An Evening Of...

ADVENT LESSONS & CAROLS

Friday, December 18, 2020 - 7 PM

The Parish of Christ the King

Reverend Edward J. Healey, Presider

Seminarian Christopher Hughes, Master of Ceremonies

Opening Hymn Once in Royal David’s City Donny Nolan & Anthony Teixeira

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.

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.

And through all his wondrous childhood

He would honor and obey,

Love and watch the lowly maiden

In whose gentle arms he lay.

Christian children all should be

Kind, obedient, good as he.

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 feels for all our sadness,

And he shares in all our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see him,

Through his own redeeming love;

For that child so dear and gentle

Is our Lord in heav’n above:

And he leads his children on

To the place where he has gone.

Call to Worship & Invitation to Prayer by Fr. Healey Reading I: Genesis 3:1-15 (The Fall of Man) Read by Dr. Nicholas Matas Hymn Jesu, Joy of Our Desiring John Jannis

Jesu, joy of our desiring,

Holy wisdom, love most bright,

Drawn by you, our souls aspiring,

Soar to uncreated Light.

Word of God, our flesh that fashioned

With the fire of life impassioned,

Striving still to truth unknown,

Soaring, dying, ’round your throne.

Through the way where hope is guiding,

Hear what peaceful music rings;

Where the flocks in you confiding,

Drink of joy from deathless springs!

Theirs is beauty’s fairest pleasure;

Theirs is wisdom’s holiest treasure;

You do ever lead your own,

In the love of joys unknown.

Prayer

Reading II: Jeremiah 23:5-8 (The Days are Coming) Read by Donna Oliva-Greco Hymn Wake, O Wake, and Sleep No Longer Maryann Crowley & Miki Lovett

Wake, O wake, and sleep no longer, For he who calls you is no stranger:

Awake, God's own Jerusalem! Hear, the midnight bells are chiming

The signal for his royal coming: Let voice to voice announce his name!

We feel his footsteps near, The Bridegroom at the door

Alleluia! The lamps will shine With light divine

As Christ the Saviour comes to reign.

Zion hears the sound of singing; Her heart is thrilled with sudden longing: She stirs, and wakes, and stands prepared.

Christ, her friend, and lord, and lover, Her star and sun and strong redeemer

At last his mighty voice is heard. The Son of God has come

To make with us his home: Sing Hosanna! The fight is won,

The feast begun; We fix our eyes on Christ alone.

Glory, glory, sing the angels,

While music sounds from strings and cymbals; All humankind, with songs arise!

Twelve the gates into the city, Each one a pearl of shining beauty;

The streets of gold ring out with praise. All creatures round the throne

Adore the holy One With rejoicing: Amen be sung

By ev'ry tongue To crown their welcome to the King.

Prayer

Reading III: Isaiah 11:1-10 (The Shoot of Jesse) Read by Nicholas Reilly Hymn Emmanuel John Jannis

Refrain: Come, come, Emmanuel!

Son of God, appear. Heaven and earth, rejoice! Salvation is drawing near. Salvation is drawing near.

O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear. (to refrain)

O come, O Wisdom from on high, Who ordered all things mightily;

To us the path of knowledge show, And teach us in her ways to go. (to refrain)

O come, O Rod of Jesse’s stem; From ev’ry foe deliver them

That trust your mighty pow’r to save, And give them vict’ry o’er the grave. (to refrain)

O come, Desire of nations, bind In one the hearts of humankind; Make all our sad divisions cease,

And be for us the King of Peace. (to refrain)

After final refrain: Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to thee, O Israel. (twice)

Prayer

Reading IV: Isaiah 9:1-6 (The People Who Have Walked in Darkness) Read by Dr. Nicholas Matas Hymn Beyond the Moon & Stars Donny Nolan & Anthony Teixeira

Beyond the moon and stars, as deep as night, So great our hunger, Lord, to see your light.

The sparrow finds her home beneath your wing, So may we come to rest where angels sing.

Our eyes have longed to see your loving face,

To live within your courts for all our days.

Beyond the moon and stars, as deep as night, So great our hunger, Lord, to see your light.

The sparrow finds her home beneath your wing, So may we come to rest where angels sing.

Upon our darkness, Lord, a light has shone.

