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A FESTIVAL OF NINE LESSONS & CAROLS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2016

S T . P A U L ’ S E PISCOPAL C H U R C H

F AIRFIELD , C ONNECTICUT

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ELCOME TO THIS SERVICE , which anticipates the great feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The liturgy of Lessons and Carols was first used in the W chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, on , 1918, with the candle-lit splendor of the chapel, the prayers and scripture readings, the great hymns and the soaring music of the choir and organ standing in eloquent contrast to the darkness of a cold winter night and the tragic shadows of the recently concluded Great War. The intervening years have seen the worldwide broadcast of this service become a much beloved Christmas tradition.

As in 1918, we in our own day turn again to these sacred words and songs in a world troubled by war, natural disaster, violence, and economic uncertainty. Tonight’s service is offered in the spirit of that first service at King’s, as a light shining in the darkness; with fervent prayer for peace, goodwill and understanding among all people rising amidst the strains of glorious hymns and car- ols. Although much of the music at this service is sung by the choir, the congregation plays a central role. Please listen intently, pray and sing with your heart, mind, and voice, as indicated below. Again, welcome !

Of course, a major part of this service involves the joining together of everyone in making a joy- ful noise to the Lord. Should your child be further inspired to the making of extended joyful noise while others are trying to listen, we do ask that you escort your little one to the gathering area or outside for a brief moment or two until he or she becomes more contemplative. And please do not be shy about doing this – many of the adults surrounding you are parents too, and are very glad that you and your child are here! You are among friends.

ORDER OF SERVICE

ORGAN VOLUNTARY

Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) ¶ The Congregation is requested to be silent during the organ voluntary. Please rise as the clergy and choir enter the church.

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HYMN [Verses 1 & 2 Choir only] 1 Once in royal David’s city 2 He came down to earth from heaven stood a lowly cattle shed, who is God and Lord of all, where a mother laid her baby and his shelter was a stable, in a manger for his bed: and his cradle was a stall: Mary was that mother mild, with the poor, the mean, and the lowly, Jesus Christ her little child. lived on earth our Savior holy.

[Congregation in unison] 5 Not in that poor lowly stable, with the oxen standing by, we shall see him, but in heaven, set at God’s right hand on high; where like stars his children crowned all in white shall wait around.

Words: Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895) Music: Irby , melody and harm. Henry John Gauntlett (1805-1876); revised by A. H Mann (1850-1929) and others; descant David Willcocks (1919-2015) 87. 87. 77

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THE BIDDING PRAYER ¶ Said by the Officiant

ELOVED IN CHRIST, at this Christmas-tide let it be our care and delight to hear again the message of the angels, and in heart and mind to go unto Bethlehem and see this thing which B is come to pass, and the Babe lying in a manger. Therefore let us read and mark in Holy Scripture the tale of the loving purposes of God from the first days of our disobedience through the glorious Redemption brought us by this holy Child; and let us make this church, dedicated to his great apostle Paul, glad with our carols of praise: But first, let us pray for the needs of the whole world; for peace on earth and goodwill among all his people; for unity and understanding within the Church he came to build, and especially in our sister parish of San Lucas y San Pablo in Bridgeport; in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, and in the town and county of Fairfield. And let us remember, in his name, those that he loves most fervently: the poor and the helpless, the cold, the hungry, and the oppressed; the sick and them that mourn, the lonely and the unloved, the aged and the little children; all those who know not the Lord Jesus, or who love him not, or who by sin have grieved his heart of love. Lastly, let us remember before God all those who rejoice with us, but upon another shore, and in a greater light, that multitude which no one can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom in the Lord Jesus we are one for evermore. These prayers and praises let us humbly offer to God, in the words which Christ has taught us:

¶ All, together

UR FATHER , who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, O thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

¶ The Officiant continues May Almighty God give us grace: May Christ give us the joys of everlasting life: and unto the fellow- ship of the citizens above may the King of Angels bring us all. Amen.

¶ The Congregation may be seated.

