Carols by Candlelight

3 December 2016

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
Choir	There is a longing (Anne Quigley)
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
Choir	Angelus ad Virginem (13th C English arr. mtgf)
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
Choir	Night of silence (Daniel Kantor)
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
Choir	Alma redemptoris mater (Palestrina)
Reflection
Intercessions
Lord's Prayer & Blessing
Carol	Joy to the world

For the last couple of years the carol service has been on a Saturday and connected with the SU Christmas fair. This year the connection seemed to be broken and so though the numbers were O they were not what it has been for previous years.

We have followed the same format for a number of years with a few tweaks. Angelus ad Virginem is part of an effort to find something Marian which the choir would enjoy and could be used when needed. I am not sure whether it achieved this. One of the stumbling blocks was the density of the Latin and I found myself preparing an English translation on Thursday night. Not ideal but I think it made it far more manageable - we could even consider the change of person within the verses. Our American students were particularly delighted to sing that classic 'Night of Silence'. Though I have touched on 'Christmas in Advent' before it struck me that both 'O little town' and 'Joy to the world' have a not quite yet flavour to them.