[0:00] Jesus Christ. It's wonderful to see folk from the community. It's great to welcome people from other parts of the island. And I know that many of you are also home for Christmas. We're so, so glad you're back.
[0:13] And we pray that you'd all be blessed and encouraged as we worship together. It's a long time since we've had to fill out extra seats for a church service. So it's just awesome to be able to do that. Thank you so much for being here.
[0:26] The service format tonight will be a little bit different from usual. We're going to have more singing, so there will be more opportunities to sing. And we're going to have several different readings, each recounting for us the momentous events of Jesus's birth.
[0:41] And I'm delighted to be welcoming friends to come up and share in the readings as we go through the service together. And then towards the end of the service, there'll just be a short sermon.
[0:52] This will be the one and only time you'll get a short sermon from Thomas Davis. So you can look forward to that. I'll have to stick to my word. And we'll look to wrap up about seven o'clock.
[1:03] And then afterwards we'll have tea and coffee served both at the hatch and at the station at the front here. And we'd love to be able to share a time of fellowship together afterwards. So please do stick around. It's a great opportunity to catch up with people you haven't seen for a long time.
[1:18] And a great opportunity to meet new people as well. So a very, very warm welcome to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We're going to begin and we will prepare our hearts for worship with the words of Isaiah chapter nine verse six.
[1:36] This is our call to worship for this evening. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, Prince of Peace.
[1:57] Most of our songs tonight will be carols, but we are going to begin singing together from Sam 100, which is a Sam that is so fitting for a carol service like this because it speaks of all the nations of the world rising up to sing with joy and thanksgiving to God.
[2:14] And as we sing these words, we are continuing on many, many generations before us have sung these words. Many people around the world continue to sing them today and they're all expressing the joy and hope that we have through the birth and work of Jesus.
[2:32] So Angus is going to lead us and we're going to stand and sing these wonderful words together. All people that's on earth to dwell, sing to the Lord with cheerful voice, hymn said with mirth his praise foretell, carry before him and rejoice, know that the Lord is God indeed, with authority did us make, we are his small beat of us sing, and for his sheep beat of us sing.
[3:57] O enter then his gates with praise, approach with joy his courts unto, or it is he we so do do, for why the Lord our God is good, his mercy is forever sure, his truth and all's light's burn we sooth, and shall from each to each end you.
[5:25] Let's pray together. Dear God, our Father in heaven, we thank you so, so much that we can come together this evening to worship you and to sing your praise in the name of your Son in the presence of your spirit.
[5:38] We bow before you our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and we rejoice that we can come here this evening to worship you together. Thank you for everybody who has come here.
[5:49] Thank you for everybody joining us online. Thank you for this amazing opportunity to be able to worship together. We come together tonight with joy because of your Son, our Lord Jesus, who was born in such humble circumstances and who experienced so much opposition, who suffered so much and yet now is risen at your right hand.
[6:14] And he's the one who gives us hope and joy and peace. And we are here tonight to celebrate that and to thank you that you sent your Son. We worship you, but you gave him up for us all so that we might be saved.
[6:28] And we pray that as we gather together this evening, you would be near to us, that you would speak to us and that you would draw us all closer to you. Thank you for everybody who's come this evening and whoever we are, Father, you know us and you know our circumstances.
[6:43] And we come here with joy and thanksgiving for the many, many good gifts in our lives. But we also come here with bruises and scars from all the struggles that life can bring.
[6:55] And as we come to you this evening, we come to you as we band and we lay ourselves, our lives and our hearts before you. And we pray, oh God, that you would meet with us all.
[7:06] We acknowledge that we have wandered from you in our lives. We acknowledge that we are sinners, but we thank you so much that in Jesus there is healing and forgiveness, hope, grace, mercy and love.
[7:20] And we pray that all of those things would become clearer to us as we sing and as we read and as we study your word together. Thank you so, so much that we have this opportunity to worship together.
[7:31] And we do so, recognizing that we are part of a worldwide family of believers. And we rejoice that there are many, many others, people all over the world, rising up today to sing the praise of Jesus.
