Welcome to
Christmas
Around the
World International
Carol Concert
Please turn off your
mobile phone or pager
Welcome Chimes
Performed by Citifaith
Children's church hand bell
ringers
O Come All Ye Faithful
Performed by Ridgeway
School Brass Ensemble &
Choir & Congregation
Please stand and join in
O Come All Ye Faithful
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and
triumphant,
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.
O Come All Ye Faithful
True God of true God, Light from Light
Eternal,
Lo, he shuns not the Virgin's womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.
O Come All Ye Faithful
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.
O Come All Ye Faithful
See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
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.
O Come All Ye Faithful
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.
Introduction and Bidding
Prayer
Read by Bishop of Swindon
Rev Lee Rayfield
Please be seated
Christmas in France
In France, yule logs made out of cherry
wood are often burned in French homes.
The log is carried into the home on
Christmas Eve and is sprinkled with red wine
to make the log smell nice when it is burning.
There is a custom that the log and candles
are left burning all night with some food and
drinks left out in case Mary and the baby
Jesus come past during the night.
Christmas in France
The main Christmas meal, called Réveillon,
is eaten after everyone has returned from
the midnight Church Service on Christmas
Eve.
Another celebration in France is that 13
different desserts are eaten! All the desserts
are made from different types of fruit, nuts
and pastries.
O Holy Night
Oh Holy Night, ‘Cantique de Noel’, was composed
by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the poem ‘Minuit
chrétiens’ written by his friend Placide Clappeau, a
commissioner of wines in a small French town.
O Holy Night
It was translated into English by the American
Unitarian minister John Sullivan Dwight in 1855.
He was an ardent abolitionist and favoured the
reference in the third verse: "for the slave is our
brother". It became a very popular carol in the antislavery North during the Civil War.
O Holy Night
On 24 December 1906 Reginald Fessenden, a
Canadian inventor, broadcast the first AM radio
programme which included him playing O Holy
Night on the violin.
There is a possibility that this was the first song
ever broadcast over radio.
O Holy Night
Performed by Julie
Williams, K School of Music
accompanied by Becky
White
O Holy Night
Oh holy night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
O Holy Night
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine
O Holy Night
Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the wise men from Orient land
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend.
O Holy Night
Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our
brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise
we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 9: 2, 6, 7
To Us a Child is Born
Read in Swahili
by Anita Sinclair
Christmas in East Africa
Many churches in East Africa have
nativity plays and a crib in the church.
One or two days before Christmas, East
Africans like to go carol singing round
the local streets for charity.
Christmas in East Africa
On Christmas day, children are encouraged to
bring a present to church for children who are in
hospital or might not get a present because they
are less fortunate.
After church, on Christmas day, it is a custom that
all the children go to one house and all the adults
go to another house to have a party and to eat!!
Imbeni Haleluya Mwokozi Yesu Amezaliwa
Performed by Citifaith Church
Sung in Kiswahili
(Kenyan language)
Imbeni Haleluya - Mwokozi
Yesu Amezaliwa
Imbeni Haleluya
Imbeni Haleluya Mwokozi Yesu amezaliwa
Huyo Mwokozi imbeni Haleluya
Malaika Wamesema
Atuokoe toka kwa dhambi
Oh mwokozi x2
Amezaliwa leo
Mwanawake Mungu Yesu Kombozi
Twendeni Bethlehemu, tukamwone Yesu Bwana
Huyo Mkombozi imbeni Haleluya
Sing Halleluiah –
Jesus Christ is born
Sing Halleluiah
Sing Halleluiah Our Saviour Jesus Christ is born
He is The Saviour sing Halleluiah
The Angels proclaim
He has come to deliver us from our sins
Oh Deliverer x2
Is born today
The son of God, Messiah the deliverer is born
Let us go to Bethlehem, to see our Lord Jesus
Christ
He is The Saviour sing Halleluiah
Lesson 2: Luke 1:26-35, 38
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
Read by Mike Wills MP &
Anne Snelgrove MP
Christmas in Greece
In Greece, people celebrate Christmas by
fasting for forty days. Greek people get up
very early (before dawn) on 25 December to
go to the church and celebrate Jesus’ birth
that happened during the night. This fasting
is followed by grand Christmas feast.
