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An Ancient Christmas Hymn / Fairies! / Quiz Answers & Winners / Finishing Strong!
Douglas Jacoby
December 24, 2025
Good morning! We’ve been enjoying a wonderful week with family and friends, and hope the holidays are going well for you, too. Our Christmas newsletter includes a 4th-century hymn, a guest article on fairies, our Christmas quiz winners, and details of a few outstanding financial needs. |  Happy Christmas from England! — Douglas & Vicki Jacoby |
WHAT FAIRIES TAUGHT ME ABOUT CHRISTMAS—by Drew Baker
It is said that long, long ago, fairies inhabited a specific quiet and remote region in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The fairies roamed freely, enjoying the beauty and serenity of that enchanted place. One day, the fairies were playing in a sunny glade when an elfin messenger arrived from a faraway city bearing the sad news of Christ's death. |  |
A FOURTH CENTURY CHRISTMAS HYMN
This morning you should have received the last offering in our Advent Carols series. Here’s one more Christmas hymn (without commentary). It’s ancient.
1. Of the Father's love begotten,
Ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega,
He the source, the ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see,
Evermore and evermore.
2. At his word the worlds were framèd;
He commanded, it was done:
Heav’n and earth and depths of ocean,
In their threefold order one;
All that grows beneath the shining
Of the moon and burning sun—
Evermore and evermore.
3. He was found in human fashion,
Death and sorrow here to know,
That the race of Adam’s children,
Doomed by law to endless woe,
May not henceforth die and perish
In the dreadful gulf below—
Evermore and evermore.
4. O that birth forever blessèd,
When the virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving,
Bore the Savior of our race,
And the babe, the world’s Redeemer,
First revealed his sacred face—
Evermore and evermore.
5. This is he whom seers in old time
Chanted of with one accord,
Whom the voices of the prophets
Promised in their faithful word;
Now he shines, the long-expected;
Let creation praise its Lord—
Evermore and evermore.
6. O ye heights of Heav’n adore him!
Angel hosts his praises sing!
All dominions bow before him
And exalt our God and King.
Let no tongue on Earth be silent,
Every voice in concert ring—
Evermore and evermore.
7. Christ! to thee with God the Father,
And O Holy Ghost, to thee,
Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving
And unwearied praises be,
Honor, glory, and dominion,
And eternal victory—
Evermore and evermore.
HOLIDAY QUIZ ANSWERS—AND WINNERS
How did you make out on last week’s holiday quiz? The average score was 6. Our winners: Kayonne Webley (9), Sharon Metzger (9), and Douglas Shafer (10). |  |
In case you want to see what you missed, the answers have been bolded below:
Are reindeer REAL animals, or make-believe?
What is the location of the true North Pole?
Canada Greenland Russia ARCTIC OCEAN
What does the X in the term Xmas stand for?
CHRIST Satan Atheism NothingI
(In Greek, X is the first letter of Christ.)
Name the OT celebration that involves the exchanging of gifts?
Passover PURIM Pentecost
(See the end of the book of Esther.)
A boiled or steamed delight made from eggs, milk, flour, dried fruits, spices, and alcohol, this traditional English holiday fare is called Christmas ______.
Cake PUDDING Surprise Pie
Meaning literally "old long since," the title of the customary New Year's song “Auld Lang Syne” is Irish SCOTTISH Welsh English
Which Christmas epiphyte may lead to a kiss?
Holly MISTLETOE Spruce Fir
Hanukkah is found in the
Old Testament NEW TESTAMENT Both testaments Neither
(Also called the Feast of Dedication, Hanukkah appears only in John 10:22. It dates back to the victory of the Maccabees in the 2nd century BC, after the OT was written but before the time of the NT.)
The English celebrated New Year's Day, until 1752, in which month?
January February MARCH April
(It makes sense—March 25th coincides with the return of spring.)
Approximately which year did reindeer become part of Christmas tradition?
820 1220 1520 1820
Kwaanza, an annual celebration of African-American culture, was first celebrated in 1666 1866 1966 2006
Which Christmas song was the first to be broadcast from space?
Silent Night JINGLE BELLS The First Noel Deck the Halls
(Agreed—this was a hard question.)
FINISHING STRONG!
OUTSTANDING MINISTRY NEEDS
We are well over halfway to reaching our financial goals for 2025. Please consider donating so that we may finish strong and continue the ministry of good news in 2026.
Biblical teaching material targets. All but 4 have now been reached.
$834—iFaith Asia—$723 to go
$1241—Vietnam—$211 to go
$2810—Indonesia—$780 to go
$7135—Kenya—$4146 to go
Nepal
$8736—Kathmandu Asha School—$5781 to go (incl. Jan 2026 winter clothes drive)
Major cost center targets:
$120,000 Training cost center—$68,285 to go
$120,000 Teaching cost center (general fund)—$51,922 to go
To allocate your gift to a certain city or cost center, you can write a note in the memo line. Thank you for support! We couldn’t do it without you.
A NEW CHAPTER
 London, Dec 2025 |
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