[7:44] And we join with them with thanksgiving in our hearts, praying that all across our nation and to the ends of the earth, the name of Jesus would be lifted on high. So bless us all be with us and please may your spirit be moving among us tonight.
[8:00] We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, we're going to sing lots of different songs together tonight. All of them speaking of the wonder of the fact that Jesus sent his son into the, that God sent his son, Jesus.
[8:13] Into the world to be our Savior. And we're going to sing together the wonderful hymn, Hark the Herald, Angel Sing. This is a hymn that just echoes that great imagery we have of the angels singing across the skies on the night that Jesus was born.
[8:29] And the words that we sing here, they actually speak so powerfully of the gospel and of everything that God is doing for us through Jesus. So the musicians are going to lead us and we're going to stand and sing together.
[8:42] Thank you. Hark the Herald, Angel Sing. Glory to the new born King.
[9:53] Christ by highest hand adored, Christ the everlasting Lord. Wait in time behold and come, all spring of the virgin's womb.
[10:13] Hail him, flesh the Godhead see, Hail him, carnet deity. Christ the spot with mine to dwell, Jesus art in my new hell.
[10:33] Hark the Herald, Angel Sing. Glory to the new born King.
[10:47] Hail the handborn prince of peace, Hail the son of righteousness, Fight and life to all he brings, Prison with healing in his wings.
[11:07] And relays his glory back, For that man no more may die, For to raise us from the earth, For to give us second birth.
[11:27] Hark the Herald, Angel Sing. Glory to the new born King.
[11:45] We're going to have several readings from scripture this evening, each of these describing the great night when Jesus was born. So first of all I'm going to invite Ian McClain, one of our elders.
[11:58] He is going to come forward and read to us from Matthew chapter 1 verses 18 to 25. He will be on the screen and you can read along as Ian reads this passage for us.
[12:35] The slide of the translation does not show yet. That's because for some reason it just barelyouses, as in the Old Kingsadin Bible.
[12:51] But really, He's didn't have much motivation to read. The Gospel according to Matthew 1 verse 18. The birth of Jesus Christ.
[13:09] Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way, when his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph. Before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.
[13:22] And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resulted to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. For he will save his people from their sins.
[13:59] All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the Prophet. Behold, the Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which means God with us. When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. He took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to her son, and he called his name Jesus. Amen.
[14:43] Thank you so much, Ian. We're now going to sing What Child is This. Many of you will know this carol, some of you may not though, but it's a very familiar tune and again, beautiful words just speaking of the magnitude of the child born in Bethlehem. So the musicians will lead us and we'll stand and sing together.
[15:19] What Child is This. Many of you may know this carol, some of you may not though, but it is a very familiar tune and again, beautiful words just speaking of the magnitude of the child born in Bethlehem.
[16:05] Why lies the end such many states where all suns and earths are feeding? Could Christians fear for synergy? The silent word is feeding. This is Christ the King, whose shepherds are an angel's sake. Pace, praise to bring him praise, the bitter son of Mary. So bring him praise, the men sent sultan her, from pheasant king to old him. The king of kings, salvation is this. The silent word is feeding. This is Christ the King, whose shepherds are an angel's sake. Pace, praise to bring him praise, the bitter son of Mary.
[17:47] Well as I'm sure you all know, the Gaelic language is such an integral part of our culture and our community here on the islands and we love to be able to include Gaelic aspects in our services and later on we're going to be singing a Gaelic Psalm but I'm delighted to invite Mari who's going to come forward and read our next passage from Luke's Gospel in Gaelic and now on the screen you'll have both the Gaelic and English in parallel so you'll be able to follow along in both and hopefully that will help you keep pace to where we are but we very much want to hear the Gaelic language being spoken and I'm delighted to welcome Mari as she comes and reads this passage for us.
[18:28] In the Gospel Luke's, capital A, the life of the king of kings is in the heart.
[18:40] In the Gospel Luke's, capital A, the life of the king of kings is in the heart. In the Gospel Luke's, capital A, the life of the king of kings is in the heart.
