a service of lessons and carols for advent

Transcription

1 St Stephen s anglican Church mays chapel a service of lessons and carols for advent in aid of dr bob s place a hospice for children sung by the gentlemen of st stephen s choir adric organist - choirmaster The Second Sunday in Advent! 4th December 2011! 6.00 PM

2 Please consider offering a donation to the Choir s charity: DR BOB S PLACE This 4.5 million dollar facility is the first hospice for dying children on the East Coast of the United States. Located at 838 North Eutaw Street near Joseph Richey House in downtown Baltimore, Dr Bob s Place provides 10 private rooms, as well as beautiful public rooms and play areas. The 20,800 square foot facility offers full hospice services to children, as well as providing hospice services to children at home. There are presently over 300 children in the state of Maryland in need of hospice care. For more information, visit the Dr Bob s Place website: www. drbobsplace.org ABOUT THE CHOIR The history of men and boys choirs is, in many ways, the history of the Anglican Church. Originally, women were not in choirs because choristers were a minor clerical order from which women were excluded. As the centuries passed, the sense of such choirs being an honoured tradition took over as the technical prohibitions against women singing in the choirs became, thankfully, unimportant. In this country (particularly in the Episcopal Church), vested male choirs became more and more the norm as the nineteenth century came to an end, and the zenith of the tradition was probably in the 1920 s and 30 s. Nowadays, such choirs are increasingly viewed as anachronistic and, perhaps more importantly, socially indefensible. And yet so much of the music written for the Anglican communion over the centuries was written with this type of choir in mind, and still sounds best when sung by such a group. Many churches cannot support a choir of men and boys, and many others would find such a choir an affectation. Nevertheless, it is hoped that the tradition will never die out completely, and that the great music of the Church will continue to be sung by that sort of choir for which so much of it was originally intended. The St Stephen s Boychoir, which comprises the boy soprano section of the St Stephen s Choir of Men and Boys, is a male vocal ensemble open to talented boys who enjoy singing and wish to receive a classical music education at no monetary cost to his family. The boys are taught to read and write musical notation, and they quickly become proficient singing in multiple languages through exposure to a musical repertory spanning several centuries. In a modern culture which focuses attention and resources on boys athletic development, the Boychoir offers an outlet for artistic expression and intellectual growth in addition to sports, or as an alternative for boys for whom sports are not an option. The benefits of participation go far beyond developing a high level of musicianship: our choirboys develop self-discipline, social skills, and confidence, and they earn credentials which score high on high school and college applications and lead to scholarships. Membership in the Mays Chapel Boychoir is open to boys of all faith traditions. Prospective choristers ages 8 to 12 are welcomed at any time of the year. Enquiries may be directed to the Recruitment Director Mrs Colby Hawks on or at boychoir@ststeve.com. For more information, visit us online: choir.ststeve.com

3 an order of service PROCESSION MATTIN RESPONSORY: Aspiciens a longe HYMN: O come, o come Emmanuel THE BIDDING PRAYER CAROL: Adam lay ibounden G. P. da Palestrina Veni Emmanuel, ca. 9th cent. Peter Warlock I. THE MESSAGE OF ADVENT COLLECT ANTIPHONS: O Sapientiæ, O Adonai FIRST LESSON Isaiah 11:1 5 AN ADVENT PROSE: Rorate cæli SECOND LESSON I Thessalonians 5:1 11 HYMN: Hark! a herald voice is calling Merton, W. H. Monk II. THE WORD OF GOD COLLECT ANTIPHONS: O Radix Jesse, O Clavis David THIRD LESSON Micah 4:1 4 CAROL: The truth from above trad. English, arr. R. V. Williams FOURTH LESSON St Luke 4:14 21 HYMN: Come, thou long-expected Jesus Cross of Jesus, John Stainer III. THE PROPHETIC CALL COLLECT ANTIPHONS: O Oriens, O Rex Gentium FIFTH LESSON Malachi 3:1 7 CANTICLE: Benedictus, Dominus Deus Israel SIXTH LESSON St Matthew 3:1 11 HYMN: On Jordan s bank the Baptist s cry Winchester New, 17th cent. IV. THE GOD-BEARER COLLECT ANTIPHONS: O Emmanuel, Ave Maria SEVENTH LESSON St Luke 1:39 49 CANTICLE: Magnificat anima mea Dominum EIGHTH LESSON St John 3:1 8 ANTHEM: Lo, how a Rose e er blooming 15th cent. German, arr. M. Connelly VESPER RESPONSORY: Judæa et Hierusalem Palestrina COLLECT + BLESSING HYMN: Lo! he comes with clouds descending VOLUNTARY: Nun komm, der heiden Heiland, BWV 661 Cwm Rhondda, John Hughes J. S. Bach

