Recorded at Centenary Methodist Church, Boston (12/25)

The Band of the RAF College – Troika

Welcome – Rev. Frances Finn, BBC Radio Lincolnshire Presenter

Once in royal David’s city,

Stood a lowly cattle shed,

Where a mother laid her baby

In a manger for His bed:

Mary was that mother mild,

Jesus Christ her little child.

He came down to earth from heaven

Who is God and Lord of all,

And His shelter was a stable,

And His cradle was a stall:

With the poor, and mean, and lowly

Lived on earth our Saviour holy.

And through all His wondrous childhood

He would honour and obey,

Love and watch the lowly maiden,

In whose gentle arms He lay:

Christian children all must be

Mild, obedient, good as He.

For He is our childhood’s pattern,

Day by day like us He grew,

He was little, weak, and helpless,

Tears and smiles like us He knew:

And He feeleth for our sadness,

And He shareth in our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see Him,

Through His own redeeming love,

For that child so dear and gentle

Is our Lord in heaven above;

And He leads His children on

To the place where He is gone.

Not in that poor lowly stable,

With the oxen standing by,

We shall see Him; but in heaven,

Set at God’s right hand on high;

Where like stars His children crowned

All in white shall wait around.

Coastal Community Choir – Carol of the Bells

The Nativity written and read by Children of St Nicholas Church of England Primary School

The Band of the RAF College – In the Bleak Midwinter

Coastal Community Choir – Feliz Navidad

We three kings of Orient are;
bearing gifts we traverse afar,
field and fountain, moor and mountain,
following yonder star.

[Refrain] O star of wonder, star of night,
star with royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding,
guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem's plain,
gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
over us all to reign. [Refrain]

Frankincense to offer have I;
incense owns a Deity nigh;
prayer and praising, voices raising,
worshiping God on high. [Refrain]

Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
breathes a life of gathering gloom;
sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
sealed in the stone-cold tomb. [Refrain]

Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice:
Alleluia, Alleluia,
sounds through the earth and skies. [Refrain]

The Band of the RAF College

Cuban Jingle Bells

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels;

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

God of God, Light of Light,
Lo! he abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
Very God, begotten, not created;

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

See how the shepherds,

Summoned to His cradle,

Leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear;

We too will thither

Bend our joyful footsteps;

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Lo! star-led chieftains,

Magi, Christ adoring,

Offer H im incense, gold and myrrh;

We to the Christ Child

Bring our hearts’ oblations:

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Child, for us sinners

Poor and in the manger

Fain we embrace thee, with awe and love;

Who would not love thee,

Loving us so dearly?

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above;
Glory to God in the highest;

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

‘Little Lights of the Passing Year’ by Tanya Akrofi with contributions from BBC Radio Lincolnshire listeners – read by BBC Radio Lincolnshire Presenter, Sean Dunderdale

The Band of the RAF College

Magnum Mysterium

Coastal Community Choir

O Little Town

Address - Rev. Dr. Val Ogden

Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled:
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies,
With th’ angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Hark! the herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King.

Christ, by highest heav’n adored,
Christ the everlasting Lord,
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a Virgin’s womb:
Veiled in flesh the God-head see,
Hail th’ incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.

Hark! the herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King.

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n 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.

Blessing – Rev Frances Finn

The Band of the RAF College - Sleigh Ride