Some of the readings for the Lessons and Carols service on Sunday, adapted for “speakers’ choir”:

Still to revise a bit (suggestions?), and figure out who will be saying what, and rehearse, and did I mention that now it’s *little she-who-is* who is running a fever?…

It’s like being nibbled to death by ducks.

FIRST LESSON Genesis 3:8-15 (five voices)
Voice 1: Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal
that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman,
Voice 2: Did God say, “You shall not eat from any tree in the garden”?
Voice 1: The woman said to the serpent,
Voice 3: We may eat from the trees in the garden; but God said,
“You shall not eat from the tree that is in the middle of the garden,
nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.”
Voice 2: You will not die! God knows when you eat it your eyes will be opened,
and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
Voice 1: So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
Voice 2: and that it was a delight to the eyes,
Voice 1: and that the tree could make one wise,
Voice 2: she took its fruit and ate;
Voice 1: and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.
Voice 1 & 2: Then the eyes of both were opened,
Voice 2: and they knew that they were naked;
Voice 1: and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.
[pause]
Voice 3: They heard the sound of God walking in the garden at the time of the evening
breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of God
among the trees of the garden. But God called to the man:
Voice 4: Where are you?
Voice 5: I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked;
and I hid myself.’
Voice 4: Who told you that you were naked?
Have you eaten from the tree I commanded you not to eat?
Voice 5: The woman, whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree!
Voice 4: (toward voice 3, the woman) What is this that you have done?
Voice 3: The serpent tricked me, and I ate!
Voice 4: So God drove them out, sending them from the garden;
and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed a flaming sword
to guard the way to the tree of life.

SECOND LESSON Genesis 12:1-8 (read by lay leader)

THIRD LESSON Isaiah 11:1-9 (three voices)
Voice 1: A shoot!
Voice 2: A shoot!
Voice 3: A shoot!
Voice 1: A shoot shall come out!
Voice 2: A shoot!
Voice 3: …shall come out!
Voice 1&2: of the stump of Jesse!
Voice 3: A branch shall grow out of his roots.
Voice 1: The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
Voice 2: the spirit:
Voice 1: of wisdom, understanding,
Voice 3: of counsel, of might,
Voice 2: of knowledge and fear of the Lord.
Voice 1: His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
Voice 3: He shall not judge by what the eyes see,
Voice 2: or by what the ears hear; but with righteousness
Voice 1: he shall judge the poor,
Voice 3: the meek.
Voice 2: The wolf shall live
Voice 3: with the lamb.
Voice 1: The leopard,
Voice 2: the kid,
Voice 3: the calf,
Voice 1: the lion,
Voice 2: the fatling,
Voice 3: the cow,
Voice 1: the bear,
Voice 2: and the child,
Voice 3: the child,
Voice 1: the child shall lead them.
Voice 2: They will not hurt,
Voice 3: They will not destroy.
Voice 1: And the earth will be full
Voice 2: of the knowledge of God
Voice 3: as waters cover the sea.

FOURTH LESSON BASED ON Luke 1:26-35, 38; Matthew 1:18-21 (two voices)
Voice 1: Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way.
Voice 2: An angel was sent…
Voice 1: An angel was sent…
Voice 2: to Mary,
Voice 1: to Joseph,
Voice 2: saying, “Greetings, favored one!”
Voice 1: saying, “Joseph, son of David!”
Voices 1&2: “Do not be afraid.”
Voice 2: “The Lord is with you.”
Voice 1: He appeared in a dream.
Voice 2: But Mary was perplexed, and pondered the greeting.
Voice 1: The angel spoke…
Voice 2: “Mary, you have found favor with God.”
Voice 1: “Joseph, Son of David!”
Voice 2: “You will conceive and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.”
Voice 1: “She will bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.”
Voice 2: “He will be great, the Son of the Most High,”
Voice 1: “He will save his people from their sins;”
Voice 2: “and his kingdom will never end.”
Voice 1: “Do not be afraid.”
Voice 2: “Do not be afraid.”
[pause]
Voice 1: While they were engaged, Mary was found to be with child.
Voice 2: Mary said, “How can this be?”…
Voice 1: …While her husband planned to dismiss her quietly.
Voice 2: The angel said: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you,”
Voice 1: “Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife,”
Voice 2: “and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;”
Voice 1: “the child is conceived from the Holy Spirit.”
Voice 2: “the child will be holy; he will be called Son of God.”

Voice 2: Then Mary said,
Voice 1: Then Joseph awoke…
Voice 2: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord…”
Voice 1: And he took her for his wife,
Voice 2: “let it be with me according to your word.”
Voice 1: And she bore a son,
Voice 2: and he named him—
Voice 1: Jesus.
Voice 2: Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way.

FIFTH LESSON Luke 2:8-20 (RM to learn and speak the text)

SIXTH LESSON John 1:1-14 (read by Senior Pastor)