4 a service of lessons and carols for advent ABOUT THIS SERVICE In 1934, sixteen years after he had introduced A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols for Christmas Eve to King s College, Cambridge, the Dean, Eric Milner-White, composed a further service, A Procession with Carols upon Advent Sunday. His concern for more imaginative forms of worship appears in the preface he wrote to that service: In the old English liturgies, the Advent Offices made a preparation for the coming of our Lord to this earth far more vivid and eager than those of our present prayer book. So an Advent carol service, if without precedent, is not without suitability, if it helps to express the desire of all nations and ages. The purpose of this service was not to celebrate Christmas, but to expect it. Whereas the framework of the Christmas Eve service is provided by the lessons, which are then reflected in the carols, in this service many of the texts set to the music also contribute to the basic form. For many among those who know both the Advent carol service and the Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols, however much the Christmas Eve service is, for them, a part of Christmas, the Advent service has a depth and intensity distinctively its own. THE PROCESSION All stand as the Choir begins to sing THE MATTIN RESPONSORY Aspiciens a longe adapted from a Nunc dimittis of I look from afar: Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c ) ± And lo, I see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole earth. Go ye out to meet him and say: ± Tell us, art thou he that should come to reign over thy people Israel? High and low, rich and poor, one with another, ± Go ye out to meet him and say: Hear, O thou Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep, ± Tell us, art thou he that should come? Stir up thy strength, O Lord, and come ± To reign over thy people Israel. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. I look from afar: ± And lo, I see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole earth. Go ye out to meet him and say: ± Tell us, art thou he that should come to reign over thy people Israel? 4

5 THE HYMN All remain standing to sing Veni Emmanuel THE BIDDING PRAYER BELOVED in Christ, as we await the great festival of Christmas let us prepare ourselves so that we may be shown its true meaning. Let us hear, in lessons from Holy Scripture, how the prophets of Israel foretold that God would visit and redeem his waiting people. Let us rejoice, in our carols and hymns, that the good purpose of God is being mightily fulfilled. Let us celebrate the promise that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, will bring all men and all things into the glory of God s eternal kingdom. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them. But first, let us pray for the world which God so loves, for those who have not heard the good news of God, or who do not believe it; for those who walk in darkness and the shadow of death; and for the Church in this place and everywhere, that it may be freed from all evil and fear, and may in pure joy lift up the light of the love of God. 5

6 And let us at this time remember, in his name, the poor and the helpless, the cold, the hungry, and the oppressed; the sick and them that mourn, the lonely and the unloved; the aged and the little children; and all who know not the loving-kindness of the Lord, or who by sin have grieved his heart of love. Let us also remember before God all those who rejoice with us, but upon another shore, and in a greater light, that multitude which none can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom in the Lord Jesus we are one for evermore. These prayers and praises let us humbly offer to God, in the words which Christ himself taught us: Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, In earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen. All are seated CAROL Adam lay ybounden Peter Warlock ( ) Adam lay ybounden, bounden in a bond; four thousand winter thought he not too long. And all was for an apple, an apple that he took, as clerkes finden written in their book. Ne had the apple taken been, the apple taken been, ne had never our lady abeen heavené queen. Blessed be the time that apple taken was, therefore we moun singen: Deo gracias! Sloane MS (15th century) I. THE MESSAGE OF ADVENT THE COLLECT FOR ADVENT I Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty, to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen. ANTIPHONS O SAPIENTIA, quæ ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter, suaviterque disponens omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiæ. O ADONAI, et dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammæ rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento. O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end to the other mightily, and sweetly ordering all things: come and teach us the way of prudence. O Lord of Lords, and ruler of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush, and gave him the law on Sinai: come and redeem us with an outstretched arm. 6

