The Second Sunday of Advent
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The Second Sunday of Advent THE HOLY EUCHARIST December 6, 2020, 11:00 AM The Church of Saint Mary the Virgin in the City of New York We Need Your Help We are enormously grateful to all the members and friends of Saint Mary’s from far and wide who have supported the parish during the extraordinary events of the past several months. Your gifts have encouraged us and they have kept us going. We hope that you will make a pledge to the parish for 2021 at this time. Pledge cards may be found on the ushers’ table at the Forty-sixth Street entrance to the church. If you are able to make an additional donation to support the parish at this time, we would happily receive it. Donations may be made online via the Giving section of the parish website. You may also make arrangements for other forms of payment by contacting our parish administrator, Christopher Howatt, who would be happy to assist you. He may be reached at 212-869-5830 x 10. If you have questions about pledging, please speak to a member of the clergy or to one of the members of the Stewardship Committee, MaryJane Boland, Steven Heffner, or Marie Rosseels. We are grateful to you for your support of Saint Mary’s. About the Music Today’s organ voluntaries are both from the North German Baroque school and are based upon Luther’s chorale Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (“Come now, Savior of the Gentiles”). This chorale (54 in The Hymnal 1982) is Martin Luther’s sixteenth-century adaptation of the fourth-century Latin hymn Veni Redemptor gentium attributed to Ambrose of Milan (55 in The Hymnal 1982). The Prelude is an extended Choralfantasia by Nicolaus Bruhns (1665– 1697). Bruhns was a highly regarded virtuoso of both keyboard and stringed instruments of the generation before J. S. Bach (1685–1750). He was known to play the violin while accompanying himself on the pedals of the organ. His Choralefantasia is a monumental example of its genre. Each of the choral’s four melodic phrases is set for two manuals and pedals in its own separate section and embellished thoroughly. The postlude today is the third of the three settings of Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland from J. S. Bach’s Great Eighteen Leipzig Chorales. (The first and second of this set of three were played as voluntaries last Sunday on the First Sunday of Advent.) This third setting, BWV 661, is a vigorous fugue for the hands under which each of the four phrases of the chorale in turn is stated boldly in long tones played on the organ pedals. - 2 - The musical setting of the Mass today is Mass XIV as found in the Liber Usualis (“Usual Book”), a comprehensive anthology of medieval Roman plainsong compiled in the nineteenth century by the monks of Solesmes, France. Like the several other numbered Masses of the Gregorian Missal, Mass XIV (Jesu Redemptor) is a collection of chants for the Ordinary of the Mass which likely were originally independent pieces brought together and associated with one another by later custom. This particular combination was traditionally sung on feasts of the third class in the Roman calendar. The Kyrie of Mass XIV, is in Mode 8 and is the most ancient part of this setting, dating from the tenth century. The Agnus Dei, also in Mode 8, dates from the thirteenth century. The Sanctus dates from the twelfth century and is in Mode 1. Today’s cantor is soprano, Charlotte Mundy. During the Communion she will sing the aria Öffne dich, mein ganzes Herze from Cantata 61 by Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach’s Cantata 61, Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, was composed for the first Sunday of Advent and first performed on December 2, 1714, as Bach began his appointment as Kapellmeister of the at the Weimar court. The same cantata was performed again in Leipzig on November 28, 1723, as Bach began his appointment in that city. The cantata’s libretto was compiled by the Lutheran pastor and hymnologist Erdmann Neumeister (1671–1756), including quotes from the Book of Revelation and hymn stanzas of Martin Luther and Philipp Nicolai. Neumeister composed the words for the soprano aria Öffne dich, the fifth of the cantata’s six movements. The scoring is simply for voice and continuo. About Today’s Cantor Soprano Charlotte Mundy specializes in music that is new, daring, and sublime. She has been called a “daredevil with an unbreakable spine” (SF Classical Voice). Recent performances include George Benjamin’s one-act opera Into the Little Hill at the 92nd Street Y and a set of music for voice and electronics presented by New York Festival of Song, described as “an oasis of radiant beauty” by the New York Times. She acted and sang in A Star Has Burnt My Eye at the BAM Next Wave Festival and The Apartment at Abrons Arts Center. As a member of Ekmeles vocal ensemble and TAK ensemble, she has been an artist-in-residence at the music departments of Columbia, Stanford, Penn, Cornell, and many other universities. The multi-sensory ritual of Mass at “Smoky Mary’s” is a constant inspiration to her. Learn more at charlottemundy.com. The Prelude Choralfantasia: Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland Nicolaus Bruhns (1665–1697) - 3 - THE HOLY EUCHARIST 11:00 AM THE WORD OF GOD The Entrance & Opening Acclamation A bell is rung and music is played. The Celebrant enters, goes to the Altar, and says Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. People And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Amen. Then the Celebrant prays Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. People Amen. The Song of Praise The Choir sings Kyrie eleison. The setting of the Mass ordinary is Mass XIV (Jesu Redemptor), Plainsong Mode 8. Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy. Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy. Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy. Christe eleison. Christ, have mercy. Christe eleison. Christ, have mercy. Christe eleison. Christ, have mercy. Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy. Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy. Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy. - 4 - The Collect of the Day The Celebrant says The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Celebrant Let us pray. The Celebrant says the Collect, and the People respond, Amen. The Lessons The Congregation is seated. The first Lesson, Isaiah 40:1–11, is now read. After the Lesson, the Reader says The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God. The Psalm The Congregation joins in saying Psalm 85:7–13. The Reader says 7 Show us your mercy, O LORD, * All and grant us your salvation. 8 I will listen to what the LORD God is saying, * for he is speaking peace to his faithful people and to those who turn their hearts to him. 9 Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, * that his glory may dwell in our land. 10 Mercy and truth have met together; * righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 11 Truth shall spring up from the earth, * and righteousness shall look down from heaven. 12 The LORD will indeed grant prosperity, * and our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness shall go before him, * and peace shall be a pathway for his feet. - 5 - The second Lesson, 2 Peter 3:8–15a, is now read. After the Lesson, the Reader says The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God. The Gospel Acclamation A minister prepares to proclaim the Gospel while the Cantor sings the appointed antiphon. Alleluia, alleluia. Alleluia, alleluia. Laetatus sum in his quae dicta sunt mihi: I was glad when they said to me: in domum Domini ibimus. “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” Alleluia. Alleluia. The Holy Gospel A Minister proclaims the Gospel, first saying The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Minister The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark. People Glory to you, Lord Christ. The appointed Gospel, Mark 1:1–8, is now proclaimed. After the Gospel, the Minister says The Gospel of the Lord. People Praise to you, Lord Christ. The Sermon The Reverend Dr. Matthew Daniel Jacobson - 6 - The Nicene Creed The Celebrant leads the Creed, saying We believe in one God, All the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit Bow he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.