Christmas in July
Post Author: MaryAnn McKibben Dana
In the spirit of using the slower summer months to plan ahead, this month, Sunday Morning and Beyond offers two choral readings for an Advent or Christmas Lessons and Carols service.
THIRD LESSON Isaiah 11:1-9
Voice 1: A shoot shall come out!
Voice 2: A shoot!
Voice 3: A shoot!
Voice 1: A shoot shall come out!
Voice 2: A shoot!…
Voice 3: …shall come out!
Voice 1&2: of the stump of Jesse!
Voice 3: A branch shall grow out of his roots.
Voice 1: The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
Voice 2: the spirit:
Voice 1: of wisdom, understanding,
Voice 3: of counsel, of might,
Voice 2: of knowledge and fear of the Lord.
Voice 1: His delight is in the fear of the Lord.
Voice 3: He shall not judge by what the eyes see,
Voice 2: or by what the ears hear; but with righteousness
Voice 1: he shall judge the poor,
Voice 3: the meek.
Voice 2: The wolf shall live
Voice 3: with the lamb.
Voice 1: the leopard,
Voice 2: the kid,
Voice 3: the calf,
Voice 1: the lion,
Voice 2: the fatling,
Voice 3: the cow,
Voice 1: the bear,
Voice 2: and the child,
Voice 3: the child,
Voice 1: the child shall lead them.
Voice 2: They will not hurt,
Voice 3: They will not destroy.
Voice 1: And the earth will be full
Voice 2: of the knowledge of God
Voice 3: as waters cover the sea.
FOURTH LESSON BASED ON Luke 1:26-35, 38; Matthew 1:18-21
Voice 1: Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way.
Voice 2: An angel was sent…
Voice 1: An angel was sent…
Voice 2: to Mary,
Voice 1: to Joseph,
Voice 2: saying, “Greetings, favored one!”
Voice 1: saying, “Joseph, son of David!”
Voices 1&2: “Do not be afraid.”
Voice 2: “The Lord is with you.”
Voice 1: The angel appeared in a dream.
Voice 2: But Mary was perplexed, and pondered the greeting.
Voice 1: The angel spoke…
Voice 2: “Mary, you have found favor with God.”
Voice 1: “Joseph, Son of David!”
Voice 2: “You will conceive and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.”
Voice 1: “She will bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.”
Voice 2: “He will be great, the Son of the Most High,”
Voice 1: “He will save his people from their sins;”
Voice 2: “and his kingdom will never end.”
Voice 1: “Do not be afraid.”
Voice 2: “Do not be afraid.”
[pause]
Voice 1: While they were engaged, Mary was found to be with child.
Voice 2: Mary said, “How can this be?”…
Voice 1: …While her husband planned to dismiss her quietly.
Voice 2: The angel said: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you”
Voice 1: “Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife,”
Voice 2: “and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;”
Voice 1: “the child is conceived from the Holy Spirit.”
Voice 2: “the child will be holy; he will be called Son of God.”
Voice 2: Then Mary said,
Voice 1: Then Joseph awoke…
Voice 2: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord…”
Voice 1: And he took her for his wife,
Voice 2: “let it be with me according to your word.”
Voice 1: And she bore a son,
Voice 2: and he named him—
Voice 1: Jesus.
Voice 2: Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way.
Like this idea? You might also want to check out ways to integrate poetry into a Lessons and Carols service.
MaryAnn McKibben Dana is a pastor and writer in the suburbs of Washington DC, where she serves Idylwood Presbyterian Church. She is writing The Sabbath Year, which will be published in fall 2012 through Chalice Press’s Young Clergy Women imprint. She blogs at The Blue Room, where this piece originally appeared.
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