Christmas in Italy
In Italy for twenty-four hours before Christmas
people fast. This is followed by Christmas Eve
dinner called a Cennone. This feast includes
fish, pasta, vegetables, fresh fruits and special
sweets and cakes.
Special prayers and church services called
"novena" last for nine days prior to Christmas.
Mass is celebrated on Christmas morning.
Ave Maria – Greece/Italy
Hail Mary or Angelic Salutation is from the
Greek and then later Latin Ave Maria
(Salutatio Angelica) and is a traditional
Catholic and Eastern Orthodox prayer calling
for the intercession of Mary, the mother of
Jesus. It developed in the Middle Ages as a
Gregorian monks chant and is based on
Luke 1:28.
Ave Maria – Greece/Italy
The Hail Mary has been set to music by
many composers including Bach, Dvorak,
Verdi, Stravinsky and Bachmaninov.
Schubert is often credited for Ave Maria but
this reference is from Sir Walter Scotts, The
Lady of the Lake.
Ave Maria
Sung in Latin and
performed by Teresa Bray
Ave Maria
Ave maria
Gratia plena
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu in mulieribus
Et benedictus fructos ventri tui jesus
Santa maria...
Santa maria...
Maria
Ora pro nobis
Nobis pecatoribus
Nunc et in ora,
In ora mortis nostrae
Amen Amen….
Christmas in Jamaica
During slavery ham was cured by smoking it in
large baskets called kreng-kreng over a slow
fire. Pimento was heavily used in spicing the
meat.
Today, ham continues to be a delicious dish on
many Christmas dinner tables in Jamaica
accompanied by rice and gungo peas, along with
a drink of sorrel.
Alleluia Christmas Caribbean
Performed by Swindon
Gospel Choir
Alleluia Christmas
Here is a very, very simple song
I’d like to sing for you
And before it finish
You will want to sing it too
(The song goes)
Alleluia Christmas
Glory, Glory to God, Alleluia
Glory, Glory, Amen
Glory, Glory to God, Alleluia
Glory, Glory, Amen
Glory, Glory to God, Alleluia
Glory, Glory, Amen
Let the whole world sing Alleluia
Peace be unto all men
Alleluia Christmas
I know this pretty little tune
Is simple as can be
Its easy, easy as ABC
So sing along with me
(Sing along now)
Alleluia Christmas
Glory, Glory to God, Alleluia
Glory, Glory, Amen
Glory, Glory to God, Alleluia
Glory, Glory, Amen
Glory, Glory to God, Alleluia
Glory, Glory, Amen
Let the whole world sing Alleluia
Peace be unto all men
Alleluia Christmas
Mother, Father, Sister, Brother
Raise your voice and sing
Peace, Goodwill to everybody
Glory to the King
Alleluia Christmas
Glory, Glory to God, Alleluia
Glory, Glory, Amen
Glory, Glory to God, Alleluia
Glory, Glory, Amen
Glory, Glory to God, Alleluia
Glory, Glory, Amen
Let the whole world sing Alleluia
Peace be unto all men
There will now be a 20
minute interval
Refreshments served in the Gallery upstairs
Marys Boy Child Jamaica
The song has been one of only three
that have been one million sellers for
two different artists - Harry Belafonte
(1957) and Boney M (1978) and it is a
popular reggae carol in Jamaica.
Marys Boy Child
Performed by
Swindon Gospel
Choir & K School
of Music
Marys Boy Child
Mary's boy child Jesus Christ, was born on
Christmas Day.
And man will live for evermore, because of
Christmas Day.
