Carol Service

3 December 2013

Part 1 - Prepare a way for the Lord

Entrance	Yonder come day (Georgia Sea Islands Spiritual)
Opening Responses
Reading	Isaiah 40:1–5 The prophet Isaiah tells the people of Israel to prepare a way for the Lord
Song	O radiant dawn (James MacMillan)
Hymn	O come, O come Emmanuel

Part 2 - Behold the virgin will conceive

Reading	Luke 1: 26-38 St Luke tells of the Incarnation of Jesus
Carol	No wind at the window (Irish/Bell/Haugen)
Carol	O little town of Bethlehem

Part 3 - Today is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord

Reading	Luke 2:1-14 St Luke tells of the birth of Jesus
Song	I sing a maid (Irish arr. Joncas)
Carol	Silent Night

Part 4 - The Word was made flesh and lived among us

Reading	1 John 1:1–4 St John reflects on the Incarnation
Motet	Adam lay ybounden (Ord)
Intercessions
Lord's Prayer & Blessing
Carol	O come all ye faithful

A shorter carol service this year. We sang a few more secular Christmas favourites afterwards. I am still ambivalent about the Carol Service and how much it should balance Advent–Christmas. Over the years it has never attracted great numbers and I note that for many years though the content was Advent it was advertised as a 'Christmas Carol Service' and nobody complained. I see one of the choir members has been asking similar questions: Advent for today.

Our focus in Advent is always the Feast day Mass for the Immaculate Conception and the Carol service is the poor relation. Another factor is that the end of term is marked by exams for students and so it gets pushed to the beginning of December.

I think the main question is 'who is it for? Probably for three groups who may have different needs which may not be all the same. There are those who will journey with the Church's liturgy through Advent and Christmas and would probably like a reflection on where we are now — Advent. I think it offers a celebration for those for whom the Feast Day Mass is not a focus and indeed this year this was articulated by one of the committed Christians on campus who feels less at home at Mass. My other hope would be that it is for those who will otherwise participate in the Advent-Christmas journey so that they will hear the proclamation of the good news.

I think I commented last year that I am interested that members of the College choir who have a range of beliefs are excited by the prospect of singing Christmas carols. I would also note that a number of them had never sung 'O come, O come Emmanuel' before.