Carols by Candlelight 2024
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Welcome to Carols by Candlelight at Christ Church Kenilworth.
Congregation, please sing the words in bold print.
After each reading, while the candle is lit, we will sing: “Veni, veni, Emmanuel”
Please remain seated
Welcome & Introduction
Please stand
CONGREGATIONAL CAROL:
‘Once in Royal David’s City’
Words: Cecil Frances Alexander
Music: Henry Gauntlett
Verse 1: SOLO
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
Verse 2: CHOIR
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
Verse 3: ALL
And through all
His wondrous childhood
He would honour and obey
Love and watch the lowly maiden
In whose gentle arms He lay
Christian children all must be
Mild, obedient, good as He
Verse 4: ALL
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
Verse 5: ALL
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
Verse 6: ALL
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
Where like stars His children crowned
All in white shall wait around
Please be seated
The First Reading
Genesis 1: 1-5, 26-28 The Beginning
Please stand
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:
‘O Come, O Come Emmanuel’
Words: Latin 8th century, English transl. 1851
Music: 15th century
Verse 1: ALL
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
Verse 2: ALL
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o'er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
Verse 3: LADIES/UPPER VOICES
O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by thine advent here.
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
Verse 4: MEN/LOWER VOICES
O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heav'nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
Verse 5: ALL
O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times didst give the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
Please be seated
The Second Reading
Genesis 3: 1-7 The Fall
Please remain seated
CHOIR ANTHEM:
‘Give us Light’
Words and music: Charles Vas, arranged by Geoff Weaver
Give us light, give us light,
give us light, O Lord
Give us life, give us life,
give us life, O Lord
Save us now, save us now,
save us now, O Lord
Give us grace, give us grace,
give us grace, O Lord
Grant us peace, grant us peace,
grant us peace, O Lord
Please remain seated
The Third Reading
Genesis 3: 8-15 The Garden of Eden
Please stand
CONGREGATIONAL CAROL:
‘People Look East’
Words: Eleanor Farjeon
Music: Besancon carol melody arranged Harry Bramma
Verse 1: ALL
People, look east. The time is near
Of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
Trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the guest, is on the way.
Verse 2: ALL
Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare,
One more seed is planted there:
Give up your strength
the seed to nourish,
That in course the flower may flourish.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the rose, is on the way.
Verse 3: ALL
Angels announce to man and beast
Him who cometh from the East
Set ev’ry peak and valley humming
With the word, the Lord is coming
People look East and sing today:
Love the Lord is on the way
Please be seated
The Fourth Reading
Isaiah 11:1-10 The Branch from Jesse
Please remain seated
CHOIR ANTHEM:
‘There is a Flower’
Words: German 15th century, English words by Ursula Vaughan Williams
Music: Michael Praetorius
There is a flower springing,
From tender root it grows.
From Eden beauty springing.
From Jesse’s stem, a rose.
On his green branch it blows
A bud that in cold winter,
At midnight will unclose
Pure Mary, maiden holy
The dream by prophets seen
Who in a stable lowly
Above her child did lean
So gentle and serene
This was Esaias’ vision
The tree of living green.
Please stand for the Gospel reading
CHOIR:
The Word was with God in the beginning
The Word was with God in the beginning
Through him we were created
By him all things were made.
The Fifth Reading
John 1: 1-14 The Word became Flesh
CHOIR:
So praise the Word softer than silence
And praise the Word stronger than violence
Rejoice that in the Body
Christ the Word is known
Remain standing
CONGREGATIONAL CAROL:
‘Away in a manger’
Words: unknown
Music: Wililam J Kirkpatrick, 1895
Verse 1: ALL
Away in a manger, no crib for a 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
Verse 2: ALL
The cattle are lowing,
the Baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus,
no crying He makes
I love You, Lord Jesus,
look down from the sky
And stay by my side
until morning is nigh
Verse 3: ALL
Al was ons nie daar nie,
ons weet dit is so
Die herders en wyses
het dit eerste geglo
En deur al die jare
bou Jesus sy kerk
Die Gees en die Woord
kom geloof in ons werk.
