Advent Carol Service

13 December 2010

Gathering Chant	Long is our winter (German, 15th c.)
Opening Hymn	O come, O come Emmanuel
Reading	May the Lord confirm your hearts in holiness (1 Thessalonians 3:12–4:2)
Response	Your words are spirit (Bernadette Farrell)
Reflection	We are made to receive love (Pope Benedict outside Westminster Cathedral)
Motet	Ave maris stella (Elgar)
Reading	Grow strong so that Christ may live in your hearts (Ephesians 3:14–21)
Response	Your words are spirit (Bernadette Farrell)
Reflection	God loves us with a depth and an intensity (Pope Benedict at the Big Assembly)
Song	God has chosen me (Bernadette Farrell)
Meditation	God has created me to do him some definite service
Reflection	Be open to his voice resounding in the depths of your heart
Song	No wind at the window (Irish trad./John Bell)
Gospel Acclamation	Gospel Greeting (Bernadette Farrell)
Gospel	Jesus is born of Mary who was betrothed to Joseph, son of David (Matthew 1:18–24)
Intercessions	Your words are spirit (Bernadette Farrell)
Presentation of Cheques
Song	Freedom is coming (South African)
Concluding Prayer
Final Song	Joy to the World

Each year the Advent Carol Service tries to reflect something in the life of the College. The fixtures are that is Advent, not Christmas, it is an opportunity to present the cheques for monies raised for local and national children's charities and musical forces are brought together.

This year we took the Papal Visit as a key theme and used extracts from when Pope Benedict spoke to young people as a way of structuring the liturgy. What he said fitted in well with the themes of Advent. The Farrell response harked back to the Prayer with the Religious in the College Chapel. Otherwise the music did not reflect the visit. Mary proved, appropriately, an underlying - someone for whom God had a definite purpose.