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CAROL Melody from Orchésographie, 1596 , arr. Charles Wood (1866-1926)

ING -DONG , MERRILY ON HIGH In heav’n the bells are ringing; D Ding dong, verily the sky Is riven with angel singing.

Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!

E’en so here below, below Let steeple bells be swungen, And ‘Io, io, io!’ By priest and people sungen. Refrain

Pray you, dutifully prime Your matin chime, ye ringers! May you beautifully rime Your evetime song, ye singers! Refrain —George Ratcliffe Woodward (1848-1934)

THE FIRST LESSON Genesis 3:8-15 Reader: Claire D., A Chorister God tells sinful Adam and Eve that they have lost the life of Paradise.

CAROL Boris Ord (1897-1961)

DAM LAY YBOUNDEN , bounden in a bond, Four thousand winter thought he not too long, A And all was for an apple, an apple that he took, As clerkès finden, written in their book. Ne had the apple taken been, the apple taken been, Ne had never our Lady abeen heavené Queen. Blessed be the time that apple taken was, Therefore we moun singen, Deo gracias. —Sloane MS (modernized), 15th c. English

THE SECOND LESSON Isaiah 9:2-7 Reader: Laura Mozier, A Member of the Choir

The Prophet Isaiah reveals God’s promise of a Messiah for a faithful people.

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CAROL English folk carol, collected by Cecil Sharp (1859-1924) , arr. H. Walford Davies (1869-1941)

HE HOLLY AND THE IVY , When they are both full grown, T Of all the trees that are in the wood, The holly bears the crown:

O the rising of the sun, and the running of the deer, the playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.

The holly bears a blossom, as white as any flower, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ To be our sweet Savior: Refrain

The holly bears a berry, as red as any blood, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to do poor sinners good: Refrain

The holly bears a prickle as sharp as any thorn, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ On Christmas day in the morn: Refrain

The holly bears a bark as bitter as any gall, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ For to redeem us all. Refrain —Traditional English, early 19 th cent.

¶ All standing.

HYMN Verses 1-4 sung by the choir.

1 Of the Father’s heart begotten 2 By his word was all created, Ere the world from chaos rose, He commanded and ‘twas done ; He is Alpha : from that Fountain Earth and sky and boundless ocean, All that is, that hath been flows ; Universe of three in one, He is Omega, of all things All that sees the moon’s soft radiance, Yet to come the mystic Close, All that breathes beneath the sun, Evermore and evermore. Evermore and evermore.

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3 He assumed this mortal body, 4 O how blest that wondrous birthday, Frail and feeble, doomed to die, When the Maid the curse retrieved, That the race from dust created Brought to birth mankind’s salvation, Might not perish utterly, By the Holy Ghost conceived; Which the dreadful Law hath sentenced And the Babe, the world’s Redeemer, In the depths of hell to lie, In her loving arms received, Evermore and evermore. Evermore and evermore.

¶ Verses 5 & 6 sung by all.

Words: Prudentius (b. 348), tr. R. F. Davis Music: Melody from , Theoderici Petri Nylandensis, 1582, arr. David Willcocks 87. 87. 87. with Refrain

¶ The Congregation may be seated.

THE THIRD LESSON Isaiah 11:2-9 Reader: Bailey Curran, Coordinator, Youth Ministry

God’s peace is revealed to Israel. MOTET Barry Rose (b. 1934)

Nation shall speak peace unto nation; It is their prayer that good seed sown, may bring forth good harvest. —Paraphrase of Micah and Isaiah (BBC Motto)

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¶ All standing.

HYMN

[Choir only] [Congregation in unison] 2 Isaiah ‘twas foretold it, 3 O Flow’r whose fragrance tender the Rose I have in mind, with sweetness fills the air, with Mary we behold it, dispel in glorious splendor the Virgin Mother kind. The darkness everywhere; To show God’s love aright, true man, yet very God, she bore to us a Savior, from sin and death now save us, when half-spent was the night. and share our every load.

