CHRISTMAS GIFTS written by Tanis Harms TOPIC: SCRIPTURE: Style: Cast: Set & Props: NOTES: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. SCRIPT: SONG 1: O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM . lyrics: Phillips Brooks, music: Lewis H. Redner . (sing verse 3) . "How silently, how silently . The wondrous gift is given! . So God imparts to human hearts . The blessings of His heaven . No ear may hear His coming, . But in this world of sin, . Where meek souls will receive Him still . The dear Christ enters in." (During the song, PERSON 1 enters carrying a gift and waits until the last line has been sung.) . P1 "Christmas is all about gifts... . the gifts that God . desires to give each one of us... Christs birth James 1:17 musical & recital program 17 people, plus choir Christmas tree, 17 wrapped gifts ON FLEXIBILITY - each part can step out from the choir and say their lines, or you can have them enter from off stage and slowly add them to the choir if you want more people to have lines, you can split each part have people walking to their places as the songs are still being sung so that there isnt any down-time, or have them walk in at the beginning of each song and wait there while holding out the present as if the song is part of the gift, each song relates to the next gift and Bible verse you can choose which songs/gifts to use songs can be done in a variety of ways: songs or song portions can be solos or smaller group numbers, they dont all have to be done just by the choir you can find different songs or updated versions of suggested songs

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the blessings from heaven. James 1:17 'Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights...'

(PERSON 1 puts the gift under the tree and joins choir.) SONG 2: JOY TO THE WORLD! . lyrics by Isaac Watts . music by George Frederick Handel, . (sing verse 4) . "He rules the world with truth and grace, . And makes the nations prove . The glories of - His righteousness, . And wonders of His love, . And wonders of His love, . And wonders, wonders of His love" P2 . . . . . . (enters carry gift) God is love, and Gods greatest gift to us is love. 1 John 4:16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love... (puts gift under tree and joins choir)

SONG 3: O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL . lyrics and music by John Francis Wade . (sing verse 3) . "Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, . Born this happy morning, . Jesus, to Thee by all glory given; . Word of the Father, now flesh appearing! . O come, let us adore Him, . O come, let us adore Him, . O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord." P3 . . . . . . . (enters carrying gift) God gave us the gift of His Word, His words are contained in the Bible. Psalm 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words John 6:63 "the words that I have spoken to you are spirit - and are life. (puts gift under tree and joins choir)

SONG 5: I WONDER AS I WANDER . lyrics from Appalachian carol, . adapted and music by John Jacob Niles,

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arranged by Donald P. Hustad (sing verse 1) "I wonder as I wander out under the sky, How Jesus the Savior did come for to die For poor, ornery people like you and like I I wonder as I wander, out under the sky" (enters carrying gift) Jesus coming to die for our sins, was Gods most precious gift to us. Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (puts gift under tree and joins choir)

SONG 6: SILENT NIGHT! HOLY NIGHT! . lyrics by Joseph Mohr, . music by Franz Gruber . (sing verse 3) . "Silent night, holy night, . Son of God, loves pure light . Radiant beams from Thy holy face, . With the dawn of redeeming grace, . Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth . Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth" P6 . . . . . . . . . . . (enters carrying gift) Through Jesus, we can receive Gods gift of redeeming grace. Romans 5:15 how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. (puts gift under tree and joins choir) 4

SONG 7: A NATIVITY PRAYER . lyrics by Phillips Brooks . music by William David Young . (sing) "O holy Child of Bethlehem! . Descend to us, we pray; . Cast out our sin, and enter in; . Be born in us today." P7 . . . (enters carrying gift) God offers us this gift: the forgiveness of sins. Acts 10:43 Of Him

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all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins." (puts gift under tree and joins choir)

SONG 10:AWAY IN A MANGER . lyrics by John Thomas McFarland . music by James R. Murray . or William J. Kirkpatrick . (sing verse 3) . "Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to say . Close by me forever, and love me, I pray . Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care . And fit us for heaven, . to live with Thee there." P10 (enters with gift) . The gift of being saved, . means the gift of protection . and eternal life in heaven. . 1 John 5:18 He who was born of God . keeps him, . and the evil one does not touch him. . Romans 11:29 for God's gifts . and His call are irrevocable. . Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, . but the gift of God is eternal life . in Christ Jesus our Lord. . (puts gift under tree and joins choir) . SONG 11:IT CAME UPON THE MIDNIGHT CLEAR . lyrics: Edmund H. Sears, . music: Richard S. Willis . (sing verse 1) . "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 heavens all-gracious King! . The world in solemn stillness lay . To hear the angels sings." P11 . . . . . . (enters with gift) The gift of being saved, means the gift of peace in your hearts. John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.

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Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. (puts gift under tree and joins choir)

SONG 12:HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING . lyrics by Charles Wesley . music by Felix Mendelssohn, . arranged by William H. Cummings . (sing verse 3) . "Hail the heaven born Prince of Peace! . Hail the Sun 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.' P12 (enters with gift) . The gift of being saved, . means the gift of healing the soul. . 1 Peter 2:24 and He Himself . bore our sins in His body on the cross, . so that we might die to sin . and live to righteousness; . for by His wounds you were healed. . (puts gift under tree and joins choir) SONG 15:LITTLE DRUMMER BOY . by Katherine K.Davis/Henry Onorati/Harry Simeone . (sing verse 2) . "Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum . I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum . I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum . That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum, . rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, . Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum, . On my drum?" . 8 P15 (enters and holds out empty arms) . What can I give our most gracious Lord? . I come with empty hands. All that I have, . is what God provides me. All that I can give, . are my talents through serving. . 1 Corinthians 7:7 ...each man has his own gift . from God; one has this gift, another has that. . Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift . he has received to serve others, . faithfully administering God's grace . in its various forms.

SONG 16:ANGELS, FROM THE REALMS OF GLORY . lyrics by James Montgomery, . music by Henry T. Smart . (sing verse 1) . "Angels, from the realms of glory, . Wing your flight oer all the earth; . Ye who sang creations story, . Now proclaim Messiahs birth; . Come and worship, come and worship, . Worship Christ, the newborn King." P16 . . . . . . . . INSERT: . . (enters and holds out empty arms) What can I give our most gracious Lord? I come with empty hands. All that I have, is what God provides me. All that I can give, is my thankful praises. Hebrews 13:15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. short message from Pastor, then the lighting of the candles and passing of the light usually done while singing Silent Night