Allamakee Ecumenical Choir to present 42nd annual “Festival of Lessons and Carols” this Sunday at St. John's Lutheran Church

The Allamakee Ecumenical Choir will present its 42nd annual Candlelight Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols service this Sunday, December 9 at 7 p.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, located at 8 Fifth Street SW in Waukon. Area clergy will read the lessons, and carols will be sung by the choirs and congregation while accompanied by organ, trumpets and handbells.

Choral numbers will be presented by the Ecumenical Choir, Ecumenical Men’s Choir and Ecumenical Children’s Choir. Musical selections will also be presented by the St. John’s Lutheran Church Youth and Senior Handbell Choirs and the Bixby String Quintet. The program is prepared and directed by James Bieber, Organist and Director of Music at St. John’s Lutheran Church, and he is assisted by his daughter, Sarah Palmer, Waukon Middle and High School Choral Director.

The public is invited to attend and share in this joyous community celebration of Christmas. A reception will follow the event in the church basement.

The Allamakee Ecumenical Choir presents the...
42nd Annual Candlelight Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols

Director/Organist: James H. Bieber; Assisted by Sarah J. Palmer
Sunday, December 9, 2018, 7 p.m.
St. John's Lutheran Church, Waukon, Iowa

Pre-service Music: Waukon High School Brass Quintet and The Bixby String Quintet

A FESTIVAL OF LESSONS AND CAROLS
Prelude:
HE IS BORN, Tune: IL EST NÉ, French carol, XVIII Century; Arr.: Mark Arnold
Welcome:  Rev. Wayne Ellingson
Processional: O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL; Tune: ADESTE FIDELES, Text: Latin Hymn, XVIII Century; Music: John F. Wade's CANTUS DIVERSI, 1751; Ecumenical Choirs, Congregation and Trumpet; Introduction arranged by David Lasky
Opening Prayer:  Rev. Wayne Ellingson

THE LESSONS AND CAROLS
First Lesson:
GENESIS iii    Rev. Father Mark Osterhaus
Carol: SIR CHRISTEMAS, Words: Anon. (c. 1500); Music: William Mathias; Ecumenical Choir and Organ
Second Lesson: ST. LUKE ii    Rev. Samantha Houser
Carol: STAR CAROL; Words and Music: John Rutter; Ecumenical Choir and Piano
Third Lesson: ST. LUKE i    Rev. Kenneth Kimball
Carol: ANGEL TIDINGS; Text: John Rutter; Tune: Moravian Traditional Carol; Arr.: John Rutter; Combined Ecumenical Choirs and Piano
Carol: A CHRISTMAS CAROL COLLAGE: Five Christmas Carols; Arr.: Margaret R. Tucker; Ecumenical Choirs, Congregation and St. John’s Senior Handbell Choir
Fourth Lesson: ST. MATHEW ii    Rev. Laura Gentry
Carol: HURRY, SHEPHERDS!; Text and Music: Deborah Govenor; Ecumenical Children's Choir, Piano and Handbells
Fifth Lesson: ISAIAH ix    Rev. Tim Rupert
Carol: UNTO US; Text: Isaiah 9:6; Music: Mark Patterson; Ecumenical Children's Choir, Handbells and Piano
Announcements:    Rev. Wayne Ellingson
Offertory: WHAT STAR IS THIS, WITH BEAMS SO BRIGHT; Tune: PUER NOBIS, Piae Cantiones, 1582; Adapt.: Michael Praetorius, 1572-1621; Arr.: Karen Thompson; and I SAW THREE SHIPS; Tune: Veni Emmanuel; Arr.: John Behnke; The Bixby String Quintet and St. John's Lutheran Senior Handbell Choir
Sixth Lesson: ST. LUKE ii  Rev. Kim Gates
Carol: WHILE BY MY SHEEP; Text and Tune: Traditional German Carol; Ecumenical Men's Choir
Seventh Lesson: ST. JOHN i  Rev. Grant VanderVelden
Candlelight Ceremony  Rev. Wayne Ellingson
Carol: CANDLELIGHT CAROL; Music and Text: John Rutter; Combined Ecumenical Choirs, String Quintet and Organ
Prayer  Rev. Wayne Ellingson
Carol: FLEMISH CAROL; Tune: Flemish traditional melody; Text: Translated by R.C. Trevelyan; Arr.: John Rutter; Combined Ecumenical Choirs and Organ
Collection/Blessing  Rev. Wayne Ellingson
Recessional Carol: JOY TO THE WORLD; Tune: ANTIOCH, George F. Handel, (1685-1759); Text: Isaac Watts, (1674-1748); Setting: John Ness Beck; Ecumenical Choirs, Congregation, Organ and Trumpets, Introduction by Charles W. Ore
Postlude: OFFERTORY from Midnight Mass for Christmas; Marc-Antoine Charpentier, 1634-1704; The Bixby String Quintet and James H. Bieber, Organ