Words: St. 1-2, German, 15th cent.; tr. Theodore Baker (1851-1934), st. 3, Friedrich Layritz (1808-1859); tr. Harriet Reynolds Krauth Spaeth (1845-1925); ver. Hymnal 1940 Music: Es ist ein Ros, melody from Alte Catholische Geistlich Kirchengesäng, 1599; st. 1 harm. Michael Praetorius (1571-1621); st. 2-3 fauxbourdon and descant John Abdenour (b. 1962) 76. 76. 676

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¶ The Congregation may be seated.

THE FOURTH LESSON Micah 5:2-5 Reader: Anna Bendiksen, Lay Eucharistic Assistant The Prophet Micah speaks of Bethlehem’s destiny.

¶ All standing.

HYMN

Verses 3 & 4—overleaf

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[Choir only] [Congregation in unison] 3 How silently, how silently, 4 O holy Child of Bethlehem, the wondrous gift is given! descend to us, we pray; So God imparts to human hearts cast out our sin and enter in, the blessings of his heaven. be born in us today. No ear may hear his coming, We hear the Christmas angels but in this world of sin, the great glad tidings tell; where meek souls will receive him, O come to us, abide with us, still the dear Christ enters in. our Lord Emmanuel!

Words: Phillips Brooks (1835-1893) Music: Forest Green, English melody; adapt. and harm. Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) descant by Thomas H. W. Armstrong (1898-1994) CMD

¶ The Congregation may be seated.

THE FIFTH LESSON Luke 1:26-38 Reader: Julianne Seymour, Chair, Music Ministry Team The angel salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary.

CAROL Mateo Flecha (1481-1553)

IU RIU CHIU , la guarda ribera; Riu, riu, chiu, 1 the river bank protects it, Dios guardo el lobo de nuestra cordera, As God kept the wolf from our lamb; R Dios guardo el lobo de neustra cordera. As God kept the wolf from our lamb.

El lobo rabioso la quiso morder, The rabid wolf tried to bite her, Mas Dios poderoso la supo defender; But God Almighty knew how to defend her; Quisola hazer que no pudiese pecar, He wished to create her impervious to sin; Ni aun original esta Virgen no tuviera. Nor was this maid to embody original sin.

Este qu’es nacido es el gran monarca, He who’s now begotten is our mighty Monarch; Christo patriarca, de carne vestido; Christ, our Holy Father, in human flesh embodied. hanos redimido con se hacer chiquito, He has brought atonement by being born so humble a un qu’era infinito, finito se hiziera. Though He is immortal, as mortal was created.

Mira bien queos quadre que ansina lo oyera, He comes to give life to the dead, Que Dios no pudiera hacer la mas que madre, He comes to redeem the fall of man; El quera su padre hoy della nascio This child is the light of day, Y el que la drio su hijo so dixera. He is the very lamb Saint John prophesied.

Pues que ya tenemos lo que deseamos, Now we have gotten what we were all desiring, todos juntos vamos, presentes llevemos; Go we together to bear him gifts: todos le daremos muestra voluntad, Let each give his will to the God who was willing pues a se igualar con el hombre viniera. To come down to Earth man's equal to be.

—Cancionero de Upsala, 1556 1 Song of the Nightingale

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ANTHEM John Abdenour (b. 1962)

AKENED FROM a peaceful sleep “Why should I believe this tale, Young Mary viewed the stranger: I surely must be dreaming; W “Who are you? Your purpose here? Sir, you now must leave this place Why stand you in my chamber?” or soon I should be screaming.” “Mary,” the stranger said in peace, “Mary, O child of earthly mind, “Mary, all heaven sings your praise; Who could imagine God’s design? I bring news that God has chosen you to Know this: the angels guard your person who shall redeem the earth. [bear a Son, no man shall you defame; [without rest, Fear not, for I am but God’s lowly The child you bear shall be of God, herald of this birth.” Emmanuel his Name.”

