Readings:

“ADVENT PRAYER”

(Henri J.M. Nouwen)

Lord Jesus, Master of both the light and the darkness,

send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.

We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.

We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.

We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.

We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.

To you we say, “Come Lord Jesus!”

Amen

Isaiah 9:1-2

The people that walked in darkness

Have seen a great light;

On those who lived in a land as dark as death

A light has dawned.

1. ¯ Comfort Ye/Ev’ry Valley – G.F. Handel

John 1:1-15

When all things began, the Word already was. The Word dwelt with God, and what God was, the Word was. The Word, then, was with God at the beginning, and through him all things came to be; no single thing was created without him. All that came to be was alive with his life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines on in the dark, and the darkness has never mastered it.

There appeared a man named John, sent from God; he came as a witness to testify to the light, that all might become believers through him. He was not himself the light; he came to bear witness to the light. The real light which enlightens every man was even then coming into the world.

He was in the world; but the world, though it owed its being to him, did not recognize him. He entered his own realm, and his own would not receive him. But to all who did receive him, to those who have yielded him their allegiance, he gave the right to become children of God, not born of any human stock, or by the fleshly desire of a human father, but the offspring of God himself. So the Word became flesh; he came to dwell among us, and we saw his glory, such glory as befits the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.

2. ¯ All Is Well – M.W. Smith/Hayes

“O ANTIPHONS”

O WISDOM, who came from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end and ordering all things mightily and sweetly; COME, and teach us the way of prudence.

O LORD AND RULER of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: COME, and redeem us with outstretched arms.

O ROOT OF JESSE, that stands for an ensign of the people, before whom the kings keep silence and unto whom the Gentiles shall make supplication: COME, to deliver us, and tarry not.

: O KEY OF DAVID, and Scepter of the House of Israel, who opens and no man shuts, who shuts and no man opens: COME, and bring forth the captive from his prison, he who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death.

O DAWN OF THE EAST, brightness of light eternal, and Sun of Justice: COME, and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

: O KING OF THE GENTILES and their desired One, the Cornerstone that makes both one: COME, and deliver man, whom you formed out of the dust of the earth.

O EMMANUEL, God with us, Our King and Lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior: COME to save us, O Lord our God.

3. O Come, Emmanuel - C. Marohnic

1 Chronicles 16:23-29

Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day.

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.

Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place.

Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations,

ascribe to the LORD glory and strength,

ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.

Bring an offering and come before him; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

4. O Sing unto the Lord a Joyful Song – A. Dvorak

‘Twas the Moon in Wintertime

Dating from the 1500’s, this haunting noel was written by the Jesuit priest Jean de Brébeuf in the language of the Huron Indians in Canada. The sensitive priest utilized imagery known to the Indians to help them understand the gospel message.

‘Twas in the moon of wintertime when all the birds had fled,

That mighty Gitchi Manitou sent angel choirs instead.

Before their light the stars grew dim,

And wand’ring hunters heard the hymn:

Jesus, your King is born,

Jesus is born,

In excelsis Gloria!

5. ¯ Huron Carol - J. Martin

Micah 5:2-5

Bethlehem Ephrath, you are one of the smallest towns in the nations of Judah. But the LORD will choose one of your people to rule the nation – someone whose family goes back to ancient times … Like a shepherd taking care of his sheep, this ruler will lead and care for his people by the power and glorious name of the LORD his God. His people will live securely, and the whole earth will know his true greatness, because he will bring peace.

6. ¯ Behold that Star – Spiritual arr. by M. Hayes

Luke 1: 26-33

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end.”

7. Ave Maria – G. Caccini/Liebergen

Luke 2:8-14

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to all on whom his favor rests."

8. ¯ Rise Up Shepherds – Spiritual arr. by M. Hayes

Luke 2:15-20

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

9. ¯ Mary Did You Know? - B. Greene/B. Greer

1 John 4:9-12

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

10. ¯ God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen – B. Wolaver

Zechariah 2:10-13

"Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you," declares the LORD. "Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people.

I will live among you and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.

The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.

Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling."

11. ¯ Go Tell it on the Mountain – Spiritual arr. by M. Hayes

An Advent Prayer

J. Barrie Shepherd

Once again in this holy season, O God, we listen to words of promise spoken by Isaiah long ago:

“Every valley shall be exalted…and the crooked places made straight.”

Lord, even in the high and holy days that lie ahead there will be valleys, quiet moments of aloneness,

of desolation, of remembering loved ones absent, family members perhaps long gone,

hopes that were never quite fulfilled plans and promises long shattered.

And there will be the crooked places also, When the worst that is in us springs to life again,

The heart twists, the mind turns in upon itself, And we know jealousy and malice, anger or greed.

For even in these highest days we are still ourselves,

your dreaming, hoping children who can yet stumble and fall, go far astray along the way.

Make our crooked places straight by your power, not our own.

Exalt the valleys of our lostness and loneliness with your love.

And when the feast is over, the last gift opened, the final carol sung,

stay with us and stay for us and hold us in your newborn yet eternal arms forever.

Amen.

12. O Holy Night – A. Adam