PARTICIPATING CLERGY
Rev. Wayne Ellingson, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Waukon; Rev. Kim Gates, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church and Forest Mills United Methodist Church, Waukon; Rev. Laura Gentry, Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Lansing; Rev. Samantha Houser, Zion United Church of Christ, Waukon; Rev. Kenneth Kimball, Old East and Old West Paint Creek North American Lutheran Churches, Waterville; Rev. Fr. Mark Osterhaus, St. Patrick Catholic Church, Waukon; Rev. Tim Rupert, Zalmona and Rossville Presbyterian Churches, Waukon; Rev. Grant VanderVelden, First Presbyterian Church, Waukon

ECUMENICAL CHOIR
Soprano: Judith Engle, Aislinn Goettel, Arica Grimstad, Sarah Hagen, Emily Kolsrud, Vickie Larson, Madelyn Marti, Pat Novak, Sarah Palmer, Lane Rich, Kate Rupert, Gwen Schroedel
Alto: Sue Bieber, Betty Estebo, Rev. Laura Gentry, Linda Groe, Linda Halvorson, Christin Larkin, Madelyn Moser, Dawn Teslow, Nancy Wonderlich, Kate Wooden
Tenor: Lowell Engle, Jeff Goettel, Russell Hagen, Greg Hagensick, Lee Moser, Kevin Stinn, Zach Rethwisch, Rev. Grant VanderVelden
Bass: Cameron Berges, Jonathan Buhl, Tim Lund, Aaron Palmer, Jon Payne, Chris Stuckman
Children’s Choir: Nalia Benda, Allison Dehli, Dalton Ellickson, Landon Ellickson, Eireann Goettel, Hannah Hagen, Katie Hagen, Kara Helgerson, Caitlin Houser, Elizabeth Houser, Hailey Jeglum, Isaac Johanningmeier, Raleigh Lonning, Reagan Lubahn, Ruin Mathis, Sofia Palmer, Molly Peake, Sarah Stock, Brandon Teslow

ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH YOUTH HANDBELL CHOIR
Dalton Ellickson, Hailey Houg, Logan Houg, Lynsey Houg, Madelyn Marti, Olivia Marti, Madelyn Moser, Emma Palmer, Madalyn Palmer, Bailey Sherman, Sarah Stock, Brandon Teslow, Hannah Teslow

ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH SENIOR HANDBELL CHOIR
Sue Bieber, Sue Blagsvedt, Linda Groe, Sarah Hagen, Logan Houg, Vickie Larson, Madelyn Marti, Madelyn Moser, Madalyn Palmer, Sarah Palmer, Jon Payne, George Pickett, JoAnn Sherman, Kevin Stinn, Chris Stuckman

INSTRUMENTALISTS
Brass Quintet: Rob Drew, Trombone; Owen Halverson, Tuba; Sophie Halverson, French Horn; Emily Kolsrud, Trumpet; Brooke Wasson, Trumpet; Trumpet: Tim Lund, Emily Kolsrud, JoAnn Sherman; Piano/Organ: James H. Bieber, Lindsey Lund; Timpani: Logan Houg; The Bixby String Quarter: Violin: Ethan Bixby, Evan Bixby; Viola: Addyson Bixby, Alivia Bixby; Cello: Abram Bixby

The concert will also be broadcast Christmas Eve Day, December 24, at 12 p.m. on KNEI.