Long time ago in Bethlehem, so the Holy
Bible said,
Mary's boy child Jesus Christ, was born on
Christmas Day.
Marys Boy Child
Hark, now hear the angels sing, a king
was born today,
And man will live for evermore,
because of Christmas Day.
Mary's boy child Jesus Christ, was born
on Christmas Day.
Marys Boy Child
While shepherds watch their flocks by night,
they see a bright new shining star,
they hear a choir sing a song, the music seemed
to come from afar.
Hark, now hear the angels sing, a king was born
today,
And man will live for evermore, because of
Christmas Day.
Marys Boy Child
Oh a moment still worth was a glow, all the bells
rang out
there were tears of joy and laughter, people
shouted
"let everyone know, there is hope for all to find
peace".
Marys Boy Child
Now Joseph and his wife, Mary, came to
Bethlehem that night,
they found no place to bear her child, not a
single room was in sight.
Marys Boy Child
And then they found a little nook in a stable all
forlorn,
and in a manger cold and dark, Mary's little boy
was born.
Marys Boy Child
Hark, now hear the angels sing, a king was
born today,
And man will live for evermore, because of
Christmas Day.
Mary's boy child Jesus Christ, was born on
Christmas Day.
Marys Boy Child
Oh a moment still worth was a glow, all the
bells rang out
there were tears of joy and laughter, people
shouted
"let everyone know, there is hope for all to find
peace".
Oh my Lord...
Christmas in India
Christmas Day called 'Bada Din' (Big Day) in Hindi is a
national holiday in India and people from all religions
join their Christian friends to make the most of the
joyous celebrations.
During Christmas in
India, most of the
Churches are found
decorated with
poinsettias and lit with
candles for the
Christmas Eve service.
Christmas in India
Christians who live in the plains decorate mango or
banana trees at Christmas time. Some of them also
decorate their houses with mango leaves. However in
some of the other parts of India, a lot of people use
small clay oil-burning lamps as Christmas
decorations. These small clay lamps are placed
on the edges of flat roofs and on the tops of walls.
Lesson 4: Luke 2:8-16
The Shepherds and the
Angels
Read in Hindi by
Isaac Samuel
African American Christmas
The Christmas tree plays an
important part in the holiday
tradition. Often times it is topped
by a star to represent the Star of
Bethlehem, or by an angel which
announces the birth of Christ.
Many family trees have
ornaments from more than one
generation.
Go Tell It On the Mountain
- African American
The song was born in the oral culture of
African slaves in the American south. It
was embraced by the civil rights
movement in the 1960's.
Go Tell It On the Mountain
- African American
African American composer John
Wesley Work is credited with formally
adapting the song and including it in
‘Folk Songs of the American Negro’
songbook in 1907.
Go Tell It On the Mountain
Performed by
Go Tell It On the Mountain
Go, tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere.
Go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born.
While shepherds kept their watching
o'er silent flocks by night,
beyond, throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light.
Go Tell It On the Mountain
The shepherds feared and trembled
when lo, above the earth
rang out the angel chorus
that hailed our Saviour's birth!
Down in a lonely manger
the humble Christ was born,
and God sent our salvation
that blessed Christmas morn
Moravian Christmas
The Moravian Church was founded
in 1457 in Bohemia and was
inspiration for the Wesely Movement
in the 18th century.
The Christingle Service is usually
held on the Sunday before
Christmas, and is a Children's
Celebration in which the child is
placed in the midst, just as the
Christ - Child is the centre of all our
lives.
Moravian Christmas
The Christingale candle used
to be held on a goose quill,
part of which was split into
fronds, on which were impaled
nuts, fruits, raisins and sweets.
These stood for the created
order over which Christ is
King, and for the fruits of the
earth and the benefits that
come to our lives through
God's bounty and goodness.
