Also, the budget for this was approx. $70 for music. The Christmas Medley was $1.60/copy and we bought 20 for the choir. Our ward already had the Hymnplicity Christmas green book, one for pianist and one for the choir director, so we spent $30 for 2 copies of the red Hymnplicity Christmas book. The concept of these books are that the pianist and choir director have a copy and in the back of these books there is a copy for the choir members that is not copyrighted that is the same size of a hymnal they can slide in their hymnal next to the chosen hymn and sing the parts of the hymn book, but SATB are coordinated creatively. The pianists accompaniment is more intricate and lovely. These pieces can be performance ready in one choir practice. The Hymnplicity books, I believe, are a great investment in a wards music library because this purchase is like buying 7 arrangements for the cost of $30.
So here it is!
Opening Hymn: “I
Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” (Hymn #214)
Sacrament Hymn: “Jesus
Once of Humble Birth” (Hymns #196)
Christmas Program 2017
Choir: “Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful” (Hymnplicity Christmas, green book and hymnal #202)
Narrator-a younger Husband:
And the angel appeared unto Mary
saying “Hail, thou that art highly favored. The lord is with thee. Blessed art
thou among women. Fear not, Mary, for
thou hast found favor with God. And
behold, thou shalt conceive and bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name
Jesus. He shall be great and be called
the Son of the Highest. And of his
kingdom there shall be no end.
Narrator-a young Wife:
And Mary replied “How shall
this? Seeing that I know not a man.”
Narrator-the younger Husband:
The Holy Ghost shall come upon
thee. And the power of the Highest shall
overshadow thee. Therefore, also that holy child which shall be born of thee
shall be called the son of God.
Narrator-the younger wife:
And Mary said “Behold, the handmaid
of the Lord. Be it unto me according to
thy will.”
Mary’s Lullaby from
The Children’s Songbook: sung by a young
woman. This was sung by a 10-year-old
girl in the primary who sang it with such a youthful tenderness
Narrator-the high
priest: (Luke 2: 1, 3-5)
“And it came to
pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all
his empire should be taxed. . . And all went to be taxed, every one into his
own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of
Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David which is called Bethlehem; (because
he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused
wife, being great with child.”
“When Joseph Went to
Bethlehem” from The Childrens Songbook- father / son duet (father 1st verse, son 2nd
verse, together 3rd) This was sung by a
dad and his teenage (17 year old) son.
It was wonderful!
Narrator-the high priest: (Luke 2:6)
And so it was, that, while they
were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she
brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid
him in a manger; because there was none to give room for them in the inns.
Congregation:
“Away in A Manger” (Hymns #206)
Primary Children: “Could I Hold Your Baby” found on LDS.org and was approved by the
bishop.
Narrator-the younger Husband: (Luke 2:8-14)
And there were in the same
country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by
night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of
the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel
said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city
of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this [shall be] a sign
unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a
manger. 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,
good will toward men. 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, good will toward men.
Congregation: “Far, Far, Away on Judea’s Plain” (Hymns #212) Or ALTERNATIVE
“It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” (Hymns
#207)
Narrator-the high
priest
. . . and [he] shall go forth amongst men,
working mighty fmiracles, such as healing
the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the gblind to receive
their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases. (Mosiah
3:5)
Narrator-the young husband:
And
he shall go forth, suffering pains and aafflictions and btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he
will ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him adeath, that he may bloose the bands
of death which bind his people; and he will
take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy,
according to the flesh, that he may
know according to the flesh how to csuccor his people according to their infirmities.
(Alma 7:11-12)
Narrator-the high priest:
Behold, they
will acrucify him; and after he is laid in a bsepulchre for the space of cthree days he shall drise from the
dead, with healing in his wings; and all those who shall believe on his name
shall be saved in the kingdom of
God. . . . (2 Nephi 25:13)
Narrator-the young husband:
And
if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the bands of death that
the grave should have no victory, and
that death should have no asting, there could have been no
resurrection. But there is a aresurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the
sting of bdeath is swallowed up in Christ. (Mosiah
16:7-8)
Choir: “With Wondering Awe” (Hymnplicity Christmas -red book & Hymns #210)
Narrator-the high
priest
President Hinckley has said,
“There would be no Christmas if there had not been Easter. The babe
Jesus of Bethlehem would be but another baby without the redeeming Christ of
Gethsemane and Calvary, and the triumphant fact of the Resurrection.
“I believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ, the Son of the Eternal, Living God. None so great has ever
walked the earth. None other has made a comparable sacrifice or granted
a comparable blessing. He is the Savior and the Redeemer of the
world. I believe in Him. I declare His divinity without
equivocation or compromise. I love Him. I speak His name
in reverence and wonder. . .
“Our joy at this season is
because He came into the world. The peace that comes from Him, His
infinite love which each of us may feel, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude
for that which He freely gave us at so great a cost to Himself—these are the of
the true essence of Christmas.” (Liahona 2000)
For
Unto Us a Child is Born: Narrated with piano arrangement for background.
This link was the concept, but we used the
actual music for background.
This
could be optional if you’re not quite sure how to pull this off or don’t have a
piano. arrangement to work with. The narrator and pianists musical background meant they were able to pull this off masterfully as it took coordinating phrases of scriptures with musical phrases.
O
Holy Night Solo
BISHOP:
Remarks, (Concluding with:
I read the following in a declaration
entitled “The Living Christ” written by the apostles of the Lord:
“We bear testimony, as His duly ordained
Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the
great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is
the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads
to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked
for the matchless gift of His Divine Son.”)
This was offered to the bishop if he wanted to use it.
Christmas Medley
Includes Joy to The World, Angels We Have
Heard on High, Silent Night-Choir
with piano and organ accompaniment, congregation on the last verse (arrangement
by: Larry Beebe/Larice Music)
Closing Prayer
-->
