ServiceofWorshipfortheLord’sDay
Third Sunday of AdventDecember11, 2016
Appalachian Christmas Cantata:
Breaking Up Christmas
Words of Preparation Silent Night
"The incarnate word is with us, is still speaking, is present, always, yet leaves no sign but everything that is."
Wendell Berry (Sabbaths 1999, IX)
Prelude
Chiming of the Hour
Gathering around the Word
Lighting the Third Advent Candle of Joy
A candle is burning, a candle of Joy;
A candle to welcome brave Mary's new boy.
Our hearts fill with wonder and eyes light and glow
As Joy brightens winter like sunshine on snow.
*Call to Worshipresponsive
Psalm 96
Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Sing to the Lord and bless God’s name!
Declare God’s glory among the nations,
God’s marvelous works among all peoples.
Sing to the Lord and bless God’s name!
Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice.
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
Sing to the Lord and bless God’s name!
Let the whole creation sing for joy
at the presence of God, who is coming.
Let us worship God.
*Hymn 119
Hark! The Herald Angels SingMendelssohn
Opening Prayer responsive
written by Fr. Henri J. M. Nouwen
Lord Jesus, master of both light and darkness,
send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do
seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things
look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways
long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy
seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people,
walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say, “Come Lord Jesus!” Amen.
Proclaiming and Enacting the Word
Appalachian Christmas Cantata
Breaking Up Christmas
Introduction
The Ritual of FriendshipPlease sign the friendship pad.
Cherry Tree Caroltraditional
arr. Adrienne Albert
When Joseph was an old man, an old man was he.
He married Virgin Mary,the queen of Galilee.
Oh, Joseph and Mary walked through an orchard green.
There was berries and cherries as thick as might be seen.
And Mary spoke to Joseph, so meek and so mild,
“Joseph, gather me some cherries for I am with child.”
And Joseph flew in anger, in anger flew he,
“Let the father of the baby, gather cherries for thee.”
Then up spoke baby Jesus from in Mary’s womb,
“Bend down the tallest tree that my mother may have some.”
And bent down the tallest branch ‘til it touched Mary’s hand,
Cried she, “Oh, look thou Joseph, I have cherries by command.”
‘O eat your cherries, Mary, O eat your cherries now!
Then Joseph took Mary all on his right knee,
“Pray tell me, little baby, when will your birthday be?
“On the fifth day of January my birthday shall be,
And the hills and the high mountains shall kneel unto me!
Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your HeadKentucky folk carol
collected by John Jacob Niles: 1912-34
Jesus, Jesus, rest your head, you have got a manger bed.
All the weary folk on earth,sleep in silence at their birth.
Have you heard about our Jesus?Have you heard about his fate?
How the shepherds went to the stable,
On that Christmas Eve so late?
Winds are blowing, cows are lowing.
Stars are glowing, glowing, glowing.
Sing! All Mencollected by John Jacob Niles
Sing all, men! 'tis Christmas morning,
Jesus Christ the Son's a-borning.
Heigh, the holly! Ho, the heather!
Carol voices all together!
In that manger all alone,
The virgin mother did atone.
See the ox and see the kine,
And see afar the heavenly sign.
He who came to earth so low,
Soon to man's estate will grow.
I Wonder as I Wander trad. Appalachian Carol / John J. Niles
arr. Steve Pilkington
I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die
For poor on'ry people like you and like I.
I wonder as I wander out under the sky.
When Mary birthed Jesus, 'twas in a cow's stall
With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all.
But high from God's heaven, a star's light did fall,
And the promise of ages it did then recall.
If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing,
A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing,
Or all of God's Angels in heaven to sing,
He surely could have it, 'cause he was the king.
I wonder as I wander, out under the sky,
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die
For poor on'ry people like you and like I.
I wonder as I wander out under the sky.
Appalachian Christmas
by Wendell Berry
When the wind hurls howls
which sound like enraged wolves
soft clumps of snow
fall silently
over the edge of winter's world
where they disintegrate
to sparkling bits of sunshine
raining yellow snow flakes
down from heaven's sky
When cracking crashing ice
fall from dried out trees
and cold clings to your body
like a thousand pointed needles
stabbing your bones
your muscles twinge
like grief pains the heart
When your vision sharpens
through freezing frosted breath
and the sun-blazed day of amber
is as clear as crystal ice
you can lean out over the mountain's edge
and frozen streams below will appear
another appalachian christmas is here
A black limousine crawls carefully
down the twisting mountain roads
looking as out of place
as a silver spoon stirring coffee
in a plastic mug
Driving through miles
of a beauteous lush of wilderness
speckled with indigent wooden shacks
bits and pieces of human dreams
Smoking chimneys red brick pipes
jut upward into the sky
like fingers making obscene gestures
Labor that cannot read or write comes cheap
dependent completely on swelling
or shrinking profit margins
one cannot help his preoccupation
pondering about next to go
like picks that pound on coal
they strike home the current fear
another appalachian christmas is here
the blazing fireplaces
bring each mountain home to life
the passed down stories laughter and songs
are the only Christmas presents found here
no one wears a store-bought suit
the clothes are home made hand-me-downs
but banjos fiddles guitars and such
slip into ready eager hands
and faith-filled voices invade
the shadowy owl's terrain
crisp and clear the joyous refrains
ride on the mountain winds
they overtake the limousine
and its driver
who will spend the day
alone in his factory tallying his profits
another Appalachian Christmas is here
Big Sciotytraditional fiddle tune
Rosin Sisters
Responding to the Word
Call to Offering
Offertory MusicI Give You MusicThe McCarters
Rosin Sisters
Children come listen to me
I'm just a lonely minstrel as you can see
I have no earthly goods to pass along
All I can give you is a passing song
No buildings named for me
Just lasting harmony,
I give you music
I give you music, just like my Daddy did
And just like his Daddy before him, a precious gift
There's nothing quite as strong as the feeling in a song
I give you music
Now I don't think myself a special breed
I'm just a common woman who fills a need
I sing of war and peace and right and wrong
Give me attention and I'll give you a song
To have and hold, richer than diamonds or gold
I give you music
*Prayer of Thanksgiving
Our Christmas Tree Is...
