Northstowe's Beer and Carols 2023

Note: While BrewBoard will be selling alcoholic drinks for those who wish to indulge - drinks are not necessary to enjoy this festive community event!
 

Back by popular demand, on Friday 15th December, Northstowe will gather with a local Brass Band around the Christmas Tree by the light of (electronic) tea lights to sing favourite Carols interspersed with poems and readings from various community figures including representatives from Northstowe Secondary College, The Pathfinder CofE Primary School, Guiding, the Town council, and others.

We warmly invite you to bring along hot chocolates, teas, or coffee to keep those fingers warm as we sing! FREE hot chocolate from Northstowe Hub  from their stand outside The Cabin 6.30-7.30 (while stocks last)

Or you might like to treat yourself to something from Northstowe Foodies’ Food Trucks who will be on the Green 5-8pm.

🚚 BrewBoard selling beers from their brewery🍻
🚚 EAT GREEK - Gyros Greek kebabs
🚚 Pimp My Fish UK - fish and chips
🥮 Cambridge Luxury Bakes - hot crumbles/bakes

Where: The Christmas Tree on The Green, Pathfinder Way

When: Friday 15th Dec, Carols 7-7.45pm

At  this year’s Beer and Carols we are joining in with the theme of Northstowe’s Advent Windows: Festive Heros and Villains! We've been so impressed by the creativity of households and groups who have brought so much joy to Northstowe  - whether it’s the Angels at the Primary School, the Die Hard window over on Linden, or the Northstowe Youth Hive’s fantastic Jack Skellington from the 'Nightmare before Christmas' on display  at the Cabin
 
While the Advent Windows celebrate heros or villains from across the many cultures and worldviews that make up our new town, tonight’s carols focus in on the subset that appear in the Christian Nativity story. These are heros and villains that have shaped British culture, as well as challenged and inspired those of us with a religious faith.

Provisional Running Order

Assuming the weather holds, this collection of storytelling, poetry and brass-band led carols will last about 45 mins. We might shorten the event in the case of bad weather. The Carol Numbers and verse orders correspond to those in The Bethlehem Carol Sheet. The Carols have been chosen to link to a Christmas Hero 
  • Welcome (Revd Beth Cope)
  • CAROL: Once in Royal David’s City
    [Carol 19 on the Bethlehem sheet: Verses 1, 2, 4, 6]
  • Setting the Scene: Heros and Villians
  • READING: Mary’s Story, as told by Luke (chapter 1, vs 26-38)
  • CAROL: The Holy and the Ivy [MARY]
    [Carol 9 on the Bethlehem sheet; Verses 1,2,3 and 6 only]
  • READING: The Journey (as told by Luke, chapter 2:1-6a)
  • CAROL: Little Donkey [THE DONKEY]
  • READING: Jesus is born (as told by Luke, chapter 2:6b-7)
  • POEM: Christmas Came Simply
  • CAROL: Silent Night [JESUS]
    [Carol 13 on the Bethlehem sheet; verses 1 and 3]
  • POEM: BC:AD
  • READING: The first witnesses (as told by Luke, chapter 2:8-9)
  • CAROL: While Shepherds Watched [SHEPHERDS]
    [Carol 7 on the Bethlehem sheet; Verses 1, 2, and 6]
  • POEM: There is room
  • Carol: Angels from the Realms of Glory [ANGELS]
    [Carol 18 on the Bethlehem sheet: verses 1 and 2]
  • The Toast
  • Carol: O Come all ye Faithful (THE ORDINARY PEOPLE)
    [Carol 12 on the Bethlehem sheet verses 1, 2, 3]
  • READING: The Villainous King and the Heroic wise men, as told by Matthew (chapter 2: 1-12)
  • Carol: We three Kings [WISE ONES]
    [Carol 21 on the Bethlehem sheet: verses 1 and 4]
  • Carol: Hark the Herald Angels Sing [MORE ANGELS!]
    [Carol 10 on the Bethlehem sheet: all verses]
  • POEM: New Roads
  • Closing Blessing
  • FINAL SONG: We Wish you a merry Christmas

About the musicians: The Punting Players - and friends!