Please be seated
The Sixth Reading
Matthew 1:18-23 Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son
Please remain seated
CHOIR ANTHEM:
‘Cherry Tree Carol’
Words and music: William Joubert
Additional piano parts by Ron Gill
As Joseph was a-walking,
he heard an angel sing
This night shall be born
on earth our heavenly King
He neither shall be born
in house nor in hall
Nor in the place of Paradise
but in an ox’s stall.
He neither shall be clothed
in purple nor in pall
But in fair linen as were babies all
He neither shall be rocked
in silver nor in gold
But in a wooden cradle
that rocks on the mould.
He neither shall be christened
in white wine, nor red
But with fair spring water,
as we were christened.
Please remain seated
The Seventh Reading
Luke 2: 1-7 The Birth of Jesus
Please remain seated
CHOIR ANTHEM:
‘Ragtime Carol’
Words: George Radcliffe Woodward
Music: Christopher Tambling
Ding, dong, ding, dong
Up! Good Christian folk and listen
How the merry church bells ring
And from steeple, bid good people
Come and adore the newborn King!
Ding, dong, ding, dong
Tell the story how from glory
God came down at Christmas time
Bringing gladness, chasing sadness
Showering blessings far and wide
Ding, dong, ding, dong
Born of mother, blest o’er other
Ex Maria virgine
In a stable (‘tis no fable)
Christus natus hodie
Ding, dong, ding, dong
Up! Good Christian folk and listen
How the merry church bells ring
And from steeple, bid good people
Come and adore the newborn King!
Please stand
CONGREGATIONAL CAROL:
‘Silent Night’
Words: Joseph Mohr
Music: 1818 Franz Gruber
Verse 1: ALL
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
Verse 2: 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
Verse 3: 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
Please be seated
The Eighth Reading
Luke 2: 8-20: The Shepherds
Please stand
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:
‘O come all ye faithful’
Words: John Francis Wade
Music: unknown
Verse 1: ALL
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!
Verse 2: ALL
God of God,
Light of Light
Lo, He abhors not the Virgin’s womb
Very God begotten, not created:
Wozani sikuleke
Wozani sikuleke
Wozani sikuleke
KuKrestu Nkosi
Verse 3: ALL
Sing, choirs of angels
Sing in exultation
Sing all ye citizens of heaven above
Glory to God in the highest:
Kom buig daar in aanbidding
Kom buig daar in aanbidding
Kom buig daar in aanbidding
Voor Jesus die Heer
Verse 4: ALL
Yea, Lord, we greet thee
Born this happy morning
Jesus to thee be glory given
Word of the Father now in flesh appearing:
Venite adoremus
Venite adoremus
Venite adoremus
Dominum
Please be seated
The Ninth Reading
Matthew 1: 1-12 The Magi visit the Messiah
Please remain seated
CHOIR ANTHEM:
‘Christmas Gloria’
Words and music: Allen Pote
Gloria, gloria, gloria, gloria!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Hodie, hodie, hodie!
Christ is born this blessed day
Let us all rejoice and say
Glory to God, glory to God
Glory to God in the highest!
See the babe at Mary’s knee
Born in low humility
He has come to set us free
Glory to God in the highest!
See the King of Israel,
Here He lies, Emmanuel
Spread the news and sing Noel
Glory to God, glory to God
glory to God in the highest!
Angels are singing,
announcing the birth
Singing of joy and peace on earth
Shepherds and wise men
come to the King
Kneeling before the Child,
Their homage they bring.
Gloria, gloria, gloria in excelsis Deo
Let us all rejoice and sing
Glory to God, glory to God
Glory to God in the highest!
Glory to God in the highest!
Please stand
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN:
‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’
Words: Charles Wesley
Music: Felix Mendelssohn
Verse 1: ALL
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!
Verse 2: ALL
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 God-head see
Hail th’incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King!
Verse 3: ALL
Hail the heav’n-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
Glory to the newborn King!
Please be seated
Concluding Organ Voluntary
Thank you for joining us!
A special thanks to the Christmas orchestra,
the Christmas Choir and the Blaast Brass Quintet for the music this evening.