Christmas Carol Service - Asthma UK ·  · 2016-02-12Christmas Carol Service for Asthma UK Tuesday 1 December 2015 St Luke’s Church, Sydney Street, Chelsea, SW3 6NH

Christmas Carol Service for Asthma UK

Tuesday 1 December 2015St Luke’s Church, Sydney Street, Chelsea, SW3 6NH

Welcome

On behalf of Asthma UK I am delighted to welcome you to our 11th annual carol service to raise vital funds for our work.

During this carol service over 400 people will have an asthma attack and tragically every day, these result in deaths, two thirds of which are preventable. Sadly, this Christmas Day will be no exception with three families losing a loved one to an asthma attack. It doesn’t have to be this way and Asthma UK is the only charity dedicated to changing this.

We tackle this in a variety of ways. Our awareness campaigns are designed to end dangerous complacency and encourage better management of asthma. Our helpline, run by specialist asthma nurses, provides personal advice to thousands of people and our website provides advice to almost a million people each year. Our heritage is in medical research and we are proud to fund some of the world’s leading medical research as well as the next generation of superstar scientists to develop new treatments and drugs.

Our work is funded entirely by voluntary donations and so without our wonderful supporters we could not do any of this.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the organising committee, Judy Chilton, Sarah Habib, Sophie Meek and Sarah Wilkinson as without their unfailing support, time and enthusiasm the Carol Service would not be possible. We are also very grateful to all our readers, Emily Maitlis, Dame Jenni Murray, solo singer Margaret Keys and to Jeremy Walker and the Boys’ Choir of Westminster Under School for giving up their time to make this evening so special. Finally we are most grateful to all the companies who have contributed to the success of the event by purchasing an advert in this programme.

I hope that you enjoy this evening.

Wishing you a very happy Christmas,

Kay Boycott,Chief Executive, Asthma UK

For more information about Asthma UK, visit www.asthma.org.uk or call our Helpline on 0300 222 5800

Asthma UK is here to help you find the answers and support you need – to help you or your loved

ones deal with asthma and enjoy life.

Speak to our friendly asthma nurses

Get one-to-one advice for you or your child from our expert team, when a reassuring voice is what

you need.

0300 222 5800

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Get tips & advice online

Get up-to-date information and tips on everything from inhalers to hay fever and asthma

safety at school 24 hours a day.

www.asthma.org.uk

Swap ideas with other people living with asthma

Join in with discussions at www.facebook.com/AsthmaUK

Get your questions on asthma answered!

MusicWestminster Boys’ ChoirWestminster Boys’ Choir is drawn from the pupils of Westminster Under School. They frequently perform at prestigious London venues, including Westminster Abbey and St John’s Smith Square. They have also performed live on television and radio and have appeared with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Barbican Hall, with the English Chamber Orchestra and Sir Thomas Allen at Cadogan Hall and with cellist, Julian Lloyd Webber. They have toured widely, throughout Europe, to Canada, the USA, South America, China and South Africa, and have three times been category finalists in the National Choir of the Year competition.

ChoirHead Choristers: Nicholas Mallinckrodt and Zac Grassby

Margaret KeysMargaret Keys is an Irish classical soprano from Derry, N. Ireland who signed a record deal with Universal Records. At the tender age of 15 Margaret was winner of the Trinity College of Music London Medal for the best overall performer in music examinations. Since graduating with a First Class Honours and a Masters degree in Vocal performance, Margaret has sung extensively throughout Ireland, UK, America, New Zealand and Australia. She has performed to an audience of 35,000 in a special International Lakeside Proms concert and performed on the PBS American TV Special with “The Priests”, which was aired in the USA. Margaret has won numerous awards including the “International Artists Profile Award,” “The New York Artist award” and was chosen as one of eight finalists in the “RTE young Diva of the year.” She was highly honoured to have been one of the chosen artists from throughout the World, which also included Andrea Bocelli and Aretha Franklin, to perform for Pope Francis in a special concert for his visit to the USA in September 2015.