by Wendell Berry
Our Christmas tree is
not electrified, is not
covered with little lights
calling attention to themselves
(we have had enough of little
lights calling attention
to themselves). Our tree
is a cedar cut here, one
of the fragrances of our place,
hung with painted cones
and paper stars folded
long ago to praise our tree,
Christ come into the world.
Go Where I Send Theegospel spiritual
arr. Paul Caldwell & Sean Ivory
Children go where I send thee!
How shall I send thee?
I’m gonna send thee one by one…
One for the little bitty baby
Two for Paul and Silas
Three for the Hebrew children
Four for the gospel writers
Five for the bread they did divide
Six for days when the world was fixed
Seven for the day God laid down his head
Eight for the eight theflood couldn’t take
Nine for the angel choirs divine
Ten for the ten commandments
Eleven of 'em singin' in heaven
Twelve for the twelve disciples
Breaking Up Christmas / Bonaparte’s Retreat Medleytraditional
Rosin Sisters
Hooray Jake, hooray John
Breaking up Christmas all night long
All night long, all night long
Breaking up Christmas all night long
Santa Claus done come and gone
Breaking up Christmas all night long
All night long, all night long
Breaking up Christmas all night long
“Remembering that It Happened Once…”
A Christmas Poem
by Wendell Berry,
from Sabbath, 1987
Remembering that it happened once,
We cannot turn away the thought,
As we go out, cold, to our barns
Toward the long night’s end, that we
Ourselves are living in the world
It happened in when it first happened,
That we ourselves, opening a stall
(A latch thrown open countless times
Before), might find them breathing there,
Foreknown: the Child bedded in straw,
The mother kneeling over Him,
The husband standing in belief
He scarcely can believe, in light
That lights them from no source we see,
An April morning’s light, the air
Around them joyful as a choir.
We stand with one hand on the door,
Looking into another world
That is this world, the pale daylight
Coming just as before, our chores
To do, the cattle all awake,
Our own frozen breath hanging
In front of us; and we are here
As we have never been before,
Sighted as not before, our place
Holy, although we knew it not.
Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella traditional carol
Rosin Sisters
Un flambeau, Jeanette, Isabelle --
Un flambeau! Courons au berceau!
C'est Jésus, bonnes gens du hameau.
Le Christ est né; Marie appelle!
Ah! Ah! Ah! Que la Mère est belle,
Ah! Ah! Ah! Que l'Enfant est beau!
Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabelle!
Bring a torch, and quickly run
Christ is born good folk of the village
Christ is born and Mary's calling.
Ah! Ah! beautiful is the Mother!
Ah! Ah! beautiful is the Son!
Quiet or you'll awaken Jesus
Quiet all and whisper low
Silence all who gather around Him
Talk and noise might waken Jesus
Hush, hush, quietly now He slumbers
Hush, hush, quietly now He sleeps
Softly creep in the little rude stable
Softly just for one moment come
Catch one glimpse of the tiny child Jesus
Tender His brow, His cheeks are rosy
Hush, hush, quietly now He slumbers
Hush, hush, quietly now He sleeps
Brightest and BestReginald Heber
arr. Shawn Kirchner
Justin Liu, violin
Hail the blessed morn, see the great Mediator
Down from the regions of glory descend!
Shepherds go worship the babe in the manger,
Lo, for his guard the bright angels attend.
Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid;
Star in the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
Cold on His cradle the dewdrops are shining;
Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall.
Angels adore Him in slumber reclining,
Maker and Monarch and Savior of all.
Shall we not yield him, in costly devotion,
Odors of Edom and offerings divine,
Gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine?
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us Thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
Bearing and Following the Word into the World
*Hymn 136
Go, Tell It On The MountainGo Tell It
*Charge and Benediction
Postlude
Hommage àEdmond ParizeauMarcel Messervier
Rosin Sisters
*Pleasestand,inbodyorinspirit.