“Sir, your words have calmed my heart, but leave me in perplexion: I, a maid who’s yet to wed seem odd for this selection.” “Mary, O child of earthly mind, Who could imagine God’s design? Know this: God means to visit earth in human form, and join the human race; And you shall be Theotokos ,† †Gr.: God-Bearer, Mother of God all purity and grace.”

“As heaven is high, and earth is low, Let us lift our song to her, And God’s ways are not man’s; the Mother of all renown, I God’s servant true shall be, she who birthed the Babe that turned The vessel of this plan.” the whole world upside down. “Mary, O child of noble mind, Hail Mary, full of heavenly grace; (Ave Maria) You shall enable God’s design. We see your love in Jesus’ face. (Ave Maria) Know this: in joyous praise of your Praise to the living God: Creator, Paraclete, the angels sing above; [courageous soul Redeemer, Three in One; It pleases God that you shall give whose love shall reign for ever more, this Babe your heart of love.” while endless ages run.

—John Abdenour, based upon ad Virginem (13 th cent.)

THE SIXTH LESSON Luke 2:1-7 Reader: Bill Pellegrini, Transition-Recruitment Team St. Luke tells of the birth of Jesus.

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ANTHEM John Rutter (b. 1945)

HAT SWEETER MUSIC can we bring than a carol for to sing The birth of this our heav'nly king? W Awake the voice! Awake the string; Dark and dull night fly hence away, and give the honour to this day, That sees December turn to May, We see him come, And know him ours, who with his sunshine and his showers, Turns all the patient ground to flowers.

The darling of the world is come, and fit it is we find a room to welcome him, The nobler part of all the house here is the heart. Which we will give him and bequeath this holly and this ivy wreath, To do him honour who's our king, and Lord of all this reveling. —Robert Herrick (1591-1674)

THE SEVENTH LESSON Luke 2:8-16 Reader: The Rev. Gregory Welin, Mission Council, Diocese of Connecticut The shepherds go to the manger.

CAROL R. L. Chilcott (b. 1955)

E STOOD on the hills, Lady, Our day’s work done, W Watching the frosted meadows That winter had won. The evening was calm, Lady, The air so still, Silence more lovely than music Folded the hill. There was a star, Lady, Shone in the night, Larger than Venus it was And bright, so bright. Oh, a voice from the sky, Lady, It seemed to us then Telling of God being born In the world of men. And so we have come, Lady, Our day’s work done, Our love, our hopes, ourselves We give to your son. —Clive Sansom (1910-1981)

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¶ All standing.

HYMN

¶ The Congregation may be seated.

THE EIGHTH LESSON Matthew 2:1-18 Reader: John Ogletree, Senior Warden of the Vestry

The magi visit the Holy Family.

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CAROL Peter Warlock (1894-1930)

HEN HE IS KING , we will give him the King’s gifts, myrrh for its sweetness and gold for a crown, W beautiful robes,” said the young girl to Joseph, fair with her first-born on Bethlehem Down.

Bethlehem Down is full of the star-light, winds for the spices and stars for the gold, Mary for sleep, and for lullaby music songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold.

When he is King they will clothe him in grave-sheets, myrrh for embalming and wood for a crown, he that lies now in the warm arms of Mary, sleeping so lightly on Bethlehem Down.

Here he has peace and a short while for dreaming, close huddled oxen to keep him from cold, Mary for love, and for lullaby music songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold. —Bruce Blunt (1899-1957)

¶ The Congregation stands for the Ninth Lesson.

THE NINTH LESSON John 1:1-16 Reader: The Rev. Amy Doyle Welin, Interim Rector St. John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation.

¶ The Congregation may be seated.

MOTET Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)

UX Light, CALIDA GRAVISQUE pura velut aurum warm and heavy as pure gold L et camunt angeli molliter and the angels sing softly modo natum. to the new-born baby.

—Edward Esch (b. 1970), Latin tr. Charles Anthony Silvestri

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¶ Sung by all, standing.

HYMN

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¶ The Congregation remains standing.

THE COLLECT FOR CHRISTMAS

Priest The Lord be with you. People And also with you.

The Officiant says the Collect.

