proclaim the joy of your
kingdom,
fragile and dependent as a baby,
bright as your love shining light through
the darkness that will never overcome it.
We make this prayer in the name of Jesus,
your Son.
Amen.
A candle is lit
A second candle is lit
Reading Isaiah 9.2,6–7
Reading Luke 1.26–38
Reader:
To all who find little hope in a world of poverty
and neglect.
All: Bring your light and hope.
Reader:
To all who feel isolated by their poverty,
All: Bring your light and hope.
Carol O little town of Bethlehem
O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth.
For Christ is born of Mary;
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heav’n.
No ear may hear his coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.
O holy child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in,
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell:
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!
Words: Phillip Brooks (1835-1893)
Music: St Louis (Lewis Henry Redner, 1830-1908)
Carol O come all ye faithful
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,
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.
God of God, Light of Light,
Lo! He abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
Very God, begotten not created;
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.
See how the shepherds,
summoned to his cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh with holy fear;
We too will thither bend our joyful footsteps:
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.
Child, for us sinners, poor and in the manger,
we would embrace thee, with love and awe;
who would not love thee, loving us so dearly?
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 heav’n above;
glory to God, glory in the highest:
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.
Words: John Francis Wade (1711–1786)
Music: Adeste fideles (18th century melody, probably John
Francis Wade, 1711–1786)