Ruth 1:1-6ESV
O Little Town of Bethlehem
1 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.
2 For Christ is born of Mary,
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep the angels keep
Their watch of wond'ring love.
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth;
And praises sing to God, the King,
And peace to men on earth.
3 How silently, how silently
The wondrous Gift is giv'n!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heav'n.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still,
The dear Christ enters in.
4 O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend on us, we pray.
Cast out our sin, and enter in;
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell.
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord, Emmanuel.
Angels, from the Realms of Glory
1 Angels, from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o'er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation's story,
Now proclaim Messiah's birth:
Refrain:
Come and worship, come and worship;
Worship Christ, the new-born King.
2 Shepherds, in the field abiding,
Watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing;
Yonder shines the Infant Light: [Refrain]
3 Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations,
Ye have seen His natal star: [Refrain]
4 Saints before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear: [Refrain]
5 Tho' an infant now we view Him,
He will share His Father's throne;
Gather all the nations to Him;
Every knee shall then bow down: [Refrain]
The First Noel
1 The first Noel, the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Refrain:
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
2 They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east, beyond them far,
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night. [Refrain]
3 And by the light of that same star
Three Wise Men came from country far;
To seek for a King was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went. [Refrain]
4 This star drew nigh to the northwest,
O’er Bethlehem it took its rest,
And there it did both stop and stay,
Right over the place where Jesus lay. [Refrain]
5 Then entered in those Wise Men three,
Full rev'rently upon their knee,
And offered there in His presence
Their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense. [Refrain]
6 Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heav'nly Lord,
That hath made heav'n and earth of naught,
And with His blood mankind hath bought. [Refrain]
Good Christian Men, Rejoice
1 Good Christian men, rejoice
With heart and soul and voice!
Give ye heed to what we say:
Jesus Christ is born today!
Ox and ass before Him bow,
And He is in the manger now.
Christ is born today!
Christ is born today!
2 Good Christian men, rejoice
With heart and soul and voice!
Now ye hear of endless bliss:
Jesus Christ was born for this!
He hath opened heaven's door
And man is blessed forevermore.
Christ was born for this!
Christ was born for this!
3 Good Christian men, rejoice
With heart and soul and voice!
Now ye need not fear the grave:
Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all
To gain His everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save!
Christ was born to save!
Heavenly Father,
Save us entirely from sin.
We know we are righteous through the righteousness of another,
but we pant and pine for being made like You.
We are your children and should bear Your image,
When sin tempts us, may we be deaf to its voice.
Deliver us from the temptation as well as the dominion of sin.
Grant us to walk as Christ walked,
to live in the newness of His life,
the life of love, the life of faith, the life of holiness.
Forgive and kill these vices,
have mercy on our unbelief,
and on our corrupt and wandering hearts. Amen
Portion of the Chalcedonian Creed
We, then, following the holy fathers, all with one consent,
teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood;
Truly God and truly man, of a reasonable soul and body;
consubstantial with the Father according to the Godhead,
and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood;
in all things like unto us, without sin;
Begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead,
and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation,
born of the Virgin Mary, the God-bearer, according to the Manhood;
One and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten,
to be acknowledged in two natures,
inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, and inseparably.