Performers
Emory Presbyterian Choir
Soprano
Jackie Gates
Betty Harrell
Mercy Ogutu
Sue Sandell
Alto
Debbie Grosse
Karen Mason
Rose Watkins
Tenor
Andrew Leonard
Betty Harrell
Mercy Ogutu
Sue Sandell
Bass
Bill Choate
Cliff Sandell
Aaron Pratt Shepherd
Richmond Stubbs
Ensemble from Collegium Vocale
Soprano
Beth Gartman
Susan Miller
Alto
Sue Briss
Lori Maishman
Ursula Spitzer
Rosalind Staib
Cindy Weinbaum
Tenor
Peter Briss
Michael Diebert
Andrew Leonard
Guy Maishman
The Rosin Sisters
Moira Nelligan, George Norman, Jan Smith
Instrumentalists
Elena Dorozhkina, piano
Justin Liu, Violin
Reader
Ray Greene
Liturgist
Jill Oglesby Evans
Today we are pleased to welcome to worshipThe Rosin Sisters, three fiddlers who combine their voices, guitars, and banjo to create a unique blend of Southern Appalachian roots music. The group formed in 2006, after years of friendship, to further explore their love of traditional music and song. Cutting their teeth fiddling for Contra and Cajun dances, the Rosin Sistershave performedfor decades in various bandsat festivals and concerts in the Atlanta area and the Southeast.They collectively teach harmony singing at the Blue Ridge Old-time Music Week in Mars Hill, NC, and each teaches music privately.
The Rosin Sisters have produced three CD's: Sweet Sunny South, which received a stellar review in the Old-Time Herald, Walking Through Time's Door,and their most recent, It's All Your Fault. Rosin Sister Jan Smith is here today with Moira Nelligan and George Norman, who are sitting in for the two Sisters unable to attend today’s performance.
We also welcome an ensemble from Collegium Vocale,an adult community choir based at Emory University since the 1960’s. Collegium Vocale is an all-volunteer auditioned group of experienced amateur singers, committed to preserving and promoting the choral arts in the greater Atlanta community by performing a secular and sacred repertoire ranging from the early renaissance to modern music, including demanding or seldom-performed works.
Guest violinist Justin Liuis a junior at Emory University and a student of Jessica Wu.
As ever we remain grateful to Director of Music Paige Mathis, the EPC Chancel Choir, and Elena Dorozhkina, who give so much of themselves, leading us through their music to be better followers of Jesus.
Welcome visitors! If you would like to know more about
the mission and ministry of Emory Presbyterian Church,
please speak with the pastor or the elder at the door, visit or call the office at 404.325.4551.
Emory Presbyterian Church
Greeters: Scott Grosse, Tony Trauring
Liturgist: Jill Oglesby Evans and Ray Greene
Ushers: Patrick Hanigan and Carolyn Olive
Elder-on-Call: Georgette Willix
C-is-for-Caring: Ann Hughes, 4/325-1815, Judy Nunan, 4/636-5668
Church Treasurer: Sally Fleming
Staff
Jill Oglesby Evans, PastorAaron Shepherd, Pastoral Associate
John Michael Blackmon, Seminary Intern
Paige Mathis, Director of Music Elena Dorozhkina, Accompanist
Dr. John S. Austin, Director of Music, Emeritus
Emilliana Kweyu, Eva Gomes, Nursery
Elizabeth Blackmon, Children’s Ministry
Carol Hutton, SextonHeather Baird, Office Administrator
1886 N. Decatur Rd. Atlanta, Georgia 30307
404-325-4551
Advent devotional booklets are available at the back of the church.
Announcements
We are blessed with a great staff at EPC. If you would like to contribute to a Christmas love gift for them, please see Kathryn Hornsby or Tom Peterman.
Buckeyes from Collegium Vocale’s fundraising venture will be available for purchase today following worship at $10 per dozen. The chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls are packaged in a pretty gold box and make for the perfect host gift.
If you are a Michigan fan, Collegium Vocale also will be selling tasty Chestnuts, which are chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls packaged in a pretty gold box, making for the perfect host gift. The Game won’t come around again for another year, but you can have tasty candy and support music at EPC and the broader community today!
The Peace & Global Witness Offeringwas received on World Communion Sunday. The Mission Committee decided to dedicate the portion retained by EPC for local use - $300 - to Druid Hills High School. DHHS Principal Brittany Cunningham-Patrick recently sent the following note:
Thank you so much for your congregation's generous donation to Druid Hills High School. Druid Hills High just hired a school nurse for the first time in decades and your donation will assist Nurse June in obtaining the medical supplies needed to take care of ill students and staff members. It is truly an honor to partner with such a fine church!
The EPC Prayer Roomis prepared for Advent: the Wise Men and the Shepherds are on their journey to Bethlehem. Stop by throughout the Advent Season to observe and reflect upon their progression, and to move them to the next stop along their way.
The Christmas Carol Sing-Along is Sunday, December 19, at 6 pm. This special service of song and treats is our Christmas gift to the community. If you would like to help by providing cookies, assisting in setup or helping with cleanup, contact Karen Mason at /404-308-3726.