The Church of Ireland ~ Diocese of Clogher

Service of Nine Lessons and Carols

Sunday 17th December 2017

7pm

Welcome to our Service of Nine Lessons and Carols

this year.

We bid a special welcome to those of you who are visitors with us this evening.

Our readings and carols recall the events surrounding

the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The scripture readings will be read by members of our parish organisations.

The Service proceeds without announcements

With so much uncertainty, and unrest in our world today, it is all the more important to hear and to

receive the Good News of the hope and promise of God, who sent his Son into our world, to bring us peace

and joy.

May you know His peace and His joy this Christmas-time.

Order of Service

Organ Voluntaries : Catherine Irwin Hymn 177

Bidding Prayer

First Reading Genesis 3:8-15, 17, 19

Read by: Dorothy Wilson Rossorry Select Vestry

Solo - Naomi Kells 1. Once in royal David’s city

stood a lowly cattle shed, where a mother laid her baby

in a manager for his bed; Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.

All

2. 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 Saviour holy.

All:

3. And through all his wonderous childhood

he would honour and obey, love and watch the lowly maiden

in whose gentle arms he lay; Christian children all should be

kind, obedient, good as he.

All: 5. 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.

All: 6. Not in that poor lowly stable,

with the oxen standing by, 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.

Cecil Frances (Fanny) Alexander (1818-95) altd.

Hymn 162 All

In the bleak mid-winter frosty winds made moan, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone:

snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, in the bleak mid-winter, long ago.

All: Our God, heav’n cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;

heav’n and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign: in the bleak mid-winter a stable-place sufficed

the Lord God almighty, Jesus Christ.

All: Enough for him, whom cherubim worship night and day,

a breast-ful of milk and a manger full of hay; enough for him, whom angels fall down before,

the ox and ass and camel which adore.

Solo: Alexander Beattie 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.

Polish traditional carol

Tr. Edith M.G. Reed (1885-1933)

Second Reading Genesis 22:15-18

Read by: Louise Clarke 1st Rossorry Scouts

Hymn 183

The holly and the ivy

now both are full well grown;

of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown:

O the rising of the sun, and the running of the deer, the playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the quire.

The holly bears a blossom

as white as lily-flower; and Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to be our sweet Saviour:

The holly bears a berry as red as any blood; and Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to do poor sinners good:

The holly bears a bark as bitter as any gall; and Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ for to redeem us all:

English traditional folk carol

Third Reading Isaiah 9: 2, 6-7 Read by: Carol Livingstone

Rossorry Sunday School Choir Anthem “Away in a Manger”

Soloist: Tully Irvine Fourth Reading Isaiah 11: 1-3a, 4a, 6-9

Read by: Nigel Irvine Rossorry Choir

Hymn 179

All

1. See amid the winter snow, born for us on earth below,

see the tender Lamb appears, promised from eternal years.

All

Hail, the ever-blessèd morn! hail, redemption’s happy dawn!

sing through all Jerusalem: ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem!’

All

2. Lo, within a manger lies he who built the starry skies;

he who, throned in height sublime, sits amid the cherubim!

Ladies only

3. Sacred Infant, all divine, what a tender love was thine,

thus to come from highest bliss down to such a world as this!

All

4. Teach, O teach us, holy Child, by thy face so meek and mild,

teach us to resemble thee, in thy sweet humility.

Edward Caswall (1814-78) Based on Luke 2: 1-20

Fifth Reading Luke 1: 26-35, 38

Read by: Naomi Kells Wednesday Club

Hymn 174

1. 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.

2. O morning stars, together Proclaim the holy birth,

And praises sing to God the King, And peace to all on earth.

For Christ is born of Mary; And, gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep Their watch of wondering love.

3. 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 Child enters in.

4. 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 with us, abide with us, Our Lord, Emmanuel.

Words: Philip Brooks (1835-93)

Music: H. Walford Davies (1869-1941)

Sixth Reading Luke 2: 1, 3-7

Read by: Kate Mc Niece 1st Rossorry Guides

Hymn 182

Choir only

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.

All

Silent night, holy night,

shepherds quake at the sight, glories stream from heaven afar,

heavenly hosts sing alleluia; Christ the Saviour is born! Christ the Saviour is born!

All

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.

Joseph Mohr (1792-1848)

tr. J.F. Young (1820-85) Seventh Reading Luke 2:8-16

Read by: Neville Gamble Rossorry Prayer Group

Poem “The Oxen” by Thomas Hardy Read by:- Heather Ellis

of Rossorry Mothers’ Union

Hymn 188

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 mind), ‘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 heavenly babe you there shall find

to human view displayed, all meanly wrapped in swaddling clothes,

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 to the earth be peace! Goodwill henceforth from heaven to earth

begin, and never cease.’

Nahum Tate (1652-1715) altd Based on Luke 2: 8-14

Eighth Reading Matthew 2:1-12

Read by: Ivan Bleakley Rossorry Bowling Club

Poem. “A Christmas Carol” by G.K. Chesterton

Read by Leanne Lappin A Rossorry Parishioner living abroad.

Hymn 189

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, Saviour to thy lowly bed;

there to bend the knee before thee whom heaven and earth adore;

so may we with willing feet ever seek thy mercy-seat.

As they offered gifts most rare

at thy cradle rude and bare; so may we with holy joy,

pure and free from sin’ alloy, all our costliest treasures bring,

Christ, to thee, our heavenly King.

Holy Jesus, every day keep us in the narrow way;

and, when earthly things are past, bring our ransomed soul at last

where they need no star to guide, where no clouds thy glory hide.

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.

William Chatterton Dix (1837-98) Based on Matthew 2: 1-11

(Please remain standing for the Gospel Reading)

Ninth Reading - The Gospel John 1:1-14

Read by: The Rector

Hymn 166

Joy to the world, the Lord is come! let earth receive her King;

let ev’ry heart prepare him room, and heav’n and nature sing, and heav’n and nature sing,

and heav’n, and heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns! let us our 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, and wonders of his love.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748) alt. based on Psalm 98

Collect God our redeemer, who prepared the blessed Virgin Mary to be the mother of your Son: Grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour, so we may be ready to greet him when he comes again as our judge; who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Blessing Christ, who by his incarnation gathered into one all things earthly and Heavenly, fill you with his joy and peace, and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you always. Amen.

Hymn 160

1. Hark! the herald-angels sing

glory to the new-born King; peace on earth and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconciled! Joyful, all you 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.

2. 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:

3. 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 we no more may die; born to raise each child of earth,

born to give us second birth:

Charles Wesley (1707-88) Based on Luke 2: 1-20

Organ Voluntaries.

The Choir invite you to the Parochial Hall immediately after

the Service for some ‘seasonal refreshments’. Please do come and join us.

Words and music in this Service are reproduced under licence from CCLI - Licence No.2444599