LMIGHTY GOD, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your A children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

THE BLESSING

The Officiant blesses the People.

AY OUR GREAT REDEEMER, who by his incarnation gathered into one things earthly and heavenly, fill you with the sweetness of inward peace and goodwill; M and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you always. Amen.

¶ Sung by all, standing.

HYMN

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Words: Charles Wesley (1707-1788), alt. Music: Mendelssohn, Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847); adapt. William H. Cummings (1831-1915); desc. J. R. Abdenour (b. 1962) 77. 77. D with Refrain

ORGAN VOLUNTARIES In dulci jubilo BWV 729 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Improvisation on Divinum Mysterium

¶ Please leave the church quietly, so that those remaining can listen to the voluntary.

Thank you for your presence at this service. The People of St. Paul’s wish you and all those you love a blessed and holy Christmas.

We wish to thank Julie Seymour, the Music Ministry Team, and the Choir Parents for presenting the Yule Café prior to this evening’s service.

MUSIC NOTES If any single human being can be said to have and “Of the Father’s heart begotten.” changed the sound of Christmas in the last hundred Willcocks’ predecessor Boris Ord was Director of years, it must be David Willcocks. During his tenure as Music from 1927 to 1957. Unlike Willcocks, Ord’s body Director of Music at King’s College Chapel, Cambridge, of published works stands at exactly one: his elegantly he created a large body of music for Christmas, specifi- restrained setting of Adam lay ybounden, which has be- cally, music for choir and organ and usable in a liturgi- come a staple of carol services worldwide for many cal setting. In today’s service, his music is represented years. The medieval text thanks God for the incident of by two timeless descants: “Once in royal David’s city”; Adam, Eve, the apple and the serpent, for although the

