All talks » Carol Service
Bible:
Speaker: Andrew Sach
1. All-age Carol Service: in this same building next week we will be having another carol service suitable for children as well as adults. There will be a children’s craft happening from 3.15pm before the service at 4pm. Children are very welcome to come dressed in nativity costume!
2. Christianity Explored: this is a DVD-based course that we run regularly for sceptics, enquirers or anyone wanting to go over the foundations of Christianity. There is plenty of opportunity to ask questions, or just to listen if you prefer. We will be starting a course in January, why not come along to try it out? Do let us know if you are interested or contact explore@greenwich.church
3. Looking ahead:
1) No Sunday Service (22nd December)
2) Christmas Day (The Village Church, SE10 8LA, 10.30am)
3) Joint Service at St. Peter’s Barge, E14 4AL (11am, 29th December)
4) Sunday Services resume (this building, 4pm, 5th January)
5) Grace Groups resume (this building, 7.45pm, 8th January)
Email: info@greenwich.church
Pastors: andrew.latimer@greenwich.church
andrew.sach@greenwich.church
www.greenwich.church
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Grace Church takes seriously the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. If you have any concerns, please contact our Safeguarding Officer, Kate Squire (safeguarding@greenwich.church)
or the Diocese of Southwark Safeguarding Officer, Kate Singleton (020 7939 9423). See www.greenwich.church/safeguarding
Carol Service
Sunday 8th December 2019
CAROL
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 Saviour holy.
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.
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.
Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895)
READING: Isaiah 9:2-7
CAROL
It came upon the midnight clear,
that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the Earth
to touch their harps of gold:
‘Peace on the Earth, goodwill to men,
from Heaven’s all-gracious King!’
The world in solemn stillness lay
to hear the angels sing.
Yet with the woes of sin and strife
the world has suffered long;
beneath the angels’ strain have rolled
two thousand years of wrong;
and man, at war with man, hears not
the love-song which they bring:
O hush the noise, you men of strife,
and hear the angels sing.
And you, beneath life’s crushing load
whose forms are bending low,
who toil along the climbing way
with painful steps and slow,
look up!  For glad and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing;
O rest beside the weary road,
and hear the angels sing.
For lo!  The days are hastening on,
by prophet bards foretold,
when with the ever-circling years
comes round the age of gold;
when peace shall over all the Earth
its ancient splendours fling,
and the whole world send back the song
which now the angels sing.
Edmund Hamilton Sears (1810-1876)
READING: Luke 2:1-7
CAROL
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 Earth, the Saviour reigns!
Let songs be heard on high,
while fields and streams
and hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow
nor thorns infest the ground:
he comes to make his blessings flow
where Eden’s curse is found,
where Eden’s curse is found,
wherever Eden’s curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness,
the wonders of his love,
the wonders of his love,
the wonders, wonders of his love.
I.Watts (1674-1748)
*© Copyright in this version Jubilate Hymns
READING: Luke 2:8-20
CAROL
While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
all seated on the ground,
the angel of the Lord came down
and glory shone around.
‘Fear not,’ said he (for mighty dread
had seized their troubled mind)
‘Glad tidings of great joy I bring
to you and all mankind.
‘To you in David’s town this day
is born of David’s line,
a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord;
And this shall be the sign:
‘The heavenly babe you there shall find
to human view displayed,
all meanly wrapped in swaddling bands,
and in a manger laid.’
Thus spake the seraph; and forthwith
appeared a shining throng
of angels praising God, who thus
addressed their joyful song:
‘All glory be to God on high,
and to the Earth be peace;
goodwill henceforth from Heaven to men
begin and never cease.’
Nahum Tate (1652-1715)
CHRISTMAS ADDRESS
“[We were once] enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.†(Galatians 3:3-5)
PRAYERS
CAROL
Hark!  The herald angels sing,
‘Glory to the new-born 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 new-born King.’
Christ, by highest Heaven 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 Immanuel.
Hark!  The herald angels sing,
‘Glory to the new-born King.’
Hail, the Heaven-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 new-born King.’
Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
BLESSING