Round Hill Community
Church
ORDER OF SERVICE
December 24, 2015 - 9:30 pm
Candlelight Christmas Eve Service
PRELUDE
Riu Riu Chiu
Spanish Carol
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day
Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine
Parker
German Carol
Geistliches Wiegenlied Op. 91 No. 2
“Spiritual Lullaby”
Jenna Hintz, Soprano ~ Alexander Gurevich, Viola
Silence the tree-tops!
Ye that hover about these palms
My child is asleep.
In night and wind,
Ye holy angels,
Silence the tree-tops!
My child is asleep.
Ye palms of Bethlehem
In blustering wind,
How can ye buzz so angrily
today!
Do not rustle so, be silent,
Sway softly and mildly.
Brahms
The child of Heaven endures
hardship;
Ah, how weary he was
of the sorrows of the earth.
Ah, now gently soothed in sleep,
the little child's limbs!
O all ye angels, that, bewinged,
Wind, Wander in wind,
Silence the tree-tops!
My child is asleep.
The agony melts away,
Silence the tree-tops!
My child is asleep.
Bitter cold rushes down,
With what can I cover
PRELUDE, cont.
Fantasia on Greensleeves
Vaughn Williams
Fantasia on Christmas Carols
Patrick Hogan, Tenor
Vaughn Williams
Vocal Soloists
Risa Renae Harman, Soprano
Jenna Hintz, Soprano
Patrick Hogan, Tenor
Amber Smoke, Alto
Scott Tomlinson, Bass
Instrumentalists
Farkhad Abdikadirov, Violin
Yunni Burton, Bass
Alexander Gurevich, Viola
Gulia Gurevich, Violin
Stan Orlovsky, Cello
Mark Snyder, Oboe
WORDS OF WELCOME
INTROIT
Wolum Yole
(Ceremony of Carols)
Britten
*OPENING PRAYER
Loving Word of God, you have shown us the fullness of your glory
in taking human flesh. Fill us, in our bodily life, with your grace
and truth; that our pleasure may be boundless, and our integrity
complete, in your name, Amen.
* The congregation is invited to stand.
*THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
*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!
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
Sing all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all 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!
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!
Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning,
Jesus, to thee be all glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord! Amen.
SERVICE OF LESSONS AND CAROLS
(Based upon Lessons and Carols of King’s College, Cambridge)
THE FIRST LESSON
Isaiah 9:2, 6-7
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in
a land of deep darkness - on them light has shined. For a child has been born
for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His
authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the
throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice
and with righteousness from this time onwards and for evermore. The zeal of
the Lord of hosts will do this.
ANTHEM
For Unto Us a Child is Born (Messiah)
Handel
THE SECOND LESSON
Isaiah 11:1, 2, 5-9
A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of
his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and
understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the
fear of the Lord. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and
faithfulness the belt around his loins. The wolf shall live with the lamb, the
leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young
shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing
child shall play over the hole of the asp and the weaned child shall put its hand
on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for
the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
CAROL
Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming
Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming, as men of old have sung.
It came, a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.
Isaiah ‘twas 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 men a Savior,
When half spent was the night.
THE THIRD LESSON
Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called
Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house
of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said,
“Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed
by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said
to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now,
you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.
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 ancestor David. He will reign over the house
of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the
angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to 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 holy; he will be called Son of God.
And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and
this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be
impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let
it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
ANTHEM
Gabriel’s Message
Basque Carol
THE FOURTH LESSON
Luke 2:1-7
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world
should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while
Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered.
Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of
David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family
of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and
who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to
deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in
bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them
in the inn.
CAROL
Away In a Manger
Away in a manger, no crib for His bed, the little Lord
Jesus laid down His sweet head. The stars in the sky looked
down where He lay, the little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, but little Lord
Jesus, no crying He makes. I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look
down from the sky, And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
THE FIFTH LESSON
Luke 2:8-20
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their
flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of
the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the
people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah,
the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of
cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude
of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest
heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one
another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place,
which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found
Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they
made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it
were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these
words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and
praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
ANTHEM
Angels We Have Heard on High
Parker
(Sung in French)
THE SIXTH LESSON
Matthew 2:1-12
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise
men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been
born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to
pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all
Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the
people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him,
“In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ‘And you,
Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of
Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact
time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go
and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me
word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the
king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at
its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw
that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the
house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid
him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold,
frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to
Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
CAROL
We Three Kings of Orient Are
We three kings of Orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.
O star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.
Glorious now behold Him arise, King and God and Sacrifice;
Al-le-lu-ia, al-le-lu-ia! Sounds through the earth and skies.