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eating of the apple opened humankind to sin and its Four items in today’s service were composed for the horrible consequences, it also led ultimately to the in- Choir of St. Paul’s Fairfield by John Abdenour. In ad- carnation of Jesus through ‘Our Lady,’ Mary: The fall of dition to the arrangements for “O come, all ye faithful,” mankind into sin, in and of itself a catastrophe, is re- “Hark! the herald angels sing,” and “Lo, how a Rose,” deemed by God and becomes the perfect vehicle of we will hear today The Angel and Mary, composed this God’s grace through the coming of Jesus. October. A freewheeling arrangement of the 13 th -14 th George Ratcliffe Woodward was, so to speak, the century melody and text Angelus ad Virginem, the work David Willcocks of his day. An accomplished linguist takes a fresh look at the story of the , and musician, he was also an Anglican priest associated placing more emphasis on Mary’s process of inquiry with the Cowley Fathers. In 1924 he collaborated with and discernment and less on the sheer fact of her vir- the composer Charles Wood to publish The Cambridge ginity. Mary, voiced by the trebles of the choir, is in Carol Book, a collection of highly singable and attractive dialogue with the angel Gabriel, whose voice changes Christmas hymns, carols, and songs, including “Ding kaleidoscopically (lower voices, upper voices, full choir), dong! merrily on high.” Many items from The Cambridge depending upon what he’s saying. The music exploits a Carol Book subsequently made their way into Willcocks wide range of moods and modes, including recitative, and Rutter’s series. plainsong, and even jazz. The work premiered on this The Holly and the Ivy is an English carol of indetermi- year’s Carol Service. nate provenance. The words were first published in a John Rutter’s rise to international prominence began broadside in Birmingham in 1814, and the tune was while he was a student at Cambridge, and has continued collected in 1911 by Cecil Sharp, one of several folk unabated ever since. In 1987 he was commissioned to music aficionadi (along with Vaughan Williams and compose a new carol for that year’s Festival of Nine others) who drove the development of folk song-based Lessons & Carols at King’s College Chapel, Cambridge. hymns of the early 20 th century. The verses reference His setting of Robert Herrick’s poem What Sweeter Music various elements of Christ’s passion (blood, thorn, gall). is unusual amongst the yearly commissions for the One curious evolution in the text concerns a preposi- King’s service in its refusal to countenance the cutting tion: In the early 1814 version, the final line of the re- edge in any way. One of Rutter’s finest works, What frain is “sweet singing of the choir,” which morphed in Sweeter Music recalls a lost elegance from another time subsequent iterations to “sweet singing in the choir.” and stands in the tradition of such melodists as Parry, Not a minor difference: the first reference is to an en- Vaughan Williams, and Elgar. And in the crowded semble, the second, to the quire, the area in cathedrals world of John Rutter Christmas offerings (almost all in and abbey churches where the monks sang their office the comfy key of G-flat), What Sweeter Music stands services. An early example of the influence of the Ox- apart. ford movement, perhaps? The charming tune of this Fourteen years after Rutter was commissioned, Bob carol has induced countless arrangers to try their luck, Chilcott composed The Shepherd’s Carol by for the 2001 but none has succeeded more brilliantly than Henry Festival. Active as a composer and choral clinician, Walford Davies, organist of the Temple Church in Lon- Chilcott grew up in the choir of King’s College, Cam- don. bridge, and went on to enjoy a career with the King’s Walford Davies (pronounced ‘Davis’) was also the Singers, before turning to full time work as a composer. part-time director of religious music for the British The Shepherd’s Carol is typical of his music – meditative, Broadcasting Company (BBC). This position later fell modern, and very beautiful, with a marvelous moment to Barry Rose, who held it while moonlighting as organ- of ecstasy at the words ‘and bright, so bright. . .” The ist of Guildford and then St. Paul’s Cathedrals. While words, from a poem by Clive Sansom, imagine the he was at St. Paul’s, the cathedral held a service cele- Shepherds, in simple language, trying to explain their brating the 60 th anniversary of the BBC, which occa- presence at the manger to Mary. sioned Dr. Rose wearing both his hats at the same time. Philip Arnold Heseltine was a young composer For this service he composed his motet Nation shall (working under the pseudonym ‘Peter Warlock’) leading speak peace unto nation. A brief setting of the BBC’s offi- a somewhat Bohemian and dissolute existence in 1927 cial motto, this lovely little piece was premiered in a when he and his poet friend, Bruce Blunt, hit upon the joint performance by the St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir and idea of creating a Christmas carol for a composition the BBC Singers. competition being held by the Guardian of London. Riu, riu chiu is a 15 th cent. Spanish Villancico, a form of The hoped-for prize would underwrite the friends’ bev- strophic, polyphonic song similar to a madrigal, com- erage supply for their Christmas festivities. In the posed by Mateo Flecha the elder. The words of Riu, riu event, their entry, Bethlehem Down, won the competition chiu are based on a Spanish legend, and tell of the and became popular (and Christmas festivities did in Blessed Mother and her infant Son, and how God pro- fact take place as hoped). The somewhat questionable tected them from Satan, who appears in the story in the circumstances of the work’s genesis cannot obscure the guise of a wolf. brilliance of Warlock’s and Blunt’s creation, nor impair

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the meaning of its words. A fitting metaphor, it seems, times, including at the 2008 carol service at King’s Col- for a season when we celebrate the out-of-wedlock lege. The most interesting performance of the work, birth, in a barn, of the Prince of Peace. however, appears on YouTube. Whitacre assembled a Eric Whitacre was born in 1970 and grew up in Las ‘virtual choir’ of hundreds of singers, each recorded Vegas, Nevada. He came to classical music at the age singing the piece; the individual recordings were then of 21, when he sang with his college choir in a perfor- combined. To date, the virtual choir performance has mance of Mozart’s Requiem. He began composing for been viewed on YouTube over 3 million times. The choir thereafter, and has gone on to enjoy a spectacular original English text by Edward Esch was translated into career. His Lux arumque has been performed many Latin by Charles Silvestri.

PARTICIPATING IN TODAY ’S SERVICE

Clergy The Reverend Amy Doyle Welin, Interim Rector The Reverend Gregory Welin, Priest-in-Charge, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Woodbury, Connecticut

Music John R. Abdenour, Director of Music Johnson Flucker, Guest Conductor Christopher McCormack, Viola

Acolytes Benjamin B. Jr., Sarah Buggy, Andrew C., Neal M.

