Our vision A spiritually alive world Our mission Reimagining church with courage, joy and wonder PHOTO: CREATIVE COMMONS CC0 Advent Procession of Lessons and Carols The First Sunday of Advent Sunday, December 1, 2019 Sunday, December 1, 2019 3 p.m. Welcome to Grace Cathedral Welcome to this sacred place where we are reimagining church with courage, joy and wonder. Every year we choose a theme to help us explore new ideas and to listen for God’s calling. In 2019 our theme is the Year of the Body. Our body is the way we meet the world and the world meets us. Although we share much that is in common, our bodies are each unique and particular, and every body is worthy of respect. We believe that God participated in the world through a body. So we will be examining how we care for bodies, how we treat different kinds of bodies and how we are part of the earth’s body. This year we will dance together, eat together and study what it means for Christians to understand the church as the Body of Christ. We invite you to be part of this body, this joyful community, even if your visit is short. How is God inviting you to be more truly alive today? What are our bodies saying to us? May God bless you in this holy place! – The Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral • If you are new to Grace Cathedral, please introduce yourself and fill out a welcome card so we can be in touch with you. We’re glad you’re here! • Join us for coffee and conversation across the plaza in the Chapter House Library after the 8:30 a.m. service or in the Chapter House Dining Room after the 11 a.m. service. about today’s readings Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44 Reading texts can be found at the end of the service leaflet Mountaintop experiences in scripture cue us to the possibility of extraordinary encounters with God. In Isaiah’s vision, people will stream to the mountain, marching to meet their God. Perhaps the whole season of Advent could be seen as a journey to a mountaintop experience of Christmas, God revealed in fragile, human flesh. The dazzling vision of the mountaintop experience encourages our upward climb. That climb may include a thrilling—or exhausting— “roller coaster” of emotions. The most amazing encounters between God and God’s people in the scriptures are almost never convenient or instantly accessible. First; we set out on a journey, and the work we do along the way, even the process itself, prepares us. Advent isn’t a season of passive waiting around; Advent is a season of active, anticipatory waiting—in our busy, go-go-go culture, that can seem radical. Creating some space, some stillness, some silence, can be difficult. For some, a daily, ten-minute practice of stillness is about as hard as climbing a mountain. What is your mountain to climb in this Advent season? Adapted from Forward Movement’s Day by Day Meditations highlights Lighting This Season With Hope Advent Procession of Lessons and Carols Advent Wreath Workshop Today • 3 p.m. • Cathedral Today • 12:30 p.m. • Wilsey A Begin the new liturgical year with Adorn your home with a traditional Advent lessons and carols sung by our evergreen wreath. We provide the Choir of Men and Boys. A festive supplies! potluck tea follows. Please find Advent events inside. Last Yoga on the Labyrinth of 2019 and Holiday Party Tuesday, December 3 • 6:15 p.m. • Cathedral Practice yoga at the last class of the year; then mingle with fellow yogis off the mat at a festive party. Yoga resumes on January 7, 2020. The Advent Procession The First Sunday of Advent • 1 December 2019 • 3 pm Ask an usher about hearing assistance devices, or large-print leaflets. Readings texts are found at the end of this leaflet. Restrooms are located on the lower level corridor. Please silence any audible electronics and refrain from taking video or photos during the service. Voluntary Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen Johannes Brahms Invitatory The people stand as the bells toll the hour. Benjamin Bachmann Choir 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? High and low, rich and poor, one with another, Go ye out to meet him and say: Stir up thy strength, and come To reign over thy people Israel. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. – Advent Matins Responsory The Collect Dean May God be with you. All And also with you. Let us pray. Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your 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 living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. The First Lesson The people sit. Genesis 1: 1–5 God creates light in the darkness. read by Canon Hookom Anthem Elizabeth Poston Choir The tree of life my soul hath seen, laden with fruit and always green: The trees of nature fruitless be compared with Christ the apple tree. His beauty doth all things excel: by faith I know, but ne'er can tell the glory which I now can see in Jesus Christ the apple tree. For happiness I long have sought, and pleasure dearly I have bought: I missed of all; but now I see 'tis found in Christ the apple tree. I'm weary with my former toil, here I will sit and rest awhile: under the shadow I will be, of Jesus Christ the apple tree. This fruit doth make my soul to thrive, it keeps my dying faith alive; Which makes my soul in haste to be with Jesus Christ the apple tree. – Anon, collection of Joshua Smith, New Hampshire, 1784 Hymn (NEH 19b) The people stand as the procession moves to the Great Font. Puer nobis nascitur The Choir Thesings choir the alonefirst tw Come,o stanzas thou alone Redeemer. of the earth, and manifest thy virgin birth; 1 Come, thou Redeemer of the earth, and manifest thy virgin birth; let every age adoletring every fall; suchage adoringBirth befits fall; the suchGod ofBirth all. befits the God of all. 2 2 Begotten of no Begottenhuman will, ofbut no of humanthe Spirit will,, thou but art stillof the Spirit, thou art still the Word of God in flesh arrayed,the promised fruit to man displayed. Sung by all: the Word of God in flesh arrayed, the promised fruit to us displayed. All sing # & # ˙ œ œ ˙ œ ˙ œ ˙ œ ˙ œ 3 The vir-gin womb that bur-den gained with vir-gin 5 From God the Fa - ther he pro-ceeds, to God the 8 All laud, e-ter-nal Son, to thee, whose ad - vent # & # œ œ œ ˙ œ ˙ œ ˙ œ ˙ œ ˙ œ ho - nor all un - stained; the ban - ners there of vir-tue Fa - ther back he speeds; his course he runs to death and sets thy peo - ple free, whom with the Fa - ther we a- # & # ˙ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ ˙ ˙ glow; God in his tem - ple dwells beœ - low. hell, re - turn - ing on God’s throne to dwell. dore and Ho - ly Ghost, for e-ver-more. text: St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, tr. J. M. Neale (1818-66) and others; vv. 4-5 based on Ps. 19:5-6 (BCP translation); music: melody adapt. by Michael Praetorius (1571-1621); harm. by G. R. Woodward (1848-1934) The Second Lesson The people sit. Genesis 12: 1–5, 13: 14–18 The Lord promises Abram that he will be made into a great nation. read by Canon Bachmann Anthem Sung in Latin. William Byrd Choir Pour out dew from above, you heavens, and let the clouds rain down the Just One. Let the earth open and bring forth a Saviour. Show us your mercy, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. Come, O Lord, and do not delay. Alleluia. Hymn 56 The people stand as the procession moves to the Chi Rho. Veni, veni, Emmanuel text: Latin, ca. 9th cent.; ver. Hymnal 1940, alt.; music: plainsong, Mode 1, Processionale, 15th cent.; adapt. Thomas Helmore (1811-1890); acc. Richard Proulx (1937-) The Third Lesson The people sit. Isaiah 9: 2, 6–7 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. read by Canon Thompson Anthem Michael Prætorius Choir 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 Savior, when half-spent was the night. This flow'r whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air dispels with glorious splendor the darkness ev'rywhere.