Calendar
A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols (followed by Holy Communion)
Sunday, December 18, 2011
11:00am - Saint Thomas Church
Collect:
We beseech thee, Almighty God, to purify our consciences by thy daily visitation, that when thy Son our Lord cometh he may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
At the beginning of this service, the lights are lowered and the people stand. The choir begins to sing Once in royal David's city from the back of the nave. At the third verse, the congregation joins in singing and the choir and clergy process down the center aisle to the chancel.
The Rector gives the Bidding and the congregation says the Lord's Prayer and then the service beautifully proceeds in a rotation of twelve carols and hymns interwoven among nine lessons.
The nine lessons are read by nine representatives of our parish: a Chorister, a Member of the Sunday School, a Gentleman of the Choir, the Director of Music, the Headmaster of the Choir School, a Member of the Congregation, a Warden of the Parish, a Priest of the Parish, and finally the Rector.
Following the singing of Hark, the Herald Angels Sing, the choir exits during the playing of the voluntary. The gate to the ambulatory is then closed as the priests and acolytes prepare for a low mass at the High Altar. Those in the congregation wishing to stay on for communion remain in place. Those wishing to leave exit immediately through the Narthex doors. No foot traffic is allowed through the ambulatory during or following the Voluntary because of prepartions for the Eucharist.► The Rector speaks about the Anglican tradition of Lessons and Carols in his weekly audio message.
►If you haven't yet participated in the 2012 EMC, we encourage you to do so before the end of 2011. Thank you for considering, and to everyone who has already made their pledge.
| Officiant: | Fr Mead |
| Preacher: | Fr Mead |
| Sung by: | The Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys |
| Prelude 1: | Der Tag, der ist so freudenreich, BWV 605, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) |
| Prelude 2: | Berceuse Paraphrase, George Baker (b. 1951) |
| Prelude 3: | Prelude on ‘Divinum Mysterium’, T. Frederick H. Candlyn (1892-1964) |
| Works of: | Vaughan Williams, Ord, John Tavener, Howells, Pearsall, David Willcocks, Pettman and Mathias |
| Voluntary: | In dulci jubilo, BWV 729, Johann Sebastian Bach |
Sermon:
Sermon Text |
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