You choose to dwell with us in flesh and bone.

Beyond the moon and stars, as deep as night, So great our hunger, Lord, to see your light.

The sparrow finds her home beneath your wing, So may we come to rest where angels sing.

When life’s great journey ends, and day is done,

Then may our eyes behold your Holy One.

Beyond the moon and stars, as deep as night, So great our hunger, Lord, to see your light.

The sparrow finds her home beneath your wing, So may we come to rest where angels sing.

Prayer

Reading V: Isaiah 40:1-4, 9-11 (The Promise of Salvation) Read by Donna Oliva-Greco Hymn A Voice Cries Out Donny Nolan & Anthony Teixeira

Console my people, the ones dear to me: speak to the heart of Jerusalem:

the time of your mourning is ended now, the Lord of life will come.

Refrain:

A voice cries out in the wilderness: Prepare a way for the Lord!

A voice cries out in the wilderness: Make straight a highway for God!

Ev'ry valley is made a plain,

ev'ry mountain is leveled the glory of God shall then be revealed,

and the nations will sing in praise. (to refrain)

A voice shouts: "Cry!" O what shall I cry? All flesh is like grass and its flowers:

the grass may wither, the flower may fade, but the Word of the Lord is forever. (to refrain)

Zion, shout from the mountain top,

lift up your voice O Jerusalem, and say to the people of God's own land,

"Behold, behold your God!" (to refrain)

The Lord will appear as a shepherd, holding his lambs in his arms,

keeping his flock so close to his heart leading them all, old and young. (to refrain)

Prayer

Reading VI: Luke 1:26-38 (Announcement of the Birth of Jesus) Read by Nicholas Reilly Hymn The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came Maryann Crowley & Miki Lovett

The angel Gabriel from heaven came, His wings as drifted snow, with eyes as flame:

"All hail," said he, O lowly maiden Mary, Most highly favored lady." Gloria!

"For know a blessed mother you shall be,

All generations praise continually, Your Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold,

Most highly favored lady." Gloria!

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head; "To me be as it pleases God," she said.

"My soul shall laud and magnify God’s holy name." Most highly favored lady." Gloria!

Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ, was born In Bethlehem all on a Christmas morn,

And Christian folk through-out the world will ever say: "Most highly favored lady." Gloria!

Prayer Reflection by Christopher Hughes

Meditation Hymn Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming Maryann Crowley & Miki Lovett

Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming

From tender stem hath sprung!

Of Jesse’s lineage coming,

As those of old have sung.

It came, a flower bright,

Amid the cold of winter,

When half spent was the night.

Isaiah ’twas foretold it,

This Rose I have in mind,

With Mary we behold it,

The Virgin Mother kind.

To show God’s love aright,

She bore to us a Savior,

When half spent was the night.

O Flow’r, whose fragrance tender

With sweetness fills the air,

Dispel in glorious splendor

The darkness ev’rywhere;

True man, yet very God,

From sin and death now save us,

And share our ev’ry load.

Blessing and Dismissal

Recessional Hymn O Come Divine Messiah John Jannis

O come, divine Messiah;

The world in silence waits the day

When hope shall sing its triumph

And sadness flee away.

Refrain: Dear Savior, haste!

Come, come to earth. Dispel the night and show your face,

and bid us hail the dawn of grace.

O come, divine Messiah;

the world in silence awaits

the day when hope shall sing its triumph

and sadness flee away. (to refrain)

O Christ, whom nations sigh for,

Whom priest and prophet long foretold,

Come, break the captive's fetters,

Redeem the long-lost fold. (to refrain)

You come in peace and meekness

And lowly will your cradle be;

All clothed in human weakness

Shall we your God-head see. (to refrain)

Musicians:

Donny Nolan

Music Director & Director of the Adult Choir

Maryann Crowley

Daily Mass & Sunday 8:30 AM Organist

John Jannis

Sunday 5:30 PM Organist/Soloist

Anthony Teixeira

Cantor

Miki Lovett

Cantor

Lectors:

Dr. Nicholas Matas

Donna Oliva-Greco

Nicholas Reilly

With Gratitude:

Live Stream Videographer:

Judy Warren

Thank you for joining us in prayer this evening!

Please take this program with you as you leave

Church tonight. Thank you and God Bless!