Arthur BalickBilly Jai CampbellAlexander ColeyAlexander DaviesRufus DaviesDaniel EkaetteAmir El BishlawiJames EllisWilder FulfordYxuan GaoElias Gélain-SohnMax GrossmanEwan Hincks

Zaki HutchingsCasper KingsleyNathaniel LevyTheophilus MackenzieBaruch MacGregorFaizan MalikLucas MathewsMarcus MinJack NationAlexander O’KeefeDaniel O’KeefeJohan OrlyAlexander Orr

Jean-Sébastien PaulMax PeelKaden PradhanAlexander RashidianJohn RidleyHector SheppardNicholas Van DusenBastien VirazelsAlexander WeissBenedict WeissJames WoodwardRei Yamahara

Readers

Emily MaitlisEmily Maitlis is an award-winning journalist who, as part of the core presenting team on Newsnight (BBC2) – including a recent stint as their Political Editor – and as a regular News Channel anchor, is one of the most recognised faces on television news. As a documentary maker, in 2011 Emily secured an exclusive television interview with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, which formed the basis of her BBC2 documentary, ‘Inside Facebook: Zuckerberg’s $100 Billion Gamble’ which won the Harold Wincott Business Programme of the Year Award in 2013. She has interviewed major political figures such as Henry Kissinger and Christine Lagarde, as well as all four of the last UK prime ministers. She has also interviewed key figures from the world of sport, entertainment, and business - David Beckham, Hugh Grant, George Soros, to name but a handful.

Dame Jenni MurrayDame Jenni is one of radio and television’s most respected broadcasters. Her wide-ranging expertise in politics, business and the arts has led commentators to write admiringly of her “well-stocked mind”. Her interviews with the powerful are described as “probing”, “steely” and “no-nonsense”, and her knowledge of the arts is matchless. Jenni was made a Dame of the British Empire in 2011, in recognition of her stunning work in Broadcasting for over 40 years. As the regular presenter of Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour since 1987, she has daily demonstrated an incredible range and depth and a unique ability to understand the feelings and complexities of those she interviews, talents she has also brought to BBC TV’s Newsnight and Everyman and BBC Radio’s Today and Tuesday Call. She has also appeared on Granada TV’s Loose Women - Live Talk and This Sunday and in 2006 she presented a personal essay on assisted Dying for Five TV’s Don’t Get Me Started.

Order of service

Once in Royal David’s City (remain seated)

Solo trebleOnce in Royal David’s city Stood a lowly cattle shed,Where a mother laid her BabyIn a manger for His bed;Mary was that mother mild,Jesus Christ her little Child.

(stand)

All

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 childhoodHe would honour and obey,Love, and watch the lowly maiden,in whose gentle arms He lay;Christian children all must beMild, obedient, good as He.

For he is our childhood’s patternDay 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 gentleIs our Lord in heaven above,And He leads His children onTo 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.

(sit)

Welcome and opening prayerReverend Dr Carys Walsh St Luke’s Church

ChoirTorchesWords translated by J.B. Trend from The Oxford Book of CarolsMusic by John Joubert

ReadingNativity Play by Joyce Grenfell Dame Jenni Murray

SoloCandlelight Carol Music by John RutterMargaret Keys

It Came Upon A Midnight Clear(stand)

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, goodwill to menFrom heavens all gracious King!”The world in solemn stillness layTo hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come,With peaceful wings unfurled;And still their heavenly music floats

O’er all the weary world:Above its sad and lowly plainsThey bend on hovering wing,And ever o’er its Babel soundsThe blessed angels sing.

O ye beneath life’s crushing load,Whose forms are bending low,Who toil along the climbing wayWith painful steps and slow;Look now, for glad and golden hoursCome swiftly on the wing;Oh rest beside the weary roadAnd hear the angels sing.

For lo! the days are hastening on,By prophets seen of old,When with the ever-circling yearsShall come the time foretold,When the new heaven and earth shall ownThe Prince of Peace, their King,And the whole world send back the songWhich now the angels sing.

