Dovecote Christmas Carol Concert 2007 2007
Wednesday 19 December at 8pm
We welcomed to our Annual Carol Concert our special guests Chris Grayling MP for Epsom and Ewell , Councillor Jean Steer Mayor of Epsom and Ewell and Chief Executive, Epsom and Ewell Borough Council - David Smith with Patrons of COTE Roy and Nancy Richmond, Lady Annabel Titman sadly was unable to attend. The congregation on a cold and frosty evening assembled at St Barnabas Church to be entertained by the Scout and Guide Band , the Drama Group and the Whitehall Singers, in a delightful melody of carols, music and topical drama.
We were delighted to have the Rev. Cindy Kent as our compere for the evening and she kept us on track with the delightful programme , what a memorable way to start the Christmas festivities, so put the date in your diaries for 2008.
✴ Introduction: Cindy Kent
✴ Everybody: Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn 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 newborn 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
Glory to the newborn 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 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
Glory to the newborn King
✴ Drama Group: “Let’s keep Christmas”
✴ Bethlehem Peace Light
- presented by the 8 th / 14 th Air Scouts from St Barnabas and St Josephs Churches.
The Bethlehem Peace Light was originally organised by the Austrian Broadcasting Company - and was part of a large charitable relief mission - Light into Darkness, for children in need in Austria and abroad. Since 1986, there has been a great deal of co-operation between Scouts and Guides in many countries which has allowed the light to travel throughout Europe, such that the light is passed on 23 European Countries and for the past few years on to America. Each year, a child from Upper Austria fetches the light from the grotto in Bethlehem where Jesus was born. The light is then flown to Austria from where it is distributed at a Service of Dedication to delegations from across Europe who take it back, with a message of Peace, to their own countries for use at ecumenical services throughout the Continent. Scouts and Guides can then take the light on to other churches, hospitals, old people’s homes, prisons, and places of public, cultural and political importance - to anybody that appreciates the significance of the "gift". In past years the light has been presented to Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, Mikhail S. Gorbachev, former President of the USSR, King Abdullah bin Al Hussein of Jordan, E U President Romano Prodi and other members of the European parliament in Strasbourg, the UN Troops in Kosovo and to Ground Zero, New York.
✴ Everybody: It came upon the Midnight Clear
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.
Still through the cloven skies they come
with peaceful wings unfurled,
and still their heavenly music floats
o'er all the weary world;
above its sad and lowly plains,
they bend on hovering wing,
and ever o'er its Babel sounds
the blessed angels sing.
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;
Oh hush the noise, ye men of strife,
And hear the Angels sing.
For lo! the days are hastening on,
by prophet seen of old,
when with the ever-circling years
shall come the time foretold
when peace shall over all the earth
its ancient splendours fling,
and the whole world send back the song
which now the angels sing.
✴ Reading: Luke 2 verses 1-20 - Brian Angus Chairman of CTiE
Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrolment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
All went to enrol themselves, everyone to his own city.
Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; to enrol himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being great with child.
It happened, while they were there, that the day had come that she should give birth.
She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.
Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
The angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough." Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, On earth peace, good will toward men."
It happened, when the angels went away from them into the sky, that the shepherds said one to another, "Let's go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."
They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the feeding trough.
When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child. All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken to them.
✴ Music: Kingston and Malden Scout and Guide Band
The Kingston & Malden Scout & Guide Band is an enthusiastic marching band consisting of young people between the ages of 9 to 21, with adult leaders and instructors, who are all members of the Scout & Guide Association in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.
All members take part in band activities in addition to their normal Scout & Guide training programmes.
The Band was formed in 1950 by Cliff Williams who was a local cubmaster. Cliff brought together 6 scouts, 3 playing bugles and 3 on side drums. The Kingston District Scout Band was seen at its first public event in April 1951 at Kingston's St Georges Day Parade.
Geoff Mynott joined the Band as a scout at its formation and went on to become its Bandmaster for over 30 years. He retired from this post in December 1995 and became Honorary Life President. Sadly Geoff was unable to attend the bands 50th Birthday Concert, held in Kingston's prestigious council chambers, and passed away in June 2000.
The Bands current Bandmaster is Alison Eggitt and Karl Nicholas is the assistant Bandmaster. Along with their team of instructors both have been able to continue developing the Band from where Geoff left off.
Scouting’s Centenary year this year is turning out to be a really busy and memorable one for us. We’ve brought Suffolk Scouts’ Centenary Parade to life in Bury St. Edmunds and had an exhausting day performing as part of the closing ceremony for the World Jamboree. Since the summer, we have performed at “Bands United” - a concert featuring Kingston’s three Scout and Guide bands - been part of a County massed band at this year’s Lord Mayor’s Show and performed at “Live ‘07” - another national Centenary event.
more about the Band.....here.
The
Silver Band who stepped in at the last minute played for all the
congregational hymns and carols, whilst they could only muster 50% of their
normal strength due to other engagements, they performed at a very high
standard and kept the singing to a welcome fast pace, whilst conductorless
they kept perfect timing and deserved the extended applause. Their Christmas
medley was most appropriated and enjoyable.
Midway
in the service Christopher Hill gave his Christmas message based on the
Russian story of
Babushka The gist of the story is: The three wise men following the star to
find the Christ Child stop at Babushka's cottage asking for food and
shelter. She willingly takes them in, they invite her to go with them to
find the Babe, but she says she has to clean the cottage, find her best
clothes, she has no suitable gift and many more reasons, a bit like us.