Lesson 5: Matthew 2:1-12 The Visit of the Wise Men
Read by Rosemary
Power Minister
Moravian Church
So far with the Star Maranatha Christian School
This carol, written by students as part of a
Christmas Celebration programme, tells the
story of the journey of the magi as it might be
seen through their eyes
So far with the Star Maranatha Christian School
The wise men express their determination to
follow the star in spite of the challenges of the
journey; their commitment is rewarded by what
they find when they finally reach the stable.
So far with the Star
Where are we going, following a star?
Travelling on, it seems so far I don't know, but we'll go so far with the star..
I don't know, but we'll go so far with the star.
Riding along at ten at night
Following a star that's just in sight I don't know...
Just can't stand all the dust in my eyes
And all of those wretched horrible flies
I don't know...
So far with the Star
Where will we sleep, where will we rest?
Straw on the floor, whatever is best I don't know...
What will we find at the end of the line?
Will there be answers, peace of mind?
I don't know...
The star's slowing down, it's our journey's end
Stopped at a stable - will I find a friend?
I don't know...
The stable door is open wide!
The Light of the World is just inside!
Now we know, yes we know We followed the star!
Now we know, yes we know We followed the star!
Lesson 6: John 1:1-14 - The
Word becomes Flesh
Read in
Portuguese by
Luciana Schoeps
Christmas in South America
Throughout South and Central America
Christmas is celebrated in a deeply religious
way. The main focus of the season
throughout the continent is the presepio ("the
manger"). Often a whole room is devoted to
the presepio display, complete with
landscape and tiny figures made to scale.
Paz en tierra/Joy to the World
The words and lyrics of the old
Xmas carol "Joy to the World"
were written in 1719 by Isaac
Watts. The father of John Watts
was a Non-conformist and so
extreme were his views that he
was imprisoned twice.
Paz en tierra/Joy to the World
Performed by K School
of Dancing
Joy to the World
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 world, 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.
Joy to the World
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.
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.
Joy to the World
Rejoice! Rejoice in the Most High,
While Israel spreads abroad
Like stars that glitter in the sky,
And ever worship God,
And ever worship God,
And ever, and ever worship God.
Responsive Prayer
Read by Pastor Lesley Everson,
Citifaith Church
Jingle Bells (USA)
Believe it or not Jingle Bells, one of the
most famous American Christmas
songs, was originally written for
Thanksgiving!
The author and composer of Jingle
Bells was a minister called James
Pierpoint who composed the song in
1857 for children celebrating his
Boston Sunday School Thanksgiving.
The song was so popular that it was
repeated at Christmas.
Jingle Bells (USA)
Performed by the Maloney
School of Irish Dancing
Jingle Bells (USA)
Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh;
O'er the fields we go,
Laughing all the way.
Bells on bobtail ring,
Making spirits bright;
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight.
Oh! jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way;
Oh, what fun it is to ride
in a one-horse open sleigh. Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way;
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open
sleigh!
Closing & Presentation of
Collection to Prospect
Hospice
Presented by Cllr Roderick
Bluh & the Mayor of
Swindon, Cllr Michael
Barnes
Please join us in our Medley
of Carols from the United
Kingdom
Performed by Swindon
Brass, Choirs, Dancers
Readers, and the
Backstage crew
Carol Medley
- Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn 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 newborn King!"
Carol Medley
- Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Christ by highest heav'n 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 man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"
Carol Medley
- Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all 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
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"
Carol Medley
- Once in Royal Davids 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
Carol Medley
- Once in Royal Davids City
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 mean and lowly
Lived on earth our Savior holy
Carol Medley
- Once in Royal Davids City
And our eyes at last shall see Him
Through His own redeeming love
For that Child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heaven above
And He leads His children on
To the place where He is gone
Carol Medley
- We Wish You a Merry
Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New
Year.
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin;
Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Carol Medley
- We Wish You a Merry
Christmas
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer
We won't go until we get some;
We won't go until we get some;
We won't go until we get some, so bring some out
here
Carol Medley
- We Wish You a Merry
Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year
Thank you for supporting
this event
Good Night and have a
Happy Christmas!