7 THE FIRST LESSON Isaiah 11: 1 5 The peace that Christ will bring is foreshown lector: Mr Dean Philip A Junior Lay Clerk And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. Thanks be to God. AN ADVENT PROSE Rorate cæli plainsong ± Rorate cæli desuper, et nubes pluant justum. Ne irascaris Domine, ne ultra memineris iniquitatis: ecce civitas Sancti facta est deserta: Sion deserta facta est: Jerusalem desolata est: domus sanctificationis tuæ et gloriæ tuæ, ubi laudaverunt te patres nostri. ± Rorate cæli Peccavimus, et factisumus tamquam immundus nos, et cecidimus quasi folium universi: et iniquitates nostræ quasi ventus abstulerunt nos: abscondisti faciem tuam a nobis, et allisisti nos in manu iniquitatis nostræ. ± Rorate cæli [Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness Be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever. Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation; our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee. We have sinned and are as an unclean thing; and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.] Isaiah 45:8 64: :5-7 THE SECOND LESSON I Thessalonians 5:1 11 St Paul calls us to be vigilant in preparation for the coming of the Lord lector: Mr James Meil A Junior Lay Clerk But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. Thanks be to God. 7

8 THE HYMN All stand to sing Merton All are seated II. THE WORD OF GOD THE COLLECT FOR ADVENT II Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. ANTIPHONS O RADIX JESSE, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem Gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare. O CLAVIS DAVID, et sceptrum domus Israel; qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis. O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples; kings will shut their mouths before thee, for whom the nations will make their prayer: come and deliver us, and delay no longer. O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel; you open and none can shut; you shut and none can open: come and lead the captives from the prison house, those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. 8

9 THE THIRD LESSON Micah 4:1 4 The Prophet Micah tells of his vision of the last days, when the nations will be judged lector: Mr Severn Miller A Parishioner But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. Thanks be to God. CAROL The Truth from Above Herefordshire carol arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams ( ) This is the truth sent from above, the truth of God, the God of love, therefore don t turn me from your door, but hearken all both rich and poor. The first thing which I do relate is that God did man create; the next thing which to you I ll tell woman was made with man to dwell. Then after this twas God s own choice to place them both in Paradise, there to remain from evil free, except they ate of such a tree. And they did eat, which was a sin, and thus their ruin did begin; ruined themselves, both you and me, and all of their posterity. Thus we were heirs to endless woes, till God the Lord did interpose; and so a promise soon did run that he would redeem us by his Son. English traditional THE FOURTH LESSON St Luke 4:14 21 The words of the Prophet Isaiah are fulfilled by Jesus Christ lector: Mr Peter Threadgill Head Lay Reader And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. Thanks be to God. 9

10 THE HYMN All stand to sing Cross of Jesus All are seated III. THE PROPHETIC CALL THE COLLECT FOR ADVENT III O Lord Jesu Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy Messenger to prepare thy way before thee: Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen. ANTIPHONS O ORIENS, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis. O REX GENTIUM, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti. O Morning Star, splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness: come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. O King of the nations, and their desire, the cornerstone which makes both one: come and save mankind, which you fashioned from clay. 10

11 THE FIFTH LESSON Malachi 3:1 7 Malachi proclaims the coming of John the Baptist lector: Mr Brock Johnson Director of Religious Education Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner s fire, and like fullers soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? Thanks be to God. CANTICLE Benedictus, Dominus Deus Israel, Tonus Peregrinus C Blessed be the Lord God of Israel : for he hath visited and redeemed his people. And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us : in the house of his servant David. As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets : which have been since the world began. That we should be saved from our enemies : and from the hand of all that hate us. To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers : and to remember his holy covenant; To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham : that he would give us; That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies : might serve him without fear; In holiness and righteousness before him : all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest : for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people : for the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God : whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us; To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death : and to guide our feet into the way of peace. Gloria Patri St Luke 1:68 79 THE SIXTH LESSON St Matthew 3:1 11 John the Baptist proclaims the coming of Christ 11 lector: Mr Gordon Turner The Junior Warden In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. Thanks be to God.

12 THE HYMN All stand to sing Winchester New All are seated IV. THE GOD-BEARER A COLLECT FOR RENEWAL Almighty and everlasting God, who didst stoop to raise our fallen race by the child-bearing of blessed Mary: Grant that we, who have seen thy glory manifested in our flesh, and thy love perfected in our weakness, may daily be renewed in thine image, and conformed to the likeness of thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. ANTIPHON O EMMANUEL, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio Gentium, et Salvator earum: Veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster. O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver, the hope of the nations and their Saviour: Come and save us, O Lord our God. 12