O star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright.
Westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.
THE SEVENTH LESSON
John 1:1-5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into
being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What
has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all
people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not
overcome it.
MEDITATION
PRAYER
OFFERING
Come Darkness, Come Light
The Rev. Dr. Ed Horstmann
This year’s Christmas Eve offerings will be dedicated to Syrian Refugee
Relief through Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS), a program
of the Episcopal Church of Connecticut. IRIS resettles approximately 200
legally-admitted refugees each year. IRIS also provides some services to
asylum-seekers and other immigrants. Currently, IRIS’s refugee clients come
from Afghanistan, Congo, Cuba, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria and
other countries.
ANTHEM
A Minuit fut fait un Reveil
Risa Renae Harman, Soprano
At midnight there was an awakening,
At midnight there was an awakening,
Nobody had ever heard its like,
Nobody had ever heard its like,
In the land of Judea, In the land of Judea,
Christmas!
In the land of Judea
The shepherds had fallen asleep,
The shepherds had fallen asleep,
Watching over their ewes and sheep,
Watching over their ewes and sheep,
All along the green meadows,
All along the green meadows,
Christmas!
All along the green meadows.
Dandrieu
In Bethlehem you'll find him,
In Bethlehem you'll find him,
In a stable, where you'll see him,
In a stable, where you'll see him,
Lying between two beasts,
Lying between two beasts,
Christmas!
Lying between two beasts.
Agnus Dei
Charpentier
(Midnight Mass for Christmas - based on the French carol A Minuit fut fait un Reveil)
*Doxology Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all
creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host: Praise Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
THE LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE
Leader:
All:
Leader:
All:
Leader:
All:
Bill and Grada Herrick
We wait with hope for the justice and righteousness of God.
We wait with peace for God’s shalom to fill the world.
We wait with joy, celebrating all that God has done for us and our
world.
We wait with love, humbled by the mercy that God shows to
all people.
Tonight we light this candle to celebrate the energy of love that
God has sent into the world through the life of Jesus.
O God of hope, and peace, and joy, and love, from that stable
so long ago your light shines into every corner of the world.
Help us to sing with the angels at the joy of your coming. Help
us to live by your light not only today, but throughout the
whole year, so that tidings of peace and goodwill to all will
truly renew the whole creation.
SHARING THE LIGHT
Ushers will come forward, light their tapers, and then distribute the light to
all worshipers. Following the service, please place the candles in the
receptacles in the Narthex.
CAROLS IN THE CANDLELIGHT
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.
For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth!
And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth.
How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven.
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! Amen.
CAROL
Silent Night, Holy Night
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, heavenly 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 Thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
PRAYER
*CAROL
Joy to the World! the Lord Is Come
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.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns:
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
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
POSTLUDE
Carols for Strings
Joyce
ROUND HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH MISSION STATEMENT
We, the members of the Round Hill Community Church, a selfgoverning, non-denominational body, seek to foster a community of faith
where people of all ages and backgrounds pursue spiritual growth; where
God is worshipped in Word and praised in music; where friends are made
and hurts are healed. We seek to be a community where individuals
commit their time and resources to education, fellowship, and to helping
those in need among our Church family and in the broader world. We are
a church where faith, hope, justice and love are valued, and above all,
Jesus is Lord.
ROUND HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH CREED
I believe in God, the one universal Father of all mankind, revealed
supremely in Jesus Christ, our Lord, and present with us to guide,
comfort and inspire in the Holy Spirit. I believe in the Kingdom of God;
and in the mission of the Christian Church to proclaim the Gospel to all
the world, exalting the worship of the Lord our God, and laboring for the
progress of knowledge, the promotion of righteousness, the reign of
peace, and the realization of human brotherhood. United in Christian
love, we pray and labor for the coming of the Kingdom, the triumph of
righteousness and the life everlasting. Amen.
Thank you to Ward and Rector Davol as well as, Grada and Bill Herrick
for ushering this evening.
The Work of Christmas
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.
--Dr. Howard Thurman
The staff of Round Hill Community Church
wishes you and your families Joy, Love and Peace for this Christmas season
and throughout the New Year!
Cover Art:
Adoration of the Shepherds, Santa Trinita Firenz
Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449-1494)
Senior Pastor: The Rev. Dr. Edward G. Horstmann
Associate Pastor: The Rev. Dan Haugh
Minister Emeritus: The Rev. Dr. Ralph Ahlberg
Minister of Music: Christopher Kabala
Church School Coordinator: Connie Blunden
Round Hill Community Church
395 Round Hill Road, Greenwich, CT 06831
203.869.1091
roundhillcommunitychurch.org