(sit)

Reading Luke, Chapter 2:8-20Ewan Hincks

ChoirStill, still, stillAustrian traditional carolarranged by Mack Wilberg

Solo O Holy NightWords by J.S. DwightMusic by Adolphe AdamMargaret Keys with the choir

ReadingThe Game: Christmas Day, 1914 by Ian McMillanEmily Maitlis

God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen(stand)

God rest ye merry, gentlemenLet nothing you dismayRemember, Christ, our SaviourWas born on Christmas dayTo save us all from Satan’s powerWhen we were gone astrayO tidings of comfort and joy,Comfort and joyO tidings of comfort and joy

From God our Heavenly FatherA blessed Angel came;And unto certain Shepherds

Brought tidings of the same:How that in Bethlehem was bornThe Son of God by Name.O tidings of comfort and joy,Comfort and joyO tidings of comfort and joy

And when they came to BethlehemWhere our dear Saviour lay,They found Him in a manger,Where oxen feed on hay;His Mother Mary kneeling down,Unto the Lord did pray.O tidings of comfort and joy,Comfort and joyO tidings of comfort and joy

Now to the Lord sing praises,All you within this place,And with true love and brotherhoodEach other now embrace;This holy tide of ChristmasAll other doth deface.O tidings of comfort and joy,Comfort and joyO tidings of comfort and joy

(sit)

ChoirMid-WinterWords by Christina Rossetti (1830-94)Words by Bob Chilcott

ThanksProfessor Robert WilsonChairman, Asthma UK

O Come All Ye Faithful(stand)

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:

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

(sit)

BlessingThe Reverend Dr Carys Walsh St Luke’s Church

A message from St Luke’s Church

The warmest of welcomes this evening to St Luke’s, Chelsea. It is a great delight to welcome you here to sing carols, to hear once again the Christmas story and to be challenged by the power of words and music across the centuries as we make real Christ’s birth. By being here you are not only standing in solidarity with all the congregation, but also making new things happen. You are taking forward the work of Asthma UK into the future, long after the pine needles have fallen from our Christmas tree and the New Year resolutions have been broken.

In this year, of course, are hearts are moved by the plight of so many people who will be refugees at Christmas and we are so aware of their needs – in finding a home, rebuilding lives, gaining education, receiving medical care and so much more. We do well to remember part of the Christmas story so often forgotten that the infant Jesus, with his family, was forced to flee as a refugee from the terror and violence of his day.

Whatever you can do to support the work of Asthma UK is important. Talk about its work to friends, try contributing financially or volunteering for any of its myriad tasks, and this will remind us that whatever we do individually we can make a change, but whatever we do together will be far more than the sum of the parts.

So thank you for being here, for your ongoing support for Asthma UK and we wish you not only a happy and blessed Christmas, but a new year in which we can each contribute to changing life for the better – a change which for Christians is revealed in the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem.

You will be most welcome at any of our Christmas Services, which are

Sunday December 20th 18:30 Nine Lessons and Carols at St Luke’s

Thursday December 24th 16:00 Crib Service at St Luke’s and at Christ Church 23:30 Midnight Mass at St Luke’s

Christmas Day 08:00 Holy Communion at St Luke’s 10:30 Christmas Eucharist at St Luke’s 11:00 Christmas Eucharist at Christ Church

Brian LeathardThe Rector of Chelsea

Fundraise for Asthma UK in 2016

Ride London-Surrey 100

Next July will see over 25,000 people take part in the 100 mile cycle through London and the Surrey Hills. Asthma UK have guaranteed places and can offer you the ultimate experience from start to finish including training plans, personalised cycling jersey and complete race day support.

Date: 31 July 2016Registration Fee: £25Sponsorship Target: £500

For more information please contact us at [email protected]

Virgin Money London Marathon

Are you ready to take on the world’s greatest marathon? Apply to join Team Asthma UK and together we’ll cure asthma.

Date: 24 April 2016Registration Fee: £75Sponsorship Target: £1800

For more information please contact us at [email protected]

Phone: 0300 222 5800 Website: www.asthma.org.uk/fundraise-eventsPhone: 0300 222 5800 Website: www.asthma.org.uk/fundraise-events

Acknowledgements

Asthma UK would like to thank everyone who has helped with this evening’s carol service, in particular the following:

Readers

Emily MaitlisDame Jenni Murray

Carol Service Committee

Judy ChiltonSarah HabibSophie MeekSarah Wilkinson

Music

Westminster Boys’ Choir directed by Jeremy Walker (Director of Music)Margaret Keys, soprano

Also to

The Reverend Dr Carys Walsh, Tracy Best and all the staff at St Luke’s Church;The Chelsea Gardener for their decoration of the church;All of our advertisers for their support;All our guests for their support.

Asthma UK

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T: 020 7786 4900F: 020 7488 0882

www.asthma.org.uk

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