CHOOSE SOMETHING LIKE A STAR
A Symphonic Christmas Concert
December 7, 2025 • 4:00pm
Adam Waite, Minister of Music and Conductor
Benjamin Corwyn, Associate Minister of Music
Becki Cornwall, Minister of Children’s Music
Heidi Shriver, Music Ministry Administrator
Welcome
Rev. Dr. Jason Hays, Executive Minister
Sanctus, from Missa Mysteriorum
Nancy Galbraith (b. 1951)
Phoebe Bawmann, soprano; Heidi Shriver, alto
Nate Neale, tenor; Chin Tan, bass
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts,
heaven and earth are full of thy glory.
Glory be to thee, O Lord most high.
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest. (Sung in Latin)
Behold a Star Shall Come from Jacob, from Christus
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Behold a star shall come from Jacob
And a scepter arise from Israel.
Behold a star shall come from Jacob
And dash in pieces, Princes and Nations.
Behold a star shall come from Jacob.
How brightly beams the morning star!
With sudden radiance from afar
With light and comfort glowing!
Thy Word, Jesus,
Truly feeds us, Rightly leads us, Life bestowing.
Praise, oh praise such love o’er flowing.
I Want the Star
John Kuzma (1946-2021)
Bel Canto Choir
All the leaves are down, all the branches bare,
All we see is grey and brown and dullness everywhere.
I want the star that pours out dancing angels
Who turn to snowflakes whisp’ring as they touch the ground,
And making a magic world of angel down.
I want the snow to fall on the leafless trees and dress them for a Christmas ball.
I want to see them sway and bend and throw their scarves of white
Upon the dancing wind in waves of diamond light.
I want earth dressed in one shimm’ring gown
Of heaven’s magic angel down.
I dream of flakes that dance and swirl,
Bright angels with gauzy wings,
Who land and make a magic world
Of trees and rocks and common things.
– Text by Thomas Troeger
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Sara Groves (b. 1972)
Jubilate Singers
God rest ye merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan’s power
When we were gone astray
Oh tidings, oh tidings
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
From God, our Heavenly Father
A blessed angel came
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tidings of the same
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name
Hear the angels’ chorus
Telling us that
God is for us
Now, with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace
Ring Out, Ye Bells
Dale Trumbore (b. 1987)
Ring out, ye bells!
All nature swells with gladness at the wondrous story.
The world was lorn, but Christ is born to change our sadness into glory.
Sing, earthlings, sing!
Tonight a King hath come from heaven’s high throne to bless us.
The outstretched hand o’er all the land is raised in pity to caress us.
Come at His call; Be joyful all;
Away from mourning and with sadness
The heav’nly choir with holy fire their voices raise
In songs of gladness!
The darkness breaks and Dawn awakes,
Her cheeks suffused with youthful blushes.
The rocks and stones in holy tones
Are singing sweeter than the thrushes.
Then why should we in silence be
When Nature lends her voice to praises;
When heaven and earth proclaim the truth
Of Him for whom that lone star blazes?
No, be not still,
But with a will strike all your harps and set them ringing.
On hill and heath let ev’ry breath throw all its power into singing!
– Text by Paul Laurence Dunbar
Behold the Star
William L. Dawson (1899-1990)
JoFoKe, soloist
Behold the star! Behold the star up yonder!
Behold the star!
It is the star of Bethlehem.
There was no room found in the Inn,
It is the star of Bethlehem.
For Him who was born free from sin.
It is the star of Bethlehem.
The wise men came from the East,
It is the star of Bethlehem.
To worship Him, The “Prince of Peace.”
It is the star of Bethlehem.
A song broke forth upon the night.
It is the star of Bethlehem.
Peace, peace, peace on earth, goodwill to men.
It is the star of Bethlehem.
Behold the star! Behold the star up yonder!
Alleluia, behold the star!
Alleluia, behold the star, behold the star of Bethlehem!
Today’s singing of “Behold the Star” – an American Negro Spiritual – is presented in accordance with our reparations royalty pilot program: a practice of valuing the musical contributions of enslaved Africans to American worship and song. All are invited to make a reparation royalty contribution via the pew offering envelope (write “reparations royalty”), at Montview.org/giving (One-time gift: Reparations Royalty Fund) or by clicking here.
Magnificat
Gerald Finzi (1901-1956)
My soul doth magnify the Lord,
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God, my Savior.
For He had regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He that is mighty hath magnified me,
And holy is His name.
And His mercy is on them that fear him
Throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with His arm;
He hath scattered the proud
In the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat
And hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich he hath sent empty away.
He, remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant, Israel.
As He promised to our forefathers.
Abraham, and His seed forever.
Amen.
– Luke 1:46-55
Christmas Overture
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912)
Montview Orchestra
Choose Something Like A Star, from Frostiana
Randall Thompson (1899-1984)
O Star!
The fairest one in sight,
We grant your loftiness the right
To some obscurity of cloud
It will not do to say of night,
Since dark is what brings out your light.
Some mystery becomes the proud.
But to be wholly taciturn in your reserve is not allowed.
Say something to us we can learn by heart
And when alone repeat.
Say something! And it says, ‘I burn.’
But say with what degree of heat.
Talk Farenheit, talk Centigrade.
Use language we can comprehend.
Tell us what elements you blend.
It gives us strangely little aid,
But does tell something in the end.
And steadfast as Keats’ Eremite,
Not even stooping from its sphere,
It asks a little of us here.
It asks of us a certain height,
So when at times the mob is sway’d
To carry praise or blame too far,
We may choose something like a star
To stay our minds on and be staid.
– Text by Robert Frost
The Story of Silent Night
Adam Waite (b. 1978)
Paul Ward, narrator
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
arr. Arthur Harris (1927-1992)
ADVENT & CHRISTMAS AT MONTVIEW CHURCH
Advent
Love Unbound: A Service of Remembrance
December 15 | 7:00pm
Sanctuary & Livestream
Service of Lessons and Carols
December 21 | 8:30 and 11:00am
Sanctuary & 11am Livestream
Christmas Tea and Children’s Craft Fair
December 21 | 9:30am
Fellowship Hall
Christmas Eve
2pm – Family Service
Sanctuary & Livestream
4pm – Family Service
Sanctuary
6pm & 8pm – Candlelight
Sanctuary & 6pm Livestream
7:15pm – Witness to the Light
Candlelight and music along Montview Blvd
10pm – Candlelight with Choir
Sanctuary
TODAY’S CONCERT PRESENTED IN PART BY THE MONTVIEW SACRED CONCERT FUND
Founded by Conductor and Composer John Kuzma, the Montview Sacred Concert Fund promotes important sacred major concert work repertoire through free annual
performances.
Past concerts include Paul Hindemith’s When Lillacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d, Dvorak: Mass in D and Duke
Ellington’s Sacred Concert.
The fund has also commissioned important new works such as Let The River Flow, a 16-movement jazz mass by Ike Sturm and Chanda Rule, a full orchestral realization of Nancy Galbraith’s Missa Mysterium, and a multitude of works by young composers through the John Kuzma Young Composers Award.
Montview’s Sacred Concert Fund is vital to the continuation of these deeply moving pieces of music. It is only through and with your support that this will happen. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today.
WAYS TO DONATE
By Check / Cash / Credit Card at our Sacred Concert Info Table
Online at Montview.org/giving (select “Sacred Concerts”)
Check by mail (1980 Dahlia St Denver, CO 80220 “Memo: Sacred Concerts”)
MONTVIEW BOULEVARD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
1980 Dahlia Street, Denver, CO 80220
303.355.1651 | www.montview.org