Opening Song:Hark, original music and words by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and Charles Wesley, additional words and music by Joth Hunt Lyrics:Hark the herald angels singGlory to the newborn KingPeace on earth and mercy mildGod and sinners reconciledJoyful all ye nations riseJoin the triumph of the skiesWith angelic hosts proclaimChrist is born in BethlehemHark the herald angels singGlory to the newborn KingHark the herald angels singChrist by highest heaven adoredChrist the everlasting LordLate in time behold Him comeOffspring of the Virgin’s wombHail the flesh the Godhead seeHail the incarnate DeityPleased as man with man to dwellJesus our EmmanuelHark the herald angels singGlory to the new born KingHark the herald angels singGlory to the new born KingHark the herald angels singGlory to the new born KingHail the Heaven-born Prince of PeaceHail the Son of righteousnessLight and life to all He bringsRisen with healing in His wingsMild He lays His glory byBorn that man no more may dieBorn to raise the sons of earthBorn to give them second birthHark the herald angels singGlory to the new born KingHark the herald angels singGlory to the new born KingPassage: 7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.(Luke Musical Reflection: Angels We Have Heard on High (GLORIA), French carolReflection Notes: This joyful French carol describes the scene found in Luke Prayer:Come, true light.Come, life eternal.Come, hidden mystery.Come, light that knows no evening. Come, for your name fills our hearts with longing and is ever on our lips;yet who you are and what your nature is, we cannot say or know. Come, Alone to the alone. Come, for you are yourself the desire that is within me.Come, my breath and life. Come, the consolation of my humble soul.Come, my joy, my glory, my endless delight.-A prayer of Symeon of Chrysopolis (present-day Üsküdar, Turkey), adapted from The Oxford Book of Prayer