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Go, tell it on the mountain

(VU 43; Key of G)

Refrain

Go, tell it on the mountain,

over the hills and everywhere.

Go, tell it on the mountain

that Jesus Christ is born.

1

While shepherds kept their watching

o'er silent flocks by night,

behold, throughout the heavens

there shone a holy light.  R

2

The shepherds feared and trembled

when lo, above the earth

rang out the angel chorus

that hailed our Saviour's birth!  R

3

Down in a lonely manger

the humble Christ was born,

and God sent our salvation

that blessed Christmas morn.  R

I wander as I wander

(Key of Am)

1

I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die.
For poor on'ry people like you and like I...
I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

2 

When Mary birthed Jesus 'twas in a cow's stall,
With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all.
But high from God's heaven a star's light did fall,
And the promise of ages it then did recall.

3 

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing,
A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing,
Or all of God's angels in heav'n for to sing,
He surely could have it, 'cause he was the King.

In the bleak midwinter

(VU 55; Key of D# [C 3rd fret])

1

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,

earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;

snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,

in the bleak midwinter, long ago.

2

Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;

heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign;

in the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed

the Lord God almighty, Jesus Christ.

3

Enough for him, whom cherubim worship night and day,

a breast full of milk, and a manger full of hay.

Enough for him, whom angels fall down before,

the ox and ass and camel which adore.

4

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.

Advent wreath

Hope is a star 

(VU 7) 

1

Hope is a star that shines in the night,

leading us on till the morning is bright.

Refrain

When God is a child there's joy in our song.

The last shall be first and the weak shall be strong,

and none shall be afraid.

2

Peace is a ribbon that circles the earth,

giving a promise of safety and worth

3

Joy is a song that welcomes the dawn

Telling the world that the Saviour is born

4

Love is a flame that burns in our heart

Jesus has come and will never depart

Sung response 

Come, O Long-expected Jesus, 

born to set your people free.

From our fears and sins release us; 

Christ, in whom our rest shall be.

Carol: The angel Gabriel

(Key of Am)

1

The angel Gabriel from heaven came,

With wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame.

"All hail," said he, "Thou lowly maiden Mary,

Most highly favoured lady." Gloria!

2

”For known a blessed mother thou shalt be

All generations laud and honor thee

Thy Son shall be Emanuel

By seers foretold

Most highly favoured lady, " Gloria.

3

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head

"To me be as it pleaseth God, " she said,

"My soul shall laud and magnify His holy name."

Most highly favoured lady, Gloria.

4

Of her, Emmanuel - the Christ - was born

in Bethlehem, upon that Christmas morn.

And Christian folk throughout the world will ever say,

'Most highly favoured lady! Gloria!'

Prayer of confession and Assurance of Pardon

The Lord's prayer song

The Lord's Prayer

Words: Jim Strathdee Music: Anon; arr. by Al Oppenheimer; accomp. by Jim Strathdee. In The faith we sing (2000). A supplement to The United Methodist Hymnal (1989).

A time for all God's children

Children's carol : Jesus our brother

(VU 56; Key of F)

1

Jesus, our brother, kind and good,

was humbly born in a stable rude,

and the friendly beasts around him stood,

Jesus, our brother, kind and good.

2

'I,' said the donkey, shaggy and brown,

'I carried the mother uphill and down,

I carried his mother to Bethlehem town;

I,' said the donkey, shaggy and brown.

3

'I,' said the cow, all white and red,

'I gave him my manger for his bed,

I gave him hay to pillow his head;

I,' said the cow, all white and red.

4

'I,' said the sheep with curly horn,

'I gave him my wool for his blanket warm,

he wore my coat on Christmas morn;

I,' said the sheep, with curly horn.

5

'I,' said the dove, from the rafters high,

'I cooed him to sleep that he should not cry,

we cooed him to sleep, my mate and I;

I,' said the dove, from the rafters high.

6

Thus all the beasts, by some good spell,

in the stable dark were glad to tell

of the gifts they gave Emmanuel,

the gifts they gave Emmanuel.

Scripture: Luke 1: 26-33

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favoured one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. 3nd behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name 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 father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

And the angel answered 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 called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Sung scripture: Luke 1: 47-55

(Tune: While Shepherds Watched,  VU 75; Key of F)

1

"There's not a thing that God can't do!"
The angel said. "Not one!
For Mary, God has favored you
And you will bear God's Son."

2

So Mary answered, "Here am I,
The servant of the Lord."
She knew that she could well rely
Upon the angel's word.

3

There's not a blessing we won't know
If God is pleased to share;
As Mary found out long ago,
We're ever in God's care.

4

O God, what awesome things you do;
You call, surprise and bless!
As Mary answered, may we, too,
Respond by saying, "Yes!"

Sermon

Pastoral Prayer and Benediction

Carol: See amid the winter's snow

(VU 76 ;Key of G)

1

See amid the winter's snow,

born for us on earth below,

see, the tender Lamb appears,

promised from eternal years.

Refrain

Hail, thou ever-blessed morn;

hail, redemption's happy dawn;

sing through all Jerusalem,

Christ is born in Bethlehem.

2

Lo, within a manger lies

God who built the starry skies,

who enthroned in height sublime

sits amid the cherubim.   R

3

Say, ye holy shepherds, say

what your joyful news today;

wherefore have ye left your sheep

on the lonely mountain steep?   R

4

'As we watched at dead of night,

lo, we saw a wondrous light;

angels singing 'Peace on earth'

told us of the Saviour's birth.'   R

5

Sacred infant, all divine,

what a mighty love was thine,

thus to come from highest bliss

down to such a world as this!   R