13 ANTIPHON AVE MARIA, gratia plena, Dominus tecum; benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostræ. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. cf. St Luke 1:28,42 THE SEVENTH LESSON St Luke 1:39 49 The Blessed Virgin Mary visits the mother of John the Baptist lector: The Rev. J. Gordon Anderson Rector, St Alban s Anglican Church, Joppa, MD And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. CANTICLE Magnificat Thanks be to God. Magnificat anima mea Dominum : My soul doth magnify the Lord : et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo. and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Quia respexit humilitatem ancillæ suæ : For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden : ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent for behold, from henceforth omnes generationes. all generations shall call me blessed. Quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est : For he that is mighty hath magnified me : et sanctum nomen eius. and holy is his Name. Et misericordia eius, a progenie et progenies : And his mercy is on them that fear him : timentibus eum. throughout all generations. Fecit potentiam in brachio suo : He hath shewed strength with his arm : dispersit superbos he hath scattered the proud in the mente cordis sui. imagination of their hearts. Deposuit potentes de sede : He hath put down the mighty from their seat : et exaltavit humiles. and hath exalted the humble and meek. Esurientes implevit bonis : He hath filled the hungry with good things : et divites dimisit inanes. and the rich he hath sent empty away. Suscepit Israel puerum suum : He remembering his mercy : recordatus misericordiæ suae. hath holpen his servant Israel. Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros : As he promised to our forefathers : Abraham, et semini eius in sæcula. Abraham and his seed for ever. Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father cf. St Luke 1:

14 THE EIGHTH LESSON St John 3:1 8 Jesus speaks with Nicodemus of the birth from above lector: Ven. Guy P. Hawtin Rector, St Stephen s Church There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Thanks be to God. CAROL Lo, how a Rose e er blooming 15th century German, arr. Michael Connelly Lo, how a Rose e er blooming from tender stem hath sprung! Of Jesse s lineage coming as men of old have sung. It came, a flow ret bright, amid the cold of winter, when half spent was the night. Isaiah twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind, with Mary we behold it, the Virgin Mother kind. To show God s love aright, she bore to men a Saviour, when half spent was the night. 16th c. German; translated by Theodore Baker All stand as the Choir sings THE VESPER RESPONSORY Judæa et Hierusalem Judah and Jerusalem, fear not nor be dismayed. ± Tomorrow, go ye forth, and the Lord, he will be with you. Stand ye still, and ye shall see the salvation of the Lord. ± Tomorrow, go ye forth, and the Lord, he will be with you. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. ± Tomorrow, go ye forth, and the Lord, he will be with you. G. P. da Palestrina adapted by Philip Ledger THE COLLECT + BLESSING PRIEST: We wait for thy loving-kindness, O Lord. PEOPLE: In the midst of thy temple. Let us pray O God, who makest us glad with the yearly expectation of thy coming, Grant that we, who with joy receive thy only-begotten Son as our Redeemer, may without fear behold him when he shall come to be our Judge, even thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. Go forth into the world in peace; be of good courage; hold fast that which is good; render to no man evil for evil; strengthen the faint-hearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honour all men; love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you, and remain with you for ever. Amen. 14

15 THE CLOSING HYMN All remain standing to sing Cwm Rhondda «offered to the Glory of God in honour of the Fortieth Wedding Anniversary of Bill and Annie Hawkins» THE VOLUNTARY Nun komm, der heiden Heiland [Come now, Saviour of the nations], BWV 661 J. S. Bach ( ) A freewill offering is being received at the main entrance to the cathedral in support of the Choir s charity: Dr Bob s Place, a hospice for children.

16 CHRISTMAS EVE Saturday, December 24 th PM: Prelude with Choir and Orchestra PM: Choral Midnight Mass The Choir of Men & Boys will be accompanied by a small chamber orchestra and organ. Music will include excerpts from Handel s Messiah, Bach s Cantata 140 (Wachet auf), and Mozart s Missa brevis in B flat. christmas.ststeve.com EPIPHANY LESSONS & CAROLS Sunday, January 8 th On the Sunday after the Epiphany, the Choir of Men & Boys presents a Festival of Lessons & Carols for Epiphany. Through scripture readings, carols and hymns, the service celebrates the joy of Christmastide and the revelation of Jesus to humanity. The Carol Service begins at 6 PM and generally lasts between 60 and 75 minutes. Visitors from all faith traditions are always heartily welcomed to join us in prayer, and all are invited to remain for a reception directly following the service. A freewill offering will be received in support of the choir s charity: Dr Bob s Place, a hospice for children. Read more information on our website, or add your e mail address to our choral mailing list to have our announcements sent directly to you. lessonsand carols.com choir.ststeve.com! evensong.ststeve.com