Nine Lessons & Carols

Transcription

1 Nine Lessons & Carols Friday 30 November 2012, 5.30 p.m.

2 Before the service, the organist plays Prelude & Fugue in G major, BWV 541 by J. S. Bach ( ) Largo, from Trio Sonata No.2 in C minor, BWV 526 by J. S. Bach ( ) Le Banquet Celeste by Olivier Messiaen ( ) stand as the choir arrive at the entrance of the chapel for the CAROL Solo Once in royal David s city stood a lowly cattle shed, where a mother laid her baby in a manger for his bed: Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child. Choir 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 childhood he would honour and obey, love and watch the lowly maiden, in whose gentle arms he lay: Christian children all must be mild, obedient, good as he. And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love, for that child so dear and gentle is our Lord in heaven above; and he leads his children on to the place where he is gone.

3 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. Mrs. C.F. Alexander ( ) Tune: Irby Please remain standing for THE BIDDING PRAYER The priest says the bidding prayer, which concludes, These prayers and praises let us humbly offer to the throne of heaven, in the words which Christ himself hath taught us: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Please sit for the FIRST LESSON Genesis The Fall

4 The choir sings the ANTHEM Unser lieben Frauen Traum, by Max Reger ( ) Our Lady lay a-sleeping and dreamed a dream: that there beneath her heart lay a tree that grew with branches outspread. And lo, the tree its shadow gave to shelter every land: Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour, who shall ever stand. Lord Jesus Christ our saving health, hear us when we call: by his most bitter passion, he has redeemed us all. Trad. German SECOND LESSON Genesis The Promise to Abraham Please stand to sing the CAROL It came upon a midnight clear, that glorious song of old, from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold: Peace on the earth, good-will to men, from heaven s all gracious king! The world in solemn stillness lay to 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 plains they bend on hovering wing; and ever o er its babel sounds the blessed angels sing.

5 Yet with the woes of sin and strife the world has suffered long; beneath the angel strain have rolled two thousand years of wrong; and man, at war with man, hears not the love-song which they bring: O hush your noise, ye men of strife, and hear the angels sing! For lo! The days are hastening on, by prophet bards foretold, when with the ever-circling years, comes round the age of gold; when peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendours fling, and the whole earth give back the song which now the angels sing. Edmund Sears ( ) Tune: Noel Please sit for the THIRD LESSON Isaiah 9.2, 6 7 The prophecy of Christ s coming The choir sings the ANTHEM And the glory of the Lord from The Messiah, by G. F. Handel ( ) FOURTH LESSON Micah The future glory of little Bethlehem

6 Please stand to sing the CAROL O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by. Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light; the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth, and praises sing to God the King and peace to men on earth; for Christ is born of Mary; and gathered all above, while mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wandering love. Choir How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given! So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven. No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in. O Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray; cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell: O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel. Phillips Brooks ( ) Tune: Forest Green

7 Please sit for the FIFTH LESSON Luke The Annunciation of our Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary The choir sings the ANTHEM Hymn à la Vierge, by Pierre Villette ( ) O fairest Virgin Mary, your soul finds in God the perfect love. He clothes you with the mantle of grace like a bride adorned with her jewels. eluia, alleluia. I will sing your praises, Lord, for you have cared for me, you have wrapped me in the veil of purity. You were born before the hills were made, O Wisdom of God, Gate of Salvation. Happy are those who follow in your footsteps, who make their hearts ready to hear the voice of your counsels. eluia, alleluia. I will sing your praises, Lord, for you created me before the day, for you made me before the bubbling of the streams. Before the stars were made you were there, Mother of the Creator, in the heights of heaven; when God decreed the boundaries of the world, you were there in his heart and with him in his handiwork. O fairest Virgin Mary. SIXTH LESSON Matthew The birth of Jesus The choir sings the ANTHEM A Child is born, by Philip Stopford (b.1977)

8 Please stand to sing the CAROL Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright round yon virgin mother and child; holy infant, so tender and mild, sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace. Silent night, holy night, shepherds first saw the sight; glories stream from heaven afar, heavenly hosts sing eluia! Christ the saviour is born, Christ the saviour is born! Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love s pure light; radiance beams from thy holy face with the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth. J. Mohr ( ) Tune: Stille Nacht Please sit for the SEVENTH LESSON Luke The visit of the shepherds The choir sings the ANTHEM Sing Lullaby, traditional, arr. David Wilcocks (b.1919)

9 EIGHTH LESSON Matthew The visit of the wise men Please stand to sing the CAROL 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: O come, let us adore him etc. Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation, Sing all ye citizens of heaven above: Glory to God in the highest: O come, let us adore him etc. Latin, C18th, tr. F. Oakeley ( ) Tune: Adeste Fideles

10 Please remain standing for the NINTH READING John Saint John unfolds the mystery of the incarnation Please sit while the choir sings the ANTHEM Ding dong merrily on high, traditional, arr. Stuart Nicholson Please stand for the RESPONSORY & COLLECT Priest Priest Priest Priest The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For to us a child is born to us a Son is given. His name will be called wonderful counsellor, mighty God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth. The priest then sings the collect, to which all respond Amen.

11 Please remain standing to sing the CAROL Hark the herald angels sing glory to the new-born King; peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled. Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies; with th angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem. Hark the herald angels sing glory to the new-born King. Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, late in time behold him come, offspring of a virgin s womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see! Hail, th incarnate Deity! Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel. Hark the herald angels sing glory to the new-born King. Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail, the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings. Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. Hark the herald angels sing glory to the new-born King. Charles Wesley ( ) Tune: Mendelssohn

12 THE BLESSING Priest Priest The Lord be with you and with thy spirit. Christ, who by his incarnation gathered into one things earthly and heavenly, fill you with peace and goodwill and make you partakers of the divine nature; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be upon you and remain with you always. Amen. The organist plays Dieu Parmi Nous from La Nativité du Seigneur by Olivier Messiaen. Please either stay to listen to the organ voluntary, or leave as quietly as possible. At the end of the service, the congregation remain standing as the choir and ministers depart, followed by the Rector, Fellows and their guests. Please join us for mulled wine and minced pies in the Saskatchewan Room after the service. Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is included in this service booklet, is copyright The Archbishops Council 2006.