Carols in the Churchyard

We’re so glad you’re singing with us today. Scroll down to find the lyrics to the carols we’re singing tonight.

Please join us inside after the carols for more hot drinks and mince pies!

Many thanks to Waterbeach Brass, and the St Bene’t’s Occasional Choir. Be sure to check out our website, or click here, to learn about our other Christmas offerings.

WELCOME

CAROL: 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. O morning stars, together

Proclaim the holy birth

And praises sing to God the King,

And peace to men on earth;

For Christ is born of Mary;

And, gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep

Their watch of wondering love.

3. 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.

4. O holy Child of Bethlehem,

Descend to 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.

READING: Luke 1.26-38 The Angel visits Mary

CHOIR ANTHEM

CAROL: It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

1. 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, good-will to men,

From heaven's all-gracious King!'

The world in solemn stillness lay

To hear the angels sing.

2. Still through the cloven skies they come,

With peaceful wings unfurled;

And still their heav'nly music floats

O'er all the weary world;

Above its sad and lowly plains

They bend on hovering wing;

And ever o'er it Babel sounds

The blessèd angels sing.

3. Yet with the woes of sin and strife

The world has suffered long;

Beneath the angel-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, ye men of strife,

And hear the angels sing!

4. 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 give back the song

Which now the angels sing.

READING: Luke 2.1-7 The birth of Jesus

CAROL: Once in Royal David’s City

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. And through all his wondrous childhood

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.

4. 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.

5. Not in that poor lowly stable,

With the oxen standing by,

We shall we see him: but in heaven,

Set at God's right hand on high,

Where like stars his children crowned,

All in white shall wait around.

READING: Luke 2.8-14 The angels appear to the shepherds

Carol: Hark the Herald Angels Sing

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 Emmanuel:

Hark! The herald-angels sing...

.

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...

CHOIR ANTHEM

READING: Luke 2.14-16 The shepherds visit the stable

CAROL: God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen

1. God rest you merry, gentlemen,

Let nothing you dismay,

Remember Christ our Saviour

Was born on Christmas Day,

To save us all from Satan's power

When we were gone astray:

O tidings of comfort and joy,

comfort and joy,

O tidings of comfort and joy.

2. From God our heavenly Father

A blessèd angel came,

And unto certain shepherds

Brought tidings of the same,

How that in Bethlehem was born

The Son of God by name:

O tidings of comfort and joy…

3. And when they came to Bethlehem

Where our dear Saviour lay

They found him in a manger,

Where oxen feed on hay;

His mother Mary kneeling down,

Unto the Lord did pray:

O tidings of comfort and joy…

4. Now to the Lord sing praises,

All you within this place,

And with true love and brotherhood

Each other now embrace;

This holy tide of Christmas

All other doth efface:

O tidings of comfort and joy…

READING: Matthew 2.1-11 , The wise men visit Jesus

CAROL: We Three Kings

We Three Kings of Orient are,

Bearing gifts we traverse afar,

Field and fountain,

Moor and mountain,

Following yonder Star.

O Star of Wonder, Star of Night,

Star with royal beauty bright,

Westward leading, Still proceeding,

Guide us to thy perfect Light.

2. Born a King on Bethlehem plain,

Gold I bring to crown Him again,

King for ever,

Ceasing never

Over us all to reign.

O Star of Wonder, Star of Night…

3. Frankincense to offer have I,

Incense owns a Deity nigh:

Prayer and praising

All men raising,

Worship Him God on High.

O Star of Wonder, Star of Night…

4. Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume

Breathes a life of gathering gloom;

Sorrowing, sighing,

Bleeding, dying,

Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.

O Star of Wonder, Star of Night…

5. Glorious now behold Him arise,

King, and God, and Sacrifice;

Heav’n sings Hallelujah:

Hallelujah the earth replies.

O Star of Wonder, Star of Night…

CHOIR ANTHEM

CAROL: 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!

God of God,

Light of Light,

Lo! he abhors not the Virgin’s womb;

Very God,

Begotten, not created:

O come, let us adore him…

See how the Shepherds,

Summoned to his cradle,

Leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear;

We too will thither

Bend our joyful footsteps:

O come, let us adore him…

Sing, choirs of Angels,

Sing in exultation,

Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!

Glory to God

In the highest:

O come, let us adore him…

CLOSING PRAYER AND BLESSING

INSTRUMENTAL