Carol Service

Carols in the Park
Sunday, 20 December 2020 at 3.30pm
Coronation Park, Babbacombe

 

Introduction
By Fr Paul Jones

 

There’s More To Christmas
There’s More to Christmas…
There’s more, much more to Christmas
Than candle-light and cheer;
It’s the spirit of sweet friendship
That brightens all the year;
It’s thoughtfulness and kindness,
It’s hope reborn again,
For peace, for understanding
And for goodwill to all!

 

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.

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.

Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see Him; but in heaven,
Set at God’s right hand on high;
When like stars His children crowned
All in white shall wait around
.

 

Christmas Story

The Story of the Wisemen read by Kevin Foster MP

Matthew 2.1-3, 7-12

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him …

 

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

 

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 to seized their troubled mind);
‘Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind.

‘To you and 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,
Or meanly wrapped in swathing bands,
And in a manger laid’.

Thus speak to 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;
Good will henceforth from heaven to men
Begin and never cease’.

 

Torbay Brass Band

A selection of Christmas music

Christmas Poem

Christmas Giving By Iris W. Bray read by …

Christmas is for giving
And for showing that we care,
For honouring the Christ Child
With the loving gifts we share.
The wise men gave of riches;
The shepherds, faith and love.
Each gift, in its own measure,
Was smiled on from above.
Let every gift be treasured;
Not always size or price
Determines the extent of love
And willing sacrifice
Handsome gifts with festive trim
Bring smiles of sweet content,
But modest gifts of humble means
are ofttimes heaven sent.
Whether it be large or small,
Each gift will share in part
The message of true Christmas joy
If given from the heart!

 

Prayers

The prayers conclude with the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the Kingdom,
The power and the Glory,
For ever and ever. Amen.

Carol

God rest ye merry gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Saviour
Was born on Christmas Day,
To save us all from Satan’s pow’r
When we were gone astray:
Oh tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy!
Oh tidings of comfort and joy!

From God our heavenly father
A blessed angel came,
And unto certain Shepherds
Tidings of the same,
How that in Bethlehem was born
The son of God by name:
Oh tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy!
Oh tidings of comfort and joy!

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:
Oh tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy!
Oh tidings of comfort and joy!

 

Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tired of Christmas
Or other doth efface:
Oh tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy!
Oh tidings of comfort and joy!


A Christmas Thought by Fr Paul

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 the 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
Glory to the new-born King!

Hail the Heaven-born Prince of Peace
Hail the Son of Righteousness
Light and life to all He brings
Risen with healing in His wings
Mild He lay 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!

There’s More To Christmas
There’s More to Christmas…
There’s more, much more to Christmas
Than candle-light and cheer;
It’s the spirit of sweet friendship
That brightens all the year;
It’s thoughtfulness and kindness,
It’s hope reborn again,
For peace, for understanding
And for goodwill to all!

 

A Christmas Blessing

Torbay Brass

will conclude Carols in the Park with some Christmas music

Follow the service below or downloaded here: