On This Day the Earth Shall Ring

On This Day the Earth Shall Ring Christmas with Handbells 2020 Plymouth Ringers (Christopher Boilesen and Ariel Merivil, directors) Bell-issimo (Nancy Youngman, director) with Michelle Filbert, Flute Jeremy Spale, Percussion Tom Trenney, Organ Ariel Merivil, Piano Narration and Poetry by Deanne Hyde Boilesen Narrators Deanne Hyde Boilesen Kathryn Boilesen Jane Boilesen Jim Keck Michelle Lisec-Talarico Kieran Mannion Jane Mehrens Ariel Merivil Joan Michelsen Barb Smisek Tom Trenney Carol and Martin Wells Zuri

Welcome - Christopher Boilesen On This Day the Earth Shall Ring – Arnold B. Sherman Plymouth Ringers Mary’s Story A Reading from Isaiah 30:29 Narrator: Kieran Boilesen You shall have song as in the night when a holy feast is kept, and glad of heart, as when one sets out to the sound of the flute to go to the mountain of the Lord, to the Rock of Israel. Poem Narrator: Kathryn Boilesen Music, expressed through pitches, rhythms, and melodies that dances with emotion to soothe the soul of the weary traveler often coming home to the safety of a long lost bar, chord, or carol from a childhood once remembered, once held dear, till the music is given to the air, one more time, to the cosmos, a lilting tune to tickle another ear, is. By DLHB Parents and Lineage of Mary From The Protoevangelium of James Narrator: Jane Mehrens And it was in those days a humble servant of God, a shepherd named Joachim, with his wife Anna, gave great sacrifice unto the Temple of God, yet they were barren. In those days, to be barren was a rebuke upon one’s house in Israel. Both were from the house and lineage of David. Joachim was from the tribe of Judah from Nazareth of Galilee. Anna was the daughter of Matthan the priest of the tribe of Levi from Bethlehem of Judea. They loved God with a singleness of heart, and offered great sacrifices, giving to the orphans, widows, strangers, and the poor. They prayed for a child even in their old age and promised to dedicate the child to God. Still, Still, Still by Larry Sue Bass Chime Quartet – Stephen Talarico, Michelle Lisec-Talarico, Christopher Boilesen, Deanne Hyde Boileesn

A Reading from 2 Samual 6:5 Narrator: Kieran Boilesen David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals. Sacrifice in the Temple From The Protoevangelium of James Narrator: Joan Michelsen Joachim and Anna’s sacrifice was scorned from the Temple during the feast of the Dedication and the Feast of Lights by the Priest Ruben as Joachim had no seed. After looking in the books of the twelves tribes of Israel, he saw that all the righteous in Israel had offspring, even Abraham in his old age. In sorrow, he fled to the wilderness for forty days and forty nights to pray to the Lord. Anna departed to their house and garden, “I will mourn my widowhood, and I will mourn my barrenness. Thus we rejoice saying: The prayers and groaning of Joachim and Anna at the barrenness and childlessness have proved acceptable, and have come unto the ears of the Lord: and they have put forth fruit that brings life to the world. The one offered prayer in the mountain, the other bore her reproach in the garden. But with joy the barren woman bears the Theotokos which means God Bearer who sustains our life. (From St. Romanos’ Chants) Sussex Carol by Larry Sue 8Bell Duet Christopher and Jane Boilesen A Reading from Psalm 92:1-3 – A Song for the Sabbath Narrator: Kathryn Boilesen It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.

Poem Narrator: Kieran Boilesen Music transports us and rules our emotions. Moving in time and space, we revisit cherished memories, relive moments, and strengthen our resolve to continue into the future. Played or sung as a lullabye, a dirge, hymns of praise, or joyful expressions, all merge beloveds from strangers, Rhythm and deep sounds found in common places join the tumult of the world marking our human passage. Music harmonizes our lives and our journey. By DLHB Annunciation to Anna From The Protoevangelium of James Narrator: Barb Smisek And behold, and an Angel of the Lord appeared before Anna, saying, “Anna, Anna, the Lord God Heard your prayer, and you will conceive and give birth, and your offspring shall be spoken of in the whole inhabited world.” Gabriel says the child will be devoted to the Lord and will be filled with the Holy Spirit, she will not eat or drink anything unclean, her conversations will be within the Temple and prevent her from evil. Anna exclaims, “Oh, Divine announcement and what strange utterance! I too shall conceive!” Mary will be born of a woman once barren, then while yet a virgin, bring forth the son of the most high, the savior of all nations. (Matins) Quelle Est Cette Odeur? Arr. Larry Sue Hanbell Quartet – Aaron, Christopher, Kathryn and Kieran Boilesen

A Reading from Isaiah 40:28-32 Narrator: Kathryn Boilesen 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Annunciation to Joachim From The Protoevangelium of James Narrator: Barb Smisek Now an angel of the Lord came down to Joachim. “Joachim, Joachim, the Lord your God heard your prayer. Go down from here; behold your wife Anna is pregnant.” Gabriel tells him his offerings had been acceptable to God. He should find his wife by the Golden Gate of the temple, and they would have a child that would be dedicated to the Temple of God. Joachim came with his flocks; and Anna stood by the gate, and saw Joachim coming, and she ran and hung upon his neck, saying: “Now I know that the Lord God has blessed me exceedingly; for, behold the widow no longer a widow, and I the childless shall conceive!” Mary’s Cradle Song Arr. Karen Lakey Buckwalter Bell-issimo Michele Filbert, Flute A Reading from Psalm 150:1-6 Narrator: Kieran Boilesen Praise the LORD.Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, Praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, Praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.

Nativity of Mary From The Protoevangelium of James Narrator: Jane Boilesen And her months were fulfilled, and in the ninth month Anna gave birth. And she said to the midwife: What have I borne? And she said: A girl. And said Anna, “ My soul has been magnified this day”. and she laid her down. And the days having been fulfilled, Anna was purified, and gave the breast to the child, and called her name Mary. Let us rejoice! Today the bonds of barreness are loosed; for God hearkened to Joachim and Anna, and though it was beyond hope, He clearly promised them they would bear a divine child, from whom he would be born the uncircumscribable (sic) Himself, who would become mortal. (Dismissal Hymn of Feast). Kingsfold Arr. Larry Sue 8Bell Quartet Deanne Boilesen, Diane Dunkerson, Jenn Rutt and Carol Wells A Reading from Isaiah 7:14 Narrator: Kathryn Boilesen Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Mary’s Entrance into the Temple and Childhood From The Protoevangelium of James Narrator: Michelle Lisec-Talarico When Mary was three years old, she was presented to the Temple with the daughters of the Hebrews to live and learn in the Quarters of the Virgins. And the priest received her, and kissed her, and blessed her, saying, “The Lord has magnified your name in all generations. In you, on the last of the days, the Lord will manifest His redemption to the sons of Israel.” And he set her down upon the third step of the altar, and the Lord God sent grace upon her; and she danced with her feet, and all the house of Israel loved her. She grew in her love of God. She is filled with grace, entering the Holy of the Holies to commune with the angels. She alone seeks not to be the mother of the promised Messiah as the other virgins do, keeping herself in humility. Sub Tuum Paraesidium Narrator: Deanne Hyde Boilesen Beneath your compassion, We take refuge, O Theotokos (God-bearer): Do not despise our petitions in time of trouble, but rescue us from dangers, Only pure, only blessed one. Ave Maria - By Franz Biebl Arr. Cathy Mocklebust Plymouth Ringers Ariel Merivil, Soloist A Reading from Isaiah 11:1 Narrator: Kieran Boilesen A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

Mary Comes of Age From The Protoevangelium of James Narrator: Carol Wells When Mary was the age to find a husband, the priests of the Temple knew she had declared her love for God and wished to remain a virgin, but she also needed a protector in the world. The priests of the temple told Zacharius to go into the Holy of Holies and pray that God might answer their prayers of how to help her keep her vow and not pollute the Temple. And behold an angel of the Lord appeared saying, “Zacharias, Zacharias, go out and call together the widowers of the people, and let each of them bring a rod, and to whomever the Lord God shows a sign, to this one shall she be wife.”The heralds therefore went forth through the whole Jewish Countryside and sounded the trumpet of the Lord, and all came running. Joseph was of the tribe of Judea. He was a widower with many children. He came to not offend, but was humble in that he did not want the young woman to have to come with him. All presented their rods, Zacharias took them into the Holy of Holies to pray, and nothing happened. When he came out, Zacharius gave the rods back to the widowsers. One rod remained. Then Zacharius called Joseph loudly to take back his rod, as Joseph was going to quietly leave without it. As Joseph took the rod, a bloom budded and a dove flew down upon his head. Then Zacharias said, “Joseph, you have been chosen by lot to receive the virgin of the Lord as your ward.” Noel Nouvelet – Traditional French Carol Arr. A. Hadar Bell-issimo ---Intermission--- On This Day the Earth Shall Ring – PERSONENT HODIE Arr. Larry Sue 8Bell Quartet Eugene and Jane Boilesen, Joan Michelsen, Carol Wells

The Birth of Jesus Foretold A Reading from Luke 1:26-38 Narrator: Barb Smisek In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. Los Peces en el Rio – Spanish Christmas Carol Arr. Larry Sue 8Bell Duet Christopher and Kathryn Boilesen Mary Visits Elizabeth A Reading from Luke 1:39-45 Narrator: Jane Mehrens At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Magnificat Narrator: Zuri My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour Because He hath regarded the humility of his handmaid: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because He that is mighty hath done great things to me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is from generation unto generations to them that fear Him. He hath shewed might in His arm: He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our fathers; to Abraham and his seed forever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen Coventry Carol – 16th Century English Arr. Carl Wiltse Boilesen Family Quintet Christopher, Deanne, Eugene, Jane and Kathryn Boilesen Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son A Reading from Matthew 1:18-28 Narrator: Tom Trenney This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about : His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

Meditation on Angels We Have Heard on High – GLORIA Arr. Matthew Prins 3 Octave Sextet Jane Mehrens, Carol Wells, Nancy Leavitt, Deanne Hyde Boilesen, Jane Boilesen, Linda Kroon The Birth of Jesus A Reading from Luke 2:1-6 Narrator: Ariel Merivil In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was betrothed to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, It Came Upon the Midnight Clear – Richard S. Willis Arr. Cynthia Dobrinski Plymouth Ringers, Michelle Filbert - Flute

The Story of the Midwives From The Protoevangelium of James and oral tradition: Narrator: Jane Boilesen And I [St. Joseph] saw a woman coming down from the hill-country, and she said to me: O man, whither are you going? And I said: I am seeking an Hebrew midwife. And she answered and said unto me: Are you of Israel? And I said to her: Yes. And she said: And who is it that is bringing forth in the cave? And I said: A woman betrothed to me. And she said to me: Is she not your wife? And I said to her: It is Mary that was reared in the temple of the Lord, and I obtained her by lot as my wife. And yet she is not my wife, but has conceived of the Holy Spirit. And the midwife said to him: Is this true? And Joseph said to her: Come and see. And the midwife went away with him. And they stood in the place of the cave, and behold a luminous cloud overshadowed the cave. And the midwife said: My soul has been magnified this day, because my eyes have seen strange things— because salvation has been brought forth to Israel. And immediately the cloud disappeared out of the cave, and a great light shone in the cave, so that the eyes could not bear it. And in a little that light gradually decreased, until the infant appeared, and went and took the breast from His mother Mary. And the midwife cried out, and said: This is a great day to me, because I have seen this strange sight … God With Us for All Time/Stille Nacht Arr. Betty Garee Plymouth Ringers Shepherds are Greeted with the News A Reading from Luke 2:8-14 Narrator: Martin Wells And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Go Tell it on the Mountain – Negro Spiritual Arr. Larry Sue 8Bell Duet Christopher Boilesen and Joan Michelsen Shepherds Come to Visit the Baby Jesus A Reading from Luke 2:15-25 Narrator Jim Keck When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. The Little Drummer Boy – by H. Simone, K. Davis and H Omorati Arr. Daniel Hermany Bell-issimo, Curt Butler and Christopher Boilesen - Vocals Poem Narrator: Kathryn Boilesen Music is the air flowing in and out like breath. Music is coming together as prayer touched by one purpose. Music is body, mind, and spirit focused in intention. Music is in the silence the rest beat stilled Music is a true communion with God. By DLHB Joy to the World – Arr. Joel Raney Plymouth Ringers Ariel Merivil, Piano Tom Trenney, Organ Michelle Filbert, Flute Adrienne Dickson, Jason Helmuth, Michael Jensen, Trey Meyer, Sspphire Mumford, and Rebecca Shane - Vocals

Plymouth Ringers Deanne Boilesen Eugene Boilesen Kathryn Boilesen Jane Boilesen Curt Butler Diane Dunkerson Erin Hodge Linda Kroon Nancy Leavitt Michelle Lisec-Talarico Jane Mehrens Joan Michelsen Jenn Rutt Carol Wells Bell-issimo Amy Bloomquist Christopher Boilesen Deanne Boilesen Curt Butler Patty Butler Eric Carlson Dick Crusinberry Michele Filbert Jean Henderson Juli Jurgens Joan Michelsen Chris Peck Laura Stahley Curt Youngman Special Guest Ringers Aaron Boilesen Keran Boilesen Stephen Talarico Vocalists on ‘Joy to the World’ Adrienne Dickson Jason Helmuth Michael Jensen Trey Meyer Sspphire Mumford Rebecca Shane

Video Recording and Editing Tom DiPerna Allison Holt Kristian Anderson Tony Holloran Ariel Merivil Christopher Boielsen Special Thanks To Adam Witte Kelsey Bahr Justin Doran Patricia Belk Joan Michelsen Monte Michelsen Sandler Tom Trenney Ariel Merivil Lydia Fry Nancy Youngman