The opening words are Come Into This Place, by Rev Margaret Weis.
Come into this place with your whole self – the parts that are raw and exposed;
the part that is beaming with joy;
the part that is seeking the truth, the new, the possibility.
Come into this place – open your heart, lay down your burden, lift up your hope – for something new to happen.
Come into this place, with fellow travelers on the journey –
some faces new
and others familiar
and all welcoming you here – now, to this moment.
Come, let us worship together.
Kyrie IV from Gregorian Mass for Christmas
Gregorian Chant
Performed by the First UU Choir
Public Domain
Sevivon, Sov, Sov, Sov
Traditional Hanukkah Melody
Public Domain
Arranged and Performed by Luna Hamburg
Chanukah hu chag tov,
Chanukah, hu chag tov,
Sevivon, sov, sov sov.
Chag simcha hu la’am
Nes gadol haya sham
Nes gadol haya sham,
Chag simcha hu la’am
When All the Peoples on This Earth
Written by Betsy Jo Angebrand
Arranged by John Prescott
Performed by the First UU Choir
Flautist: Emily McKinney
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
Traditional English Christmas Carol
Arranged by John Prescott
Performed by Eva Riebold, Luke Prescott, and John Prescott
Ma’oz Tzur
Traditional 13th Century Hanukkah Chanted Liturgical Poem
Public Domain
Arranged and Performed by Luna Hamburg
Tikon beit tefilati, vesham toda nezabe’ah.
Le’et takhin matbe’ah mitzar hamnabe’ah.
Az egmor beshir mizmor hanukat hamizbe’ah
Dvir kodsho hevi’ani, vegam sham lo shakateti.
Uva noges vehiglani, ki zarim avadti.
Vyein ra’al masakhti, kim’at she’avarti.
Ketz Bavel Zerubavel, leketz shiv’im nosha’ati.
Rock of Ages, let our song, praise Thy saving power;
Thou, amidst the raging foes, wast our sheltering tower.
Furious they assailed us, but Thine arm availed us,
And Thy Word broke their sword, when our own strength failed us.
Children of the holy land, whether free or fettered,
Wake the echoes of the songs where ye may be scattered.
Yours the message cheering that the time is nearing
Which will see, all peoples freed, tyrants disappearing.
Christmas Morning
Written by Carol Bemmels and Ross Flanagan
Permission Granted
Performed by Paul and Rebecca Phariss
Sunlight and starlight and firelight give birth, wake up the Christ child’s a borning
He’s man and he’s woman, he’s old and he’s young, he’s Buddhist and Christian and Jew.
She’s wealthy, she’s poor and she’s black, brown and white. and oh, yes, the Christ child is you.
Sisters and brothers whatever your sleep. wake up it’s Christmas morning.
Bring with you dreams for the daylight to keep. Wake up the Christ child’s a borning
He’s man and he’s woman, he’s old and he’s young, he’s Muslim, Hindu and UU.
She’s wealthy, she’s poor and she’s black, brown and white. and oh, yes, the Christ child is you.
Jesus was good and he lived long ago, wake up it’s Christmas morning.
You are good too, and you’re living now, so, wake up the Christ child’s a borning.
He’s man and he’s woman, he’s old and he’s young, he’s Islam and humanist too.
She’s wealthy, she’s poor and she’s black, brown and white. and oh, yes, the Christ child is you.
Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
Traditional 17th Century French Christmas Carol
Arranged by John Prescott
Performed by Eva Riebold, Luke Prescott, and John Prescott
Walmart Says It’s Christmas
Written by John Prescott and Paul Phariss
Permission Granted
Performed by Paul and Rebecca Phariss
Walmart says it’s Christmas, so I guess it must be true
Even though it’s August and outside it’s one-oh-two.
Maybe they’re tryin’ to squeeze another dollar out of you,
But Walmart says it’s Christmas so it must be true.
My friends say I should be more green and plant a garden in the Fall,
They say sustainability is the duty of us all.
So I went down to Walmart and went straight to aisle three,
And found the plastic Christmas trees where the garden seeds should be.
(Chorus)
I had them page the manager, and I asked her about the seeds,
I told her about being green and sustainability.
She said “they’re at the warehouse now,” and if she had her way
They wouldn’t mess with seeds and have Black Friday every day.
(Chorus)
Now I may be saying something you don’t want to hear,
But the Christmas songs start playing a little sooner every year.
And using his name for profit is not what Jesus said to do.
But Walmart says it’s Christmas so it must be true
Yes Walmart says it’s Christmas so it must be true
The closing words are It’s Flung, by Rev. Scott Tayler
Joy doesn’t simply arise
It flies.
It flings.
No, it is flung.
It is passed,
it is spread,
between you and me,
between the one who just received a gift
and the one that has been looking for it a long time.
It’s a beautiful and elegant contagion,
over which we have more control than we think.
If only we share it.
If only we notice that it’s not ours to keep,
but ours to pass on.
So let’s light up the world, friends!
Joy blesses us with its exuberance,
so we can make that blessing grow!