We're honoured to be uniting local Northstowe musicians with a great group of brass players: The Punting Players busk traditional Christmas carols and songs around Cambridge this advent. They are called the Punting Players, as they started their journey playing carols whilst being punted up and down the river Cam! 

PHOTOGRAPHS WILL BE TAKEN AT THIS EVENT:
read more on our main website

Once in Royal David's City

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 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,
When, like stars, His children crowned
All in white, shall wait around.

Words: Public Domain

The Holly and the Ivy

1. The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.
The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.
 
2. The holly bears a blossom,
As white as the lily flower,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
To be our sweet Saviour.
The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.
 
3. The holly bears a berry,
As red as any blood,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do us sinners good.
The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.
 
6. The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.

 

Public Domain

Little Donkey

Little donkey, little donkey
on the dusty road
Got to keep on plodding onwards
with your precious load

Been a long time, little donkey,
through the winter’s night
Dont give up now, little donkey,
Bethlehem’s in sight
 
Ring out those bells tonight
Bethlehem, Bethlehem
Follow that star tonight
Bethlehem, Bethlehem

 
Little donkey, little donkey
Had a heavy day
Little donkey, Carry Mary
safely on her way.

Silent Night

Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
round yon Virgin Mother and Child,
Holy infant so tender and mild,
sleep in Heavenly peace!
sleep in Heavenly peace!
 

Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, Love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy Holy face,
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

WORDS: Public Domain

While Shepherds Watched

While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
all seated on the ground
The Angel of the Lord came down,
and glory shone around.
 
Fear not, said he(for mighty dread
had seized their troubled mind)
Glad tidings of great joy I bring
to you and all mankind.
 
All glory be to God on high,
and to the earth be peace;
Goodwill henceforth from heaven to men
Begin and never cease
 
WORDS: Public Domain

 

Angels from the realms of Glory

Angels from the realms of glory
Wing your flight o'er all the earth
Ye who sang creation's story
Now proclaim Messiah's birth
Come and worship
Christ the newborn King
Come and worship
Worship Christ the newborn King
 
All creation join in praising
God the Father Spirit Son
Evermore your voices raising
To th'eternal Three in One
Come and worship
Christ the newborn King
Come and worship
Worship Christ the newborn King

 

The Toast

Let’s raise our glasses, joining the angels in a toast to the King born at Christmas!
Cheers, Happy Christmas!
ALL: Cheers Happy Christmas!
 

O Come all ye faithful

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
 
Sing choirs of angels
Sing in exultation
Sing all ye citizens of heaven 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

We three kings

We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain moor and mountain
Following yonder star
O star of wonder star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light
 
Glorious now behold Him arise
King and God and sacrifice
Alleluia alleluia
Peals through the earth and skies
O star of wonder star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new born 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 new born King!”

 

Christ, by highest heaven adored;
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
late in time behold him come,
offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th’ incarnate Deity,
pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new born King!”

 

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 us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new born King!”

CCLI Song # 27738 Charles Wesley | Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy © Words: Public Domain

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year

Glad tidings we bring to you and your kin
We wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

CCLI Song # 266537 Unknown © Words: Public Domain

Many of the poems shared tonight come from the collection "Winter" edited by Ruth Burgess and published by Wild Goose Publications.
"There is Room" has been published by The Methodist Church BA:AD is published in a collection called Haphazard by Starlight edited by Janet Morely
Bible Readings are from THE VOICE bible translation

You are welcome and invited to join our other special events this Advent and Christmas

PATHFINDER CHURCH NORTHSTOWE are delighted to be able to join with the wider community at the Winter Festival in Northstowe Find out about all the festive events happening in Northstowe at northstowewinterfestival.co.uk

Our Christmas Appeal

We invite Northstowe to join us in supporting two great charities. The local Cambridge Churches Homeless Project (a collection of churches and a synagogue that work together to offer practical care and support to people who would otherwise be sleeping rough in our city each winter), and INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSON, a global organisation partnering with local justice systems to end violence against people living in poverty.

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