[19:00] In the Gospel Luke's, capital A, the life of the king of kings is in the heart. In the Gospel Luke's, capital A, the life of the king of kings is in the heart.
[19:20] In the Gospel Luke's, capital A, the life of the king of kings is in the heart. In the Gospel Luke's, capital A, the life of the king of kings is in the heart.
[19:40] In the Gospel Luke's, capital A, the life of the king of kings is in the heart. In the Gospel Luke's, capital A, the life of the king of kings is in the heart.
[20:00] Carol Infant Holy, again this is a short but very beautiful Carol.
[20:14] Again just speaking to us about Jesus, about the child born in the manger come to be our Saviour. So we'll stand to sing and the musicians will lead us as we sing Infant Holy, Infant Loli, for his bed at cattle store.
[20:35] Infant Holy, Infant Loli, for his bed at cattle store.
[20:53] Foxen lowing, little lowing, Christ the big is Lord of all. Swifter ringing, angels singing, noel's ringing, tidings ringing.
[21:10] Christ the big is Lord of all. Christ the big is Lord of all.
[21:21] Fox were singing, shepherds peeping, angels to the morning dew. Saw the glory, heard the story, tidings of the Gospel trail.
[21:39] Cross rejoicing, free from sorrow, praises voicing, greet the Lord, Christ the big was born for you.
[22:02] Well for our next reading I'm delighted to invite a really good friend of mine, Andy coming, Andy Sanelda in Garibost pre-church. And it's a huge privilege to welcome friends from across the island as we come to worship together.
[22:15] Andy's going to read to us the next section of Luke's Gospel continuing on from where Mari finished reading from verse 8. So delighted to welcome you Andy, thank you.
[22:31] Luke chapter 2 verse 8 to 20. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock by night.
[22:46] And an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, fear not, for behold I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people.
[23:02] For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a saviour who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you. You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
[23:18] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.
[23:31] When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.
[23:44] And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child and all who heard it, what wondered at what the shepherds told them.
[24:01] But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen as it had been told them. Amen.
[24:21] Thank you so much Andy. Our next song is Silent Night. I'm going to ask you just to stay seated for this. As we sing this together, I don't know if someone's trying to message me, I don't know if that was me.
[24:38] As we sing this, before the last verse we're going to incorporate a short reading from Isaiah. So we'll remain seated but please do sing along and as we listen to God's word and as we sing about that great night together.
[24:52] So the musicians will lead us. Let's sing to God's praise together. Silent night, grind your virgin mother and child, Holy infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace.
[25:51] Silent night, holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight, Glory stream from heaven above, Heavenly hosts sing hallelujah, Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born.
[26:33] For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
[26:49] Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness, from this time forth and forevermore.
[27:04] The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Silent night, holy night, Son of God's love's pure life, Brethren, beams come by holy grace, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus Lord of my birth, Jesus Lord of my birth.
[27:54] So good, so good. For our final reading I'm delighted to invite Ebi McLeod to come up and read from Matthew's Gospel chapter two, reading from verse one to fifteen.
[28:12] And it's a huge privilege to welcome Ebi. As many of you will know our partnership with the Church of Scotland here is something that means so, so much to us. And it's so good to see so many of you coming to support us again this evening. And it's a huge privilege to have you, Ebi, as one of our readers tonight.
[28:28] So it was great pleasure. I invite you forward to read this passage. Thank you.
[28:39] Now, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the King, behold wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying, Where is he who has been born King of the Jews?
[28:53] For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. When Herod the King heard this he was troubled and all of Jerusalem with him. And assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
[29:10] They told him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet, And you O Bethlehem in the land of Judah are by no means least among the rulers of Judah.
[29:23] For from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared.
[29:36] And he sent them to Bethlehem saying, Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word that I too may come and worship him. After listening to the King they went on their way, and behold the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.
[29:59] When they saw the star they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy, and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother and they fell down and worshipped him.
[30:10] Then opening their treasures they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod they departed to their own country by another way.
[30:27] Now when they had departed behold an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, Rise, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child to destroy him.
