CAROLS ON THE RIVERBANK

19 December 2021

 

WELCOME, GREETINGS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF LAND

 

  1. JOY TO THE WORLD

Joy to the World, the Lord has come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

 

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!

Let men their 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, wonders, of His love

 

 2. O COME ALL YEE FAITHFULL

 

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;

 

Refrain:

O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him,

O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

 

True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal,

lo, he shuns not the Virgin's womb;

Son of the Father, begotten not created;

 

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;

O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!

Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

 

See how the shepherds, summoned to his cradle,

leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;

we too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;

READING 1: Lk 1:39-55   New International Version

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary’s Song

⁴⁶ And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord ⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, ⁴⁸ for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, ⁴⁹ for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation. ⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. ⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. ⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. ⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

SONG ITEM: “Mary Did You know”

 

  3. MARY’S BOY CHILD

Long time ago in Bethlehem

So the Holy Bible say

Mary's boy child, Jesus Christ

Was born on Christmas Day.

 

Hark now hear the angels sing

A new king was born today

And man will live for evermore

Because of Christmas Day.

 

While shepherds watched their flock by night,

They saw a bright new shining star

they heard a choir sing a song

The music seemed to come from afar.

READING 2: Lk 2:1-7                   The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehemthe town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

 

   4. HARK THE HERALD ANGEL SING

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"

 

Refrain:

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

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 Godhead see

Hail the incarnate Deity

Pleased as man with man to dwell

Jesus, our Emmanuel

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Son of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings

Ris'n 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

 

  5. WE THREE KINGS

We three kings of Orient are

Bearing gifts we traverse afar

Field and fountain moor and mountain

Following yonder star

 

Chorus

O star of wonder star of night

Star with royal beauty bright

Westward leading still proceeding

Guide us to Thy perfect light

 

Born a King on Bethlehem plain

Gold I bring to crown Him again

King forever ceasing never

Over us all to reign

 

Frankincense to offer have I

Incense owns a Deity nigh

Prayer and praising gladly raising

Worshipping God on high

 

Myrrh is mine its bitter perfume

Breathes a life of gathering gloom

Sorrowing sighing bleeding dying

Sealed in the stone cold tomb

 

Glorious now behold Him arise

King and God and sacrifice

Alleluia alleluia

Sounds through the earth and skies

 

CAROLS: Fijian Congregation from Riverstone

 

READING: 3: Luke 2:8-20

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

 

  6. ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH

Angels we have heard on high,

Singing sweetly through the night,

And the mountains in reply

Echoing their brave delight.

 

Refrain:

Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Gloria in excelsis Deo.

 

Shepherds, why this jubilee?

Why these songs of happy cheer?

What great brightness did you see?

What glad tiding did you hear?

 

Come to Bethlehem and see

Him whose birth the angels sing;

Come, adore on bended knee

Christ, the Lord, the new-born King.

 

See him in a manger laid

Whom the angels praise above;

Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,

While we raise our hearts in love.

 

REFLECTION /KID’S TALK:  Rev. Ann Perrin

(Kids are invited to come in front)

 

  7. AUSSIE JINGLE BELLS

Dashing through the bush, in a rusty Holden Ute,

Kicking up the dust, esky in the boot,

Kelpie by my side, singing Christmas songs,

It's Summer time and I am in my singlet, shorts and thongs

 

Refrain:

Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,

Christmas in Australia on a scorching summers day, Hey!

Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!,

Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.

 

Engine's getting hot; we dodge the kangaroos,

The swaggie climbs aboard, he is welcome too.

All the family's there, sitting by the pool,

Christmas Day the Aussie way, by the barbecue.

 

Come the afternoon, Grandpa has a doze,

The kids and Uncle Bruce, are swimming in their clothes.

The time comes 'round to go, we take the family snap,

Pack the car and all shoot through, before the washing up.

 

 8. RUDOLPH

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Has a very shiny nose

And if you ever saw it

You would even say it glows.

All of the other reindeer's

Used to laugh and call him names

They never let poor Rudolph

Join in any reindeer games.

Then one foggy Christmas Eve,

Santa came to say,

Rudolph with your nose so bright,

Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?

Then all the reindeer's loved him,

As they shouted out with glee,

Rudolph the red-nose Reindeer

You'll go down in history!

 

  9. WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS

We wish you a Merry Christmas;

We wish you a Merry Christmas;

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin;

Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;

Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;

Oh, bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer

We won't go until we get some;

We won't go until we get some;

We won't go until we get some, so bring some out here

We wish you a Merry Christmas;

We wish you a Merry Christmas;

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 

NOTICES

Santa Claus entry

  10. SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN

 

You better watch out, You better not cry

You better not pout, I'm telling you why

Santa Claus is coming to town

 

He's making a list

And checking it twice;

He's gonna find out who's naughty or nice

Santa Claus is coming to town

Santa Claus is coming to town

Santa Claus is coming to town

 

He sees you when you're sleeping

He knows when you're awake

He knows if you've been bad or good

So be good for goodness sake!

 

Oh! You better watch out!

You better not cry, You better not pout

I'm telling you why

 

Santa Claus is coming to town

Santa Claus is coming to town

Santa Claus is coming to town

 

BLESSINGS

 

FELIZ NAVIDAD

Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad

Feliz Navidad, Prospero año y Felicidad.

 

Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad

Feliz Navidad, Prospero año y Felicidad.