Ushers Lucy Buggy, Trish Garton

T H E S T . P A U L ’ S C H O I R

Cantoris Choir - Treble Elisabeth B. †, Matthew B., Madeline C., Julia H., Lauren L., Josephine M., Olivia S., Colin S., Miranda S., Noah S.

Alto – Cantoris: Robin Clark-Smith, Derek Greten-Harrison (Section Leader), Laura Mozier, Eva Uhrich

Tenor – Cantoris: Timothy Barney, Christopher McCormack (Section Leader)

Bass – Cantoris: Eric Andren, Benjamin McCormack (Section Leader)

Decani Choir - Treble Isabella B., William B., Charlotte B., Olivia B., Fiona C., Madison C., Madison C., Claire D., Maya K., Emma L.

Alto – Decani: Tracey Cranston, Elijah McCormack (Section Leader) , Sarah McCormack

Tenor – Decani: Bennett S., Jonathan Taylor (Section Leader)

Bass – Decani: Greg Sullivan (Guest Section Leader) Philip Sidebottom † Soloist, Once in Royal David’s city

THE SAINT PAUL ’S CHOIR is a 35 voice ensemble made up of boy and girl trebles with professionally led adults sing- ing alto, tenor and bass. The choir has toured England four times, most recently in 2016, singing services in the cathe- drals in Bristol, Durham, Edinburgh, Ely, Exeter, Gloucester, Hereford, Norwich, Peterborough, Southwark, St Albans, and Worcester. It has also sung at most of the major Episcopal churches in New York City, and engages in ongoing artistic collaborations with Yale Opera, the American Baroque Orchestra, and the venerable British choirmaster Barry Rose. Most members of the Choir are parishioners or children of parish families, but the Choir is open to all young peo- ple with an interest in singing and a commitment to membership in the choir. Neither membership in the parish nor previous choral training are required. (Membership for altos, tenors, and basses is open by audition, as space permits.) St. Paul’s is also home to the Saint Cecilia Choir, an adult choir that sings for some Sunday 9:30 Eucharist services and other services, and welcomes all singers. If you would like further information on any of these ensembles, please contact the Director of Music, John Abdenour.

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C HRISTMAS W ORSHIP A T S A I N T P A U L ’ S

SATURDAY , D ECEMBER 24 – CHRISTMAS EVE

FAMILY CRÈCHE SERVICE (H OLY EUCHARIST ) AT 3:00 PM FESTIVAL HOLY EUCHARIST AT 5:30 PM CANDLELIGHT HOLY EUCHARIST AT 10:00 PM

SUNDAY , D ECEMBER 25 – CHRISTMAS DAY HOLY EUCHARIST AT 10:00 AM

ST. P AUL ’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 661 O LD POST ROAD FAIRFIELD , C ONNECTICUT 06824 203-259-3013 web site: www.stpaulsfairfield.org general e-mail: [email protected]

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN CONNECTICUT The Right Reverend Ian Theodore Douglas, Bishop of Connecticut The Right Reverend Laura Jean Ahrens, Bishop Suffragan

CLERGY The Reverend Amy Doyle Welin, Interim Rector The Reverend Melissa Lamkin, Priest Associate The Reverend Elizabeth H. Skaleski, Deacon

OFFICERS OF THE VESTRY John Ogletree, Senior Warden Linda Shaffer, Junior Warden Peter Osborne, Treasurer Janet O’Donnell, Secretary of the Vestry

MEMBERS OF THE VESTRY Lorie Boveroux, Gerry Burdo, Jane Corbett, Joanne Fredericks, Jon Hylan, Chris Jay, Dawn Miller

STAFF John R. Abdenour, Director of Music Mary Ellen Clifton, Parish Administrator Cathy Comstock, Director of Finance & Communications Tina Patrick, Facilities Manager