[30:44] And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remain there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet. Out of Egypt I called my son.
[31:05] Thank you so much Evie. We're going to sing a Gaelic Psalm now and the Psalm is Psalm 107 and we're going to sing verses 28 to 30.
[31:17] Gaelic Psalm singing is such a beautiful and important part of heritage here. You can see on the screen just now we've got the English and the Gaelic side by side.
[31:28] And so you can see that these two verses that we're going to sing are speaking about being caught in a storm. And the verses that we sing, that we're going to sing in particular are speaking about God calming that storm.
[31:43] It's the picture of sailors in trouble, in fear of their lives crying out to God and being helped by Him. Now if anyone's unfamiliar with Gaelic Psalm singing, it's a little bit different from singing in English but it's very straightforward.
[31:56] We sing the first two lines together so in a moment Dole will lead us and he'll sing those first two lines. Gle, Iet, Ri, Ji, En, Cain, Is, Heure, Iet, On, Trip, Plach, Geher. They cried to God in trouble, He freed them. And so we'll sing those two lines together.
[32:12] And then from the third line, verse Mark 29 there, Grat, Chirid, Lish, En, Stir, Im, Geher, Dole will sing that line on his own. And then we will sing it back to him. And from that point on we follow the pattern of Dole putting the line out and as a congregation we sing the line back to him as we worship God together.
[32:30] So it's all very straightforward. We'll sing two stands as together. We remain seated for singing in Gaelic, singing these beautiful words about God bringing calm to a storm.
[32:41] Gle, Iet, Ri, Ji, En, Cain, Is, Heure, Iet, On, Trip, Plach, Geher. Gle, Iet, Ri, Ji, En, Cain, Is, Heure, Iet, On, Trip, Plach, Geher.
[33:15] Gle, Iet, Ri, Ji, En, Cain, Is, Heure, Iet, On, Trip, Plach, Geher.
[33:39] Snand gone, nand ho wrist Na,anna, nana,19, In Shenhaiya, Troy, Chersona, In Shenhaiya, Troy, Chersona, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[34:44] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[35:52] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[36:54] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[37:59] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[39:02] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[40:05] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[41:08] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[42:11] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[43:14] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[44:17] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[45:19] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[46:22] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[47:25] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[48:34] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[49:37] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[50:40] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[51:43] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[52:46] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[53:56] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[54:59] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[56:02] In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains, In the mountains of the mountains,
[57:05] In the mountains of the mountains, Long lay the world in sin and let her bind it, Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth, A thrill of hope, a weary world rejoices, For younger breaks anew and glorious morn,
[58:06] All on your knees, O hear the angel voices, O night divine, O night when Christ was born, O night divine, O night, O night divine, Truly he taught us to love one another,
[59:08] His law is God and his gospel is peace, Change shall he break for the swivels are brother, And in this name all oppression shall cease, Sweet hands of joy and grateful chorus raise we, Let all within us praise his holy name, Christ is the Lord, O praise his name forever,
[60:12] His heart and glory ever more, O praise his heart and glory ever more, O praise all on your knees, O hear the angel voices, O night divine, O night when Christ was born,
[61:21] O night divine, O night divine, O night divine, O night when Christ was born, O night divine, O night when Christ was born,
[62:31] O night divine, O night when Christ was born, O night divine, O night when Christ was born, All of your sleeves and go for it and we'll sing this wonderful hymn just rejoicing, adoring our incredible saviour Jesus Christ. Let's stand together.
[63:21] O come, O give faith, full, 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, Christ the Lord, God upon, Christ upon, Glory a force of emergency,
[64:27] He called, he called and not created, O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord, Sing part of angels, sing in exultation, Sing on the citizens of Bethlehem, Glory to God, O glory and the highest, O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him,
[65:31] O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord, Christ the Lord, God upon, Christ upon, Glory to God, God upon, Christ upon, Christ upon, Christ upon,
[66:33] We hope you all have an absolutely amazing Christmas day and may you know God's blessing and peace as you look into the new year and 2024. And as we depart just now, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
[66:51] And all God's people say Amen.