CANDLELIGHT CAROLS

A Prayer in Preparation for Christmas

As we prepare our church for the coming Christmas season,
we would also prepare our hearts for the returning Christ.
You came once for your people,
O Lord, and you will come for us again.

Though there was no room at the inn
to receive you upon your first arrival,
We would prepare you room
here in our hearts
and here in our church,
Lord Christ.

As we gather tonight and celebrate, we do so to mark
the memory of your redemptive movement into
our broken world, O God.

All that we do to celebrate is for you, God.
Our glittering ornaments and Christmas trees,
Our festive carols, our sumptuous feasts—
By these small tokens we affirm
that something amazing has happened
in time and space—
that God, on a particular night,
in a particular place, so many years ago,
was born to us, an infant King, our Prince of Peace.

Our wreaths and ribbons and colored lights,
our giving of gifts, our parties with friends—
these have never been ends in themselves.
They are but small ways in which we repeat
that sounding joy first proclaimed by angels
in the skies near Bethlehem.

In view of such great tidings of love announced
to us, and to all people, how can we not be moved
to praise and celebration in this Christmas season?
As we decorate our tree, and as we
feast and laugh and As we worship and sing together this evening,
we are rehearsing our coming joy!
We are making ready to receive the one
who has already, with open arms, received us!

We would prepare you room
here in our hearts
and here in our home,
Lord Christ.

Now we celebrate your first coming, Immanuel,
even as we long for your return.
O Prince of Peace, our elder brother,
return soon. We miss you so!
Amen

O Come, All Ye Faithful

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

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
Humbly, He enters the virgin’s womb
Son of the Father, born but not created

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born for our salvation
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing

Hark, the Herald Angels 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 angelic host proclaim
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

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 th’incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel

Hark! the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace
Hail the Sun 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
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King

Hark! the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Angels We Have Heard on High

Away in a Manger

Away in a manger no crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay

Be near me Lord Jesus I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever and love me I pray
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care
And fit us for heaven to live with Thee there

Silent Night

Silent night holy night
All is calm all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace 

Silent night holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heav’nly hosts sing alleluia
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born

Silent night holy night
Son of God love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus Lord at Thy birth
Jesus Lord at Thy birth

O Little Town of Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

How silently how silently
The wondrous gift is given
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven
No ear may hear His coming
But in this world of sin
Where meek souls will receive Him still
The dear Christ enters in

O Holy Night

O holy night the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn

Fall on your knees
O hear the angel voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night O holy night
O night divine

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name

Christ is the Lord
O praise His name forever
His power and glory
Evermore proclaim
His power and glory
Evermore proclaim

Joy to the World

Joy to the world the Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room
And heav’n and nature sing
And heav’n and nature sing
And heav’n and heav’n and nature sing

Joy to the earth 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

No more let sins and sorrows grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found
Far as the curse is found
Far as far as the curse is found

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