Good Christian Friends, Rejoice

Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul, and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say:

 News! News! Jesus Christ is born today;
Ox and ass before Him bow; and He is in the manger now.

Christ is born today! Christ is born today!

Good Christian friends, rejoice, with heart and soul and voice;
Now ye hear of endless bliss: 

Joy! Joy! Jesus Christ was born for this!
He has opened the heavenly door, 

and man is blest forevermore.

Christ was born for this! Christ was born for this!

Good Christian friends, rejoice,

 with heart and soul and voice;
Now ye need not fear the grave:

 Peace! Peace! Jesus Christ was born to save!

Calls you one and calls you all, 

to gain His everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save! Christ was born to save!

14th Century German Carol

“ For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son,

 that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but shall have eternal life.” John 3:16 

The Virgin and Child

Sandro Botticelli

The Christmas Light

I love the sight of Christmas lights

This season of the year,

The merry sounds that now abound

In melodies of cheer.

I love the words that can be heard

In carols that are sung,

The happy cries and sparkling eyes

Among the very young.

I love the scene of evergreens

And wreaths hung everywhere,

Soft falling snow and candle glow

And people bowed in prayer.

I love the bells whose glad notes swell

In tones of purest gold,

How goodness still our lives will fill

As God's great plan unfolds.

I love the light, that special night,

The shepherds saw afar

And ran to find, for humankind,

His bright and morning star!

-John C. Bonser

Nativity Scene

Ruth Morehead

"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."

Luke 2:10-11

Flash Mob singing Handel's Messiah

  King of kings and lord of lords!
King of kings and lord of lords!
And he shall reign forever and ever!

Forever and ever and ever and ever
(King of kings and lord of lords)
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
Hallelujah!

Written by George Friedrich Händel

(1742)